Thieves Of Olympus

79

REE

Nakipagpalit kami kina Lilith para bantayan si Clea. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa din siya nagigising. Maybe it is the medicine's effect. Sir. Atheo send Ascelpius daughter earlier to check on her.

Clea looks serene and peaceful while sleeping. But it doesn't remove the fact that she's been hard on herself. Everything but her struggles cannot be seen on her face as she lays on Lunox's bed. Her shallow breathing makes me relax and worry at the same time. A stream of tears suddenly went down her temples. Pinalis ko ito at inaliw ang sarili.

"Hey, how is she?" Milo softly kisses my temple. Naupo siya sa tabi ko.

Pinatong ko ang ulo sa balikat niya, "Dreaming."

Napabuntong hininga ako sa nangyayari. I couldn't imagine ourselves living in this world without hindrances. Palaging may hadlang tuwing gusto naming mabuhay ng tahimik at maayos. Monsters, circumstances... our own kind.

They say it takes a great leap of faith to live. To understand everything is a different kind of league. What does it take to have faith and understanding at the same time? Is it the same as hoping and believing that someday we can be normal? Or is this our own normal?

...to survive and belong to another realm we can't really call ours.

Milo's glances at me with a worried look in his eyes. I gave him a smile in return. Pilit ko man sabihin na magiging maayos ang lahat ay hindi mawala sa isip ko ang hinaharap. Kung may pagpipilian lang ay pinili kong maging mortal na lang.

"What's wrong? May problema ba?"

"Wala 'to. Naisip ko lang kung mortal kaya tayo... we'll we meet everyone?"

"Siguro. Ayaw mo ba ng ganito? "

"I love it but minus the troubles we are facing."

Ngumuso siya sa akin, "Eh ako? ayaw mo sa akin?"

"Hindi ako magpapakasal sa'yo kung ayaw ko."

"Really?"

"Yes! Kung magiging mortal ako sa susunod na buhay hahanapin kita. ikaw ba?"

"Of course! I'll choose you over and over again."

"'Til death do us part," sabay namin sabi sa isa't-isa.

We shared the silence together. Walang paguusap kaming magkatabi habang binabantayan si Clea. We started reminiscing about the past. Sometimes we just burst out laughing without saying a word. He promised to take me out on a date after all of this. The normal date a couple does. We were wiping tears in our eyes after another laughter when Alistair and Lilith enters the room.

Seryoso ang suot nilang ekspresyon at dali-daling lumapit sa kama kung saan nakahiga si Clea. They checked her pulse on both arms. Tumingin sila sa amin ng walang sinasabi.

"Her pulse..." Lilith holds her breath.

"What about it?" takang tanong ni Milo.

Nakakunot ang noo kong nakatingin sa kanila. Hindi ko mabasa ang mukha nila, tila may gustong ipahiwatig. Tahimik namang naghihintay ng sagot si Alistair. Lilith glances at him, talking through their eyes. Pareho na silang nag-aalala dahil sa napag-usapan.

Walang salitang lumabas sina Milo at Alistair. Mabilis ang mga paa nilang nagalakad palabas ng kwarto. Hindi din sila lumingon o nagpaalam kung saan pupunta. Tumayo ako para sundan sila pero pinigil ako ni Lilith sa pamamagitan ng pag-iling. I stared at the door back to her face. she gives me the look that says: "stay here". Naguguluhan man ay pinilit kong wag mag-isip ng kung anu-anong negatibong bagay. ayaw ko din isipin ang salitang kanina pa gustong kumawala sa dulo ng dila ko.

Don't entertain it!

"Shouldn't she be sleeping?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"No," matigas niyang sagot. "The medicine's effect should be 30 minutes only. Dapat ay gising na siya at kumakain ngayon."

Bukas-sara ang bibig kong hindi mapaniwala sa narinig.

"What should we do?"

"Wait for the demigod who treated her."

Maya-maya'y dumating ang tatong pigura ng tao sa kwarto. Kasama na nila si Anicia--ang anak ni Ascelpius, a senior camper. She quickly took her vital signs and gave her a new medicine, then, stare at her watch. Her eyes wander between her patient and the time.

"Her pulse is normal," she announced. She clears her throat before deliberately telling us something we don't expect to hear.

"Bakit ganyan pa din siya? Dapat ay bumalik na ang kulay niya. She looks pale and feels cold," I asked and demand some answers.

I silently prayed to Macaria. I know she can hear me. I know she wouldn't let one of us pass that quick. Not now that some of her friends are out there saving Olympus and our world.

We fell silent with her next words. She spoke to us like a real doctor yet she is only 17.

"She can't wake up. She is alive but she will only sleep."

"Nagbibiro ka ba? what about the medicine?" Milo exasperatedly asks.

Umiling ito sa amin, "I tried to wake her but nothing happened."

"What are we going to do then?" Lilith stares at Clea before looking at Anicia.

"Wait for them to come back. Saka niyo sabihin ang totoo kila Lunox. He won't like it but he has to accept the fact... that Clea is stuck in deep slumber," she said and left.

Natatakot ako sa magiging reaksiyon niya-nila-pagbalik.

I understand that her pain is gone. That she won't suffer more but isn't it cruel to end it like this? Hindi man lang sila nagkita bago ito nangyari ang ganito.

I feel bad for her friends... For Lunox.

Naguusap pa kami noong biglaang bumukas ang pinto sa villa. It sounded urgent. Mabigat ang pagkakabukas gayon din ang mga yabag sa hagdan.

Niluwa ng pinto sina Soleil at Cole. Mukhang pa din silang pagod pero walang pag-aatubili nilang nilapitan ang kama ni Clea.

Nakakatakot ang titig na binitiwan ni Cole sa kaibigan nakaratay sa kama. Ang mga mata niyang maitim ay tila tumatagos sa kaluluwa niya. Palipapat-lipat naman ang tingin ni Soleil sa amin.

Should I tell them already?

Where are the others?

Gusto kong pangunahan ang mga kasama ko. But Anicia's advice...

Cole purses her lips.

"Her soul's disappearing."