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Ring
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I WOKE UP IN A MIDDLE OF A DARK WOODS.
 
I don't have any recollection of how I got here. It's so dark and I am alone. The eerie silence is creeping me out. The only things I hear are the rustling movement of the trees and the sounds of the insects around me. 
 
I don't know where my friends are. I don't know where I am. Gusto ko na lang maiyak sa takot at kaba. Darkness is not good for me. I am afraid—no, terrified of it. I can't stand being in a dark place for a long time. Especially when I am alone. 
 
I can't stay here.
 
I hugged myself tightly. My breath become ragged, my heart beats faster than normal. The silhouettes of trees around me become distorted, turning into a figure that I feared the most. Figures of monsters that makes me afraid of darkness.

The figures slowly creeps towards me, the silent was replace by agonizing cries and screams of terrors. I closed my eyes tightly as I covered my ears. Hoping all those images and sounds would vanished.

They are not real. I keep convincing myself. But no matter what I do, they won't disapear.

Along the sea of cries, a heard a familiar voice calling my name repeatedly. I also feel someone shaking my body. But I can't respond at all. My head feels light and I can feel my conciousness slowly fading away. Before I am completely pulled into oblivion, I felt something warm on my chest. It's comforting. It makes me calm. Then I remember that's where the ring is.
 

 ༺ ❖ ༻

5 YEARS AGO... 

 
A group of five students dragged me towards the back part of the school. Mas malalaki sila sa akin kaya kahit anong pagpupumiglas ko ay walang silbi.
 
"Let me go! Susumbong ko kayo sa lola ko!"
 
Tumawa ang isa sa kanila. "At Akala mo natatakot kami sa Lola mo? Sino ba siya? Principal ng school yung mama ko. Sinong tinakot mo!"
 
Hindi nila ako binitawan hanggang sa makarating kami sa tapat ng isang abandoned storage room sa likod ng school.
 
Binuksan ng isa ang pinto, at ang batang may hawak sa akin ay tinulak ako papasok.
 
"Dito ka nababagay! Ang mga katulad mo ay walang lugar rito sa school!"
 
"You're a freak!"
 
Malakas nilang isinara ang pinto. Ang mga papalayong boses at tawa ang huli kong narinig sa kanila.
 
I tried to open the door, but it was locked from the outside. The room is small, dirty, and dark. 
 
So much for being new here. It's been a month since I went to this school. I became the center of the bullies attention. Especially, George. The son of the school principal.
 
It's all because of my hair color. Unlike them, I don't have a black or brown hair color like normal people do. I have a platinum gray that has always made me stand out, even when I don't want to. I tried dying it black many times, but it always went back to its original color. 
 
They find me odd because of it. Calling me a freak and an attention seeker. Even some teachers mock me because of my hair. They won't believe that it is my natural hair color. They even tolerated George sometimes. Kaya siguro malakas ang loob niya at ng mga kaibigan niya na gawin ito sa akin. 
 
The storage room is far from the main building. It's no use shouting for help. Mauubusan lang ako ng boses. Naupo na lang ako sa gilid at umasa na sana mahanap ako ni kuya. He always finds me, so I am not worried i would be stuck here for so long.
 
Hours have passed, but I am still trapped here. That's when I decided that I needed to call for help. But no one responded. I then realized that not all the time my brother will come to save me. I need to learn to save myself and stop being too dependent on my brother.

I tried to open the door. I used all my force but it is no use. That's where it all started. I hear  some faint sounds. It sounded like screams and please. Hindi ako sigurado kung guni-guni ko lang ba ang mga naririnig ko.

 "Tulong..."

"Tulungan mo kami..."
 
"Huwag...!"
 
"Tulong...!"
 
From whispers, they grew loud in my head. I tried to cover my ears, but the sounds just intensified. I closed my eyes, hoping for them to disappear, but a terrifying image of a monster suddenly appeared. 
 
It has a humanoid body, scaly skin, sharp claws, and bat-like wings. The monster is staring directly at me with its red, bloody eyes, eyeing me like I'm its prey and very ready to devour me.
 
Suddenly I can't breath. 
 
The voices in my head grew much louder, and the monster lunged at me. A scream escaped my lips. I thought I was going to die. But a soothing voice pulled me out of my nightmare.
 
When I opened my eyes, I was greeted by a pair of raven eyes.
 
"Shhh. It's okay. You are safe."
 
Umiling-iling ako. "There are monsters. They are going to eat me."
 
"They are not real. You are safe now. And even if they became real, I would do everything to protect you. You have nothing to be afraid of."
 
The presence of the boy calmed me. He helped me get up and wipe my tears. It's so dark, kaya hindi ko gaanong maaninag ang kanyang mukha.
 
"Who are you? Dito ka rin ba nag-aaral?" Tanong ko rito nang kumalma na ako.
 
Umiling ito. "Napadaan lang. May narinig akong sigaw kaya agad akong pumunta rito."
 
Based on his voice and physics, I could tell that he was older than me. Maybe he is a senior. 
 
"My name is Aya. Thank you. I really thought I was going to die."
 
"You're not dying. I won't let you. As I said, I'll always protect you now that I found you."
 
Napatingin ako sa pinto. It's still close. "Paano ka pala nakapasok? The door is still locked from the outside..." 
 
Napatingin rin siya sa pinto. At mukhang ngayon niya lang rin napansin na nakasara pa rin ito. Bigla ay hindi na siya direstong makatingin sa akin.
 
He opened his mouth, but before he could utter a single word, we heard approaching voices. Isa na roon ay boses ni kuya.
 
"I need to go now."
 
"Huh?"
 
"I am glad that I found you, Aya. But it is still not the time." May tinaggal ito sa kanyang daliri. Isang singsing. 

He held my hand gently and slipped the ring on my  ring finger. I can't help to stare at his fingers. It's  far different from mine. My fingers are much smaller than his so I was confuse how his ring perfectly fits my finger like it was really made for me.

"I'll find you again. Please always remember me." He then pats my head gently.

"Wait!" I forgot to ask his name. 
 
I don't know how, pero bigla na lang ito nawala kasabay nang pagbukas ng pinto.
 
"Klydia!" Si kuya ang unang pumasok sa pinto. His face, laced with worry, was immediately turned into relief when he saw me.
 
"Are you okay? Who did this to you?" 
 
"I'm fine, kuya."
 
"You've been crying. You're not fine."
 
After that, ay inuwi ako ni kuya. They called a doctor to check on me. And I found out that the kids who did that to me were suspended. The principal also promised my grandma that his son would no longer bother me. And if he does, my grandma will do something to expel him from the school.
 
Kinuwento ko kay lola at kuya ang tungkol sa mga boses na narinig ko, pati na rin ang mga halimaw na nakita ko sa aking panaginip. I also told them about the boy. But the doctor said that he wasn't real. He is just a part of my imagination. My mind made him up to help me survive the panic attack. It's impossible na may kasama ako sa loob at that time, dahil naka-lock pa rin ang pinto mula sa labas. 
 
Gusto kong ipakita sa kanila ang ibinigay nitong singsing sa akin para patunayan na totoo siya. But something inside is telling me that I should keep it to myself. 
 

©Quinnxixityy