Never Be Tamed

Chapter 18: Delirium

Napatingin ako sa mga palad ko na tila biglang nawalan ng lakas. Bumagsak ang mga nasirang punla sa sahig at nagkalat ang lupa. I tried raising my arm, tried forming my fist into a ball, pero wala akong maramdaman.

I tried to move a finger but I couldn't. I was about to stand up and leave the greenhouse nang tuluyan akong bumagsak sa sahig. Nawalan ako ng control sa katawan ko, no strength in my movements.

Kinalma ko ang sarili ko, even though I was shaking from the inside. I didn't know what's happening in my body. Napahawak sa dibdib ko  nang unti-unti akong nawawalan ng hininga. Is this... the effect they were dreading?

Tila nauupos akong kandali at unti-unting nanlabo ang paningin ko sa kawalan ng hininga. My heart, I couldn't heart it beating. Ginawa ko ang lahat para tumayo but all I could do was crawl and clawed my fingers against the stone floor. Hanggang sa tuluyan akong pumikit.

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Third Person's POV

It was nearly lunch nang lumabas si Anabeth sa tower. She stretched her arms and shoulders matapos ang buong umaga ng paggawa ng gamot. She went straight to the main house to have lunch with Eleanor. Pumanhik siya sa palapag ng kanilang kwarto para tawagin siya, expecting her to be resting the entire morning, pero nang ilang beses siyang kumatok at walang sumasagot mula sa loob ng kwarto, bigla siyang nangamba.

Binuksan niya ang pinto. The room was empty, no Eleanor, and from the looks of it, mukhang hindi pa ito nakakabalik mula kaninang umaga. Muling sinara ni Anabeth and pinto before rushing out of the hall. There's only one place na sinabi ni Eleanor na dadaanan niya and that's the greenhouse.

Humahangos na tinungo ni Anabeth ang greenhouse, hindi alintana na nababasa siya ng ulan. Pagbukas niya ng pinto, tinakbo niya agad ang kahabaan ng greenhouse papunta sa dulo kung saan siya napatigil. On the floor, with mess of soil and tray of ruined buds around her, was Eleanor, unmoving, lifeless.

Nagdatingan ang mga senior staff sa apothecary nang marinig ang nangyari. Eleanor was unconscious at walang nakakaalam kung ano ang nangyayari sa kanyang katawan. Her heartbeat was weak, her breathing unsteady.

Nakatayo si Anabeth sa hallway habang panay ang labas-pasok ng mga senior staff sa kwarto ni Eleanor kung saan siya dinala. They were preparing things to treat her. Napatingin si Anabeth sa mga kamay niyang kanina ay hawak si Eleanor. It was as if Eleanor was having a high fever, nakakapaso siyang hawakan.

Sinalubong ni Anabeth si Senior Violeta na lumabas mula sa kwarto. "Ano pong nangyayari kay Eleanor?"

Huminga nang malalim si Senior Violeta. "She did what's supposed to be forbidden for her skill, now the pain is transferred to her body at sabay-sabay niya itong nararamdaman."

Natulala si Anabeth, her hands finding their way to clasp her mouth. Sumilip siya sa loob ng kwarto kung saan dalawa pang senior staff ang pilit pinapakalma ang nararamdaman na sakit ni Eleanor. She could already move, but all Eleanor did was to gasp for air, clasp the mattress with her fingers and her chest.

"Magiging okay din po siya, hindi ba?" nanghihinang tanong ni Anabeth kay Senior Violeta.

Maging si Senior Violeta ay hindi agad nakasagot. "Wala tayong magagawa kundi umasa na makayanan niya ang sakit hanggang  mag-fade ito sa katawan niya. All we could do right now is to help her ease it."

--

Hindi mapalagay si Anabeth. Maging sa kanyang trabaho ay hindi siya makapag-concentrate. It's been two days and Eleanor's pain wasn't fading. She's been in pain for every minute of the past days and she couldn't imagine how hard it was for her.