My eyes widened after I heard that. Sa sobrang pagkabigla ko ay natulala ako nang ilang segundo. I have been lying in this bed and unconscious for six months now? Kaya ba biglang humaba ang buhok niya? That's because half a year had already passed.
"N-Nathalia... I'm sorry." Tila gripong tumulo ang kanyang mga luha. Lumuhod siya sa harapan ko kaya tumama ang tuhod niya sa ibang bubog na hindi niya nalinis. "I was so scared. Please forgive me."
I teared up not because I was emotional. It was because I still couldn't comprehend what's happening. Pakiramdam ko ay matagal nang gumuho ang mundo ko at ngayon ko pa lang napagtatanto.
"I cannot lose you," she sobbed.
"W-why?" I asked.
"A-alam mo na, hindi ba?"
Umiling ako. "I don't fucking understand what you mean. Just fucking release me so we can talk about this properly. You know how much I fucking hate being held hostage!"
Hestia shook her head. "I cannot do that."
"P-please..."
She rose slowly from her knees. Hinawi niya ang mga bubog na dumikit sa kanyang tuhod. Saka niya tinulak mas palapit sa akin ang side table kung saan nakalapag ang alak at tinapay.
"Hahayaan muna kitang mapag-isa. Please drink while you are at it. I will try to explain—" Umiling siya. "I don't think there's any explanation that will make our situation better. Still. I will come back later."
"Don't leave me here!" I screamed when she began to walk away, but she refused to look back. "Hestia! Release me now! I beg you!"
She didn't listen. Mas bumuhos ang mga luha ko no'ng makalabas na siya at nagsarado ulit ang pinto. Sa sobrang pagkadismaya ko ay kinuha ko ang bote ng alak saka binato sa pader.
"Hestia!" I screamed her name at the top of my lungs. "Release me from these shackles!"
No matter how loud I screamed, she didn't listen to me. Gano'n pa man ay hindi ako tumigil sa pagsigaw sa kanyang pangalan. Hindi ko na rin mabilang kung ilang beses na akong nagmakaawa sa kanya.
I screamed until I got tired. Tila natuyo na rin ang luha sa aking mga mata. Ramdam kong mas lalong bumagsak ang lakas ko. Parang pati katawan ko ay tuyot na.
I leaned back and gazed at the ceiling. Pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid. I heard the waves crashing on the shore outside. We are at the beach.
Hermison Island. We are here. She brought me here.
Where's Kristan?
Tumigilid ang tingin ko sa isang picture frame na nakapatong sa lamesa. Ito ang kuha naming dalawa ni Hestia sa isang photoshoot. We were both smiling. We were both good.
What happened to us?
Why did she do this?
I still don't understand, but it's already hurting me. Paano pa kapag naintindihan ko na ang lahat? Paano ko pakakalmahin ang sakit na dulot ng isang babaeng minsang naging mundo ko?
There's fear in her voice that I haven't felt before. There's also a sense of desperation. Whatever her reason was, she did this due to desperation. What I don't get is, what's the reason?
Kung halos kalahating taon akong nakaratay rito, ibig sabihin ay kalahating taon na rin ang lumipas magmula nung magpakita ako sa mundo.
Umayos ako ng pagkakaupo nung makarinig ng mga yabag. Inasahan kong papasok na si Hestia para pakawalan ako, ngunit nabulabog ako no'ng iba ang pumasok.
Pumasok si Kristan na may dalang pamunas ng sahig. I watched him as he cleaned up the spilled wine on the floor. He didn't even dare to look at me.
"K-Kristan..."
Chapter 48
Começar do início
