Universo I
There's a lot of things that happened in our universe wherein a new celestial body appears but sadly, we didn't notice. Sometimes some asteroid passes by in our world. Sometimes there is a new formation of stars. Sometimes a new habitat world that is waiting to be discovered. Or maybe there are other human beings waiting for us to be noticed. But we are too distracted in other things.
So, our minds choose to ignore those great events. We didn't believe it unless we see. Unless there is strong evidence that we can on hold too, and that leaves a mystery to us.
"No one believes unless they see and that is the funniest thing to me." I chuckled. I looked at the night sky. A cold wind brushes into my pale skin. I slowly closed my eyes and feel the serene wind. I let my hair blow softly. I want to enjoy the night. I want to enjoy this before I leave. And I opened my eyes and smiled sweetly in the moon and stars.
"They missed the chance. A lot of chance." I whispered. There are two types of people living in our world. One, people want to prove that some peculiar things do exist, and second, people choose not to believe and ignore like it hasn't happened. Even though the answer and evidence that they are looking are standing in front of them.
Living with them. Watching them happily talking. Walking in the street beside them. Sitting on the train. Eating the same thing. But they didn't bother to know. And that makes my life completely smooth.
"Eunice!" I heard a cheerful voice shouting my name. So I took a glance at her. I stared at the girl wearing a red flowery dress. Waving her hands to me. I smiled widely and she started walking in front of me. I watched her dress softly blowing off by the wind. Her blonde hair compliments her almond eyes. Her pink pouted lips are forming a small smile in her face and my eyes wander on her big tummy. I chuckled.
"What do you need?" I softly asked. She softly touched her big baby bump. She is eight and a half months pregnant at any moment. She would bear her lovely baby. What a beautiful preggy woman.
"Aalis ka na ba?" she asked. I nodded suddenly her smiled fades away. She touched my arms and she directly looked at my eyes.
"Can you do it some other time? I just want you to see my child before you go and transfer my mark to him." she smiled at me. I kept staring on her face and observe her expressive eyes staring at me. Her eyes are twinkled by the thought she would pass the mark on her child.
Unfortunately, the mark will fade away and transfer to someone. I can't dictate or choose who I want to mark because the insignia is the one who chooses the next vessel.
"I don't want to burst your bubbles Lorraine but you know the rules of insignia. The insignia is not heredity. It can't be passed nor transfer to someone that you want. The insignia is a living mark. It chooses her or his vessel. Like what it did to you." I stated. I see the glint of sadness in her eyes. I lifted my hands and I touched her face.
A sad smile crept in her face. She took my hand and caressed it like what she did before.
"So it means, your job here is done?" she worriedly asked and I nodded. I see how she took in a deep breath before she uttered a word. I know this too hard for her even to me. But I can't do anything to it. I sighed.
She let go of my hands and she walks toward the tree. It was an old, huge, and the tallest tree I've ever seen in my entire life. I quietly observed her. She sat between the large root of the tree and smiling widely at me.
"Do you still remember Eunice? This is the first place that we have met and the luckiest moment of my life. You saved me from my father's wrath." she happily said like she was reminiscing the old days. I feel the nostalgic feeling but it happened a long time ago.
"I was nine years old at that time and you were twenty-seven years old but look at us now. You haven't changed. You don't get too old. You are the same woman who saved me in the past. A woman wearing an innocent smiled and a woman who has a beautiful pair of aquamarine eyes that kept telling that everything will be okay. A pair of calm eyes that full of hope." she softly said. I chuckled. She tapped the ground beside her. I smiled and I walked towards and sat beside her. She softly caressed my hair and tucked it in my ears.
I looked at her face. She has grown to become a beautiful and independent woman. Lorainne Jane Baltazar, 37 years old, the Prime Minister of this whole country. The woman who serves her life to me. She is one of the 49th cadettes of insignia, my protector, and my secret keeper.
"Always remember this Eunice. I'm happy and honored that someone like you across our universe and stay beside our nation. If I had a chance to announce to the universe that I met the woman who never grow old, the woman who holds her own clock, the woman who always saved their Prime Minister and the woman who came from the other universe. Maybe they will never allow you to go." she happily said and I laughed. I took glanced at the night sky.
"As if they will believe you," I stated and I heard her giggled.
"Of course they will not, they will not witness the great woman I've ever seen," she said and she caressed my silky black long hair. I remember this I usually do to her when she was a child but look at us now. She looked like my Mom do it to me. I chuckled on my thought.
I saw the Aquarius Constellation shining beautifully. But I can't help to be sad and filled my heart of pain. Whenever I saw it. I always wish that it was an illusion but I know it was a stupid idea.
The Aquarius Constellation means there are an ending and a new beginning waiting for me in another universe. I looked at her. She was also looking to the Constellation. I saw her eyes filled with tears. It means her clock would change. The flow of her time would flow accordingly in her own fate. The fate and the time that she'll never know my name. That she will forget all about me. I looked at her and a sad smiled formed to my lips.
"Ito na ba ang oras? Aalis ka na ba talaga?" she asked. I nodded and I swiped her tears on her face. I noticed that the insignia in her left hand is slowly fading. I bit my lips trying not to cry. I looked at her eyes and I faked my smile.
"I know this is the last time that you'll remember me but it doesn't mean I will not go here in your universe and watching you from afar. You become my loyal friend, a sister, and a mother to me and that is the best gift I will cherish forever." I said. She tapped my shoulder and smiled sweetly to me.
"Goodbye Azalea. I hope we can see each other again. I
Sana darating ang araw na matatandaan ulit kita." she whispered. I smiled and I get something in my pocket. I lend my hand in front of her. She took it and wear it like a pendant.
"Thank you." she cheerfully said. She touched it and a small smile formed to her lips when she found my name on it. It was a clock emblem pendant. I saw my hands slowly fading and she becomes blurry to my vision. Until I was no longer see her. I slowly closed my eyes and feel the wormhole take me to another universe.
When I feel everything becomes stable. I slowly opened my eyes. I saw the old tree behind me. I'm sitting in the same spot but the only difference is she was no longer her. Or maybe she was here but an indifferent person. I took a deep breath before I looked at the view in front of me.
"Where the heck I am?" I asked. I'm too shocked by what I saw. There is a lot of bulletin boards, a large TV screen playing some news and advertisements, expensive cars crossing the street and building everywhere. This place is too far in Earth XLVII. I wonder what earth and place are me.
"I really hate this," I mumbled. I hold onto the tree to help me to stand up and I swiftly wipe my dress to remove some sand on it. When I started to walk someone blocks my way.
"Who are you? Didn't you know that sitting on the tree is prohibited." I heard his childish voice. I lower my head to see his face. I smirked. I see how his forehead creased. I pouted. Looked how cute he is. He was talking about law at an early age. I want to pinch his rosy cheeks. I sat on the ground to see fully his cute face.
"I'm Eunice. Eunice Mellieya Timber." I happily said but he creased his forehead and opened his mouth to say my name. But my name sound groan and whispered to his mouth like he can't utter my name but he tried harder. He never stops trying until I see his face turning red and he tapping his foot. My forehead furrowed and I blinked twice. He looked frustrated that he can't pronounce my name and that makes me giggled. When he heard my soft laugh. He stopped and pouted. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared at me.
"Why I can't say your name? Are you a magician or a witch? Is that a cursed name?" he frustratedly asked. I playfully shrugged and laughed. "May I know what is this world name? Maybe I can answer your question."
"You are weird. You are an old woman but you didn't know our world name. Geez, you look like a crazy woman who passed by. This is Earth X-99." he rolled his eyes. I noticed his eye color, it was a pair of electric blue eyes and if you are too far it looked like a gray. His eyes are like a gravitational field. I chuckled.
"So this world is the exact opposite of Earth XLVII. Now I know, why you can't utter my name." I stated and I looked away. "This world doesn't believe in a parallel universe," I whispered. I took a deep breath and I pinched the bridge of his cute nose before I decided to stand up.
"You even pinched my handsome nose and that is child abuse," he said and it makes me laughed. Who wouldn't be right? He is too young to know about the law. In an early age usually, a child loves celestial beings but what would I expect this is the opposite world.
"You need to go home," I said but he shoved his hands in his pockets and he rolled his eyes. I chuckled. I looked away and when I see the stars and moon that never changed. I smiled wildly at the night sky. At least mayroong hindi nagbago.
"What do you care? A crazy like you need to confine in Asylum and I'm waiting for my M--" he stopped talking. So I looked at him. Na ngayon ay tumatakbo na siya papunta sa ibang direksiyon ng kalsada. Nakita ko ang mga pasalubong na sasakyan. Halos bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko at nakaramdam ako ng takot. Kaya dali-dali kong pinabagal ang oras ng mundo. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Nang bumagal ang takbo ng sasakyan. Pati ang mga bagay na babagsak sa lupa. Naglakad ako papalapit sa batang lalaki at binuhat ito. Natigilan ako ng makita ko ang hilam na luha sa kaniyang mata.
"Why are you crying?" I asked like he can answered my question. Pero nakatingin lang ito sa itaas na tila nakatuon lang ang tingin nito sa itaas. Sinundan ko ang tingin nito at nakita ko sa malaking T.V screen ang babaeng namatay sa car accident. Nangyari ang aksidente noong saktong oras na nagkakilala kami ng bata. Maybe blessing in disguise that he met me para hindi siya sumama sa aksidente. Muli akong tumingin sa kaniya at malungkot na ngumiti. Tinaas ko ang kamay ko at nilagay ito sa kaniyang noo para sana takpan ang mga mata niya. Pero bigla akong natigilan.
"M-Mama." He whispered. He slowly looked at me and I'm shocked how did he managed to do that. Imposibleng magawa niyang magsalita kung napabagal ko na ang oras. Hindi naman siya ang bagong may-ari ng. Oh shit sana mali ang iniisip ko.
"S-save my M-Mom." he said. He slowly lifted his left hand and touched my hand. I see the formation of insignia on his skin. I looked at his eyes it was flooded by the tears .
"P-Please." he sobbed. Some part of my heart melted.
"Don't worry I'll turn back the time and I'll save you Mom. Lalaki kang may mga magulang pangako 'yan." I whispered before I wipe my hands on his eyes and hugged him tightly. I put his head in the crook of my neck. I feel some water flowing on his cheeks.
Kinapa ko ang bulsahan ko at nakapa ko ang hinahanap ko. Dahan-dahan ko itong nilabas. Nakita ko ang Tri-Clock ko. This is the first time that I will break the rule of time.
"Thou shall not turn back the time to revive a dead from his or her death." I uttered. But looked what I'm doing. Binabalik ko ang oras kung saan unang segundong akong nakapasok sa mundo nila.
Nakita ko ang mga sasakyan na umaatras pabalik pati ang mga palabas sa T.V ay nag-re-rewind. Ang mga tao ay naglalakad paatras. Naglakad ako pasalungat sa nilalakaran nila. Napansin ko ang paglaho ng batang lalaki sa mga braso ko. Nang maramdaman kong umihip ang malamig na hangin na humahalik sa aking balat. Dahan-dahan kong pinikit ang mga mata ko.
Nang unti-unti ng bumaba ang hangin. Minulat ko na ang aking mga mata. Napansin kong nasa loob ako ng sasakyan. Isang babae ang nagmamaneho nito. Tumingin ako sa labas ng sasakyan. Ito ang lugar kung saan siya naaksidente at malapit ito sa lugar kung saan kami nagkita ng batang lalaki. Muli akong tumingin sa babae na may hawak na small picture at nilagay iyon sa compartment.
"She truly loves her son." mahinang saad ko. Napansin kong dahan-dahan ang pagtakbo nito. Nang makita ko ang panibagong sasakyan na matulin nagpapatakbo na malapit ng sumagasa sa sasakyan niya muli kong pinahinto ang oras. Lumipat ako sa harapan at ginalaw ang manibela pakaliwa na kung saan dadaan ito sa maputik na daan. Na magpapatirik ng sasakyan niya. Nang magawa ko na ito lumabas na ako at naglakad pabalik.
Muli kong pinagalaw ang orasan. Nakita kong bumangga ang mabilis na sasakyan sa poste samantalang ang sasakyan ng Mama niya nakahinto sa putikan. Unti-unting nagkaroon ng komosyon sa lugar at mabilis na pagdating ng mga pulis.
Nagpatuloy na ako sa paglalakad hindi ko namalayan nasa harapan na ulit ako ng puno at nakita ko ang batang lalaking nakahiga sa pagitan ng mga malalaking ugat doon. Kung saan ako nakaupo kanina. Napangiti naman ako. Naglakad ako papalapit sa kaniya at umupo sa harapan niya. Hinaplos ko ng marahan ang pisnge niya. Linapit ko ang bibig ko sa tenga niya.
"This is the first time that we've met unfortunately, you will forget all about me." I whispered and a small smile formed to my lips. "I did what you want me to do. So, I hope that someday you'll do something for me too. I want you to learn the real meaning of existence and time. I want you to learn about those thing so that if the right time comes, you can say my name, little one." I smiled.
Dahan-dahan akong lumayo sa kaniya. Nakita ko ang isang I.D na nakasabit sa leeg niya. Hinawakan ko ito at tinaas.
"Eadden Skyrei Madrid. Eadden "The Man of Cloudy Earth." I whispered. I looked at the night sky. I can't see the stars and moon. Now the cloud covered the sky and cold wind brushes into my skin.
Muli akong tumingin sa kaniya at matamis na ngumiti. Dahan-dahan kong hinalikan ang kaniyang pisnge.
"Until we meet again, My Eadden."