Run...
Run...
Run...
Why... am I running?
I can feel the tall and thick grasses touching my skin. It sometimes leave a stingy feeling.
I can hear the sound of crickets which I once loved whenever I listen to them.
But not in this moment.
I can also hear my running footsteps touching the grassy ground-----
W-wait. . .
I'm... with someone.
Someone's... holding my hand right now. . .
tightly. . .
"STOP!"
In a single snap, I finally realized what's happening... and the terrible thing I just saw earlier.
T-This is supposed to be a peaceful night... with the perfect ambiance for all of us... for my family.
What... the hell did just... happen??
I stopped running after I uttered the word, so as the person I am with.
"Hindi tayo pwedeng tumigil." A very familiar voice firmly said.
"Y-you. . . W-why. . ."
Kasabay ng mas lalong paggulo ng utak ko ay ang pagsilip ng buwan na animo'y ngayon lang naisipang lumabas sa pinagtataguan niyang ulap kanina.
And with that bit amount of light coming from the moon, I saw her face.
Her pinaghalong maamo and fierce face.
That super blank na expression which I really hate. Even I got intimidated with that when I first met her.
"Alam kong magulo pa sayo ang lahat. Alam kong hindi malinaw sayo kung paano at bakit nangyayari ang mga 'to." she said as she deeply looked into my eyes.
I know this isn't the right moment, but I can't force myself not to be mesmerized by her stares.
For the first time I recognized her eyes.
As if she wants to say something.
As if she wants to comfort me but doesn't know how.
As if she knows exactly what am I going through.
With the concern I saw from her eyes even in just a bit of time, the burning feeling of pain and horror inside me ignited once again, as I remember what hell I just saw a few minutes ago.
And with that, tears started to gush down my face. My knees started to tremble again. My hands are also shaking.
I looked down.
I was about to kneel down because of the hopeless feeling that greatly terrifies me at the moment, but she held my hand again, causing me to look up to her.
"Hindi ngayon ang tamang oras para magluksa ka diyan. Walang oras sa pagiging mahina, Tatiana." She said while giving me strong gazes.
I looked at her with confusion.
Not because of the name she just called me, which I don't have any idea of who it is, but because of the statement she just said.
"H-how could you... say that?" I asked in disbelief.
She's. . . absurd.
She's cruel.
"Tingin mo ba maibabalik mo ang lahat kapag umiyak ka ngayon? Kapag naging mahina ka ngayon? Sa tingin mo ba lilipas ang gabing 'to na buhay ka kung maglulumpasay ka sa mismong lugar na 'to habang umiiyak?"
Mas humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ko. She also moved her face closer to mine to deepen her gazes.
"Kung iiwan kita dito ngayon at babalikan kita sa loob ng limang minuto. . ." she paused, then looked at my back, as if she's seeing something despite the darkness behind me where we came from.
The moment she narrowed her gazes, I saw her eyes flashed a golden color.
"...siguradong maabutan kita na wala nang buhay." she continued as she looked back at me.
That g-golden eyes...
It's...
Something that is so familiar to me.
Something I feel like I already saw once.
I'm sure of it.
But I don't know where, when, and how.
I don't know what to say so I just looked at her. I can't utter even a single word, also because of massive confusion about everything.
As I divert my eyes away from her by looking down, I noticed some small drops of liquid coming from the clothes she's wearing.
Is it... blood??
I was about to ask when she pulled me and said, "Tara na. Hindi na tayo pwedeng magsayang pa ng oras."
I can't do anything but to follow.
I just cried, while forcing myself to run.
"Arghh..." she groaned, just a few seconds after we ran again.
Napatigil siya at bahagyang napayuko habang hawak ang tagiliran niya.
"Y-y-you're bleeding." I said, panicking.
She didn't respond.
She took a deep breath instead. Then looked at me after.
Her stares were saying that I should listen very well and keep in mind of what she's going to say... as if it's a matter of life and death.
"Kung gusto mong mabigyan ng hustisya at maprotektahan ang lahat ng taong mahalaga sa'yo, kailangan mong maging malakas, maging matapang, maging matatag. Kailangan mong higitan lahat ng mas malakas pa sa'yo. Kailangan mong tulungan ang sarili mo. Dahil ikaw ang magliligtas sa lahat. Ikaw ang poprotekta sa lahat..."
Another set of confusion hits me.
"Tandaan mo, walang oras para maging mahina..." she paused, giving me a dead serious look.
"Dahil ikaw ang bukod-tangi. . . ang aming itinakda. . ."
"...Tatiana Gav Xerex."
