THE BEAUTY WITHIN: THE HIDDEN HEIRESS (Reincarnated)

Prologue

Artemia Point Of View

'Lavender's blue, dilly, dilly
Lavender's green,
When I am king, dilly, dilly,
you shall be queen.'

“Are you done?” Kaagad akong na pabangon sa aking pagkakahiga ng marinig ko ang malalim at malamig na boses ni kuya Theo na sa tingin ko ay galing pa sa trabaho. Pansin ko rin ang pamamayat ni kuya dahilan para ma payuko ako. Kahit di niya man sabihan alam kung ako ang dahilan non.

“Hindi ka na naman kumain Artemia. What do you want to eat hmm? Bibilhin ni kuya para sayo.” bigla tuloy akong nakonsensya.

“Do I have to kuya? I'm not gonna live long anyway.” I feel hopeless.

I've stayed at the hospital for more than five years now halos dito na nga ako tumira dahil sa lintik na sakit ko. I was fourteen years old when I got diagnosed with leukemia. After two years unti-unti na rin akong gumaling. Pagkatapos ng ilang linggo nakalabas na rin ako sa hospital.

Five months. Limang buwan lang ang tinagal ng kalayaan at kasiyahan kong iyon. At the age of seventeen I was then diagnosed with brain tumor.

“Mabubuhay ka bunso. Kunti nalang makakalabas ka na dito.  Pagkatapos non ipapasyal kita sa labas kakain tayo ng ice cream diba paborito mo yun.” sa totoo lang his voice doesn't sound encouraging at all it was more like his convincing his own self.

“Kuya I'm tired.” I stated.

Hindi naman ako tanga para hindi maramdaman ang unti-unting  panghihina ng katawan ko. Alam ko rin na hindi na ko magtatagal pa sa mundong ito. I tried not to put so much thought into it because I was scared, scared to admit to myself that I only had a few days to live.

‘Why does life have to be so unfair?.’

“Don't you want to be with your kuya anymore Artemia. Hindi ba pwedeng ako naman ang maging dahilan mo para lumaban at mabuhay?” parang dinurog ng husto ang puso ko ng marinig ko ang sinabi niya. His turquoise eyes should always be filled with happiness, not sadness.

It pains me every time I see him like this.

“Kuya, mahal kita. Kayo ni papa. Huwag ka ngang umiyak diyan. Para kang tanga, eh. Atsaka, I might be unlucky when it's related to health but, I'm surely lucky to have you as my kuya.” I mumbled. I giggled when I heard him sob again, a little louder than the first one.

‘Oa si kuya, iyakin rin at daig pa ang bata kung umasta.’

“Oh, how touching. So inspiring, you know son you should learn to accept that people come and go. I think it's best if we use the money more accurately and stop wasting it on someone, who only has a few days to live.” a feminine voice pointed out from behind.

I know that voice. Boses ng magaling kung ina. Sa totoo lang, kailan man hindi ko siya tinuring na Ina at alam kung ni minsan hindi niya rin ako tinuring na anak.

“Ma, pwede ba manahimik ka nalang. You have no right to tell me to stop wasting MY OWN money on my own sister dahil simula palang wala kang naiambag sa buhay niya.” galit na sumbat ni kuya sa kanya dahilan ng pagkatahimik niya.

Kung tutuusin pera lang naman ang habol niya kay kuya.

Despite that I couldn't help but hide a smile. Now, that's my brother.

Simula sapol noong bata pa kami hindi na talaga sila magkabati. Isa siguro sa mga dahilan kung bakit ayaw ni kuya sa kanya ay dahil ubod ng sama ang ugali nito. Isali mo pa ang masamang pag trato nito sa akin simula bata pa.

She glared at me one last time and left.

Sigurado din akong makikipag-kita yon sa mga peke niyang kaibigan. Paano ko nalaman? Simple, narinig ko lang naman silang sinisiraan ang mabuti kung Ina sa sarili niyang pamamahay. Siguro totoo nga talaga yung bitches do attract each other.

“Ok lang kuya. I don’t really care about anything she says anymore. Atsaka isa pa sanay na rin ako. She can't bring me down with just a simple insult like that.” I assured and smiled.

“I know my moonlight that’s why I’m so proud of you. I’m so lucky to have a very strong and brave sister like you are.” malambing niyang bulong at binigyan ako ng isang magaan na halik sa noo, I find it quite adorable when he's like this.

Dear brother,

        Kuya thank you. Sa lahat-lahat ng ginawa mo para sakin. Alam ko rin na marami kang sinakripisyo para lang mabuhay ako. And you were wrong about something. You have always been my reason to live kuya. Huwag mo masyadong damdamin ang pagkamatay ko ha, ang pangit mo pa naman kapag umiiyak. I love you kuya ko, kayo ni papa ang dahilan kaya patuloy akong lumalaban. But, I'm afraid I won't be staying long. I can feel my body weakening and my lungs losing out of breath. If another world exist and God would let me. I want to have you as my brother, again.

       
                             From: Your moonlight

My brother left not so long ago to buy snacks. We're going to watch our favorite Disney movie, Moana.

But I'm afraid that won't happen. I'll probably be dead before he gets back.

I cried out of pain. My head hurts so freaking bad that it felt like someone was throwing multiple rocks on my head. Even my sights were no longer straight. I let out a deep and croaky breath.

So this is it, it's finally good bye.

I rarely pray. But, God if you're listening. Please, I beg you, give me another chance to live again. Somewhere far and unknown. A world full of life and excitement. I will treasure every single moment of it. I promised.

I heard the monitor beeping rapidly and saw a blurry image of nurses running towards me. Right behind them were my brother.

I stared at him and gave him my one last smile. This smile was more gentle, genuine, and true.

‘So this is what death feels like, it's quite painful.’

Kuya salamat at naging parte ka sa buhay ko, mauuna na muna si bunso pero huwag ka mag alala babantayan pa rin kita kahit sa kabilang buhay na, Mahal na mahal kita kuya.

**********

I opened my eyes and saw nothing but white, where am I? Aren't I suppose to be dead? I blinked three times when I noticed a blurry image of two people looking down on me. Sinubukan kung igalaw ang kanang kamay ko ngunit– teka tangina bat ang liit ng kamay ko, the fuck where did my hands go? Hindi akin to, ibalik niyo ang kamay ko, ibalik niyo ko nasan ba ko?.

**********

Author notes:
I change some parts here and there.

     
  “Breath, darling. This is just a  chapter, not your whole story.”