Taste of Poison

Kabanata 25

New York

"Audrey's dead..."

"If this is just your another episode of pranking, then drop this now, Yves," Mallory said firmly.

We both sat on the bed, staring at the phone while waiting for Yves to stop. We could hear his heavy breathing on the other line as he spoke again. 

"I wish this is just a prank, Mallory..." his voice broke. "But, no. She called me and..." he couldn't even finish a sentence. Ang mahinang hikbi na lang niya ang naririnig namin sa kabilang linya. 

"Where are you?" I asked calmly. 

"No... no," he chanted. "Bukas na lang kayo pumunta. I will take care of her. Just... just stay at home, okay?"

"Yves..." I called out.

"Please... I can't bear to lose another friend."

"How did she die?"

I heard him sniff. "Vampire's bite."

Sabay kaming umiwas ng tingin ni Mallory mula sa selpon. I put my hand above my chest hoping to stop my heart from beating rapidly. Hindi ko matukoy kung iiyak ba ako o maging kalmado sa nalaman. 

"We'll be there, Yves. Just text us the address," ani Mallory sabay patay ng tawag.

Silence dominated the whole room. I parted my lips and stared at the ceiling to stop my tears from falling. Pilit pa ring pinoproseso ng utak ko ang nalaman pero wari'y ko'y kahit ang isip ko ay hindi matanggap ang balita. 

Audrey's dead? Our friend died because of a vampire's bite. 

God, are you torturing us? Why does she have to die?

Lahat na lang ba ay kukunin sa akin? My brother was gone, the pain is still fresh, and this...

"We'll track his phone instead," ika ni Mallory. Naramdaman ko siyang tumayo. "Get ready, Ry. I will call the boys to fetch us."

I sniffed and nodded slowly. "Okay..."

I feel so weak when I stood up. Napaupo ako sa kama at malalim na bumuntong-hininga upang pakalmahin ang sarili. Mariin akong pumikit at minasahe ang bandang dibdib upang maibsan man lang ang nararamdaman ko. 

My heart stings at the thought of her. Why does she have to die this way? 

"They're coming, Ry. Prepare yourself."

Muli along tumango. She is right... 

What happened to me? Umiling ako at pinilit na ayusin ang sarili bago pa man sila dumating.

We waited outside Lia's house. Agad lumapit si Azar sa akin pagbaba niya ng sasakyan. I couldn't open my mouth to ask about the situation outside, or even ask how his day went. I just stood there with a blank mind, unable to think.

"I'll just accompany Lia here," rinig kong sinabi ni Kuya. "You two should go. If something happens, call me."

"We'll go ahead. Ingat ka rin Kuya Aamon," it was Mallory.

Inalalayan ako ni Azar pumasok sa sasakyan. They just used one car so, Mallory sat beside me at the back and the boys were in front. Niyakap ko ang sarili at tumingin sa labas. It was already dark, witch time, and we're here, driving at the scariest time. 

A vampire would show up anytime. Maybe they would jump on the roof of this moving car, or in front. Who knows...

"Calm down, Emory..." I heard Azar's voice. 

I bit my lower lip. "How can I, Az? Nawalan na naman ako..." My voice cracked. 

Naramdaman ko ang kamay ni Mallory na masuyong hinagod ang likuran ko. I hope I'm that calm and composed. 

Did I really change? Do I really love how I handle things now? Am I turning the strong me into a weak one? 

"Everything's gonna be alright, Ry."

"A vampire killed her," I started. "They are always the reason why, Mal. Charles, Lolo Gaspare, and now Audrey."

"Emory..." Azar said darkly. 

Binawi ni Mallory ang kaniyang kamay at sumandal naman ako sa upuan. I closed my eyes and cursed silently. Why do I have to mention his name? I just can't take it anymore. They died because of vampires.

Because of Azar's kind. 

 Napamulat ako nang marahas tumigil ang sasakyan. I heard them curse under their breath as they stared in front. I followed their eyes and my breath hitch when I saw vampires, standing and in a ready position to attack. 

There are five of them. Hindi man lamang sila nasilaw sa ilaw ng sasakyan na nakatutok sa kanila! 

Lumingon sa akin si Azar. "You okay?"

I nodded, eyes still fixed in front. "I am..." I answered softly, trying to hide my fear. 

"What are we going to do now?" Mallory asked calmly. 

"We'll try to avoid them if we can but if they left us no choice then, we will fight them," ani Alaric. 

"We can help..." I volunteered. 

"No, Emory. No..." Mabilis na pagtutol ni Azar na inilingan ko lang. 

"We can still fight, right?" Baling ko kay Mallory. 

"Huh?" she was confused then, she blinked. "Of course! May mga armas din akong nakatago sa compartment ng sasakyan. I always bring my archer with me," she smirked. 

"Well?" I looked at the boys. "We can still fight them in case. I was a huntress, Azar."

"I was a huntress, too..." segunda ni Mal.

Azar stared at me intently. He has this serious face as if thinking deeply but I know better. Alam ko namang sa kalooban niya ay tutol siya sa gusto kong mangyari pero ayoko namang umupo lang dito at panoorin sila. 

I wouldn't just sit and wait. I was a huntress. I was trained to hunt vampires so, might as well use my skills at times like this. Today isn't the right time to act as a savior or think that they better fight alone because they are the man. That girls should just watch and see, no. 

What we need now is cooperation in order to survive.

They both sighed deeply and sat straight, eyes in front. 

"How many archers do you have in your compartment?" Azar asked. 

"I have two," said Mal.

Azar sighed again. "I will get the archers."

"Az..." agad kong tawag.

"I'm a vampire..." he reminded which made me pursed my lips. 

Right. He is a vampire. Not that I forgot it, my mouth just automatically open. Isa pa, the moon is out. He'll burn but, he still chose to go out. 

Pinagmasdan ko siyang binuksan ang pinto ng sasakyan. Pabaling-baling ang tingin ko sa mga bampira sa unahan na nakatayo pa rin doon. When Azar opened the car door, I heard the vampires roar outside but it was just a moment as he immediately closed the door. 

"Their groans still sounds unpleasant."

"Right," I agreed, chuckling at my cousin's remarks.

Parang isang hangin lang na dumaan si Azar sa gilid ng sasakyan at segundo pa lang, naramdaman kong gumalaw ang sasakyan sanhi ng pagbukas at sara niya sa compartment.

"I don't know but I feel thrilled. I could still remember the last night we went hunting. I wonder if may nakaligtas sa mga nabiktima mo noong gabing 'yon."

I shook my head. "I'm sure no one survived."

"What if..."

Napatingin ako kay Azar na mabilis pumasok sa sasakyan. He glanced at me, breathing slowly.

"No one survived that night, Mal. I made sure of it..." I said firmly.

She shrugged and took the weapon from Azar's hands. 

"Ah, my baby..." she uttered, tracing her fingers to the length of the arrow.

"So, all we need to do now is to avoid them at least? How? Drive fast and run over them?" Napangiwi ako sa naisip.

Would the public charge us if it's a vampire that we're planning to bring down? Isa pa, hindi naman sila mamamatay kung sasagasaan namin nila.

"Well..." Alaric coughed fakely. "We have no time for planning. Let's just pass them and see what happen."

Rolling my eyes, I leaned on and cross my arms above my chest. Okay, I'm feeling nervous but after hearing his words, I don't know if I should be more scared or just laugh. Sabagay, hindi naman namin ito inaasahan.

Although there's a possibility that vampires would attack us at times like this but, maybe we were just preoccupied with our own thoughts that we didn't foresee this coming.

I sighed deeply. "Okay..." 

He started the car again. Mahina akong huminga ng paulit-ulit, pilit pinapakalma ang sarili. I keep on chanting that everything's gonna be alright inside my mind, hoping to avoid them that this isn't the time to fight.

We need to see Audrey. That's what matter to me most now. 

"Hold tight, Emory." 

I followed his instruction. Mahigpit akong kumapit sa seatbelt at ilang beses na napalunok. The car started to move slow first and then, it went faster and faster until I heard a loud noise in the roof.

"What the f**k! What the f**k was that?!" I exclaimed.

Tumigil ang sasakyan at nang tingnan ko ang unahan ay wala na roon ang limang bampira! Don't tell me...

"Emory, watch out!" 

Hindi pa man ako nakaka-recover ay mabilis na dumukwang si Azar at hinawakan ang aking likod at siya na ang nag-iwas sa katawan ko mula sa atake. 

I groaned when my head hit something. I uttered a cuss as I caressd my forehead.

"f**k vampires," I heard him whispered.

"f**k yourself, then..." Malory said sarcastically.

Narinig ko pa ang pagtawa ni Alaric sa kaniyang sinabi. 

 "I think we failed."

"You think?" ani kong bakas ang inis. 

Sumulyap ako sa bintana na ngayon ay nabasag na. I sat straight and scotted near over Mallory to avoid the next attacker in case. Umayos na rin ng upo si Azar pero nakaantabay pa rin sa maaaring mangyari.

"Drive fast," utos ni Azar dito. 

Alaric just tsked and started to drive again. Sumulyap ako sa likod at nakita ang apat na bampira na hinahabol ang sasakyan. I know they would catch us but, I'm praying they won't. 

"Here..." Inabot sa akin ni Mallory ang isang pana. "Unahan na lang natin sila. They won't stop chasing us unless they died. Hindi naman natin hahayaan na maunahan pa nila tayo, "di ba?"

I studied the weapon. It's been years since I last killed a vampire and it'll happen again now. Right here inside the car... 

"I can do it instead," sabay na sabi ng dalawa pa.

Umiling si Mallory. "We can do it. Alec. Just drive and slow down."

We got ready. Panaka-naka akong sumusulyap sa likuran at mabuti nga't hindi nila kami masyadong naaabutan. Mallory ordered Alaric again to drive slow which he did after arguing with her through glare. 

Hindi na pati nagsalita si Azar na wari'y ko ay napagod kakasaway. 

"Ready?" si Mallory na tinanguan ko. 

Sumilip ako sa basag na bintana sa tabi ko. I position the weapon and aim it towards the target. I stretched out the string and when it's time, I released the arrow which made the monster fell down the street with the arrow on its chest.

I uttered a yes silently. I felt like eveything came back. The feeling of hunting... It's just too overwhelming.

Maybe I didn't at all. 

We managed to kill the vampires and left their bodies in the street. Mabilis kaming nag-maneho papunta kung saan si Yves. He was in the hospital and there, we found Audrey's cold body, lying in the cold cement inside the morgue. 

"She called me, saying she cannot live another day anymore..." 

I caressed his back. "I'm sorry..." was all I can say. 

I stared at her face. A vampire's bite is visible on her neck, her skin's pale and she looked so drain. Animo'y walang natirang dugo sa kaniya. 

One last glance, Mallory lift the white cloth to cover her exposed skin. 

"What about her family?" I asked worriedly. 

I can't imagine the pain they would feel. Kahit nga kami ay nasasaktan sa nangyari pero kailangan naming maging matatag para sa isa't isa.

Audrey called Yves before she died. I don't know what to do knowing he was the last person whom she called, telling today was her last day on Earth. Yves cried. 

"I don't know what to tell them," nabasag ang kaniyang boses. 

Iginaya ko siyang lumabas kasunod si Mallory. The boys were outside and giving us time which we truly appreciate. 

"You should rest first," ani Mal na sinangayunan ko.

"We will tell them, Yves. Mabuti pa at magpahinga ka muna. You can stay with us whenever you want to, hmm?" 

"I was too late..." he cried again.

"It's no one fault," naramdaman kong pumatak ang luha kong kanina ko pa pinipigilan. "Don't blame yourself or anyone, okay? Magiging maayos din ang lahat, Yves. For now, you need to rest and have a decent sleep, at least. For youself..."

"How can I sleep?" 

I hushed him as I embrace him. Marahan kong hinaplos ang kaniyang likod. 

"Don't be too hard on yourself. Everything's gonna be alright."

Yves stayed with us for the whole night. Kinabukasan ay naglakas loob siyang sabihin sa magulang ni Audrey na nasa ibang bansa ang tungkol sa nangyari. I don't have any idea about what they talked but, I'm sure it pains them and it's normal to greive for someone we've lost.

Sa araw din na iyon ay nakatanggap kami ng balita mula kay Mama Astrid. 

"We need to go back," she announced in the other line. 

"Go back to what?" I asked, staring at her on the screen. 

"To New York..."

"Tita..." called Mallory. 

"We've been finding a cure for the past years, Emory. You need to fly here and then, we'll see what happens."

"What can I help, though? I don't have any idea about the vampire's cure," I told her.

And if they find the cure, what would happen to Azar? What would he choose? Mas pipiliin niya bang gumaling kahit na wala sa kondisyon ang puso niya na maari niyang ikamatay sa oras na maging tao siya o manatiling bilang isang bampira? 

Lumingon ako sa kaniya na nakatayo sa 'di kalayuan. He's with Kuya Aamon and Alaric. Sa ngayon kasi ay sa bahay ni Lia kami namalagi lahat. 

"You'll be a big help here, Emory. Forget about your father, don't find him as you'll not find him there but here. Only here in New York."

"What do you mean, Mama?" My voice was low. 

"I will explain everything once you're here, honey."

The screen went black, indicating that she end the call. Napapikit ako nang mariin.

I don't know what to believe anymore. Sobra na akong naguguluhan.