My Love, Darkness

Chapter 3

Ava looks horrible with tubes inserted in her. She's actually beautiful and looks like someone hopeful—a hopeful mother.

Maybe Ava is this persistent to not go, because of her daughter. Because perhaps she has been wishing and praying for her daughter.

"Pity. Hindi ka pa makakapag-report sa division. The chief prepared a grand banquet. There will have a lot of food that I'm gonna freaking full my stomach so ciao!" Then Kellan suddenly vanished, making Titus left really hungry.

Damn. Titus is f*****g craving.

Masama siyang napalingon kay Ava pagkatapos ay napabuntong-hininga nang mapagtantong wala itong kasalanan. It's not her fault, anyway. It is his job that he needs to do accordingly.

IT was only sunrise when the Doctor and nurses suddenly barged into Ava's room.

"Doc, ang anak ko, diyos ko! Ava!" Naiiyak na sabi ng Ina nito.

Everyone is panicking with Ava having a seizure. Awtomatikong lumabas ang pamilya niya para magawa ng Doctor ang trabaho nito.

Lumipat ng puwesto si Titus sa kanang bahagi ng kama ni Ava. Nararamdaman na niyang malapit na lumabas ang kaluluwa sa katawan nito.

Finally, she's going out.

Ilang minute lang lumipas hanggang sa tanging tunog na lang ng ECG na nag-flatline ang maririnig.

Napabuntong-hininga ang Doctor. "Time of death, 6:46 in the morning."

Lumingon si Titus sa kaniyang tabi. Umiiyak ang kaluluwa ni Ava habang nakatingin sa katawan nitong nakaratay sa kanilang harapan.

"Hindi ka anghel." Puna ng babae kay Titus. Umiling si Titus kapagkuwan ay bumuntong-hininga. "Isa akong grim reaper."

A sad smile crooked to her face. "Kung ganoon ay wala na nga talaga akong pag-asa."

Titus was taken aback when Ava took one step towards him. Lumuluha ang mga mata nito sa kalungkutan habang nakatingin sa kaniya na may pagmamakaawa sa sitwasyon nito.

"Pakiusap, kung maari sana ay pagbigyan mo ako. Alam kong mabilisan akong ipapalibing ng mga Rhoades dahil hindi nila gugustuhin magkaroon ng isyu sa pamilya nila pero sana..." Huminga ito ng malalim, pinipigilang mas lalong paiyak.

"What do you want?"

Grim reapers only give one chance to souls who deserve it. In Ava's case, she was killed by love for her daughter. She never did anything other than to have her daughter back.

"On my burial..." Humagulgol si Ava, tila hindi na napigilan pa. "Sa libing ko, sana ay pagbigyan mo akong dumito hanggang sa makita ko ang anak ko. Alam kong makikita ko siya sa araw na iyon."

Titus nodded. It seems like Ava will need to stay in the meantime.

IT was raining hard when Ava's burial happen.

Everyone was wearing their black clothes as they watch Ava's coffin goes down. Ang Ina ni Ava ay halos himatayin na sa walang tigil nitong kakaiyak.

Titus is only waiting. He respects Ava's favor that's why he stayed silent.

"Phoebe," mahinang sabi ni Ava habang nakatingin sa isang direksyon ng mga taong nando'n.

Titus looks at a family where Ava is looking. He saw a family who looks prestigious wearing suits and dresses. Ibang-iba ang mga kutis ng mga ito sa mga taong nasa likod kung saan naroon ang mga magulang ni Ava.

Ava was in her 27 when she died yesterday. Humanap siya ng mortal na batang babae sa gawi kung nasaan nando'n ang pamilyang Rhoades. Titus is really unsure and confused about Ava's daughter's looks, but Titus' eyes stopped to a child who is crying silently while looking down at Ava's coffin.

The girl looks five years old. She's wearing a short-sleeved black dress decked with sequins in a swirl pattern and pearl belt at her waist. Bumagay ang itim na kulay na suot sa mala-labanos nitong kutis at pale yellow nitong buhok.

Hindi matigil ang luha ng bata pagkatapos nitong ilaglag ang isang orchid sa kabaong ni Ava.

Something tugged his insides because of the scene.

Actually, it was the first time he felt something for mortals because he usually doesn't give a f**k about them.

Mortals are just a part of his job. He has seen death so many times, but pain registered from Phoebe's face. It gave him something he doesn't want to name.

He knew this is something he should be careful about.  

AVA is already sent to the underworld and it's been 4 days since Titus felt so uncomfortable.

He doesn't know what his body wants to do. He has been distracted since that day in the cemetery.

"f**k, Titus! Tumatakas na iyong dalawa!" sigaw ni Kellan na agad niyang ikinalingon sa likod niya kung saan may dalawang kaluluwa ang tumatakbo paalis sa lugar na iyon.

Titus moves quickly and made himself self appear in front of the two souls.

"Hindi pa kami puwede mamatay! May mga pamilya kami!" sigaw ng isa na nagngangalang Pablo.

"I don't care about anything you say, so if you may excuse me, I need both of you to behave," he said grimly.

Akmang tatakbo ang dalawa pero mas mabilis ang naging kilos ni Titus. He holds his scythe firmly before swinging it on his hand and made a high cut against Pablo's body. Napatigil sa pagtakbo ang kaluluwa dahil sa nakabaong talim ng scythe ni Titus sa braso into.

Malakas na hinila ni Titus ang mga kadena na nakakabit sa kaniyang scythe at ipinasok ang kaluluwa sa fedora ni Kellan na kasalukuyang nasa gitna ng convenient store na 'yon.

"Mga gago! Mabubuhay pa rin ako!"

Titus teleported from where he is to the other goon. Sinakal niya ang leeg nito at malakas na iniangat mula sa lupa.

Nasasakal ang lalake pero walang pakialam si Titus dito. "You don't want to die but you keep choosing the wrong choice while you're still a mortal," Titus said coldly.

Two families are dead because of the goons who tried to rob the convenience store. Kinailangan nilang maging squad dahil humigit 30 katao ang nadamay sa pamamaril ng mga magnanakaw.

Nakadating nga ang pulisya at napatay ang magnanakaw dahil nakipagpalitan pa ito ng mga bala pero huli na rin ang mga ito dahil ang lahat ng taong nasa loob at labas ng convenient store ay patay na.

Titus doesn't like this kind of mortal, a sinner. He, somehow starting to feel hate every time he encounters a mortal who kills, rapes, robs, and anything that causes misfortune to mortals.

"Titus, you must stop. He will pay for what he did in the underworld, you should stop tormenting him," Kellan said, a little bit of concern was in his eyes.