Latum Alterum (Under construction)

18

Hi, Alterums!

Almost all the chapters are unedited, and I had a drastic changed in my plot, so I have to re-write almost every part to avoid confusions, and so. I'm editing the whole book, so events, characters, even the smallest part will be edited. Please bear with me, while waiting for the next chapters, you are more than free to read some of my completed books.

I was brushing his hair slowly until he fell asleep, mas nauna s'yang nakatulog sa pagod habang ako'y tulala at hinahaplos ang buhok n'ya.

He loves it when I do this, kumakalma s'ya at inaantok.

Muli akong napasulyap sa orasan at napapikit nang matantong ten na ng gabi at kailangan ko nang kitain si Max sa may labas.

Inaalalayan at marahang inabot ko ang unan at pinahiga roon si Warrion. He moved a bit but then slept again like a kid.

Inayos ko ang kumot sa katawan n'ya at humalik sa noo n'ya bago nagdesisyong tumayo sa kama.

Inayos ko ang damit, walang ingay na lumabas ako ng cabin at malapit sa dalampasigan, sa bench malapit sa poste ay naabutan ko ang nakatalikod na si Max.

"Max?" I called.

He shifted his head, nang makita ako ay ngumiti s'ya at lumapit, umupo kami sa bench kaya nilingon ko s'ya.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Win," He sighed. "You won't like this."

Kumalabog ang puso ko, tumaas ang kilay ko sa kanya at mas nagtaka.

"What is it, then? Tell me." I said.

"Remember the reason why your sister and you went to Mindanao for the volunteer work?" Aniya. I froze and stared at him.

"H-How did you know that?" I asked. "Wala akong pinagsabihan n'yan."

"S-Sinabi mo sa akin!" He answered.

Kumunot naman ang noo ko at mas nagtaka roon.

"R-Really? Miski si Macarena ay hindi n'ya alam so, there is no way--"

"You told me that, why are you denying it?" Giit n'ya kay nanahimik nalang ako at bumuntong-hininga.

"Okay, what is it?" I asked him.

Hindi s'ya kaagad umimik, nakita ko ang determinasyon sa mukha n'ya roon.

"Leave Warrion now, Win. Come with me."

"Huh?" Kumunot ang noo ko.

"He is no good for you!"

"Ano ba, Max." I sighed. "Tell me what is it, kung hindi mo sasabihin ay kailangan ko ng bumalik. Warrion is sleeping, I have to go back before he started looking for me."

He stared at me and shook his head.

"You really love him, huh?"

"Yes," I sighed.

"Talaga, Win?" He laughed a bit and stared at me.

"What are you trying to say, Max? Kailangan ko nang bumalik--"

"Will you still love him if I tell you he's the reason you're in Mindanao for the volunteer work? Will you still love him? Knowing that he's the reason why you went there and dragged your sister?" Umawang ang labi ko at hindi ko napigilan ang luha na nalaglag sa mga mata ko.

"W-What?"

"Tell me, Win. Will you still love that asshole? Knowing that he's the reason why you went there, why you are so stubborn and dragged your sister there with you?"

"You got your sister killed Winter, and that's because you're too attached with that man." He smirked, taunting me.

Kabanata 21

"Y-You're lying!" My voice started shaking.

"I wish I am, Win." Max sighed, staring at me. "But I always feel that's something is wrong about him, he does not feels right. Everything, everything about him is just lies. Pinapaikot ka lang n'ya Winter."

"Y-You were just saying this to break us apart!" I groaned but he just shook his head and tried reaching for me but I moved away.

"Hindi," Iling n'ya. "This is all true, look!"

Nagitla ako nang may ilahad s'ya sa aking envelope.

"I searched everything and found this!" Alok n'ya sa akin ng envelope at nanatili akong umiiling.

My heart feels heavy, ang mga mata ko'y hilam sa luha habang nakatitig sa kanya at umiiling.

"Y-You're lying...Warrion won't do that to me! He won't lie!"

"But he did!" He exclaimed, stopping me. "Stop defending him, Winter! He has a lot of secrets!" Kinuha n'ya ang laman ng envelope at ipinakita sa akin.

"Look! This is him!" Inilhad n'ya ang mga nasa papel at natigilan ako habang nakatitig roon.

"It's you, right? This was years ago! When you and Summer went to the camp! He was there! He is the reason you two went there!"

Hindi ako nagsalita. Nanginig ang kamay ko habang nakatitig sa litratong ipinapakita n'ya.

It was me, indeed, with Warrion. He was wearing his military uniform there, smiling on the camera with his arms wrapped around my shoulder. Sa tabi namin ay si Ate Summer na malaki ang ngisi at nakapeace sign sa camera.

My heart hammered painfully, habang nakatitig roon ay nawala nanaman ako sa sarili. Sa muling tunog ng paghampas ng alon sa dalampasigan at mga bato ay s'ya ring malakas na pagtunog ng baril sa utak ko.

Napatayo ako, my body started shivering, wala sa sariling tinakbo ko ang dagat, sinusubukang hanapin ang Ate pero tanging dagat nalang ang nakita.

"Winter!" I heard a voice but my head is filled with such guilt and pain.

I stared blankly at the sea and my body weakened when I saw how the blue sea turned red. Sa pagtama ng pulang tubig sa paa ko ay hinabol ko ang hininga.

"W-Winter...you have to save yourself! Run!" Ate Summer's voice filled my ear.

"N-No...No, Ate! I won't leave!" Hagulgol ko.

I saw the red water pulling my sister away from me. Marahas akong umiling sinubukang tumakbo palapit sa dagat para kunin ang Ate kong papalayo pero isang mahigpit na yapos sa baywang ko ang nagpigil sa akin.

"B-Baby no... No, no... Don't go there."

"Let me go! Let me go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, pushing the man behind me away but he was so strong.

Isang hawak lang sa t'yan ko ay nabuhat n'ya ako palayo sa dagat pero nanatili akong sumisigaw.

"Ate! No! Let me go! I have to save my sister! Let me go! Let me go!" I cried harshly.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Sigaw ko at suminghap. I cried harshly, pushing the man, nang magtagumpay ako ay muli akong tumakbo sa pulang dagat para kunin ang kapatid pero muli akong nahuli ng lalaki sa likuran ko at mabilis akong niyapos.

Naramdaman ko ang marahas kong pagbagsak sa hangin kasama ang lalaki sa likuran ko.

I cried more, tumititig sa dagat hanggang sa mawala ang kapatid.

I failed again, Ate. I failed again...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!

"Winter...baby, please! Come back! Come back to me!" In just a snap, I saw a familiar face of a man infront of me.

He was kneeling on the sand, cupping my cheek, his green eyes twinkling with unshed tears, almost screaming my name.

"Winter! Winter!" He called, staring at me, panicking. I saw how the fear on his eyes resembled the dark sea behind him.

It was Warrion.

It was my boyfriend...the reason why I forced myself to go there...to see him.

The darkness inside my heart started eating my recovered pieces again. It started breaking the pasted parts of it.

Walang tigil na tumulo ang luha ko habang nakatitig sa mga mata n'ya. I pulled away from his hand on my cheek, umatras ako sa buhangin palayo sa kanya at nakita ko kung paano gumuhit ang sakit at pait sa mata n'ya.

"B-Baby..." His voice broke, nakita ko kung paano malaglag ang luha sa mga mata n'ya habang nakatitig sa akin at sa paglayo ko.

"D-Don't come near me," Paos kong bulong.

"L-Let me explain," He muttered. "Please...m-magpapaliwanag ako."

"L-Leave me alone," I murmured.

"Please..." He gasped, mas lumapit pa sa akin kaya lumayo akong muli.

"H-Hear me," He murmured.

"L-Leave me alone!" I screamed, shaking and before he could reached me, I ran.