My head feels heavy; aside from that, I was feeling the weight in my stomach as if something heavy was wrapped on it. And when I carefully opened my eyes, it adjusted for a while before I fully saw what’s in front. I can feel a warm breath at my side, to which I tilted.
I almost scream when I saw Parker’s face an inch away from me. He’s too close! I felt my face burning, though he will not see it because he was sleeping soundly; also, it was dark because the lights were off.
Saglit akong napangiwi nang maramdaman ko ang bahagyang hapdi sa aking noo. Dahan-dahan kong inabot iyon gamit ang kamay ko saka ko napansin na may nakabendang gasa ro’n. Nang muli akong bumaling kay Parker ay mas lalong humigpit ang yakap n’ya, mas nahapit ako palapit sa kanya dahilan upang mas magdikit kami. Punyeta, oy!
Naiipit niya ang dalawang kamay ko dahilan upang mapakapit iyon sa dibdib n’ya. Nagulat ako nang muling humigpit ang yakap n’ya at dahan-dahan niyang nilapit ang mukha sa aking noo hanggang sa lumapat ang kanyang malambot na labi sa parte kung saan walang benda.
“Hmm?” He mumbled. I looked up just to see his eyes open, and he was intently looking at me. And once again, my blood rushed towards my face as I avoided his and looked at his shoulder, “How’s your wound?”
I remained breathless, and not even a single phrase wanted to escape my mouth. And all I wanted to do was to gaze on his broad shoulder.
Siguro ay napansin n’ya na wala akong balak na sumagot at ang pagiging mailap ko. Malambing n’yang sinuklay ang aking buhok hanggang sa muling lumapat ang labi niya sa aking noo.
“We are not angry at all, Amira,” He whispered.
I remained still, but my tears didn’t. As the silence echoed, this blistering night was something for me to remember. Especially when I finally got the courage to once again look into his eyes.
Just like before, it looks so warm. His sparkly and welcoming eyes always feel like a home that I’m willing to live with.
“I’m sorry... It was—”
“No one is blaming you, okay?”
“Pero—” He hushed by pulling me closer to him. And in that spot, in his broad shoulder, I was able to scream my silent weep as I embrace his heartwarming hug.
“Alam kong wala kang ideya tungkol sa trabaho ng pamilya mo sa LIVE Corporation. Alam namin na hindi mo rin na gusto ang nangyayari ngayon,”
He squeezed my shoulder as if he was removing the tension in my body. As I slowly calm down, I was able to level his face without looking up at him. He gently smiled at me and leaned over until our foreheads met.
“You are Amira Fernandez, and you are one of the descendants of the Nakamura Clan. Something like shouldn’t shake you.” My mouth gaped while looking at him. How can he know about it? Only the people in Alpheus City knows about it!
The Nakamura Clan is known as the best in line with Kenjutsu. Being a full-fledged samurai runs in our blood, and in every generation— the first female born is always considered the successor. Our tradition was way different from the others because, in our family, the blood of the females are regarded as a heirloom that we must preserve.
Nagtatakha kong pinagmasdan si Parker habang s’ya ay nanatiling nagpapakalunod sa mga mata ko.
I was about to speak when the light switched on suddenly. I was so surprised that I didn’t realize that I pushed him until he fell on the floor.
“I’m—”
“Balak pa nilang magtitigan magdamag, sana hindi niyo muna binuksan,” Pagbibiro ni Chi. Pinanliitan ko s’ya ng mga mata hanggang sa tumayo si Parker at inalalayan ako upang makaupo sa kama.
“Mommy, may chant ako para matigil na ang kalandian mo,” Walang respetong sambit ni Spencer habang kumakain ng chocolate sa tabi ni Tyler.
Ngayon ko lang napansin na ang lakas ng loob nilang buksan ang ilaw kahit na gabi— nawala ang ideyang iyon sa akin nang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Cara na seryoso ang mukha. Saglit niya akong pinagmasdan hanggang sa bumaling s’ya kay Tyler.
“No exit at all, unless we chop that clown,” Cara told Tyler.
Chi offered me a soup to eat and carefully extended her hand to offer her help. This was different from what I’m imagining. I’ve thought that they will somehow feel reluctant to me for a moment. But instead, they are showing me a different kind of treatment that is somehow freaking me out.
What if they treat me like this, and then afterward, they will throw me out of the RV?
What if they are using reverse psychology against me?
What if—
“Eat,” Cara commanded without looking at me.
Nang itunghay ko ang ulo ko, napansin kong pinapanood nila akong lahat. Maging si Spencer ay natawa sa gilid habang hawak ang cellphone ko na nakatutukot sa akin. Putangina, wala ba silang cellphone? At nang tumalikod si Spencer ay tila may pinapanood s’ya ro’n hanggang sa tuluyan niyang maubos ang chocolate n’yang hawak.
“I’m sorry...” I told them as my eyes remained looking at my plate.
“Luh, ibalik mo ‘yong mayabang na Amira.” Siniko ako ni Chi na tila pinagagaan n’ya ang loob ko. At dahil sa ginawa niya ay mas lalo lamang akong nahabag. Mababaw ang luha ko na tipong may maisip lamang akong malungkot ay naiiyak na agad ako.
“So, what if your family is affiliated with the LIVE Corporation?” Tyler asked.
I frustratingly bit my lower lip because whatever they say, I know that my family is still at fault for what is happening right now— that this apocalypse was because of that project, the Genesis, they wanted to evolve the humankind that it retaliate from them.
“But—”
“Napakaarte mo,” Cara beamed. She was throwing me a disgusted look until she drifted her attention to Tyler.
“Parker already told you, right? No one is blaming you, Amira,” Chi assured me. There was something in her eyes that I can’t figure out right now, “No matter what happens, no one will blame you,”
“At isa pa, kung mayro’n man na may kailangan humingi ng tawad dito sina Tyler at Parker iyon.” Saglit akong napatigil dahil sa sinabi ni Spencer. Nang bumaling ako sa dalawang lalaki ay parehas gulat ang ekspresyon nila habang nakatingin kay Spencer at tila hindi nila iyon inaasahan.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Spencer quizzically looked at me, “You don’t know?”
“Magtatanong ba ako kung alam ko?”
“Ay, oo nga ano,” Sambit n’ya. Hindi ko alam pero nababadtrip ako sa kanya dahil sa pambibitin niya ng impormasyon na kating-kati na akong alamin.
“They are Parker Chase Gesmundo and Tyler Cane Gonzalo— the heirs of the LIVE Corporation,”
#
BINABASA MO ANG
OUTCAST (PUBLISHED)
Science FictionPUBLISHED UNDER IMMAC PPH After an unexpected apocalypse, Amira and her friends found themselves trapped inside the border of Luzon, in which the virus was spreading rapidly. And in order to keep living, they needed to reach the capital of Luzon, an...
