Saving Humanity

Chapter Forty-Five: Time to Wake Up, Part Four

Chapter Forty-Five: Time to Wake Up, Part Four

Holly

My back slams against the floor, knocking the air out of me. Madison climbs on top of me and starts screaming at the top of her lungs. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Nanatili lang akong nakatitig sa kanya habang sumisigaw siya na parang mabangis na hayop.

Halata ring nagulat sina Andre at Raf dahil hindi sila kaagad nakakilos nang sugurin ako ng kapatid ko. Akmang hihilahin ni Raf si Madison palayo sa akin, pero pinigilan ko siya.

"No, stop," I plead. "This is my sister. She knows me."

Raf's hand stops mid-air, and I can see the understanding etched in his face. Andre stares at my sister with a grim expression.

"Nagulat lang siya," paliwanag ko. Nilakasan ko ang boses ko dahil patuloy pa rin sa pagsigaw si Madison habang nakatingala. "Kasi hindi naman natin alam kung gaano siya katagal na nanatili dito, hindi ba? Wala tayong alam sa pinagdaanan niya."

Tumingin ako kay Dr. Valdez. "Tama naman ako, hindi ba? That's the only explanation for this."

Tumingin lang sa akin ang dalawang scientists. Kung nagulat man sila sa nangyari, hindi nila ito ipinapahalata. Felicity and Ian are looking in my direction now, too, while Jared is still crying beside them.

Dr. Valdez answers my question honestly. "Hindi ko alam, Holly. Wala akong alam sa kung ano ang mga ito." He gestures to the other tubes around us.

Madison starts clawing at her neck while continuing to scream. I can't stand the sight of her hurting herself, so I reach out and yank her wrists.

She turns her attention to me. All of a sudden, as if her voice was cut-off, she stops screaming.

"Madison," I breathe. Gone was her hazelnut eyes. Staring at me instead are a pair of red ones, eerily similar to the kids we saw on the highway.

But she is my sister. I know that whatever experiments they've done to alter her personality, I can get through it. I'm one hundred percent sure that she will recognize me.

I let go of her wrists, and I reach out to touch her left cheek. I can't help but smile when she does not recoil from my touch.

"Natatandaan mo ba ko, Madison?" I ask her. Then I start stroking her cheek. She's staring at me intently, as if she's trying to remember who I am. "Ako ito, ang ate Holly mo. Patawad kung ngayon lang kita nahanap, ha? Hindi ko kasi talaga alam kung saan ako magsisimula na hanapin ka."

I feel the warm tears leaking out of my eyes again. Madison is still staring at me without any ounce of recognition. But her not attacking me might mean something, right? It means that deep down, she knows that I'm not her enemy.

She knows that I won't hurt her.

"Madison," I call her again. It feels good to say her name. It makes everything real. It confirms that I am not dreaming, that my sister is really here. She might be straddling me, but I know that she won't do anything further to hurt me. I know she wouldn't. How could she? She can feel that we have a connection, even if she's not recognizing it yet.

I continue to stroke her cheek. "Madison, hindi mo alam kung gaano ako kasabik na makita ka. Hindi mo alam na halos gabi--"

Something shifts in her expression, and my words trail-off. I'm about to ask her what's wrong when she suddenly growls and slaps me with her right hand. I feel the sting as her long nails scratch my left cheek. Then the warm feeling of blood as it starts to flow from the wound.

She emits a high-pitched sound, then she starts scratching me. I involuntarily put both of my arms up to protect my face from her attacks. I feel the pain as she repeatedly claws my arms, my skin breaking because of her sharp nails.