How To Be A Princess 101

Scribbling

Lesson Twelve

Scribbling

                 “Randall…”

- Princess Xanara –

            Nagkatinginan kami. His face is such a picture of an extremely anxious guy na parang nag-aalala sa kung sinong mamamatay. Kulang na lang ay ipitin niya ako sa pagkakasalo niya sa akin mula sa pagkahulog ko.

                 “Don’t you ever walk away from me, Xanara. You’ll kill me from worrying about you, you know that?”

            I gulped. Akala ko talaga mamamatay na ako. >O- Princess Divina –

                 “Cyrus! Cyrus, please ‘wag na! Cyrus!”

            Tuloy ako sa paghabol sa kanya hanggang sa empty field ng Saint Claire. Natatakot ako para sa kanya hindi lang para kay Xanara. They both are getting themselves involved with Zero’s stuffs which is not really a good idea. It may be dangerous.

                 “Cyrus! Wait up!”

                 “ZERO!” at doon niya binungaran ng sapak si Zero na halos tumalsik sa benches sa sobrang lakas ng impact.

            Sinundan ni Cyrus ang kapatid niya at galit na galit na kinwelyuhan ito habang si Zero ay walang reaksyon pero dumugo ang labi na nagkaroon ng maliit na cut. Masama ‘to. Hindi na lang dapat umalis si Xanara.

                 “What. The. Hell. Are. You. up. To?”

            Nag-smirk si Cyrus. “Hindi ko ba nasabi sa’yo kanina? Sabi ko papatayin kita kapag binitawan mo si Xanara! Gago ka! Paano kung hindi siya nasalo nung monggoloyd niyang Avrona? Paano kung bumagsak siya sa lupa nang dahil sa kagagawan mo?”

                 “Then punch me.”

                 “Really.” he let out one strong punch again. This time, Cyrus made sure na may patutunguhan si Zero dahil humagis siya sa isa sa mga bakal na upuan na naroon.

            Insane. Hindi na maganda ‘to. “Cyrus, tama na! Cyrus!”

                 “Paano kung napatay mo siya? NASAKTAN MO SIYA, ZERO!”

                 “THEN KILL ME!”

            Natigilan ako. Bakit? Kita ko ang sakit sa mga mata niya. Hinulog niya si Xana pero nagsisisi siya. Ano ba talagang kababalaghan ang nangyayari? Ano ba talaga?

                 “C-Cyrus… natatakot ako…”

            Unti-unting nabitawan ni Cyrus si Zero. Niyakap ko ang sarili ko na parang natatakot sa kung anumang maaaring mangyari. Lumingon si Cyrus. My eyes pleaded to him and I saw him soften. Ngunit bago pa man siya makarating sa kinatatayuan ko, the girl—Sage came in face to face with Cyrus.

                 “So… a tamed vampire brother, eh?”

                 “Get away.” Cyrus warned, his tone toxicating.

            - N-Naya… I need your help. Please come please… –

            Sage looked past her shoulder and saw me. Ngayon ko lang napansin. Maganda nga siya pero poisonous ang ganda niya. Her lips is a little pouty but a fine line, she’s white and skinny. Her eyes always glares and playful.

                 “Another princess. I can smell fear.”

                 “Don’t you ever touch nor look at her like that. I’ll kill you.”

                 “Oh Cyrus. You know you always talk deadly but never bring any of you blabs into reality. You are such a—”

                 “HOY! BRUHILDA KA!”

            Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang dumating sina Naya at ang iba pa. Naya pulled Sage’s hair pero napabitaw din nang itulak siya ni Sage. Nagulat ako dahil sa sobrang lakas ng tulak ni Sage ay halos humagis si Naya sa kabilang wall.

            Mariin akong napapikit. I extended my hand at sana ay nagawa ko ng tama. Palpak pa naman ako pagdating sa water bubbles.

                 “Naya!”

            I opened my eyes. And yeah I did it. Before Naya hit the thick wall, the huge water bubble I created caught her and guarded her.

                 “Wow. I didn’t know a weakling can have such magnificent powers.”

            I looked at Cyrus. He shove Sage away na tinawanan lamang siya. He stood before me on a protective stance.

                 “This is already a warning to the both of you. You’ve hurt two Saint Claires and that’s enough.” Ryle said calmly na nakatayo rin sa unahan ni Naya. “Isa na lang at mapipilitan na kaming gumawa ng aksyon laban sa inyo. We’re setting our eyes on the both of you.”

            Tumawa lang si Sage at umalis kasunod si Zero. Napabuntong hininga si Shin. “Sana may makita sina Princess Xanara.”

                 “Hey, kiddo. Never talk about that again. You’re not sealed. That two bullsh*ts might hear you.” sabi ni Cyrus na matalim ang mata sa direksyon ng dinaanan ng kapatid niya at ni Sage.

- Princess Xanara –

                 “Okkkaaayyy… so Thees, pakipaliwanag nga kung bakit tayo nasa tapat ng Dale Facility?”

            Nasa likuran ng City Hall ang maliit at madilim na silid ng Dale’s facility. Nasunog ang mga files ng library sa main Facility noon dahil sa arson at ilang mga files na lang ang natira. Ang mga natirang files na ‘yon ay inilagay dito sa luma at abandonadong storage room sa likuran ng City Hall. Nakapunta na ako dito. Alam kong may mahahanap kami dito.

                 “We’ll do some research about vampires.”

                 “The folklore or mismong ang Schneider twins?” tanong ni Stanley.

                 “Surely not the folklore. But any vampire who took a scene here in Sunny Dale either it was the past 1860’s to 1900’s. Get me? Now let’s move.”

            Pumasok kami sa loob. Binuksan ko ang switch ng ilaw. Nagbigay iyon ng kaunting liwanag sa sobrang dilim na looban. Nagsimula kaming magkalkal sa mga files na nakalagay sa shelves doon.

                 “Yearly surveys, fact books…” Stanley murmured. “Nothing specific, Thea?”

                 “I don’t know. I’m getting the history files around… 1860’s, 1900’s and the early 2000’s.”

                 “Wala namang masyadong tulong ang files ng 2000’s Ti-thees.” Sabi ni Cheen. “Sunny Dale is already a modern city from 2000’s.”

                 “Maybe this would help.” Randall walked towards me at itinaas ang folder that says ‘1760-1765’ and handed it to me.

                 “Are you serious? Masyadong early ang mga taon na ‘yan, Randall.”

                 “The earlier it was, the more ignorant people are. And if they are ignorant like that, they wouldn’t know about the cunning vampires who would exist in those years.”

            Napatingin ako sa folder. May punto si Randall. Nagtungo ako sa mesang naroon at sinuri ang papeles sa loob ng folder na ‘yon. Sumunod si Randall. Nakikinig ang dalawa pero naghahanap pa rin ng mga dokumento.

                 “File cases.”

                 “Weird ones.”

            Napatingin ako sa kanya. “Weird?”

                 “Take a look.” Inusog niya ang upuan niya sa tabi ko at inilipat ang pahina sa tinutukoy niya. “Unknown cadaver, neck full of blood, heart missing and jaws ripped into half. Died at February 28, 1760, laid lifeless in front of the Dale fountain.”

            Isa lang ang pumasok sa utak ko nang mga oras na ‘yon. Schneider. Either Zero or Cyrus. Sila lang ang may kakayahang gumawa ng ganitong bagay. They hunger for death, they thirst for blood. I may not know kung bakit nila ginagawa, I’m still sure na isa sa kanila ang maaaring may gawa nito.

                 “Second page. A guy reportedly missing for over eight months and found dead in the Water Bridge at September 08, 1760, head was cut off. The cops said he died first with blood loss then the head was cut next when he went lifeless.”

                 “Blood loss? He must be drained when Zero started sucking his neck.” Stanley said na parang siguradong si Zero ang may gawa no’n.

                 “Come on, Stan,” I retorted. “Dalawa silang bampira. Pa’no ka nakakasigurong si Zero ang may gawa no’n?”

            Ngumiti siya sa akin. “Ilang taon ko ring hinabol sina Cyrus at Zero, Xanara. Nakalimutan mo bang vampire hunter ako noon? At sa ilang taon na ‘yon, I have come to notice one thing. Cyrus, eventhough tricky and evil sometimes, he’s more humane than Zero is. Zero can’t control himself which is unbelievable dahil isa siyang pureblood.”

            Hindi ko sigurado kung bakit ako tumingin kay Randall but he looked at me back na parang sinasabi ng mga mata niyang ‘I told you’. So he knows? That Zero is that viscious? Did he know that? Nobody knows Zero as much as I do. Well actually that’s what I thought not until earlier.

                 “Third,” Randall started again. “A group of kids of about eight years old to ten years old were found floating on the Water Bridge with almost half of their body parts missing. It was April 12, 1761 and until now case hasn’t been resolved and questions were left unanswered by the authorities.”

                 “WHY KIDS?”

                 “Xanara, calm down. It’s okay, it’s fine.”

            I gulped. “Did he really… do that, Randall?”

                 “We can’t conclude. Not unless you really think he did this. Stanley,” he turned to Stan. “Theories.”

                 “Nothing. Bampira sila. May kakayahan silang gawin ‘yan. All the same.”

            Nag-isip ako. Kung totoong si Zero nga, bakit? Dahil lang gusto niya? Dahil lang kailangan niya? Hindi gano’ng klaseng tao si Zero. Hindi dahil gusto lang niya eh gagawin niya. Malakas ang self control niya pero bakit parang nagkakamali ako ng pagkakakilala sa kanya?

                 “Kung gano’n anong kinalaman ni Sage dito?”

                 “Maybe this will help answer that question.” Nagtaas si Cheen ng isang dokumento na nahanap niya sa pangatlong shelf. “March 13, 1910. Three bodies found ripped and dead at the basement of Crescent Mansion, Sunny Dale.”

            Nagkatinginan kami ni Randall. Napakunot lang ng noo si Stanley. Crescent? Crescent meaning the Schneider’s mansion?

                 “The culprit…” I saw Cheen took a hard gulp. “Rosage Anderson is proven insane after being caught rocking back and forth beside the corpse’s bodies and was soon admitted to asylum. The associate culprit… Zephyr Schneider is said to escape and never been found.”

                 “Now,” Randall spoke. “Scribble the whole stuff.”

            Zephyr… Schneider. “Ze…ro?”