Intruded Trails (Van Doren Series #1)

Chapter Twenty-five

Ruins

How do I know if all of this are real?

Sa totoo lang ay gusto ko nang sumuko. Sa paghiga ko sa lupang ito, hinihinga ang kakaibang hangin, at pinapakiramdam ang paligid ay gusto ko nang hindi na tumayo pa.

I felt so restless when I was smacked on the ground. Ramdam ko ang pananakit ng katawan ko, higit sa lahat ng tiyan ko. Gusto kong kapain iyon ngunit masyado pa akong walang lakas.

I missed my parents. That's the first thing that came into my mind when I fell. I missed my life where I never had a problem in living. It may be a life of lies but I don't care. Kung alam ko lang na ganito ang lahat ng mangyayari ay mas pipiliin kong mamuhay sa kasinungalingan.

Epione is gone. Either the others knew about this and they lied to me, or they knew nothing at all.

Ang mga nalalagas na dahon ay patuloy na sumasayaw sa oras na umabot ito sa lupa. Dinadampihan na ng mga ito ang mukha, buhok, ang mga braso ko, at lumalandas ang mga ito sa pakpak ko ng marahan.

Unti-unting biinuksan ko ang mga palad ko nang may nararamdaman ako sa lupa. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm sure it's not a butterfly. Dinaganan ang nilalang na ito ng kamao ko at mabilis na lumipad paitaas sa oras inangat ko ang kamay ko.

The pathway remained open. I can still feel it from behind. I still have choice to fly back but why would I do that? Hindi. Ayoko na. I think I have already accepted this fate too much. I don't want to console myself with this choice again.

Nangyari na ang mga nangyari, Theana. Time is not anyone's friend. You can't bring anything or anyone back. There is nothing left to do but to arise from your fall.

And I will.

I have survived death. It should be easy for me to move on from this.

The movement of the leaves remind me of something. Bago ako gumamit ng lakas para tumayo ay hinayaan kong malagas ang ilang balahibo ng mga pakpak ko. Looking at the dance of my feathers calms me. And I wanted them to fill everywhere I see as I do my first rise.

They make me feel I'm not alone in here.

Along with the dry leaves on the ground, they will carry with them as they move around. Was it... Fall?

May tumamang sinag sa mga mata ko na sanhi ng pagpikit ko. Doon ko napagtantong baka mag-uumaga pa lang rito. It's probably the break of dawn, the end of darkness when I arrived.

The branches of the trees were loud. The strong wind is also making small whispers. All of the things I'm noticing are giving me shivers. Nakakapanindig-balahibo ang lahat at hindi ako sigurado kung magagawa ko pa bang masaksihan ang paligid sa paglipas ng mga araw. Bumalik sakin ang tanong ni Glinda noon. How much could I take here?

My wings felt heavy. Sinubukan ko nang iangat ang sarili at nabigo ako dahil matinding pagod na nararamdaman. I wanted to shut my eyes and sleep, but I needed to see. I wanted to mark this land that I'm here.

Somewhere in this world, I might be something else. A devisee based on my sister's words. Somewhere I don't know yet.

Nakadapa pa rin ako sa lupa. Maybe I should stay like this until Khaliel is here? I don't think I can anymore. The blasting power of Epione drained every strength I have. Images of her kept flashing in my mind too. Mas lalo lang itong dumagdag sa pagkabalisa ko. It seems like I didn't come back so strong... and how I expected myself to be.

Pumikit ako.

I need to be dead for a few more seconds.

"So... this is the sight of the heavens? The memory of the brightest star?"