Intruded Trails (Van Doren Series #1)

Chapter Twenty-six

Happy Valentines! 💞

***

Land of Savages

"Magsalita ka, Sullivan. Anong ginagawa mo rito?" Pang-ilang ulit ng tanong ni Glinda.

Pinaglaruan niya ang kadenang nagmumula sa kanya sa mga daliri nito at bahagyang pinapatunog sa bawat lakad papalapit sa matanda. The golden chains had the old man tied on a tree. She had him in her grasps.

Humikab lang si Sullivan na nanatiling nakatali sa puno. "I must say, Glindazielle. After all the damn decades, hindi ka pa rin madaling makontento..." Reklamo nito at napailing. "I already told you. I pass by this place every single day to give tribute. Hindi ko naman inakalang ngayon magbabago ang takbo ng buhay ko,"

"I even thought I was dreaming when I saw Theana Khione..." He murmured and glared at Glinda. "Yet, here you are. A nightmare."

Tahimik akong nakikinig sa kanila. Nasa harapan ko si Glinda at katabi ko naman si Khaliel at Farren. Tita Fatima went deep into the forest without even telling us. Buong kalooban kong maiintindihan iyon. She left Zaki. She left her daughter. I may not know Zakira's entire story, but I know she wouldn't let her mother stay there. But still, that wouldn't be enough reason for a mother to left her daughter... Or maybe it was for ravensiels.

Hindi ko alam ang daloy ng pag-iisip ni Tita Fatima sa mga bagay-bagay. Ang nakilala ko noong katauhan niya noon ay isang nakabukas na parte lamang. Isang tao. There is so much for me to know about her. And how could she left her daughter, weak and powerless.

Mas pinag-aalala ko ngayon ay si Zaki. Maaaring siya ang nagsimula ng lahat ng ito, pero sobrang parusa na ito. She couldn't have let herself loose a mother. Alam na alam ko na ang pakiramdam na iyon. Ngunit ang mismong pagpili na mawala ito sa tabi mo... I couldn't imagine my sanity and conscience to handle that. Hinding-hindi ko mapapatawad ang sarili ko.

Gayon pa man kahit anong isipan ko ngayon ay desisyon iyon nila. Ganun rin ni Epione. And it's no longer on my hold. I've realized that in things I couldn't do anything with anymore, I should learn how to let those things slip away. Because the more I think of it, the more it makes me condemn that it was because of me. And that it was my fault.

Baka nga. Pero ayoko nang isipin pa ng matagal iyon. Napapagod na akong idiin sa sarili ko ang lahat. Napapagod na akong sumalo sa lahat ng sakit na dumadating sa paglalakbay na ito.

"Nightmare..." Glinda sarcastically spoke what he called her.

It has been probably an hour after sunrise since we've came. And we still haven't made any flights or plans because of Glinda's decision. She planned to interrogate Sullivan. Na mukhang kanina pa nangangalay at ang alaga nito na nakatali sa malaking puno.

Ang inaasahan ni Glinda ay walang sinuman ang makakasaksi ng pagdating namin. This Sullivan imposed a threat for her. Nabanggit niyang kung sino ang makakakita samin ay mawawalan ng alaala. She had that power now because she's here. But the unfortunate thing is, she knew this man.

"Is that so? You're saying this was only a fucking coincidence?" She fumed.

"Wala akong pakialam kung ano ang matatawag mo rito. You wouldn't believe anything I say, Glindazielle. You never did and you never will. Just like how all Van Dorens believed in a stranger's words. Nothing..." Sullivan fired back to her.

He suddenly glanced up to the sky.

"Pero binabalaan na kita, kung mananatili pa tayo rito sa mga oras na ito, hindi na tayo makakalipas pa ng isang araw na malayang nakakapaglakad," he warned.