The Crown Sinners

67: Hoping It Would Never End

#TCS67: Hoping It Would Never End

Luminous Erina's POV

"What do you usually do in this kind of volunteering, Luna?" Napalingon ako sa back seat no'ng biglang magtanong si Thorn. Magkatabi sila ni Katniss, at nasa passenger seat ako, 'tapos driver si Kael.

"I usually play with the cats and dogs, clean cages, walk them, talk to the visitors for adoption, feeding, watering, grooming, those sorts of things." Nakangiting sagot ko sa kanya, at napansin ko na mas lumiwag ang mukha nito.

"May team din sila na nagre-rescue ng mga inaabusong hayop, basta may tawag or report, minsan iniimbestigahan, minsan naman pumupunta sila, lalo na kapag in act talaga," dugtong ko at napansin kong tumatango-tango si Katniss sa mga sinabi ko. She looked more excited.

"Do you always do this?" Katniss popped in curiously.

"Most of the time, she also goes to orphanages, and some barangay to feed people." Kael was the one who answered with a smile on his face, as we turn in a corner on the road. I nodded and chuckled.

"Why?" sabay na tanong ni Thorn at Katniss.

"Ain't it fulfilling to do something like that once in a while?" tanong ko sa kanila habang malaki ang ngiti sa labi.

"I think there's more than that." Pinaningkitan ako ng mata ni Katniss, kaya naman natawa ako sa kanya. I couldn't say she was entirely wrong.

"You know, the world you—we belong into, isn't ordinary. We kill, for us not to be killed. We lie, for us to save others, we chase, for us to be not chased." Kael sighed when I told them that, Katniss nodded in agreement, and Thorn looked uncomfortable with it.

"I'm selfish," natatawang pag-amin ko. "I'm also kind of doing it for myself. Ang hirap din sa konsensya minsan eh." I saw how Kael looked so sorry, and guilty with what I stated. I laughed at him.

Hindi n'ya naman kasalanan, hindi naman n'ya ako pinilit. Matagal nang ganito ang kapalaran. Kahit ano'ng takas mo, hahabulin at hahabulin ka pa rin kung 'yun talaga ang nakatakda. You should just make the best out of it.

"Thorn, your hands are still clean." I saw how Thorn gulped when I mentioned that. "No matter how much, I would like wish, it would stay the same, it won't, but I hope you'll stay as Thorn. Do not ever lose your identity." Nakangiting sambit ko, he smiled at me sincerely.

"I've killed countless people at a young age..." mahinang pagsasabi ng totoo ni Katniss.

"Doesn't matter, Katniss." Thorn shrugged. "Sooner or later we will also be like that." Napabuntonghininga 'to. Probably still in the dilemma of what they had been used to, to the reality that they would soon face.

Masyado pa naman mabait, at banal si Pierce at si Thorn. Baka sa kanila maging pinakamahirap ang lahat.

"I'm sorry, you've been dragged in to this mess." Malungkot na sambit ni Kael sa kanila.

"Justice, we weren't drag, we were part of it since the beginning, just hidden." Napakabait talaga nitong si Thorn, kaya naman mas gumaan ang pakiramdam namin.

"The training will start next week..." Kael trailed, and looked at the rear-view mirror to see Thorn and Katniss' reactions. I also looked at them from the back. Katniss looked calm, but Thorn looked a little worried.

"Will it be hard?" tanong nito kay Kael. "Harder than Rebel's?"

"Surely it will, but ain't it more exciting with that?" Ngisi ni Katniss. Natawa naman ako habang napapapalakpak. Iba rin talaga 'to si Katniss. So freaking worthy of becoming part of the Crowns. Wala rin 'tong kinakatakutan eh.