Eyes On Us

01

Our parents never taught us to hate one another. We never argue, even over small matters. We always give way to each other. We are alive with each other's presence. Mommy and Daddy raised us with so much respect and love for each other.

What would I be like without them? If they left me alone... in the middle of the forest. Helpless.

Silence. Fresh air. Birds chirping. Sound of waves that are fascinating to keep an eye on when you're at the seashore. Those were the first things I felt and heard when I woke up.

I opened my eyes.

But before I could even move, I immediately felt the pain in my body. My entire body hurt, as if I had been beaten. I'm hungry as well. I don't know when I last ate. I've never been this hungry in my entire life.

I'm not at home, and I'm not in the hospital either.

Where am I?

I looked around. This is not our house. The bed is made of wood. Pati na din ang kabuohan ng bahay. But even though it is made of wood, it looks clean.

Because of the house, I feel like I live in the province. When we visited Mama La in the province, the houses around them basically looked like this. Am I in the province?

Tinignan ko ang binti ko. Nakita kong may benda na ito at tumigil na din ito sa pagdurugo.

Who cleaned my wound?

Sinubukan kong umupo pero napangiwi lang ako dahil sa sobrang sakit. I can't even move it.

"Ah..." daing ko.

"Gising ka na pala," I gasped when I heard a baritone voice behind me.

When I glanced at him, my jaw literally dropped. He is... handsome. A guy who is, I think, in his early 20's. He's not very young but not that old either. He's moreno, and his dark complexion suits him.

He's behind me and he's carrying food. I'd never noticed him before! Who is he?

"Kumusta na ang pakiramdam mo? Masakit pa ba ang mga binti mo?" he moved the small table that was placed on the side next to my bed. His side view emphasized his jaw.

Pinagmamasdan ko lang ang ginagawa n'ya.

"W-Who are you?"

"Ikaw dapat ang tinatanong ko n'yan. Sino ka at paano ka napadpad dito? May sugat ka pa," he places the food on the table and doesn't even bother to look at me.

"I said who are you?" I boldly said, even though I was not comfortable in his presence. Who is he really?

"Halatang hindi ka taga-rito," and that's when he looked at me. He has misty grey eyes. He didn't simply stare at me. He examined me from head to toe. Until he found my eyes.

Tumikhim ako. "Y-Yes, I'm not from here." I averted my eyes from him. He stared at me intently.

"I'm from Manila and..." I was hesitant to explain to him why I ended up here, lalo na't hindi ko naman siya kilala.

Nang mapansin niyang wala na akong balak dugtungan ang mga sinabi ko, he nodded. He seems to understand.

"Kumain ka na muna. Alam kong nagugutom ka na, isang araw ka ding walang malay."

T-That long?

"H-How did I get here?" napaupo siya sa tabi ng maliit na lamesa.

"Nakita ka ng kapatid ko na may hinahabol na truck habang nagdurugo ang mga binti mo, sinundan ka niya at bago ka pa man mawalan ng malay, nasalo ka niya. Inuwi ka dito para magamot ang mga sugat mo."