Chapter 6

I heard knocks on my door. I opened my eyes even it won't. I groaned and sat. I looked for the time on my phone and groaned again when I saw it was two am.

"Claudia! I need you right now! It's your grandmother!"

That woke me up. Adrenaline rushed through my body when I stood up and ran outside without talking to Mom. I went to Grandma's room and saw her difficulty in breathing.

"Grandma!"

Hawak-hawak niya ang kanyang dibdib habang nahihirapan sa paghinga. Nagtama ang paningin namin at pagkatapos ay hinawakan niya ako sa kamay.

"Kuhanin...mo ang libro sa ilalim ng unan ko," utos niya sa akin.

I'm panicking. My hands are sweaty when I helped her sat up. Mabilis kong inalis ang unan niya at kinuha ang librong tinutukoy niya.

"What will I do with this?!" I asked, frustrated.

I've never felt worried and teary in my life. I gasped when Grandma held my hand. Tears pooled her eyes.

"Gusto kong pumasok ka sa...attic. Pinto...p-"

"Narito na ang ambulansya, Ma! Let's go!"

"I'll come with you!" I yelled.

Naramdaman ko ang pagpisil ni Grandma sa kamay ko. Umiling siya. Nakita ko na lamang ang sarili kong sumunod sa pagbaba nila kasama ang mga lalaking hindi ko kilala. The ambulance went away after Nom and Grandma were inside.

It was a horrible moment. My body wobbled in exhaustion and distress. How could life take away someone I cherished?

"Ate?"

Napatingin ako sa tumawag sa likod ko. I saw Sofia standing and holding herself on the staircase. My forehead wrinkled. Mom left Sofia with me.

"Gosh."

I left Sofia and went to Grandma's room. Kinuha ko ang libro na ibinigay niya sa akin kanina at tiningnan 'yon.

"Ate...si Mama?"

Bumaling ako kay Sofia. Huminga ako nang malalim at hinawakan ang kamay niya.

"Wala si Mommy. She's with Grandma. Come on," I answered.

Tinulungan ko siyang umakyat sa attic. Inalis ko ang hawak ko sa kapatid ko at tiningnan ang libro. Binuklat ko 'yon. Anong gusto ni Grandma na gawin ko rito?

"Ate...."

"Shhh."

I read the title on the cover. Like what old books are, it's thick, heavy, leather-bound, rusty, has a sweet and musky smell.

"Nawalang unang pag-ibig."

Nawala? Why would she make a title with gone and first love in the same sentence? Does she mean the death of Grandpa?

"Mystery ba 'to? Gosh, Grandma. What are you up to?"

"Ate...." my sister whispered again.

I rolled my eyes and sat on her level. "We're going for an adventure," I lied to make her stop whining. I let her see the book. "We're going to find out what Grandma wants me to do with this book, okay?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to...."

My mouth snapped shut. I stood up.

"Let's call Mom. Titigil ka na?"

She nodded. I told her to wait for me. I went to my room to get my phone. I don't know if my mother has her phone, but whatever.

"Claudia!"

Napatingin ako sa sala. I saw Jason. I stopped walking and went downstairs.

"Anong nangyari? Kay Lola Penya?"

"Nahihirapan siyang huminga. Pwede ba akong humingi ulit ng favor sa 'yo?"

Hinawakan ko siya sa balikat.

"I am desperate right now. Could you please go to the hospital and see if Grandma's okay? I need to know if she's okay!"

Nang tumango siya ay mabilis akong tumakbo sa taas. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ang nangyari sa loob ng attic.

"What did you do?"

I went to Sofia. She was sitting on the floor and the boxes that were piled up on the center of the wall of the bookshelf fell.

"That fell."

Tiningnan ko ang maliit niyang kamay.

"Are you hurt somewhere?"

Umiling lang siya. Hinawakan ko siya sa kamay at tiningnan ang laman ng mga kahon. Mas lalong nagsalubong ang kilay ko nang walang nakitang laman. When I looked at the other boxes, all of them were empty.

"Look...." Sofia muttered.

Bumaling ako sa itinuro niya.

"Door," she mumbled again.

Grandma said about a door. I realized now what she's telling me about the other night. A place. There's something in that door and I need to see what's beyond it. This is making me dizzy.

I dialed Mom's number but it wasn't ringing.

"Your mother wasn't accepting! Maybe she forgot to bring her phone. Come on."

Hinila ko siya palapit sa pinto. Nagulat ako nang kumalas sa hawak ko si Sofia. I looked down and saw her crying.

"I'm scared."

I rolled my eyes. "Grandma wants me to find out something. I don't know. About this book maybe? About her first love? Wait..."

I stared at Sofia. I think about what Grandma and I talked about.

"Her first love was Grandpa, Boston. But what does she want me to do with this book when it means her first love?" I stopped.

I gasped. "Oh, dear. Grandpa wasn't her first love?"

Tinitigan lamang ako ni Sofia. I stared at hers as well na parang may mahahanap akong sagot dito.

"But she said that Grandpa is her first and last love...." I whispered.

Naguguluhan ay lumuhod ako sa tapat ng kapatid ko.

"Do you want to go on an adventure with me or I will leave you here?"

She pouted and bit her nails. I know she doesn't want to be alone here. So, she doesn't have a choice.

Tumayo na ako at tumitig sa pinto sa harap namin. It was an old blue one, even the doorknob is rusty. What's beyond there?

"Let's go?" I asked Sofia.

She nodded hesitantly. Hinila ko siya malapit sa pinto. May kung anong mabigat sa dibdib ko. Tiningnan ko ang libro sa kamay ko. What will I do after this? I haven't read this book.

Kahit na nahihilo na ako sa pag-iisip, I know I have to go behind this door. I feel that I owe this to Grandma. Since we've gone here, she's the only one who could understand me.

I took a long breath and turned the doorknob. Before I regret my decision, I was greeted by a strong wind. I gasped in horror.

I could see a street with a long road that I couldn't see where it ends. People are walking together. They were men and women conversing and laughing as well. There are houses on the sides including this door we're at. There's daylight and mountains and birds. And then I just felt my heartbeats after and Sofia's grip tightening on my hand.

"Is this Narnia?" naguguluhan kong tanong kay Sofia.

She's biting her nails again, staring at me with her face, shocked and clueless as mine.

"Name, please," a man walked towards us and asked.

Nangunot agad ang noo ko. The tall guy in front of us was holding a huge book. It's color blue and he has an old kind of pen in his right hand.

"Sino ka?" pagtatanong ko rin.

Nagkatitigan kami. His eyes were chocolate. I think I saw him somewhere.

"Your name first, ladies," pormal niyang usisa ulit.

Lumunok at saka umayos ng tayo. "Claudia and Sofia."

Nakita ko ang pagkunot ng noo niya. Parehas na kaming naguguluhan ngayon pero mukhang iba ang iniisip niya kaysa sa akin.

"Claudia? Sofia? Where does that come from?"

Mas lalo akong naguluhan. "Uhm...I don't know? And who cares?"

"Uhm, me?" he mocked.

I felt irritated. "Hey, Mister. This is quite rude asking for our names. What will you do with it, anyway?" naiinis kong tanong.

Napatingin ako ulit sa paligid namin. I don't why we are here in this kind of another world.

"Totoo pala ang Narnia?" bulong ko.

"Ladies, I'm asking why is your name Claudia and Sofia? It is supposed to be related to writing."

"Why writing? Will you please explain what's going on?"

Napahawak na lang ako sa noo ko. Tiningnan ko ang librong hawak ko at ipinakita 'yon sa lalaking kanina pa kaming ginugulo tungkol sa pangalan namin.

"Do you know a name Boston? He's an old man, maybe in his sixties?"

He tilted his head and looked at the book I'm holding.

"What's in that book?"

"Hindi ka ba marunong sumagot ng hindi rin tanong?" singhal ko.

"Jeez! Wala akong kilalang Boston. Walang matatanda rito."

"This is absurd," I commented. "Wala talaga? Kung gano'n, why are we here in this weird world of yours?"

"No idea," tugon niya.

Napahinga ako nang malalim. I can't believe I will not find out what this book is about after entering this damn world we're in.

"What kind of a world is this? Is this Narnia? Are you an alien? Will you please explain all of this shit in three minutes?" I asked, frustrated.

"You're in the world of writers. Undoubtedly, if you haven't grasped the idea yet, we're all writers here. Perhaps you don't know what a writer is?"

I rolled my eyes at him. I gripped the book and put my hands on my chest. I waited for him to continue. I watched him closed his book.

"You will not be here if you're a writer or you two will be a writer a few years from now. You're supposed to have at least a Latin or Greek name that is relative to writing. I don't know who's Boston. This is not C. S Lewis's Narnia."

Ako naman ang huminga nang malalim.

"Then, I guess we'll be going now."

Tumalikod ako at hinawakan ang kamay ni Sofia. Hindi kami pinigilan ng lalaking kausap ko nang hawakan ko ang doorknob ng pintong pinaglabasan namin.

I turned it but it was stuck. What in the hell?