Chapter 1: Where it all started

Naramdaman ko ang tubig na dumadapo sa aking balat. Napamulat ako ng mata at nakita ko si kuya na nakangisi.

"Why did you do that?" seryosong tanong ko at napabangon sa higaan.

"Get up already, you're going to be late," sabi niya at inilapag ang baso na may tubig sa nightstand.

"I'm already up. Are you blind?" galit kong tanong at dumeretso sa bathroom.

Gosh, in the middle of sleeping, he will just disturb me!

Pinunuan ko na ang bathtub ng tubig para makaligo na ako.

Ito nanaman tayo. Nakakapagod na ang buhay na 'to.

Nang mapuno na 'yon ay in-off ko na at naglublob sa tubig.

Pinahinga ko muna ang sarili ko doon at pagkatapos no'n ay naligo na talaga ako.

Nagtooth brush na rin ako at nagbihis na. Sinuot ko ang aking jumper at white t-shirt, tinamad ako maguniform ngayon.

Pagkatapos ko no'n ay lumabas na ako sa kwarto.

"Good morning, ma'am," bati sa akin ni Nanay Pasing.

"Don't call me ma'am. Just call me by my name," sabi ko at nilagpasan siya.

"Good morn-" I cut her off.

"Don't you ever greet me with your f*cking voice," I seriously said, the reason why she just stayed quiet.

"Zahra! Why are you like that to your mom?!" Isa rin 'to.

"She's not my mom, dad! My mom is in heaven and she's your freaking new wife that I will never accept!" I shouted and turned my gaze to him.

"Zahra, please stop!" Nilingon ko naman si kuya na nakatingin sa akin kaya napangiwi ako.

"Why, you already forgot our true mother because of her? Oh, right, you're angry at mom, that's why you're happy that she's dead."

"Zahra, I didn't raised you like that!"

"It's because you're not the one who raised me!" Lumabas na ako dahil ayaw ko na makipag sigawan sa kaniya.

Yes, my mom died already because of heart attack. I was still young that time. And that's the reason why my father got a new wife. And I will never accept her, ever.

My eyes are itching because of the tears that won't come out and my hands are trembling because I remembered how I saw my mom died.

A bus stopped in front of me that's why I immediately went inside. No one's here, weird.

I just went to the back seat and put earphones on.

As I was hearing some music. The bus suddenly bumped into something.

Tinanggal ko naman ang earphones ko tsaka tiningnan ang sa may bintana.

Wait, what? Why are we in the middle of this forest?

"Kuya, stop the bus!" I immediately shouted but he didn't heard me.

Tumayo naman ako at lumapit sa kaniya.

"Kuya, I said stop the bus!" sabi ko pa pero 'di niya ako naririnig.

Sinundot-sundot ko siya ngunit wala talaga. Bingi ba 'to?

Napasapo naman ako at napailing-iling.

Napansin kong may gate sa harapan mamin at bigla naman tumigil itong bus.

Wow, kaninang pinapatigil ko ito, ayaw. Ngayon na hindi na ako nangungilit, saka lamg tinigil. Wow.

Bumaba na lang ako sa bus at tiningnan ang gate.

It's made of gold. May nakaukit din sa gate na Zrythia Academy. Weird.

Lumapit ako do'n para magtanong kung paano bumalik sa bahay.

Mabuti nga at may guard.

"Uh, sir, can I ask you some question?" pagkukuha ko ng atensyon sa kaniya.

Napalingon naman ito sa akin at napakunot ang noo niya.

"You must be Zahra, right?" tanong niya sa akin kaya ako naman ang napakunot noo.

"Yes, sir but I hav-" He cut me off. "Welcome to Zrythia Academy, I heard a lot about you. And we've been waiting for you since last year."

What? Last year?

"What do you mean by last year?" I asked, confused.

"Oh right, I forgot. Ang isang araw sa totoong mundo ay isang taon na dito sa amin. Mabagal ang takbo ng oras totoong mundo pag nandito ka sa paaralan na 'to."

Napamaang naman ako natawa na lang bigla. "You're kidding, right?"

Tumawa lang ako nang tumawa at napailing-iling.

Tiningnan ko naman siya at seryoso siya kaya napaseryoso rin ako.

"Uh, but seriously, you're not joking?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" He coldly answered.

Napairap naman ako, wow.

"Pero, paano ako makakaalis dito? Namali kasi ako ng sakay ng bus, please, help me. Paano ako makakauwi sa amin?"

"Do you want to know the answer?" he asked and he started opening the gate.

"Yes, of course, obviously!"

"Then follow me," sabi niya at naunang naglakad.

Nagtanong lang naman ako kung paano makakaalis dito, tapos papasukin mo pa ako sa paaralang 'to?

Wala akong ibang magawa kung 'di sundan siya. I don't have any choice left, 'cause I don't know the way out here.

"Here we are." Na sa harapan kami ng isang pinto na may nakalagay na tag, "Dean's Office".

Pumasok na kami doon at bumungad sa akin ang usok.

Napaubo naman ako at dumeretso sa labas. Ang baho!

Nawala na 'yong usok kaya pumasok na ako pero tinakpan ko pa rin ang ilong ko.

"Good morning, Mr. Dean," bati ng guard at yumuko.

Yumuko na rin ako tanda ng pagbati.

"Siya na ba si Miss Zahra?" takang tanong ni Dean at inalis ang goggles niya at coat.

He's a scientist? Oh, that's why.

"Uh, yes, Dean. I'm Zahra. I would like to ask how can I get out here. Can you please help me? My brother will find me," I reasoned out even though they don't care. I just want to get out of here.

He laughed. Why did he laughed?

"Why are you laughing? I'm serious, I need to get out of here!" sabi ko pa at napahilot sa sentido ko.

"Hindi ka na makakaalis dito. Napagusapan na namin 'to nang papa mo, hindi niya ba sinabi sa 'yo?" tawang sabi niya kaya natigilan ako.

Bakit hindi sa akin sinabi ni papa?

"F*ck! F*ck! F*ck!" mura ko pa at napapikit. Gosh, why he didn't tell me?

Oh, right. He doesn't care about my opinion. Psh.

"Okay then, papayag ako na papasok ako dito. But only in one condition," seryosong sabi ko kaya napangiti siya.

"Sure, what is it?" Kumuha siya ng tubig at iniabot iyon sa akin kaya ininom ko naman.

"I want to stay here for four years, and will not go to my house even once in those four years," I said while drinking the water. I put it in the table. And wiped my mouth.

"No problem. Just like what he said, ang isang taon dito ay isang araw lang sa totoong mundo." Napatango naman ako at napabuntong hininga.

"This school is very dangerous, but sometimes, it's fun. So be careful," sabi niya kaya napatango ako.

Lalabas na sana ako nang may pahabol pa siya. "Also, kapag may nakasalubong kang apat na lalaki, 'yong palaging na sa gitna, 'wag mong gagalitin 'yon dahil baka ikamatay mo."