Nightfall

Nightfall 3: First Kill

Naguguluhang tiningnan ko siya. Anong sinasabi niya? Hindi ko magawang magsalita dahil hindi ko siya naiintindihan. "Explain further," tanging nasabi ko na lang. Itinigil ko na ang paghawak sa kanya. Pinipilit kong intindihin lahat ng sinabi niya.

I was marked?

Cursed?

I angered the gods?

"You unlinked me," paliwanag niya. "With that, you will have a shorter lifespan. You have a time limit. And nine years already passed."

Napasinghap ako. "Did I already use my nine lives?" gulat na tanong ko. Huling buhay ko na ba 'to? Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang umiling si White.

"Your nine lives is just starting—or worse, it is already non-existent. You're the very first in history to unlink a spirit cat and survive, so I can't tell," she answered gravely.

Namilog ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Unti-unting gumapang ang takot sa kalamnan ko hanggang sa kabuuan ng aking sistema. "I will be killed nine times! Or I will be killed on their first try!" hindi makapaniwalang bulalas ko.

Mahinang tumawa si White. "Maybe you'll survive eight times. And for the ninth, it's still unknown," she answered.

"I don't get it!" naguguluhang bulalas ko. It was unfair! Couldn't I just live a normal life and walk away from being a werecat?

"Hindi pa ako tapos magpaliwanag," saad ni White. Sumenyas ako sa kanya upang ipagpatuloy niya. Ihinilig ko na ang ulo ko sa braso kong nakapatong sa gilid ng bathtub.

"All werecats who unlinked their spirit cats usually die in an instant. But you survived for nine years. Why? Because of your first kill. But don't worry, maybe you will still survive until you reached your ninth life if you are powerful enough to avoid death," seryosong paliwanag niya.

"My first kill?" takang tanong ko. I couldn't remember killing someone though. Kinikilabutan ako sa mga sinasabi niya.

Tumango si White. "Your twin sister is your first kill," paglilinaw niya. Napaawang ang labi ko sa sinabi niya. Mahigpit na napahawak ang kamay ko sa gilid ng bathtub. Pakiramdam ko malulunod ako kahit mababaw lang ito.

"You drained her life. You used her life force to survive and you became stronger," she explained, but she didn't sound like she was accusing me. Gusto lang niyang maintindihan ko ang mga nangyari. Her voice was soothing and understanding, but it didn't change the fact that I still killed my sister.

"It was not your intention to kill your twin sister," saad niya. "But If you didn't fight back, she would've killed you instead. She tried to drain your life force too. Siya ang nauna. That was the reason why you turned into an albino—but not entirely because you managed to keep the true color of your eyes. You struggled too much to survive and you just fought back. It was a matter of survival," paglilinaw niya. Napakunot ang noo ko dahil sa mga sinasabi niya.

"Paano mo nalaman 'to?" naguguluhang tanong ko.

"I fought with you," sagot niya. "She tried to kill you first. Twin tabby werecats always end up killing each other when they are born. It always happens. It's natural. Cats who are born twins with alpha female traits and fates must have their first kill. It's a ritual. An initiation. You were born weak because of her but you managed to defeat her in the end. Your mother and the midwife probably knew."

"Bakit hindi niya sinabi sa 'kin?" nanliliit ang boses na tanong ko. Nanghihina ako dahil sa mga nalalaman ko.

"Masyado ka pang bata para ipaliwanag sa 'yo."

"Is there an age requirement for the truth?" inis na tanong ko. "Mas nahihirapan akong intindihin ang lahat dahil pakiramdam ko, huli na ang lahat para sa katotohanan."