Saving Humanity

Chapter Thirty: End of the Line, Part Three

Chapter Thirty: End of the Line, Part Three

Felicity

Naabutan ko si Andre sa kwarto, umiiyak.

It was my first time seeing him like that. Of course, I saw him breaking down and losing himself multiple times, but those were out of fear. This time, I can feel the sorrow reverberating from him, grinding against everything around him, the echoes coming at me in waves, making my own heart ache with pain.

Alam ko kung bakit siya umiiyak. Naging malapit rin siya sa mga namayapang miyembro ng pamilya ni Jack, at alam na alam ko kung anong nararamdaman niya. Hindi man niya nakita kung ano ang nangyari noong gabing iyon, alam ko na halos pantay lang ang lungkot at galit na nararamdaman namin.

Hindi lang ako ang nawalan. Siya rin, at ang iba pa naming mga kasama.

Minabuti ko na huwag na lang pumasok sa kwarto upang hindi siya maistorbo. He needs his time alone, to be able to grieve properly. Posible na huling pagkakataon na niya para magluksa, dahil kapag nagsimula na kaming bumiyahe papunta sa Sanctuary ay mawawalan na kami ng panahon para sa aming mga sarili.

I hope that after this, he'll feel a lot better. I hope that like me, his tears will wash away the burden buried deep in his chest.

I go downstairs, one step at a time. Before I reach the landing I hear a loud voice.

"Answer my fucking question!"

Nagulat ako hindi dahil sa lakas ng boses, kundi dahil sa kung sino ang sumigaw. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali. Boses nga iyon ni Ian.

Nagmadali akong maglakad, at naabutan ko sa kusina si Ian na nakatayo kasama si Pauline. Nanlilisik ang mga mata niya at halatang-halata kung gaano kadiin ang pagkakahawak niya sa braso ni Pauline.

"Anong nangyayari dito?" tanong ko. Lumapit ako sa kanila at sinubukang alisin ang kamay ni Ian, pero mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang kanyang hawak.

"Let me go, Ian," Pauline says calmly, but I can see the fear in her eyes. "Calm down. Let me go, and I'll tell you everything."

But Ian refuses to let her go. This is the first time that I'm seeing him this mad. His calm demeanor has been shattered, revealing his darker side that none of us could've predicted. But why? I need to know the reason.

I put my hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him down, but he shrugs me off.

"Ian, ano bang nangyayari?"

Andre walks in. His eyes are already dry, and if I didn't see him earlier I wouldn't know that he just had a breakdown. His face scrunches up in confusion as he sees Ian and Pauline staring at each other.

"Anong nangyayari dito?" tanong niya. Lumapit siya sa akin at inulit ang kanyang tanong.

"Ewan ko," I answer honestly. "Naabutan ko na lang sila dito na ganyan. They won't tell me anything."

"Ask her," Ian suddenly speaks up, his voice seething. "Ask her what she fucking did. Ask her, and you'll know why Edward was able to track us down."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. Anong ibig niyang sabihin?

"What do you mean, Ian?" Andre asks. He turns to Pauline. "Pauline, can you explain everything? I'm a bit confused here."

That makes two of us.

Pero, anong sinasabi ni Ian? Alam ba ni Pauline ang dahilan kung bakit kami natunton ni Edward dito?

"Tell them, Pauline," Ian demands with his teeth gritted. "Tell them what you did. Tell them that you are the reason why Jack's entire family is dead."