SHAWDOWS OF THE MOON (Dwayne Grahams & Bryce Grahams)

🐾XXXI. Original 🐾

Claudette Fritz

Ang sigawan sa labas ng kwarto ay sobrang lakas. My parents both look at me with fear in their eyes.

"What are gonna do with my children?", sigaw ng aking ama sa akin.

Mother just cry at napahiga sa sahig sa hina ng kanyang katawan. Tears flooded the floor and it is mix with her blood.

"Kill them", sabi ko at inikot sa daliri ko ang hawak na silver dagger.

"Please, Claudette. Don't hurt them", pagmamakaawa ng ama ko sa akin. Ama o kinikilalang ama.

"Tell me the truth first and I'll spare their lives", sabi ko at dahan-dahang lumapit sa kinikilala kong ama.

His eyes widened at umamba pang aatras sa higaan pero hindi ko siya hinayaan. I grab his collar and pointed the edge of the silver dagger right at the center of his throat.

"I want the truth in exchange for your childrens lives", mariin na sabi ko sa kanya.

Pumikit siya ng mariin. "Your mother is one of the oldest vampires in the history", aniya sa akin. "She's one of the Original family".

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "What did you say?", I asked.

Father sadly smiles at me. "Your mother is Veronika Lorenzittee. The youngest of the Original vampires", huminga siya ng malalim.

Dahan-dahang nawala ang higpit ng pagkahawak ko sa kanyang collar. Habol ko na ang hininga ko habang nakatingin sa aking kinikilalang ama.

"Why am I with you if that's true!?", kahit na nanghihina ay hindi pa rin maalis sa akin ang galit at diin sa aking boses.

"I don't know the reason, anak. She just give you to us and then leave", huminga siya ng malalim. "We adopted you like our own. But years after, someone came looking for you with unknown reason. We decided to flee to another place to keep you safe and not to kill you, Claudette. Believe me. I'm telling you the truth", sabi nito sa akin.

Mas lalo akong nagalit sa kanyang sinabi. Wala akong basihan kung totoo ba ang lahat ng iyon o gawa-gawa niya lang. I don't know what's the truth and who to trust.

"Where can I find my mother?", I asked him directly. "If you're telling me the truth, you know where she is".

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa mga kamay kong nanghihina sa aking hita. He took my hands and squeeze it with his.

"She's everywhere", aniya sa akin.

"W-What!?", nanghihinang tanong ko.

Umiling ang aking ama. "She's dead, Claudette. The Original vampires were hunt down years ago that's why she has to give you up to save you. Unfortunately, she's the one that get killed. But.....", he trailed off. ".....I know where her siblings are".

"Where?", kaagad na tanong ko.

"The one I know is Ambrogio V. His offsprings lives in Moldovia. They can help you find the Originals", aniya.

Tears are now dried up. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo at nilingon ang ina na tuloyan ng nanghihina. I remove the vervain from her mouth and the silvr dagger from my father's chest.

Tumalikod ako sa kanila at naglakad papalapit sa pinto at tuloyan na sanang lalabas. But then, I heard a rumbling sound behind me. When I turn my back.

I saw my father grip on a wooden stake and try to stab my back with it. Mabuti ay nakita ko. Instead of planting that stake right through my heart, ay nakailag ako.

He attack me again pero sa takot ko na maitama na niya iyon sa dibdib ko dahil sa panghihina ko dahil sa mabigat na emosyon na aking naramdaman. I stroke the silver dagger right through his chest.

Umagos ang dugo galing sa kanyang bibig at kaagad na bumagsak sa sahig. Mother screamed but there's no voice coming out from her mouth. She crawled on the floor and try to get near to her husband.

"I'm sorry", walang emosyon na sabi ko at kaagad silang iniwan doon.

The pain that someone inflicted to us can change our behaviors and perceptions.

Pagkababa ko ay nakita ko sila Kieran na nakatayo doon. Two girls around my age are bleeding.

Their skin is burt with vervain at sa sugat na iyon ay umagos ang kanilang dugo.

"What are we gonna do with them, Claudette?", Kieran asked.

Bumaling ako sa dalawa. "Let them go. The business is done", malamig na sambit ko at nag martsa palabas ng mansion.

Nagulat ko sa nakita ko sa labas. The security are now lying lifeless on the ground. They all look pale.

Hindi ko alam kung paano kami nakalabas doon. The next morning, the Vice Mayor's mansion become the hot topic of the Sighisoara.

Maraming haka-haka sa pagkamatay nila ngunit wala na akong pakialam doon.

"I'll leave the town tonight. I need to go somewhere", sabi ko sa kay Kieran.

"I'll come with you", mabilis na sabi niya sa akin.

Umiling ako. "This is personal, Kieran. I need to do this alone".

"Claudette. We've been separated for years. Now that we're together again, I don't want to let you live your life alone. Please, spend it with me", he captured my hands and press it softly.

Huminga ako ng malalim. "They're not my real parents, Kieran", sabi ko. "My real mother is dead".

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa akin. "But we can still find your father", aniya sa akin.

Umiling ako. "I don't know who my father is. They never told me".

He breath heavily. "Then, who's your mother? We can go and find her family or something?", natataranta niyang sabi sa akin.

"My mother is an Original vampire, Kieran. Veronika Lorenzittee".

His eyes widened in fraction like he can't believe it. He then step back from me and slowly bow down his head.

"Princess", sabi niya hindi ko masyadong maintindihan.

Kumunot ang noo ko sa kanya ngunit hindi siya nagsalita pagkatapos sabihin iyon sa akin.

"What!? Kieran, what?", pangungulit ko ng hindi na siya nagsalita at nakatitig kang sa semento.

"Let's leave alone. Let's leave them here. You'll be in danger kung marami pang makakaalam kung sino ka", mabilis niyang sabi sa akin. "Lets leave right now".