Deucalion

Chapter 5

Can you remember

Who you were,

Before the world

Told you who you should be?

- k.w

Chapter Five

Down the rabbit hole

Kinuha ko ang tray na naglalaman ng pagkain ko saka naglakad palapit sa mesa nila Sally pero bahagyang natigilan ng makita sila Lyre with Ylona and some group of nightwalkers at the corner of the canteen. Lyre waved her hands at me while Ylona smiled, gulat ako doon. I mean, I don't know them at all but still I just nodded and continued walking to the direction of our table.

"You're going tonight?"

Iyon ang naabutan kong topic nila ng makaupo sa tabi ni Emery. Calla and Sally are in front of us. Sally just shrugged her shoulder to Calla's question.

"Ano iyon?" I asked.

Calla smirked. "There's a farewell party tonight at the headmaster's dorm."

Ngumuso si Emery. "Why do they need to leave, anyway?"

May bumara sa lalamunan ko at kailangan ko pang tumikhim ng ilang beses. I feel like my heart is being squeezed slowly. I tried to eat and ignore what they just said but my feelings is a traitor, my tears betrayed me.

Tumayo na ako bago pa nila makita ang pagtulo ng luha ko, ni hindi ko pa nga nagagalaw ang pagkain ko. Tinawag nila ako, may iba pang nagtangkang kumausap sa'kin pero hindi ko na sila pinansin. Kinain na ako ng galit na hindi ko naman dapat maramdaman.

I punched my chest continuously while staring at the pool. The room is dark but because of the reflection of the light that coming from the pool, maliwanag ng konti ang paligid. Inalis ko ang suot na sneakers saka umupo sa gilid ng pool at ibinabad sa tubig ang paa pero hindi pa rin nabawasan ang nararamdaman kong galit.

What are you doing to me? Why am I feeling this? Sino ba ang dating nagmamay-ari sa'yo? I talked to my heart like it's going to respond.

I texted Daniel to come here, ilang minuto pa ng marinig ko ang pagbukas at pagsara ng pinto.

"What's wrong?" He immediately hug me from behind and kissed my neck but I stand and faced him. Nagre-reflect sa mukha nya ang liwanag sa pool.

"Something wrong, babe?"

Tumikhim ako, diretsong tumitig sa kanyang mata. "Let's end this, Daniel."

Unti-unting nawala ang ngiti sa kanyang labi, ang kanyang maamong mukha ay biglang naging mabangis at ang mga mata ay naging matalim.

But still, he smiled. "C'mon, Jane, what's wrong? I-Is this some kind of joke?"

He tried to hold my hand and hug me but I stepped back.

"I'm sorry but I can't do this anymore... Not with you... I'm sorry, Daniel."

Sya naman ngayon ang napaatras, nagbaba ng tingin saka ako tinalikuran. Napapitlag ako ng bigla nyang suntukin ang pader at sinipa ang pinto saka lumabas.

Am I heartless because I don't feel anything at all, para pa nga akong nabunutan ng tinik dahil sa paghihiwalay namin. And I'm asking myself, minahal ko ba talaga sya? O naging kami lang dahil ayaw kong nag-iisa, ayaw kong malungkot. Nakalimutan ko din naman iyon dahil sa nalalapit na prom. Everyone's excited, especially girls. They should be because this will be the first prom of Philippians, the first prom after the eclipse.

Nakatitig ako sa kisame habang nakahiga sa kama ko, it's already midnight. Hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin ang mga ka-roommates ko. Hindi ako pumunta sa dorm nila Lyon kahit gustong-gusto ko. Ayaw kong malaman nila ang totoo kong nararamdaman. Ayaw kong sumabog sa harap nila at may masabing pagsisisihan ko sa huli.

As I said, this is not me. From the first place, I shouldn't feel this. I shouldn't act like this because this is not me.

Nagtataka pa rin ako paggising kinabukasan dahil wala pa rin sila, napakaayos pa rin ng kanilang kama. Overnight party, huh? Mas nadagdagan ang galit at inis ko pero pilit kong pinapaalala sa sarili kong hindi ko dapat iyon maramdaman.

The old Janina Steinfox is strong, she only cares about two things... That's her family and herself. She doesn't care about anything, hindi sya madaling magalit o mainis. She's mature enough to face everything.

The eclipse. The darkness. The pain. The sadness. My experience from the past year makes me more mature but I know, not that stronger.

Still confused because the dorm is so silent even the school when I got there. I even pinched myself if I'm awake or still sleeping. There's no one, Philippians is like a ghost town. Unti-unti, nakaramdam na naman ako ng takot. Ganitong-ganito ang nangyari dalawang taon ng nakararaan.

Even I don't want to, I decided to go to the dorm of the descendants. Tulad ng paligid, tahimik din doon. Nang hahawakan ko ang doorknob ay unti-unting bumukas ang pinto dahil sa malakas na hangin at nakagawa pa iyon ng nakakatakot na ingay. Sinalubong ako ng nakakapangilabot na katahimikan at kadiliman.

I calmed myself when terror spread through my system and I start to shiver in fear. Sunod-sunod akong bumuntong hininga bago pumasok.

"Hello! L-Lyon?" My voice echoed na mas nakadagdag sa takot ko.

Isa-isa kong tinawag ang pangalan nila pero wala ni isang sumagot. I switch on the lights at nagulat ng tumambad sa harap ko ang walang malay na katawan ni Kael. Mabilis ko syang dinaluhan saka niyugyog ang balikat.

"Kael! Wake up." Napuno ng pag-aalala ang puso ko at hindi ko alam ang gagawin. Sinalat ko ang palapulsuhan nya, may pulso pa naman sya kaya kahit pa paano ay nakahinga rin ako ng maayos.

Tumayo ako at inilibot ang tingin sa paligid. It's a mess, ang mga bintana ay basag. Natumba ang mga kabinet, napakakalat. Ang daming bubog sa sahig, wala na sa ayos ang mga upuan at mesa. Nagkalat ang mga baso at kung anu-ano pang bagay sa paligid. Nangangamoy alak din. Tila ba hindi lang bagyo ang dumaan don, tila ba lahat na ng delubyo.

"What happened to this place?" I murmured.

Sa daanan papuntang sala ay nakita kong magkatabi ang walang malay na katawan nila Aiken at Felix. At nang makarating sa sala ay mas lalo pang kumalat. Nasa sahig sila Daelan at Santi. Samantalang nakataob naman si Elric sa sofang nakabaliktad at si Lyon ay nasa isang sofa din.

Lalapitan ko sana si Lyon nang makarinig ng boses sa likod ko.

"Don't you dare touch and wake them up."

Agad akong napalingon at nakita ang isang babaeng may hawak ng goblet. The Phoenix. Nah, the bitchy-phoenix, Azalea.

"What did you do to them?" I asked.

She roll her eyes. "I didn't do anything. Pinatulog ko sila because when I got here, nagkakagulo sila---"

Natigil sya ng makarinig kami ng kalabog sa kung saan.

"Lyon," boses iyon ni Kael. "Stop playing with me. I'm going to kill you. You don't have respect, I'm still the King."

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Great!" Napatingala si Azalea at bumagsak ang balikat.

Lumagpas sa kanya ang tingin ko ng makita si Kael sa kanyang likod.

"Where's Lyon? Why is he using his power to me? Why am I seeing creepy things?" Mahinahon ngunit may diing sabi ni Kael.

Azalea pointed Lyon. "There's Lyon, Kael."

"Then what's happening to me?" Kael asked.

Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko.

Ibinaba ni Azalea ang goblet sa mesa saka pumalakpak at ngumisi. "It's time to wake them up, shall we?"

Mabilis kong tinakpan ang tenga ko ng biglang tumili si Azalea, at lahat na lang sila ay biglang nagising. Ganon na lang ang gulat ko ng biglang magsiliparan ang mga gamit, ay iba'y naglalaho pa.

"What the hell!" Angil ni Aiken at unti-unti ay hindi na namin sya makita.

Napanganga ako ng makita si Lyon na biglang maglalaho at lilitaw sa ibang lugar.

"What the f**k is happening?" Felix yelled and raised his hands, maybe to stopped the flying objects but it's not working. "Why can't I control it?"

Umatras sya ng umatras hanggang matamaan sya ng sinag ng araw at bigla syang umusok. Mabilis naman syang nagtago sa sulok habang sunod-sunod na nagmumura.

"Stop this, Azalea." Lyon raged.

"What's happening to me, Azalea?" Aiken glowered and I don't know where he is.

"Lyon, stop manipulating me." Kael snarled at him.

"I'm not." Lyon hissed.

Hinarangan ako ni Daelan para hindi matamaan ng mga bigla na lang na lumilipad na bagay, dahil sa gulat ay hinayaan ko na lang sya.

Azalea clapped her hands again. "Guys, you need to calm yourself. Just relax."

"How can I f*****g relax if I can't f*****g control my powers and I can't f*****g stand the sunlight?" Felix barked.

"Meaning, you're a nightwalker." Lorcan smirked then he placed his hands on the table but the table suddenly disappeared. Napatayo sya. "What the..."

"Napunta sa'yo ang kakayahan ni Kael, Lorcan." Elric snapped. "And obviously, Kael got Lyon's ability while Aiken got Daelan's ability and Lyon got Aiken's ability."

"What about me?" Madramang tanong ni Felix, nakatago talaga sa pinakasulok.

Pinipigilan ko ang huwag mapangiti. He looks so hopeless.

Azalea heaved a sigh. "Nagkapalitan kayo ni Elric."

Elric smirked then raised his hands and all of the things there float.

"You f*****g thief, ibalik mo ang kapangyarihan ko." Felix tried to come near Elric.

Pero si Elric tumakbo sa bintana at nilasap ang sinag ng araw habang nangaasar na nakangisi kay Felix, hindi tuloy makalapit and huli sa una.

"How about me?" Santi asked.

Azalea twisted her mouth. "Shapeshifting and hypnotism, but your ability is already hypnotism, Santi. So I guess, it's shapeshifting."

Santi frowned. "What the fuck."

Nagulat na lang ako ng biglang lumingon sa'kin si Daelan at titigan ako sa mata. Natulala ako sa silakbo ng kaniyang mata.

"Kissed me, Jane." He breathed.

Tumahimik ang paligid. Lumapit ako sa kanya at hinawakan sya sa panga saka tumingkayad pero hindi pa nakakalapit ang mukha ko sa kanyang mukha ng may biglang humablot sa braso ko saka itinulak si Daelan.

Napakurap-kurap ako at tumingin sa nakahawak sa'kin. Kumabog ang dibdib ng makita si Lyon na hinila ako palayo kay Daelan.

"Obviously, Daelan got Santi's ability." Aiken murmured.

"Do, something, Azalea." Lyon growled.

Azalea made a face. "Why me again? Pumunta ako dito, nagkakagulo na kayo. Wala ni isang mortal o nightwalker."

Kael eyed Lorcan. "Bring them back."

Lorcan crossed his arms over his chest then groaned. "I don't know where I sent them."

Namilog ang mata ko. "What about my roommates? You need to bring them back."

Lorcan gave me a dirty look. "I don't take orders from mortals."

Bahagya akong napaatras, nakaramdam ng takot ng mapatitig sa abuhin nyang mata.

Umismid ako. "Pero gagawin mo pa rin naman iyon, you don't have a choice."

Lorcan just roll his eyes.

"So, what really happened last night?" Azalea asked and looked at them one by one.

"Witches maybe?" Elric assumed.

Binuhat na lang basta ni Lyon ang nakabaliktad na sofa at inayos.

"Sit." He said softly without looking at me but I still followed him. Unti-unting binitawan ang kamay ko saka tumayo sa tabi ko.

Hindi ko na masyadong maintindihan ang pinaguusapan nila dahil unti-unti ay naalala ko ang mga nangyari sa'min ni Lyon. If I asked him about that night, is he going to answer me with what I'm expecting or I'm just assuming and imagining things again.

Bumalik ako sa realidad sa sinabi ni Santi.

"Well, I think they're witches." He looked at Felix. "You screwed with them last night? Sino ang sinaktan mo?"

Si Elric naman ay sinimulan ng ayusin ang paligid sa pamamagitan ng kapangyarihan ni Felix na nasa kanya.

Felix frowned. "I didn't promised anything, they just keep on asking about Lyon."

Napakurap-kurap ako, biglang kumabog ang dibdib sa sinabi nito.

"What about me?" Lyon growled.

"May mga nakaaway kang witches noon? Or maybe, nasaktan at pinaasa?" Kael asked.

Napaayos ako ng upo, hindi na humihinga.

"No," he rebuked. "You know, all of my attention was at the throne. Nothing else. And if they're witches from our time, dapat kilalang-kilala na nila ako."

"Okay then, maybe vampires." Azalea concluded.

"Kung sa bampira naman," Daelan pointed Santi. "Siya na siguro ang may pinakamaraming kalaban."

Santi smiled sarcastically. "Thank you, brother. It's so heartwarming, really! Thank you."

Daelan just shrugged his shoulder and extended his middle finger towards him.

"Ano bang itsura nila?" Azalea asked.

"Calla is brunette while Emery is redhead."

I eyed Aiken. "What?"

"Do you know them?" Lyon asked.

Tumikhim ako saka dahan-dahang tumango. "They're my roommates and, Felix, Calla is the one who ia redhead and Emery is brunette."

"Your f*****g roommates?" Felix jaw dropped, mukhang walang pakealam sa pagtatama ko. "What they need from you? Did they hurt you? Did they asked you something?"

I bit my bottom lip. "Yeah! They keep asking me about Deucalion."

Aiken looked at Lyon before me. "How do you know about him?"

Kumunot ang noo ko, namilog ang mata ng may mapagtanto. "Do you know him?"

They just looked away.

"Kilala ninyo sya? Isa ba sa inyo si Deucalion?" Napatayo ako. "Please, tell me. Sino sa inyo ang laging nagpapadala sa'kin ng bulaklak."

Humagalpak si Felix at Azalea, sila Aiken, Santi at Daelan naman ay ngumisi at parang nagpipigil na hindi matawa. Si Lorcan ay nakatitig lang sa'kin samantalang sila Kael at Elric ay napapailing na lang. At si Lyon ay tahimik lang sa tabi ko.

"Lorcan, you need to bring them back so we can talk to this witches." Natatawa pa ring sabi ni Azalea na para bang joke ang sinabi ko.

Naiinis akong bumalik sa pagkakaupo.

"Yeah!" Felix raised his hand like a kid. "Para bumalik na rin ang kapangyarihan ko." Saka ito bumaling kay Elric. "f*****g thief."

"Don't worry, Felix, I'm going to enjoy this and use this in a nice, meaningful way." Elric smirked. "I should act like a superhero, huh, what y'all think? Saving mortals?"

Mas lalong hindi maipinta ang mukha ni Felix.

"Tagalan mo muna, Lorcan." Santi chuckled then using his forefinger, he poke Kael's arm.

Kael eyed him. Napakurap-kurap ako ng maging kamukha ni Santi si Kael.

Santi smirked. "Mukhang magugustuhan ko ang bago kong kakayahan."

"Me too," Aiken grin evilly then glanced at me. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Lyon let out a harsh breath. "Please, remind me to kill you after this."

Aiken made a face then chuckled, irritating Lyon.

Felix screwed up his face, tila ba gustong yugyugin pa si Lorcan. "Don't f*****g listen to them, Lorcan."

Lorcan's mouth curved into a grin. "Sorry. I don't speak skank."

"Idiots, I'm f*****g surrounded by idiots." Felix put his other hand on his hips while his other hand threaded through his hair.

I just find myself smiling while staring and listening to them but when I looked at Azalea. I gulped when I saw mockery in her eyes then she raised an eyebrow at me, I raised a brow also then looked away and clenched my fist. My smile slowly fading away. I should feel out of place but no, It felt like I really belong here. Beside them... With them.