- RED EYES -
Lincoln's Point of View
"AYOS KA LANG? Ba't parang pagod na pagod ka? Mukha kang puyat."
Napatigil ako sa pagsubo ng pagkain nang banggitin iyon ni Kiara. Biglang bumalik sa isip ko ang nangyari kagabi kaya nawalan na ako ng gana.
"Bakit?" tanong niya nang mapansin na hindi ko inubos ang pagkain ko.
"Wala." sagot ko sa panibagong tanong niya pagkatapos ay tumayo na.
"Ano nga?! May problema ba? Inaway mo ba si Tita? Nasan na ang babaeng 'yon?" Marami siyang tanong. Tumingin-tingin pa siya sa paligid na parang may hinahanap. "Himala yatang wala ngayon dito ang babae na 'yon, eh, lagi yung nakabuntot sayo."
I licked my lips because I was annoyed. I don't know why, but the mention of that girl brings a cold feeling to my stomach. "Just eat," was the only thing I said before deciding to leave first.
"Teka lang! Hindi pa nga ako tapos kumain dito!" reklamo niya at nagmadaling kumain.
"Slow down, Kiara... I'll go ahead first. I'm sleepy. And please stop being so nosy. Just finish your food quietly and don't follow me. I will go to the library." It's our break time, after all. I won't let this free time go to waste.
"Huh?!" aniya at nagulat nang bigla akong tumayo. Nagmadali agad siyang ubosin ang pagkain niya, halatang gusto akong sundan.
"Don't rush. Eat slowly." I reminded her again, and she obeyed me like a puppy. Nah, more like a squirrel. Look at her cheeks after stuffing all those food in her mouth in an attempt to follow me.
Lumabas ako ng cafeteria at tinungo ang Library. Nasa bukana palang ako ng pintuan pero nakita ko agad ang rami ng tao sa loob. Vacant time kasi kaya dito nag ka-crash ang ibang mga studyante dahil masyadong mainit sa labas. Tahimik dito at aircon kaya magandang spot para tambayan. Nakita ko ring wala nang bakanteng upuan. Saan na ako matutulog nito?
Then I decided to just go to the classroom. And perfect, I got here before others, so there's only me. Umupo na ako at gaya ng plano, umidlip saglit.
"Narinig niyo na ba?"
"Ang alin?"
"Yung balita! Grabe, nakakatakot! May natagpuang bangkay daw sa eskinita malapit sa Park!"
"Ay oo nga! Narinig ko rin 'yan! Binalita kagabi! Grabe naman 'yon! Nakita ko sa TV, parang aswang yung may gawa!"
"Anong aswang? Hindi no! May kagat sa leeg! Yung parang kagat ng... ng... ano ba tawag don?"
"Bampira?!"
"Dyos ko! Nakakatakot na tuloy lumabas ngayon! Pero hindi naman yata totoo ang mga bampira! Gawa-gawa lang yan! Sa pelikula lang yan nangyayari!"
"Kunsabagay, tama ka!"
I heard giggles and laughters. I thought I was still dreaming but I realized I'm in our classroom. Nagising ako dahil sa ingay nila. Tuluyan ko nang idinilat ang mga mata. Hindi na tuloy ako makabalik sa pagtulog. Lalo na't narinig ko ang topic nila. Bampira? Tss. Nag inat ako at umayos sa pagkakaupo.
"Hindi ako papayag kung hindi mala Edward Cullens ang kakagat sa'kin!"
"No thanks, kontento na'ko sa boyfriend ko. Masarap humalik at laging may pakagat sa leeg! Hahahaha!"
Tss, hindi parin sila tapos sa pag tsi-tsismisan nila. Ang iingay talaga ng mga babae. The world will be in peace and quiet if they learn to keep their mouth shut all the time. Mukhang kanina pa sila r'yan ah, hindi tuloy ako nakatulog nang maayos.
Humikab ako. Tangina. Gusto ko pang matulog. Sino ba naman kasing hindi mapupuyat sa nangyari kagabi?
Mabilis natapos ang klase. Napatingin ako sa bakanteng upuan sa tabi ko. Ngayon ko lang napansin na kanina pa walang umuupo r'yan. Hindi siya pumasok? Well. That's good. That's why I feel like I'm in a good mood since that girl is not here. I like it better when she's not here. I don't want to see her face. Naiinis ako. Bakit hindi nalang siya bumalik sa Australia? Mom said doon siya galing bago siya pumunta rito. Pero nasa Germany ang parents niya because of work. I don't know the whole story and I don't care so I didn't ask anymore. The problem here is why she have to come and ruin my life? Ginugulo niya ang nanahimik 'kong buhay. Magkasama na nga kami sa iisang bahay, hanggang dito ba naman makikita ko parin siya? I hate her.
"Mukhang good mood ka ata ngayon, ah. Maaliwalas na mukha mo ngayon kumpara kanina." Kiara noticed while we're walking to the gate.
I was holding the strap of my bag, letting it hang on my back while my other hand was in my pocket. I smirked.
"Who wouldn't be? She's absent today. It's a pleasant feeling not to see her face today. At kung ipagpapatuloy niyang umabsent then it's good. I'm not going to see her every day."
Come to think of it, uuwi lang ako para magkulong sa room ko the whole night kaya hindi ko siya makikita... which is good! My lips stretch into a smile but only for a while because the thought of every morning na gigising ako para makasabay siya sa almusal makes me want to spit all the food out of anger.
Huminto si Kiara sa paglalakad at nakakunot-noong tiningnan ako. "What do you mean?"
"What?! She's living in your house?!" bulalas ni Kiara pagkatapos 'kong makwento sa kaniya lahat.
Tumango lang ako. Alam niyang wala na akong magagawa ron. Nakapagdesisyon na si Mommy. Kilala namin si Mommy. Mas matigas pa ang ulo non kesa kay Daddy. Pareho silang hindi nakikinig sakin. May sarili silang desisyon sa mga buhay nila pati sa buhay ko. And once na napagdesisyunan na nila ang isang bagay, hinding-hindi na 'yon magbabago. Mabuti nalang hindi ako nagmana sa kanila. Natahimik kami at sabay na bumuntonghininga. Mas mukha nga lang problemado ang bestfriend ko kesa sakin.
"Anong mukha 'yan?" puna ko sa itsura niya.
She pouted. "Eh kasi... bakit siya pa?! Marami namang iba r'yan!" sabi niya saka nag-iwas ng tingin. May binulong siya kaya hindi ko narinig. "Kaya... bakit siya pa ang napili ni Tita na mapapangasawa mo?" dugtong niya sa sinasabi.
"That's not the point here--"
"Oo nga! Hindi nga! We're talking about your freedom! Your choice! Pero... parang may kakaiba kasi sa babaeng 'yon! Alam mo... parang anytime may gagawing masama! Mag-iingat ka sa isang 'yon, hindi maganda ang kutob ko sa kaniya."
Kumunot ang noo ko. "Bakit? May ginawa ba siya sayo?"
Umiling siya. "Wala naman... Pero..."
"Ano?"
"Ah basta! Wag kang magtitiwala sa babaeng 'yon! Lalo na't hindi pa natin siya lubosang kilala!"
She has a point. I only nodded. Hindi lang pala ako ang nakaramdam na may kakaiba sa babaeng 'yon.
"Pero ba't nga mukha kang puyat? Anong ginawa niyo kagabi?" Pinangliitan niya ako ng mga mata. "Don't tell me..." Nag-iwas ako ng tingin. "Pumasok ka sa kwarto niya para titigan siya habang natutulog?"
"What the fuck?! Are you nuts?! Of course not!" I sounded mad.
"Oh? Anong reaksyon 'yan? Ba't masyadong defensive?"
"Ewan ko sayo." sabi ko at nauna nang maglakad. Sumunod naman siya habang tumatawa. Halatang inaasar ako. Eh 'di ako na ang pikon.
She slap my arm. "Joke lang! Eto naman, hindi mabiro! Anyways, you should be careful. Dapat kasama mo 'ko sa tuwing uuwi ka na." biglang sabi niya.
"Why? I don't want to wait for you. I'd rather go home."
She's a part of the women soccer club. They have practice every 3 PM to 4. Pero wala siyang practice ngayon dahil may lakad daw sila ng Tito niya at susunduin siya nito. Sinamahan ko lang siya palabas pero hindi na kami magsasabay pauwi.
"Para nga may kasama kang umuwi! Delikado na ang panahon ngayon!" makahulugang sinabi niya.
She's right. Sunod-sunod na ang trahedya na nangyayari sa lugar namin. Kahapon lang, tatlo na raw ang bangkay na natagpuan sa isang abandoned building at malapit sa road tunnel.
"At wag mo na ulit gamitin na short cut ang road tunnel! Don pa naman maraming ganap na karahasan. Uy? Nakikinig ka ba?" paalala niya.
"Oo na. Oo na." sagot ko para tumahimik na siya.
"Dumaan ka lang don pag kasama mo nako. Wag ka ron dumaan lalo na pag mag-isa ka lang."
Ginulo ko ang buhok niya. She sounded like she wanted to protect me. "You're a girl. I should be saying that."
Ziliana's Point of View
I'M LYING DOWN on top of the roof. Watching them together. I can sense other vampires around the school.
What the hell is Tyler doing?
As a King, he is supposed to protect the Kingdom away from trouble and wouldn't allow the vampires to harm people. But there are too many corrupted vampires running havoc in the city. It's like he's asking for war.
The minister of Human Authority won't let this slip. Tyler is tainting Silonra's good reputation that my ancestors tried so hard to build, to protect away from chaos.
I should stay low and wait for his next move. He must have an idea now of where I am or where my last stop is. I know he's planning to strike any moment if I let my guard down.
If danger falls upon me, I can't still use my power. If I'll do. They will sense it. So now, I still couldn't do anything. I need to keep a low profile. I sighed. Then I guess... I would just turn a blind eye to every corrupted vampire that harms innocent people.
I need a different game to play. I can't move my pieces yet. It still needs to be completed, but it'll happen soon. Sooner or later, I will move it after gathering every pawn into places.
Everyone has their own role to play. The curtain has yet to rise. The actors have yet to arrive. I'm still waiting for the perfect timing. For now, I will protect whom I can save.
I gaze up at the sky. The sky is clear and as blue as the ocean. I saw birds freely flying through the sky. They're so free... I wish I had the same freedom as them. Free to roam wherever I like.
I couldn't help but reminisce about a specific memory from the past.
The voices haunt me... the voices from people of my past...
The sounds of clashing swords, screams, and cries, kept flashing back in my mind. Blurry visions of blood dripping on the floor. Explosions, destructions, and killings. I can't stop it. I can't stop these memories from flooding my mind. Sa tagal, nasanay nako.
Eventually, it became a part of me, just like a pair of shoes. I closed my eyes. The wind blows my hair. The atmosphere suddenly changes from bright to slowly turning into a gloomy, dark sky.
But the voices didn't end there.
"Ziliana... Do it for me. Please, I'm begging you..."
"I won't let you down, Queen Emerald."
For a minute, I didn't move and just let everything flow inside my head. And when it finally went back to normal, I opened my eyes again.
"It looks like it's going to rain." I rose my body from lying down.
Bumalik ang tingin ko sa dalawa. Wala na sila sa kinatatayuan nila kanina.
Should I follow them?
The cold wind blows again, this time with a loud stuttering thunder.
Let's just wait and see what's going to happen.
Lincoln's Point of View
BIGLANG BUMUHOS ang malakas na ulan. Kumulog at kasunod ay kumidlat ng malakas. At kasabay non ang pagdaloy ng dugo galing sa aking noo pababa sa aking leeg.
As the thunder struck again, I saw a shadow lurking in the dark. Dapat pala nakinig nalang ako kay Kiara.
Kanina, habang naglalakad ako sa tunnel may nakita akong batang babae na umiiyak sa sulok, nilapitan ko at tinanong kung ayos lang ba siya but in my surprise bigla niya akong inataki. Matutulis na mga pangil, madumi, at mahabang mga kuko. Ganyan ang itsura niya. Mabuti nalang mabilis akong nakaiwas nang muntikan niyang makagat ang braso ko kanina, pero nasugatan ito dahil sa matulis niyang mga kuko. I run for my life not minding the pain. I bear it.
She had fangs, and her eyes were a mix of color yellow and green! And she's coming after me!
There is something about her that is screaming dangerous for me!
I didn't stop and just kept on running. Baka maabutan niya ako!
The rain comes with thunderstorm. Sa bawat dagundong ng kalangitan ay sumasabay ang kaba sa aking puso.
Mabuti nalang sinundo si Kiara ng Tito niya kanina kaya hindi siya nakasabay ngayon sa akin. Baka pareho pa kaming napahamak ngayon kung sumabay siya sa akin. Under construction ang kalsada sa dulo ng road tunnel na 'to. Ngayon, nagsisisi na ako dahil dito ko naisipang dumaan.
I slipped the moment she suddenly appeared in front of me! And in just a split of seconds tumilapon ang katawan ko sa gilid at tumama ang likod ko sa malamig na semento. I don't know how the hell it happened. Her moves was fast. I groaned in pain and vomited a bit of blood. Nalasahan ko agad ang sariling dugo. Napapikit ako sa sakit pero ininda ko ito.
I tried to stood my feet up but in a blink of an eye she's now strangling me! How can she have a strength like this?! Ni hindi ko magawang igalaw ang katawan ko dahil sa lakas niya!
"Uurgghhh!" I groaned, restraining from her hold by tapping her hands. Nagpumiglas ako sa mahigpit na hawak niya. I don't wanna lost.
"L-le-let g-o... of me..." hirap na hirap akong bigkasin ang bawat salita.
She grinned evilly.
My throat hurt, and I couldn't breathe.
Her eyes slowly went down to my neck and chest, from amusement to wide eyes, like she saw something that stunned her. "You got something so precious in there..."
Hahawakan na sana niya ang dibdib ko but the next thing I knew, she suddenly let go of me and vanished from my sight. Bumagsak ang katawan ko nang sa wakas ay binitawan niya na.
Napahawak ako saking leeg to check if it's still intact, and yes, I'm still alive!
Akala ko katapusan ko na!
Wait... where the hell did that girl go?
Hirap mang igalaw ang buong katawan ko ay nagawa 'kong lingunin ang batang hawak na ngayon sa leeg ng isang babae na nakatalikod sa akin.
It was dark. I could only see their shadows and the perfect silhouette of that unknown girl. "Bitawan mo ako! Pagkain ko siya sa gabing ito! I want his blood! I want to drink his blood! Let me have a taste!" The kid yelled while struggling to get out of her hold.
The girl... the golden hair, her stance, that figure so familiar to me...
The thunder lightens up the darkness inside the road tunnel, and although it was only for a second... I caught a glimpse of her side profile!
My eyes widened a fraction when I realized who she was!
Impossible...
Paano niya nasasakal ang batang 'yan? Kung ganun... mas malakas pa siya sa batang 'yan?
Halos hindi nga ako makawala mula sa pagkakasakal ng bata na yan sa akin kanina dahil sobrang lakas niya... pero... bakit sa kaniya parang ang dali-dali lang? Walang kahirap-hirap niyang inangat ang katawan nito sa lupa. Paano niya nagagawa 'yan?
"Z-Ziliana..." I muttered her name under my breath pero walang boses na lumabas. I touched my neck. My voice!
Nakatalikod siya sa gawi ko pero kilalang-kilala ko ang tayo niya! She didn't budge. I bet she didn't hear me since the rain was still pouring hard.
"Z-Ziliana... s-stop..." She's just a kid!
Anong gagawin niya?
I wanted to stop her, but my voice won't come out!
No...
I crawled my body to get close to them because I wanted to stop her, but I froze at the sight of blood when she suddenly pulled the kid's heart right before my eyes. Blood splurge from the kid's body at mukha siyang naliligo ng dugo dahil sa kaniya tumalsik lahat ng 'yon. I witnessed the goriness! She dropped the lifeless body as if it was her toy. She held the heart like some kind of food and crashed it with her bare hands! Slowly... the body suddenly turned into ashes. I was beyond shocked! What did I just see?
Is this a fucking dream?
Hindi ko maikurap ang mga mata ko sa labis na gulat. All of that happened in just a snap, in a night of pouring rain filled with thunderstorms.
Dumagundong ulit ng malakas na may kasamang kidlat. At kasabay noon ang dahan-dahan niyang paglingon sa akin. I couldn't move... My body couldn't move... It's like I'm bound to be here forever... As if I forgot how to move my limbs and just accept my fate... I'm afraid she'll also do that to me if I run away!
I want to run away from her... but my body doesn't want to... I want to escape so badly... But I just couldn't move my feet or even lift a single finger...
The color of her eyes... glows red. It's different from the kid's eyes earlier. Hers was... looks like a glowing ruby gem in the dark. Blood was all over her face and clothes, but she effortlessly wiped the blood on her face.
Unti-unti siyang lumakad palapit sa akin. "Are you okay?" She asked and kneeled in front of me. Her eyes...
My lips trembled. At kahit gustong-gusto 'kong magalit, nangunguna pa rin ang kaba sa akin. Paano kung patayin niya rin ako? I feel nauseous sa tuwing nagrerewind sa alaala ko ang ginawa niya sa bata kanina! How can she remain calm after what she did?! She just killed a person! A kid! She move closer to put her hand against my chest, feeling the beat of it. I thought for a second she was also going to do the same thing she did to that kid earlier, but she didn't...
I breathed heavily. "D-don't... t-touch... me..." I uttered without voice and tears started to pool inside my eyes.
Her eyes looked dead as she stared into mine. "This place is hard to find because of the rain... I'm glad you're safe." She scanned my body and sighed. "Are you okay?" Ulit niya na parang hindi ko narinig ang naunang tanong.
I know damn well the brimming anger is evident in my eyes. "Get your filthy hands away from me." This time my voice finally came back!