'Real Talk'
"Bakla ka ba talaga?" Tanong ni Wilder kay Archer na nananahimik lang dun sa sofa. Tiningnan lang siya ng masama ni Archer at hindi siya sinagot. "Or maybe you just convinced yourself that you're gay. Hmm." Mapang-imbestiga nitong sabi kaya binato na siya ni Archer ng magazine.
"Shut up." Inis na sabi ni Archer sa kanya pero natawa lang si Wilder.
"Tatawa-tawa ka diyan, hindi pa nagigising si Zia." Walang ganang sabi ni Audin kaya lumingon naman ang iba sa kanya. Kanina pa kasi ito walang gana at puro si Zia ang bukang-bibig nito. "Oh, she'll wake up." Nakangiting sabi ni Wilder.
Audin just scoffed and crossed his arms.
"You were that confident about Team Alpha. And look what happened to them now?" Tanong ni Audin sa kanya kaya pati sina Xy at Ash ay tumingin na kay Audin.
"Hey, personalan na 'yan ah. Tsaka bakit ba ang bad mood mong tiyanak ka? Naubusan ka ng cake 'no?" Tanong ni Wilder at tinukso pa si Audin sabay kurot ng pisngi nito pero tinulak lang siya ni Audin at medyo napalakas ata ito dahil tumilapon na si Wilder sa kabilang sofa.
"I'm not in the mood." Sabi ni Audin at tsaka na lumabas ng mansion. Everyone looked at him weirdly.
"He's afraid Zia might end up like Team Alpha. Stuck in bed for months." Sambit ni Shinshi na nagbabasa ng libro dun sa kabilang sofa. Tumingin naman ang iba sa kanya. "But she'll be fine. She's Zia." Depensa ni Wilder.
Tumingin lang si Shinshi sa kanya.
"'Wag masyadong confident, Wilder. Zia's not a goddess. She can still di—" Hindi na tinapos ni Shinshi ang sasabihin niya at sinara nalang ang librong hawak niya at umalis narin. It was a bad way to spend their morning.
✥✥
"Did you hear? Zia's in a coma."
"Coma? What the hell? Why?"
"They said someone planted a spell on her."
"Ha?"
"Hatdog." Lahat ng mga kaibigan ni Alice ay napatingin sa kanya nung dumating siya. "Alice, narinig mo ba—"
"Oo, alam ko na. Kalat sa UHT. Tsaka may tenga ako mga sis." Diretsong sagot ni Alice habang nagdidilig na siya ng mga halaman niya. Agad namang nagsilapitan ang mga kaibigan niya sa kanya na siyang kasama niya lang din sa department nila. "Kilala mo kaya kung sino?" Tanong ng isa sa kanila kaya tumigil muna si Alice sa pagdidilig ng halaman at tumingin sa bintana.
"I have a hint, pero parang impossible." Aniya kaya kumunot naman ang noo ng mga kasama niya.
"Si Trin ba?" Tanong ng isa sa kanila at mahina namang natawa si Alice. "Puro kembot at kunting sakit lang naman alam ni Trin. It's impossible to be her." Sagot ni Alice.
"So, sino?" Tanong rin nung isa kaya tuluyan nang binaba ni Alice ang watering pot na hawak niya at tsaka humarap sa mga kasama niya. "It's a secret." Agad namang bumagsak ang balikat ng mga kasama niya dahil hindi ito ang iniexpect nilang sagot.
"I'll tell you once I confirm it." Sabi ni Alice at ngumiti.
"Siguro inggit lang kay Zia ang may gawa nun." Natatawang sabi ng isa sa kanila.
"Hindi naman kasi kasalanan ang pagiging maganda ang charismatic, mga sis. Sadyang pinaligo lang si Zia ng ganda at appeal kaya sandamakmak ang boylet niya." Natatawang sabi ni Alice at nakitawa narin ang mga kasama niya at tsaka na sila umalis. At pag-alis nila ay dun na nawala ang ngiti ni Alice at tsaka binuksan ang isang notebook.
Matapos niyang magsulat dito ay itinago na niya ito sa bag niya at saktong bumukas ang pinto.
"Gossiping about me?" Bungad ni Trinity sa kanya. Alice checked on who she was talking to from the three of them and it was Trin at tsaka na umirap si Alice.
"Ay hindi. Hindi ka talaga pinagchichismisan sa UHT. Hindi ka pinag-uusapan kasi hindi ka naman malandi at hindi ka naman ikinama ng halos lahat ng lalake rito sa UHT, diba? Hindi talaga." Alice said sarcastically at pinaningkitan lang siya ni Trin.
"Pati si Tina at si Nini nadadamay sa kalandian mo kaya hindi ka talaga pinag-uusapan sa UHT." Dagdag ni Alice kaya inis na tumingin si Trin sa kanya.
"Ay, naiinis ka pala sis? Akala ko puro seduce lang nagagawa ng eyes mo. Omg perfect!" Nakangiting sabi ni Alice kaya itinaas na ni Trin ang kamay niya. Trin said something pero kumunot ang noo niya nung walang nangyari kay Alice.
Alice just smiled, not feeling any pain.
"When will you learn, you hoe." Nakangiting sabi ni Alice at diniligan ulit ang mga halaman niya pero hindi parin umaalis si Trin kaya humarap na si Alice sa kanya.
"Ano? Gusto mo diligan din kita?" Tanong ni Alice sa kanya pero napayuko na si Trinity at maya-maya'y bigla nalang itong humikbi. Umirap lang si Alice at tsaka tumingin-tingin sa paligid sabay tapon ng panyo kay Trin.
Pinulot ni Trinity ang panyo at tsaka pinunas sa mga luha niya.
"Umalis ka na. Tama nga si Xy. Ang panget mong umiyak." Walang ganang sabi ni Alice sa kanya pero umiiyak parin si Trinity. Alice looked at her with disgust. "Alice naman.." Umiiyak na sabi ni Trinity pero umirap lang si Alice.
"Umalis ka na. Fix yourself. You disgust me. Kaya ka pinalayas ni Mama kasi ganyan ka. Umayos ka."
✥✥
"I mean, Hunters aren't that dangerous, right? We fought them before." Vernon said, trying to lift-up everyone's mood dahil umaga na at hindi parin nagigising si Zia. Everyone was in distress. "Kailan nga 'yun?" Tanong ni Duke.
"Nung matapos trinaydor ni Walter si Xin. We fought them at hell's gate. Si Walter pa nga ang pinatapos natin dun." Sagot ni Matthew at tumango-tango naman silang lahat habang nakatunganga lang si Walter at inisip ang ginawa niya kaya agad siyang humingi ulit ng tawad kay Xin na para namang hindi siya nadinig dahil nakatingin lang ito sa glass window ng lab.
"Yeah, but consider the damage that they've done. They killed Xin after the Blue Night. Their poison killed Jun's parents and Wolfie's Dad." Milo said, considering the harm that the Hunters gave them.
"And not the mention that Jun and Joshua also died because of arrow knives poison, swerte lang sila't binuhay sila ni Xin." Dagdag ni Wolfie at tumango-tango naman ang iba.
"Also, mga junior reapers naman 'yung mga Hunters na nakalaban natin sa hell's gate." Sabi ni Walter dahilan para kumunot ang noo ng lahat.
"Ano?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Baxter. Because junior reapers and Hunters in one sentence doesn't really make any sense. Matthew just huffed out a breath.
"Dead junior reapers. Didn't you know? Hunters are from chosen dead souls. The Hunters eat the soul of someone they want to be a Hunter. Parang pagiging bampira lang. Vampires bite others to be vampires." Pagpapaliwanag ni Matthew.
It was a new information to them.
"Ahh, so kumbaga mga newbie Hunters lang 'yung kinalaban natin at iba rin 'yung mga pumatay kay Xin?" Tanong ni Dino at tumango-tango naman si Matthew bilang sagot dahilan para mapatakip na ang iba sa bibig nila dahil hindi sila makapaniwala sa naririnig nila.
They've been taking things easy knowing that they had fought the Hunters before and now that they're receiving this information, they're confused.
"We're fucked. That's it." Tipid na sabi ni Jayden pero hinawakan naman ni Seth ang balikat niya para pakalmahin siya.
"We're totally fucked." Joshua repeated after Jayden.
"Humans are damn lucky they don't have to deal with this shit." Inis na sabi ni Vernon at sinapo ang mukha niya. Tumingin naman si Milo sa kanya.
"Hey, humans suffer from other things. Corrupt government, environmental disaster, threatening world wars, hunger, poverty, unemployment, fucking noisy neighbors, damn rumors, adultery, injustice, low grades, stupidity, obesity—damn, thank goodness I'm no longer human." Sabi ni Milo at sumalampak na sa sofa. Tumingin naman ang team sa kanya.
"Hoshi suffers from stupidity too and he's not even human." Dagdag ni Duke at tiningnan si Hoshi na tahimik lang dun sa carpet.
✥✥
"Tita, kailan po magigising si Zia?" Tanong ni Celise kay Xin habang nakatingin silang lahat kay Zia na nakahiga parin sa lab bed. "I-I don't know." Sagot ni Xin at hinawakan ang kamay ni Zia. She was colder than her usual cold body.
Lumapit na si Ash kay Zia at hinawakan ang kamay nito, just to give it a little warmth. Hinawakan niya narin ang pisngi nito para alisin ang lamig sa katawan ni Zia.
"Akala ko gigising na siya kaagad." Sabi ni Matthew at tsaka tiningnan ang vitals ni Zia.
"No, she chose to stay asleep." Agad silang napalingon kay Audin na nakatayo sa gilid ni Lucas habang nakatingin sila kay Zia. "Pwede niyang gumising ng anong oras. It's her choice. Pero ayaw niya." Dagdag ni Audin kaya kumunot na ang noo ng lahat.
"Bakit naman ayaw niya?" Takang tanong ni Wilder. Audin shrugged his shoulders.
"Hindi ko na alam ang tungkol diyan. And besides, I can't read Zia's mind." Sabi ni Audin na mas lalong nagpagulo ng isip ng iba. "Say what?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Vernon kaya tumingin na si Audin sa lahat.
"Ang dami niyo palang hindi alam tungkol kay Zia.. po." Aniya at naghalukipkip.
"Zia had a default thought block. Walang nakakapasok sa isip niya." Pagpapaliwanag ni Audin at tumango naman sina Matthew at Jun na ni minsan ay hindi nila malaman ang mga iniisip ni Zia simula nung bata pa ito.
Audin looked at everyone in disbelief.
"Zia made Ares bleed. Zia can create ice. Zia can create fire. Zia is fast. Zia is strong. Zia is brave—a-ano pa po bang hindi niyo alam tungkol sa kanya?" Takang tanong ni Audin sa kanila at mahina nalang siyang natawa at tsaka tumingin kay Xin.
"Talk to Reed. Siya ang maraming may alam kay Zia." Walang ganang sabi ni Audin at tsaka na umalis. Pag-alis niya ay tsaka naman pumunta ang Team Alpha at Midnight Angels sa isolation room. The door was already open because of the busted lock kaya pumasok na silang lahat.
Naabutan nila si Reed na naglalaro ng tennis ball na binigay ni Audin sa kanya kanina.
"Kailangan nating mag-usap." Reed just looked at everyone. Hindi siya sumagot pero nakinig lang siya sa mga sasabihin nila.
"Thank you for saving my daughter's life." Sambit ni Xin. Tumingin naman si Reed sa kanya.
"I didn't save her, he did." Aniya at tsaka tinuro si Lucas na napaturo naman sa sarili niya. "Hindi ko naman magagawa 'yun kung wala kang inutos." Sabi ni Lucas at napairap nalang si Shinshi dahil parang nagtutulakan pa sila kung sino ang nagligtas sa buhay ni Zia.
Reed also rolled his eyes.
"You guys should be looking for the one who planted the spell on her, not waste time on me." Walang emosyong sabi ni Reed habang nakatingin siya sa braso niya. "That's the thing. We don't know who it is." Sabi ni Ash.
"Pumunta ba kayo sa UHT?" Tanong ni Reed sa kanila at nagkatinginan naman silang lahat kaya sinapo na ni Reed ang noo niya at hindi makapaniwalang kaharap at kausap niya ang mga 'to.
"I don't know how Zia handles your stupidity." Aniya. "Hey—" Reed cut off what Wilder was about to say at tsaka siya tumingin sa Team Alpha.
"You know why Zia had to suffer like this? You're too weak, too slow, too irresponsible. When she was with me, you were all so confident to party. When you woke up, wala man lang nagtanong sa inyo kung okay na ba ang puso niya o kung may masakit ba sa kanya." Tumahimik na ang lahat sa mga narinig nila. Reed sat up straight and looked at everyone.
"Hindi pa magaling ang puso ni Zia. Sa tingin niyo dahil sinasabi niyang okay siya, okay talaga siya? Why are you all so damn stupid?" Reed asked, his voice full of frustration.
"And she's supposed to be your princess, right? What are you supposed to do with a princess? Guard her. Look after her. But have you ever looked after her after she went out of that damn asylum where she was mercilessly tortured? She was the one looking after you that's why someone took advantage and planted a spell on her because once again, you're very irresponsible." Nagtiim-bagang na ang iba dahil sa mga naririnig nila at ikinuyom na ni Seth ang kamao niya pero pinigilan siya ni Xin.
They all listened to Reed.
"You know what she did after getting out of that asylum? She cried. After she cried, she looked for a solution to wake you all up. She hard carried her team and their give missions para lang magawan ng paraan para gumising kayo. And what did most of you do?" Tanong ni Reed at walang nakasagot sa Midnight Angels.
"Xy went on dates, roaming around the campus like some popular asshole. Wilder had his own business. Shinshi wasn't with them. Atlas was new. Archer was new. Audin is a kid. Ash had a fucking engagement issue. Lucas was an asshole and a jerk to her. And Blu.. tama. Si Blu lang naman ang nandun para sa kanya ah." Natatawang sabi ni Reed. He was very talkative which was very unusual for him.
Reed was known for someone who had a few and threatening words but now that he's talking about Zia, he was like a new person.
He hated how they handled the situation. He hated how Zia had to endure everything and end up in a lab bed, suffering because of an unknown spell.
"Storm didn't care. Miu didn't care. Maleficent didn't care. Because if you all did, you probably have caught the culprit right now, not blaming things on me you dumb motherfuckers." Galit na sabi ni Reed sa kanila dahil tumatak sa isip niya ang parang wala nang buhay na katawan ni Zia.
He was mad at what he saw. He was mad at everyone. He wanted to take Zia away from them. Give her peace and stop making her cry.
"We're in the middle of a war, and what did you do? Celebrate Christmas. Drink. Party. Like, what the fuck? I dedicated all my life trying to kill you all but now that I look into it, nagsasayang lang pala ako ng oras. I was after some useless shit." Natatawang sabi ni Reed at ginulo ang buhok niya.
"Because honestly, the only thing I did that was worthy was keeping an eye on Zia. And now, no one's doing it for her." Pinigilan na ni Ash si Wilder na siyang naglakad papunta sa harap.
"Kung makapagsalita ka parang ang linis mo. You were the reason for all of this, remember? Kung wala kang ginawang mga Xions, kung wala kang ginawa—"
"What was I supposed to do then?! I was a puppet! I was used. I was used to bring down this fucking team that's so damn useless and a waste of time. Zia is better off somewhere else than with all of you." Reed was so mad while he looked at everyone who was just looking back at him kaya nag-iwas na siya ng tingin at ikinuyom ang kamao niya.
"Better off somewhere else than with us, huh?" Tanong ni Xin at tsaka yumuko. She remembered what Storm and Luce told her before. That she was better off without the team. She was safe after being separated from the team for a year back then.
And now, Reed is saying the same thing about Zia. That's she's better off somewhere else.
"Xavier. That fucking Xavier." Inis na sabi ni Reed sa sarili. Tumingin naman ang iba kay Hoshi na siyang anak ng lalaking minumura ni Reed. Hoshi just laughed, but he had a hint of seriousness in his face.
"Yeah, fuck Xavier." Hoshi said and gulped down the can of beer that Walter was holding.
"Sa una palang, siya naman ang problema, diba? Controlling Storm, pretending to be good, destroying Xinny's body on purpose, creating Xin and Miu for destruction, controlling Miu, controlling UHT, controlling the team. All for what, for destroying what he created." Seryosong sabi ni Hoshi at inubos ang beer na hawak niya.
"And now, he created another one. You." Aniya at tumingin kay Reed at tsaka siya mahinang natawa.
"At kagaya kina Storm at Xin, hindi ka rin sumusunod sa mga plano niya. As expected from Xavier." Dagdag ni Hoshi at tumingin na sa lahat.
"All of Xavier's creations never succeeded, am I right?" Nakangiting tanong ni Hoshi but it was contrary to what he did to the can on his hand. He crumpled it easily.
"Let's accept it, everyone. We fucked up. Zia took all the hit." Sabi ni Hoshi at tsaka na umalis.
❅ Snow ❅