Opposite

Chapter 27

Harlow and Tyson didn't know what to do when they saw the black monster. It had red eyes and sharp teeth. Totally horrifying!

They might be sent into a trap by the old man who approached them. They trusted him because they believed all the people in Heallven were good and trustworthy, may mga demonyo pa rin pala.

The monster roared which made them even more scared. Paatras sila nang paatras habang palapit nang palit sa kanila iyon.

"ANO NANG GAGAWIN NATIN?" Harlow shouted.

"HINDI KO ALAM!"

They had reached the door, they thought it might be their end. Palapit na iyon nang palapit sa kanilang mukha at kahit anong oras ay puwede nito silang kainin. Would second death even be possible?

Tyson held Harlow's hand as they leaned their back on the door.  Mayamaya'y pareho naman silang napadapa nang biglang bumukas ang pinto.

The monster stopped roaring when someone entered the room — a man wearing a black cap. He had a musculine features, though he was not as scary as the monster.

Dinaanan niya ang dalawa na nakasalampak pa rin sa sahig at saka lumapit sa halimaw. Hinaplos niya iyon nan hinaplos upang umamo, hanggang sa unti-unting nagbago ang anyo n'on sa isang aso. A scary black monster just turned into a super cute dog!

"Pasensya na kayong dalawa, gan'to talaga si Pripie kapag nagugulat. Marahil ay nabigla siya sa inyong pagdating kaya biglanna lamang siyang naging isang katakot-takot na nilalang," sambit ng lalaki.

"Sino ka?" Tyson asked as he stood up and helped Harlow get up as well.

"Ako si Duglas Plawta."

"Duglas..." they both whispered as their eyes grew bigger.

They were surprised and glad they had found him. All they thought was the old man fooled them, but they was wrong. Tinulungan talaga sila ng matanda na mahanap si Douglas. Oh how grateful they really were!

They bowed down to him. Afterwards, Duglas told them to have a seat first, and he would just give them some water to drink.

Duglas left Pripie on his table, so while he wasn't arriving yet, the two just looked for the pet.

The dog was just so small, so it was able to travel all over the table. It was really cute and it had black charming eyes, halos hindi na nga iyon makita dahil sa itim at mahahaba niyang balbon.

Harlow pet her. "Grabe, tinakot mo kami kanina," she said.

"As if that will talk back."

"Pasensya na," a voice said, followed by giggles.

Napatingin ang dalawa sa isa't isa dahil sa kakaibang boses na bigla na lamang lumitaw sa buong kabahayan. Napakatinis ng boses na iyon na tila pagmamay-ari ng isang bata.

"Sino 'yon?" Harlow asked.

I don't know."

Then, they wandered their eyes all throughout the place to find the cute voice they heard. But no one was in except for the two of them and Pripie, consider Duglas as well. Ngunit hindi naman maaaring maging siya iyon dahil malalim ang kaniyang boses.

But, wait... Pripie?

"Ako 'to!" the same voice said.

Harlow looked at Pripie and saw it smiling at her. Her heart just melted, she didn't find any fearsome at it.

Tyson also looked at Pripie and realized it was the one talking back to them.

They both find it cute so they talked to the pet until Duglas came back holding two glasses and a jar of water. He gave it to the two and started the agenda when they were done drinking.

"Ikaw si Harlow Parlemo," he pointed her, "at ikaw si Tyson Faulkner," he pointed him, "'di ba?"

"Opo," sagot ng dalawa.

"Nakasisiguro akong kilala na n'yo ako, kaya hindi na ako magpapatumpik-tumpik pa," sambit niya. "Simula noong unang araw ninyo sa Willow Village ay sinubaybayan ko kayo. Binantayan ko lahat ng mga galaw ninyo, ang mga sinalita ninyo, at lahat. Bakit? Dahil ang mga iyon ang magiging basehan ko kung magpapatuloy pa ba kayo sa misyon ninyo o hindi na."

Tumihim ang dalawa.

"Ngunit bago ko sabihin ang naging resulta ng inyong gawain, nais ko munang ipaalam sa inyo ang mga maaaring mangyari," wika niya. "Una, kapag naging matagumpay ang inyong gawain, magpapatuloy pa kayo sa misyon at marami pa kayong mapagdadaanan, makikilala, at masusubok. Ngunit kung hindi naging matagumpay ang inyong gawain..."

The two breath in and out.

"maaari na kayong magpaalam sa Heallven."

"Saan naman kami mapupunta?"

"Sa mundo kung saan wala na kayong makikita't maririnig."

Nagkunot-noo ang dalawa. Ibig bang sabihin n'on ay totoo ngang maging posible ang ikalawang kamatayan? Pero sa pagkakataon na iyon ay wala ka nang ibang mapupuntahan?

"Tuluyan na kayong maglalaho at magiging isa na lamang na abo. Ngunit ang kagandahan n'on ay wala na kayong magiging pasanin sa buhay dahil nga wala na kayo."

Napapikit nang bahagya si Harlow. Surely she didn't want to face any challenges in life, but she didn't also want to disappear completely. Ayos na ang buhay niya sa Heallven dahil walang gaanong problema. Isa pa, sapat nang kasama niya so Tyson kahit na madalas silang magkaroon ng kaunting tampuhan o bangayan.

Tyson, on the other side, didn't feel worried. If that would be the case, he would just accept since he wouldn't know. Kapag tuluyan siyang nawala, hindi na niya mararamdaman. But still, he wanted to stay in Heallven with Harlow. But whatever the result is, he would accept it.

There were silence for a bit and everyone was preparing their hearts for the outcome. The serenity was just broken by the sound of the table's drawer. Duglas opened it and got something, then showed it to the two — it was a small box.

"Narito ang maliit na kahon," wika niya. "Sa loob nito ay makikita ninyo ang dalawang papel na nagsasabi ng resulta ng inyong gawain. Ang pulang papel ay sa iyo, Harlow, at ang asul naman ay sa iyo Tyson." He placed the box on the table and let the two grab it.

Tyson told Harlow to open it. Mayamaya nga'y binuksan na iyon ng dalaga. Afterwards, they got the papers. Huminga sila nang malalim bago binuksan ang mga iyon.

Tyson displayed a wide smile on his face the moment he saw what was written on the paper, "MISSION SUCCESS!"

Then he looked at Harlow. Biglang nawala sa kaniya ang ngiti nang makitang malungkot ang dalaga.

"What's the result of yours, Harlow?" he asked.

Harlow looked at him. Disappointment really could be seen on her face. Mayamaya'y unti-unti nang pumatak ang kaniyang mga luha. She showed him the paper and let him read what was written on it.

"MISSION FAILED."