Babala: May Isa pa Para Sayo (Warning: There's One more for You)

Story

BABALA (May isa pa, para sayo) May mga bagay sa mundo na hindi mo maipaliwanag kung bakit naganap, kung nagkataon lamang ba o kundi kaya - isa iyong babala. Second year high school ako noon nang maganap ang pangyayaring ito. Isang gabi, tinapos namin ang project sa History. Nagkolekta kami ng mga tradisyonal na mga kasuotan ng bawat bansa sa Timog, Silangan, at Timog-Silangang Asya. Batid ng aking mga magulang na nasa bahay ako ng isa kong kaklase at kaibigan ko rin, kung kaya kalmado sila, at hindi nag-aalala sa akin. Napagpasyahan ko na doon na lamang ako magpalipas ng gabi sa bahay ng kaibigan ko, total inalok din naman nila ako, batid din niya at nina Tito at Tita (mga magulang ng kaibigan ko) na malayo pa ang uuwian ko. Ang iba naming kaklase ay nagsipag-uwian na. Maganda ang bahay nila, ngunit mukha itong luma. Ang ibang bintana, kung iyong pagmamasdan sa labas, gawa sa kapis. Hagdanan ang una mong lalakarin papasok sa loob. Sa pagpasok mo sa loob, mapapansin mong hindi luma ang itsura ng mga kagamitan. Matapos ang aming hapunan, pinapasok na kami sa kwarto ng kaibigan ko para matulog. Ngunit, hindi kami sumunod. Ang kwarto niya'y hindi makaluma ang dating, bagkus mukha pa nga itong moderno na. May mga posters ng anime character sa dingding, may TV at DVD player din siya. Sa bagay, sabi niya, marami na ring nagbago sa bahay nilang iyon. Ang front face lamang ng tahanan nila ang talagang nagsilbing makaluma at nanatiling ganoon magpahanggang ngayon. Mga alas onse ng gabi kami nagpasyang matulog, matapos naming panuorin ang isang movie. "Tara, matulog na tayo." Pagyayaya niya sa akin. "Sige! Parang malalaglag na kasi yung mata ko sa sobrang antok eh." Pagsang-ayon ko. Hindi rin naman kami agad-agad nakatulog. Tulad ng ibang mga kabataan, pag magkasama, naghaharutan muna, hanggang sa nakatulog na kaming dalawa. Tantya ko mga hating gabi na iyon. Dumating ang alas tres ng gabi, nagising ako. Naririnig ko pa ang tunog ng kanilang Grandfather's clock na kumakampana. Mga ilang minuto lang, may narinig akong mga hampas ng paa ng mga kabayo at gulong waring isang kalesa. May narinig akong mga tao na nag-uusap at naghahagikhikan. Nagtataka ako kung bakit sa dis oras ng gabi ay may roong mga taong dumating pa, at bakit nakakalesa pa sila. Dahil sa curiousity ko, tumayo ako ng higaan at binuksan ko ang bintana ng mga isang dipa ng aking kamay (hinlalaki at hinliliit) sa pag-aakalang mga bisita iyon ng mga magulang ng kaibigan ko. Sa pagbukas ko, nakita ko ang isang kalesa at isang kabayo. May isang taong nakaitim na nakatayo sa labas niyon na waring may hinihintay. Nakita ko ang ama ng kaibigan ko na papasok sa loob ng kalesa. Napansin yata ako ng mamang nakaitim, kaya tumingin siya sa akin. Sa pagharap niya, nagulat ako, sabay sabi niyang, "May isa pa, para sayo!". Tumakbo ako patungo sa higaan ng kaibigan ko. Sa takot ko, nagtalukbung ako ng kumot. Kinaumagahan, hindi ko na maalala kung isa lamang iyong panaginip o totoong tumayo ako't nakita ko sila. Hindi ko makalimutan ang mga naganap kagabi. Nanatiling misteryo iyon sa akin. Kung sino ang mga taong iyon at bakit pumasok sa kalesa ang ama ng kaibigan ko. Tatanungin ko sana si Tito kung may pinuntahan ba siya kagabi, ngunit, bukod sa hiya, sumagi sa isipan ko na maaaring hindi totoo ang mga naganap dahil nandito lamang si Tito. Bago ako pinaalis ng bahay, pinakain muna ako ng agahan. Kasabay kong naglakad si Tito patungo sa sakayan. Mayroon kasi siyang trabaho noon. Nagkausap kaming dalawa, nagkukulitan, at nagtatawanan. Makaraan ng ilang minuto, dumating ang isang bus patungo sa Bayan. Bumaba ang kundoktor para manghikayat ng mga pasahero para sumakay. Dahil magkaiba kami ng sasakyan ni Tito, siya ang nauna sa amin. Nagpaalam siya. Napansin ko, parang nakita ko na ang kundoktor kung saan. Inisip ko iyon ng inisip. Noong malapit nang umalis ang bus, mag-isa na lang ako sa waiting shed. Sinabihan ako ng kundoktor, "May isa pa, para sayo!". Sa narinig ko, bigla kong naalala ang nangyari kagabi, at napagtanto ko rin na kamukha ng kundoktor ang nakaitim na lalaking nagyaya rin sa akin kagabi. Kumaway na si Tito, sinyales ng pagpapaalam. Tatawagin ko sana siya para bumaba, ngunit huli na ang lahat. Mga ilang metro pa lang ang layo, biglang sumabog ang bus!

Warning: (There's one more, for you) There are things in the world which you can't explain why it happened, if it's just a coincidence or ... it could be - a warning. I was second year high school when this event happened. One night, we (with my classmates) finished our project in History. We collected traditional clothings of every country in South, East, and South-East Asia. My parents know I was in the house of my classmate and my friend as well, that's why they were calm, and not worried of me. I decided to spent whole night in my friend's house, well they offered me also. My friend, and Tito and Tita (his parents) knew that my house is far from there. Our other classmates already went home. Their house is beautiful, but it seemed old. Their windows, if you will look from outside, it was made of Kapis. You will first pass to their stairs, before entering the house. When you're inside, you will notice that their things look isn't that old. After dinner, we went to his room to sleep. However, we didn't do that. His room looks modern. He has posters of anime characters in the wall, he has TV and DVD player too. He told me that there house had been changed. Only the front face of the house remained the same till now. It was 11 o'clock at night when we decided to go to sleep after watching one movie. "Let's go to sleep." He told me. "Okay! My eyes seemed about to fall because of drowsiness." I consented. Neither we immediately fell asleep. Like what other kids do, when they were together, they play first, till we finally fell asleep. I think it was midnight. 3 o'clock at night came, I was awaken. I heard the sound of their Grandfather's clock belling. Few minutes later, I heard horses' feet and chariot wheels. I also heard people chattering and laughing. I wondered why there's still visitors in the dead of time, and why are they riding in chariot. Because of my curiosity, I stood up by the bed and I opened the window a fathom of my hand (thumb and small finger) thinking that those people are my friend's parent's visitor. As I opened, I saw a rig and a horse. I saw a man dressed in black outside of it, as if he's waiting for someone. I saw my friend's father came over the rig. I think the man in black noticed me, so he look at me. As he approached, he told me, There's one more, for you.. I ran toward the bed of my friend. I was scared, then I covered myself with the blanket. The next morning, I can't remember if it's just a dream or if I really stand and saw them. But I can't forget what had happened that night. It remained a mystery to me. Whoever those people, and why did my friend's father entered in the chariot. I would like ask Uncle if he went any where last night, but, aside of being ashamed, something came to my mind, that it might be not true, because Uncle was still there. Before they let me go home, they gave me breakfast first. Me and Uncle walked together to the bus stop. Uncle was going to his work. While we're walking, we talked and laughed together. As we arrived, a minutes later, a bus came. The bus-conductor went down to encourage passengers to ride. Since the bus we're waiting is different, Uncle go first to the bus. He said farewell to me. As I noticed the conductor, he seemed familiar to me, as if I saw him somewhere before. When the bus is about to go, I was alone in the waiting shed. The bus-conductor told me, There's one more for you.. As I heard, I suddenly remember what happened last night, the conductor looked like the man in black last night, who similarly told me those words. Uncle waved at me, sign of farewell. I wanted to call him to get off the bus, but it was too late. Just few meters away, the bus suddenly exploded!