The red star’s reflection glistened upon the rushing waters of the Balili, as the river flowed and winded through the vacant La Trinidad Valley. Rainbow-colored clouds of varying hues and shapes wafted overhead, as numerous floating cows followed in their wake. On the hills, the trees uprooted themselves and marched closer to the riverbed, hoping the quench their thirst by walking themselves with their roots.
The odd scene beforehand did not bother Ray as much as it did before. After all, he had been trapped in this strange, otherworldly dimension alone for months—or were it years? The young man had lost track of time long ago as the hands on his wristwatch seemed to judder forward and backward like a lousy cha-cha dancer with two left feet.
Even the giant, red star in the sky did little to clarify the confusion. Unlike the sun, this ball of light did not rise or set. It remained steady, in place, and unmoved. As far as Ray could tell, the star gave off no heat whatsoever. The temperature in this spirit plane—like the time of day—remained constant.
Up upon the highest hill, plopped on a bale of purple pine needles, Ray sat and amused himself by flicking away the tiny pebbles surrounding his makeshift “bed.” It did not matter if he had no longer felt tired, hungry, nor thirsty. The bed was there merely to have a place to rest his head, close his eyes, and remember.
And the memories seem hazy now, as if from a different lifetime. But Ray made sure to revisit them in his mind as often as he could—in fears that if he forgot how he got here, he would never escape.
He had been rushing to class when he came upon a red pedestrian light. Surrounded by a crowd of people waiting for the signal to turn green, he recalls how an urge rose within him, egging him on to ignore the light and walk through the street. There were no cars. There were no cops. He was late. Again. The light felt like it took forever to change. Every second spent waiting felt like an opportunity wasted.
He remembers how he stepped out of the crowd, amid the hushed, judging murmurs of the folks that remained standing still. The icy glares from the crowd on the road’s other side did not bother him. He crossed the road and took no pauses. He was a few meters away from completing this dastardly act when —
“Ayayay!” came the shout from behind Ray. Falling headfirst from the sky, and landing with a sickening thud, was a young lady dressed in an attire fitting of a job interview. In spite of her seemingly rough landing, she appeared unharmed. Injuries—like hunger, fatigue, or thirst—did not exist here.
It took her a few moments to gather herself before she finally noticed the gentleman nearby.
“Who are you??” she asked, her voice filled with panic. “Wh-Where am I???”
Ray shrugged and returned to flicking pebbles away from his bed. “I’m Ray. And you are in the realm of the jaywalker.”
The lady looked perplexed. “The what?”
“Did you happen to cross Session road while the light was red?”
“… Yes?”
“Then you, like me, are trapped here. In the realm of the jaywalker.”
The color drained from the young lady’s face. “Wait… so how do we get out?”
Ray pointed at the giant, red star in the distance. “Maybe, when the light turns green.”
Copyright © 2018 Cousin from Baguio