-chapter one-hundred-two-
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"Why don't you two come with us to the mall?"

THE MALL was huge and full of people. Rae and I almost got lost twice so Uncle Val and Rae's Mama had to hold our hands.

Ilang store na puno ng maraming damit na ang pinasukan namin. Ilang beses na ring pumasok si Rae sa isang silid na may full-length mirror. Everytime he walks out, he's wearing some sort of suit. Hinayaan ko na lang sila doon at naghanap ng bagay kay River na damit. I don't have any money with me, but the next time we visit the mall, I'll point one of the clothes and make Papa buy them.

"Rie, darling," lumapit si Uncle Val sa'kin. "Have you got any dresses you like?"

"I have dresses at home po."

Mahinang tumawa si Uncle Val. "Yes, but why don't we buy a special one just for this night?"

Nag-aalinlangan akong tumango. Mama always wants us to use our money wisely so we shouldn't spend a lot on things we already possess. Pero, sinabi niya rin na okay lang gumasto kapag special night.

Eventually, I was placed in a hundred of dresses and got five ones. Umiling-iling ako at humindi dito, but Rae's Mama only smiled at me and told me it was a gift.

"But, Rae!" nakanguso kong reklamo kay Rae na ngayon ay may tinitingnang laruan. "It's not yet my birthday!"

"Gifts are not just for birthdays." sagot nito at binasa ang description ng isang hologram board game. "There's holidays too."

I sat next to him in the floor and glanced at the game. Maganda nga. I wonder how they made this.

"Pero hindi naman holiday ngayon." bulong ko sa kaniya.

Rae stops inspecting the game and stares at me. "You don't like the dress?"

Napakurap ako. Eh? Ba't 'yan ang tinatanong niya? "Maganda siya."

Binawi niya ang tingin at ibinalik ang atensiyon sa game. Ngumuso ako. Napakahirap talagang intindihin ng pamilyang 'to. Although, I guess I should just be thankful for the gift.

Is this some sort of apology for making me cry in the test yesterday?

Tumayo ako at iniwan si Rae doon. Sana naman mayroon ditong game na kailangang ibuild from scratch. Mga sandworld o blocks. I want to help Papa but he always tell me that I'm too young.

Natigilan ako nang makita ang isang doll. It's the warrior woman in the TV earlier! Tumakbo ako pabalik kay Rae at kinuha ang kamay niya.

"Rie... what now?" reklamo nito kahit na nagpapahatak naman.

"Look! I found Miss Warrior!" masayang tugon ko sabay turo sa nag-iisang doll...

Na ngayon ay hawak-hawak ng isang batang lalaki.

"Someone has it already..." bigong sabi ko.

Rae patted my head. "They'll restock. Why don't you check out the game I found?"

Nauna siyang naglakad pabalik habang tinitingnan ko pa rin si Miss Warrior. May dumating na batang babaeng mas matanda sa'min at humalukipkip sa harap ng batang lalaki.

"Cali! Ano 'yang hawak mo, barbie?" the girl smirked. "That's for girls!"

"Shut up, Feure! Dolls aren't just for girls, you know. Toys should be for every kids." itinaas nito ang barbie. "Besides mula ito sa maangas na movie na pinanood natin!"

"Oh~? Siya ba 'yan? Hindi ko napansin kasi hindi naman ako nanonood." humikab ito. "Dalian mo na diyan. Hinahanap na tayo ni Mama."

"Tch. Fine."

Nang umalis na ang dalawa ay lumapit ako sa shelf. Hayy, nakakalungkot naman 'to. Marami talaga sigurong tagahanga si Miss Warrior kaya ubos na agad siya.

Rae buys a lot of games after that. Rae's Mama asked me if I want any games as well, and I declined the offer. Rae will invite me to play with him so there's no need. Hindi rin naman ako gano'n ka interesado sa mga games.

We stopped by a restaurant to eat. I excused myself, dahil pupunta ako sa bathroom. The restaurant is positioned near the highway kaya nakita ko ang isang antique store sa malayo. I stopped washing my hands and watched it from the window.

Tamang-tama at nakita ko si Uncle Val na papunta sa gawi ko. Ngumiti ako sa kaniya at itinuro ang shop.

"Can I go there po?"

Sinundan niya ang itinuro ko. "Hm, there? Why? Are you interested in old things?"

"I wanna see."

Sinulyapan niya ang table namin kung saan kumakain pa rin sina Rae. Ngumiti si Uncle Val bago binuksan ang pinto.

"We'll go, but only for a short time, okay?" hinawakan niya ang kamay ko. "We have to go back soon."

Tumango ako. He lead the way in crossing the busy and scary street. Nang makaabot kami sa other side ng street ay mangha akong tumingin sa kaniya.

Uncle Val laughed. "You just have to look both ways, or left then right. When the road's clear, that's when you cross."

"Paano po 'pag hindi clear?"

"Then you wait."

Binuksan ni Uncle Val ang pintuan papasok sa antique shop. Kuminang ang mga mata ko nang makita ang nakadisplay na items sa loob. From music boxes and cd players that doesn't automatically play. There's even a torch! Kailangan ng isang posporo para umapoy ito. And the owner said that centuries ago, they had to create fire using stones!

Mayroon ding isang box kung saan pwede nitong patagalin ang lamig ng isang object. As long as you put ice in them. They don't even need electricity!

There's even something called typewriter! Ito talaga ang nakakuha ng interes ko. You type in a keyboard that is similar to the hologram keypad, at lumalabas ang tina-type sa papel na nasa top ng typewriter. They use papers back then! Now people store their informations digitally using personal ID chips.

Napahinto ako sa pagaaral dito nang pumasok ang isang lalaki. May suot-suot itong salamin habang may hawak na papel.

"Oh, Heldrix." bati ng may-ari. "Ano 'yang dala mo?"

"Homework papers. Dito po muna ako, Tito, our subject has something to do with our history."

"Sure." malakas na tumawa ang may-ari. "Pwede mo pa akong matanong niyan. My mother likes to tell me stories about the past."

The owner of the antique shop looks quite old. Mas matanda pa siya kay Papa. Was he born in a year where technology wasn't so prosperous?

Maglalakad na sana ako palapit sa kanila para magtanong when Uncle Val takes my hand. He sadly shakes his head.

"We have to go back now, Rie. Baka mag-alala si Hera. Rae must also be looking for you."

Ngumuso ako at napatingin ulit sa dalawang nag-uusap na. Maybe I should come here another time?

Alam ko na! Kukulitin ko si River na pumunta dito bukas. We'll have Auntie Fiona to accompany us, too, para hindi mag-alala si Mama. Pero... would Rae's Papa be alright that I skip a day? Magrereklamo na lang siguro ako kay Papa na sumasakit ang ulo ko.

Tumango ako kay Uncle Val at sinundan siya palabas ng shop. I will remember you, oh great antique shop! And I'll come back here to study you more.

Uncle Val instructed me that we should wait for the light to turn green before crossing. Kapag daw gano'n kusa nang hihinto ang mga cars. But when the light turned green, Uncle Val doesn't budge. Tumingala ako para alamin kung ano'ng problema, at nakita ko siyang nakatitig sa isang shop.

"Uncle?" hinatak ko ang kamay niya. "Light is green po."

"Oh, can we wait for another green light, Rie? And do you want to accompany me on the store there?" itinuro niya ang shop.

I followed him as he made way in the busy crowd. Naningkit ang mata ko nang makadating kami sa harap ng shop. Mga aso at pusa ang nakipagtitigan sa'kin.

"Pet store po?" tanong ko.

Uncle Val smiled. "Yes. I want to buy a dog for our little Valdimir."

Hindi niya tuluyang nabuksan ang pintuan because a group of people made their way out. I stepped on the side to make way for them. Uncle Val only lets go of my hand when we entered the shop.

Hinayaan ko siyang makipag-usap sa counter and promised to stay within the cats area. Ngumiti ako habang nilalaro ang ulo nito. I should tell Mama I want a cat too...

Nakuha ng isang pusa ang atensiyon ko. She got out of her bed and stalked her way towards the shop door. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang bukas iyon dahil sa isang babae na kinakausap ang mga kaibigan niya sa labas. I stood up when the cat almost made her way out and the girl still hasn't noticed.

Sinundan ko ang pusa. I excused myself from the girl who was blocking the door and looked for the cat. Doon ko na realize na hindi pala ako nakapagpaalam kay Uncle Val. He'll understand it naman siguro? The cat left and she'll get squashed by the people.

Huminto ang pusa sa gitna ng mga taong nakikipagpatintero sa kaniya. I sighed and walked closer. The cat turned it's head towards me and stared. Natigilan ako. Does she recognize me?

Halika na nga dito, pusa, at bumalik ka na doon para hindi ako mapagalitan! Nakanguso akong lumapit sa pusa. But before I could scoop her out, I lost my balance when someone bumped into me.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" wika ng isang babae. "Have you seen my younger sister?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Hindi ko po siya kilala."

Totoo naman. Hindi ko kilala ang babae kaya hindi ko din alam kung sino ang kapatid niya.

"I'm sorry. She's quite tall, with black hair na hanggang sa leeg at may pink highlights. Nakasuot siya ng puting damit at may hawak na teddy bear!"

Umiling ako sa description niya. She sighed loudly and looked around some more. Dahil wala naman akong maitutulong, lumingon ako para tingnan ang pusa, pero iba ang nahagip ng tingin ko. I tapped the girl's shoulder and pointed to a kid on the other side of the street. She fits the girl's description of her sister.

"Siya ba?"

Biglang nanlaki ang mata niya at tumango siya. "Yes, that's her! Thank you."

Tumakbo siya papunta sa may pedestrian and was about to cross when I stopped her. She looked at me, confused.

"Bakit...?"

Itinuro ko ang traffic lights. "Shouldn't you wait for the lights to go green?"

Napatingin siya sa tinuro ko at doon niya narealize ang ibig kong sabihin. She nodded and calmed herself down. Lumingon ako pabalik sa direksiyon ng shop. Hindi ko na makita ang pusa.

"Hello, Hera? Yes! Just meet us at the front of the mall. Screw Alas and his impatience. I have to wait to his every single checkup and he can't wait for me?" napalingon-lingon ako nang marinig ang boses ni Uncle Val. "I'm looking for Rie! She just disappeared. Yes, she was with me inside the shop but then nawala siya. What?! You're calling me while driving? You'll get in-"

"YAVESTA!"

Nagulat ako nang biglang sumigaw ang babae sa tabi. Umikot ako at nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang tumatawid na ang umiiyak na batang nasa kabila. Eh? Why is she crossing the road? The light is still red, she should wait until it reaches green.

You should cross the road once the light is green or there are no cars.

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ang pamilyar na kotseng papunta sa direksiyong bata. The girl is very small so baka hindi nila ito makikita. Gumalaw ang babae sa tabi ko para tumakbo para tumawid pero hinawakan ko ulit ang kamay niya.

She looked at me, tears running down her face. "What?! I can't have my sister dying in front of me!"

But the light hasn't turned green yet...

Napaisip ako. What would River do during these times? No... what will I do if River was the kid-

Nanlaki ang mata ko. Binitawan ko ang kamay niya at tumakbo.

"HOY!"

The light turned orange. Itinulak ko pagilid ang bata. Bright light fills my vision before everything disappeared.

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-chapter end-

evil laughs.