F.L.A.W Series Book 3: RUBY

Final Chapter

Tumango naman ang bata at saka tumakbo na palayo.

"How did you manage to pull yourself away from that catatonic state?" Takang tanong sa kanya. "You're supposed to be-"

"-dead?" Dugtong niya. "I should've been dead, right?" Sarkastiko na ang tono niya. "But you're predictable, Madame. I know what you're going to do so I've prepared myself for it."

"What do you mean?"

She took out a small vial with a liquid inside and showed it to the old maiden.

"I injected myself this antidote before coming in here. I knew you're gonna do that so I had to be one step ahead of you." Proud niyang sagot.

Madame smiled, showing satisfaction with what she did.

"You never failed to amaze me, my Ruby. You still remember everything I've taught you. Always think in advance, so you can be one step ahead of your enemy. Very clever."

"I had to, coz my enemy is a very cunning woman." Nakataas ang isang kilay niya.

"I am and the experiences I've had has made me that way. " and gave her a lopsided smile. "Aren't we the same, my dear? You're just like me too. We're both nothing but an empty shells. We're hollow inside and no matter how much we try to convince ourselves that we can be a part of something beautiful, something worthy, we always knew that we don't deserve that. That we're far better to be alone- to die alone... to die unhappy because that's what we deserve for everything we've done." And stepped forward. "We're monsters, Ruby, we don't have a heart and we'll stay that way."

Vixyn fell in a daze as Madame's words sipped through inside her. Her mind is agreeing with what the old woman is saying because it is the truth. But then, she felt her heartbeat. She can hear it beating against the gushing wind over the tree leaves and against the waves that are crashing on the shore. She closed her eyes and put her hand over her chest to feel it.

Napadilat siya nang maalala ang pinayo sakanya ng kapatid kanina lang.

Don't let Madame get into your head. She'll manipulate you for sure.

And that's exactly what she's doing to her right now. She's trying to get inside her head to manipulate her and she'd be successful if she'll give her a chance.

"I won't." She said, voicing out her thought. "I am nothing like you."

"Really?" Still pushing her.

"I will never be like you because I have a family who loves me and who accepts me for who I am. I have friends who always have my back and I have a man who will never leave me even in death." At inilabas na niya ang kanyang sandata. "Unlike you, you have no one. I pity you, Madame, for having that kind of life."

"I don't need your pity, I need you to wake up from your dream. None of this is real. Do you really think you can be happy? You can never strap yourself down because deep inside you, you're still hungry, your thirst for killing is still there. Sooner or later, you'll still end up just like me."

"No, I won't!" Pilit niya.

"Hmmmm... Are you sure? Can you stop yourself?" And stepped closer again. "even if I pushed you to transform again?"