Shipwrecked Hearts

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They all nodded like diligent pigs and leeches they are.

"What is it that you really want to say?" Memento snapped.

"As you all already know, Joziah, or his real name Kenneth Idler Dwayne, Kid for short, has escaped the island. He is the one behind the mess that happened last week. Maximo took care of almost five thousand enemies, all by himself. But with a great cost." And he even took a sword shot for me. May pangamba rin sa aking loob, what if he won't wake up? Hindi ko mapapatawad ang aking sarili. It's all my fault to begin with. Hindi sana siya masasaksak kung hindi dahil sa akin. Kung lumaban lang sana ako imbes na pinikit ko ang aking mga mata.

Ito na ba ang sinasabi ni Caroline? Ang kan'yang hula? Akala ko kaya kong baguhin ang aking kapalaran. Doon ako nagkakamali. Hindi mo na maaaring baguhin pa ang nakatakda.

"I know that the economy of the island very much relies on the barter trade, mostly from the pirates who sail out there and loot. I believe that every ships that goes in and out of this island must be monitored. The enemies are using this hole in our security to enter and exit freely our island, the same way Kid must have done. Ships must be scrutinized thoroughly in and out."

They all nodded, totally agreeing with my security plan.

"As for the palace..." ito ang tila kumuha sa kanilang atens'yon. Right. Majority only cares for their own well-being, that's why. "In terms of the renovation and rebuilding of the watch tower, it will cost us fortunes. It was obliterated down to its half. But none of it matters since Maximo has more than fortunes in his pocket. And in terms of its security..." doon na mas naging seryoso ang kanilang mukha. "I'll station less guards to patrol and watch." They seemed to be dumbfounded because of my declaration, as if I said something unbelievably satirical in nature.

"Less?" Ito na naman, nagsasalita na naman sila ng kung ano-ano nang hindi muna ako pinapatapos. Daig pa nila ang mga nagbebenta sa palengke kung makapagpalitan ng mga ideya.

"Fucking shut the fuck up!" Inis na sigaw ko. Napatingin silang lahat sa akin. Napapadalas na ako sa pagmumura. Maliban kasi sa nakakasakit na sila ng ulo, ang ingay-ingay pa nila. Mabuti sana kung nakakatulong sila. Kung nagbibigay ng walang k'wentang suhest'yon, puro naman sila reklamo! "Kung naoobserbahan n'yo, mas lumaki ang tsansa ng krimen dito sa palasyo sa mga sandaling dumami ang g'ward'ya."

"That's because they were replaced with Joziah's crew who happens to be a full troupe of traitors."

"Or it is because the more people inside this godforsaken castle y'all built on top of a hill, the more chances and risk of the enemy to pass through the high walls and pillars. Gaya nga ng kasabihan ko, no matter how thick and tall the walls are, when the enemy finds a crack enough to enter at, the wall will be rendered useless."

"Figuratively speaking, yes." Memento stopped for a few seconds, as if realizing something. "Hmm, I agree with our queen now." He gave me a look, a look of recognition. "She has a point."

For a moment, I thought Memento wasn't half as bad as what I thought he is. But still, he's still the biggest jerk.

"Now, in terms of the curfew hours."

Natigilan ako sa pagsasalita nang bumukas ang pinto, bumungad si K—Excel, tila galing siya sa walang tigil na pagtakbo, pawisan na siya at hinihingal. Halos nanghihina siyang naglakad papasok. Kumunot ang noo ng karamihan sa kan'yang gawi dahil sa kan'yang intrus'yon.

"K-Kira..." nilagay niya ang kan'yang palad sa kan'yang mga tuhod habang nakabaluktot, "si Maximo..."

Tumakbo ako upang lapitan siya at saka siya hinawakan sa magkabilang balikat, "what about him?"

"He's awake."

"R-Really?"

"Pero—"

Hindi ko na pinatapos pa si Excel sa kan'yang sinasabi. Masyado akong natuwa sa balitang gising na siya. Mabilis akong tumakbo, narinig ko ang pagsita at pagtawag ni Excel sa aking pangalan ngunit hindi ko siya pinansin.

I stumbled around the staircase, but I immediately got unto my feet. Mabuti na lang at suot ko ang karaniwang kasuotan sa tuwing lumalayag para sa mga operasyon at mis'yon. Lumabas ako sa matayog na poder ng kastilyo at tumungo sa kamalig sa gilid nito kung saan naroroon ang kuwadra ng mga kabayo.

Nilabas ko si Avalon at mabilis na sinakyan. I neighed and softly hit her, causing her to jump in a tremendous speed. Giniya ko si Avalon pababa sa burol. We went passed the woods in a blur and flash. Unti-unti kaming pumasok sa s'yudad ng Jolly Roger. Mabilis kong tinigil si Avalon sa harap ng black morgue at tinali sa pinto nito si Avalon, wala kasing ibang talian.

Pinihit ko ang busol at bumukas naman ito, pumasok na ako at nilingon si Avalon. "Stay there." She nickered in response.

Nang nasa loob na ako may nakita ko ang dalawang pinto—the right one leads to the morgue itself where corpses are being kept for cremation, and the left one leads to the clinic of the place. Tinahak ko ang kaliwa at pumasok. I was greeted by a hallway with small bedroom doors on each side. Kabisado ko na ang dahan at ang mga pasikot-sikot. Naglakad ako at tumigil sa tapat ng private room ni Maximo.

There was this force that seems to be stopping me, telling me I won't like what I'll be seeing inside. Pakiramdam ko ay bumigat ang aking pakiramdam habang unti-unti kong hinihila ang pinto. Pumasok ako at hinayaang iluwa ako ng entrada, nang nasa loob na ako ng kwarto kung saan isang linggong natutulog si Maximo.

"Maximo?!"

I looked around, but he wasn't there... and the bed where he used to sleep for a week, it was empty. No sign of Maximo. No sign of him.

And true to my instincts. I didn't like what I see. I didn't like that I saw that Maximo wasn't there anymore.

He's gone and only God knows where he is.