Call Me Death (Fallen Series #4)

Chapter 12: Safer than Anywhere

Weekends. Since when did I start to look forward to it? It's her fault. For pulling me into her mess that I somehow find comforting. Nakaupo lang ako sa waiting shed habang hinihintay siyang makalabas, and when our eyes met, she immediately smiled that made me roll my eyes.

Naglakad siya palapit sa amin ni Ariel, pagkatapos ay mas lalo pang lumawak ang ngiti niya. "Saan tayo pupunta bukas?" bungad niyang tanong sa amin.

"Kung saan mo gusto." Hinila ko 'yong bag niya at binato kay Ariel na kaagad namang sinalo at nagsimula na kaming maglakad. Reverie is walking beside me while Ariel is behind us. Walang nagsasalita sa amin nang basagin niya ang katahimikan.

"Do you know some high places?" Napalingon ako sa kaniya. She was staring intently at me as if she's really serious.

"Yeah, like mountains. Why?" balik kong tanong sa kaniya. She shrugged then put her hands behind her back.

"I just want to escape." I didn't know why she say that, but I should've asked her, so that everything won't turn out this way...

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"Anong oras na?" I asked Ariel. Nagkibit balikat lang siya na mas lalo kong kinainis. It's almost two hour since we got here, but there's no sign of Reverie everywhere. Usapan namin, magkikita kami sa sentro ng bayan, but she's still not here.

I hissed then I walked back and forth. This is frustrating. Kung alam ko lang, hindi na lang sana ako pumunta. She's pissing me off. I'm just going along with her stupid plans because I need her, and now she's doing this? Damn it.

"Dito ka lang, pupuntahan ko na siya." Walang nagawa si Ariel nang lumipad na ako paalis. I keep on looking everywhere but I couldn't see her anywhere. Hanggang sa makarating na ako sa harap ng bahay niya.

I was about to enter her room through her window when I saw shuttered glasses. Nagmamadali akong pumasok pero natigilan ako nang magkasalubong kami ni Leon. His eyes was in shock. I avoided my gaze. It's been so long since the last time we saw each other.

"What are you doing inside my daughter's room?" His voice sounded like he's suspecting me. "Did you take her--"

"Take her?" Kumunot ang noo ko. What is he talking about? Tumingin ako sa buong kuwarto ni Reverie. She's not here. Her room looks like a mess. "Where is she?"

"We heard a lot of noises here, pero pagdating namin, wala na si Reverie. My wife went to the police and--"

"Fuck! Anong magagawa ng mga pulis kung hindi normal na mga tao ang kalaban?!" My voice rose up at bumakas ang pag-aalala sa mata niya. He's also powerless about this, as well as his brother. Aalis na sana ako nang tawagin ako ni Leon.

"Is it okay to trust my daughter to you?" I couldn't answer him. Maybe because I knew sooner or later she'll die. Tumango lang ako at naglakad na paalis.

Now I knew why Reverie said that. She wanted to run and escape because she feels like someone's chasing her. Like death itself. I should let her be. I should just mind my own business. If she dies now then I'm free. But it wasn't what I was thinking at that moment. All I wanted was to see her and save her from this mess.

I heightened my senses so that I can hear her screams and sobs. But I can't hear anything close to that. Instead, I heard laughs and the words, "He'll save me, I know he will."

I stopped for a moment. She knew? She trusts me that much that even without any assurance that I'll save her, she said that. But what if one day, I couldn't save you anymore? What if this is the last time I can save you?

I flew toward to that direction at napunta ako sa isang open field. Pababa na ang araw kaya dumidilim na rin ang paligid. There I saw Reverie shivering while an angel is holding her down and there's a knife on her neck. Dumudugo na 'yon.

"What the hell are you doing?" I know him. He's one of Seraphina's underlings. Don't tell me she ordered him to do this? Napatingin siya sa akin at ngumiti. "Give her to me. Now."

"Wala ka ng kapangyarihan, Azriel. You don't have any rights to order me now." I hissed. Now that they know I'm losing my power, they start to think that I'm inferior.

"Oh, yeah? Watch me then..." He was shocked when a few seconds after, I was standing beside him. I held his nape and pulled him away from Reverie. Wala siyang lakas na lumaban kahit na isang kamay lang ang gamit ko sa kaniya. Akmang hihilahin niya si Reverie nang hawakan ko ang isa niyang kamay. With my full force, I slammed him on the floor and I heard him whimper in pain. "Tell this to other angels of death as warning. Stay fucking away from her or you'll see why my name is Death."

Pinakawalan ko siya at lumipad siya paalis. I turned my gaze to Reverie, she collapsed so I held her waist and helped her stand up. "I knew you'd come." She said. I rolled my eyes and lift her up. Kumapit ang dalawa niyang kamay sa leeg ko at sinandal niya ang ulo niya sa dibdib ko. "Take me somewhere else."

She closed her eyes and a minute after, she fell asleep. I flew and brought her on a rooftop of one of the buildings here on Crosswood Town. Inilapag ko siya at tumingin ako sa langit. The sky was orange, and breathtaking.

Napatingin ako kay Reverie nang bigla siyang umupo sa tabi ko. We watched as the sun meets the horizon. Walang nagsasalita. Until she finally chose to break to silence.

"I was so used to saving others that I forgot the feeling of being saved. And now, you made me feel it again. Thank you." I shook my head and avoided my gaze. "When that guy started stalking me at school, I feel like I needed someone to rely on, pero sino? Kanino? Magiging pabigat ba ako kapag nagsabi ako? There's so many thoughts that kept on running inside my head, but when I think of you, I just knew you'd do something to find me, that wherever I go, you'd find me."

"What makes you think I'd do so?"

"Because I know that deep inside you, you care." Her eyes stared at the sky. "And when I'm around you, I feel safe."

But I don't. Because when I'm right beside you, I feel like I can feel something and that's terrifying.

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