Life: Ananke's Daughter✓

LIFE: Truth Untold

Zoe's POV

"So she was really murdered." seryosong salita ni Elene. Tumango naman si Cedric na syang sentro nang usapan.

Nasa penthouse kami ngayon, sa mismong pugad nang student council. Napatingin ako sa wall clock nila, it's already 6:46 at malapit na ang dinner, ayuko ring iwan si Agnes na mag-isang kumain sa Hall. She might be a strong woman but she's too dumb.

"It was a threat." salita ni Cedric na ikinatingin ko sa kanya ulit.

"A threat?" Tanong ni Vasilis. Tumango si Cedric at sinalubong ang malamig na tingin ni Vasilis. I really want to praise Cedric of how he suite in this kind of atmosphere, he really belongs to this place not as a simple and ordinary demigod.

"A threat to the deity. The student and the arson. It was all for the deities, a challenge." sagot ni Cedric. Napatayo ako sa sinabi nya at napalayo sa kanila. Napakagat labi ako.

"Then catching that person won't stop this right? Paniguradong may kasama sya." salita ni Shaina.

"In that case, we have nothing to do with this," pinal na salita ni Vasilis, napatingin ako sa kanya kahit ilang metro ang layo ko. "Let the deities handle this, I'm sure they received the threat. Let them do their job and let us see what they do next." dagdag nang presidente. Napatitig ako sa kanya nang ilang minuto at napabuntong hininga. Tumingin akong muli sa orasan.

"Time for dinner. Ced, let's go." salita ko at pinuntahan si Cedric para hilahin paalis at walang paalam na umalis sa bahay nang student council.

"Hey. Okay ka lang Zoe?" Tanong ni Cedric nang sumara ang elevator at ibaba kami nito sa 23th floor. Bumitaw ako sa kanya at tumango.

"I'm fine." sagot ko. Bumukas naman ang elevator sa 23th floor at saktong pumasok naman si Agnes.

"O kayo pala. Ba't kayo magkasama? Sa penthouse ba kayo galing?" Tanong nya. Tumango ako at pinindot ang 1st floor.

"Nanghingi sila nang tulong sakin." pahayag ni Cedric kay Agnes.

"Talaga? Tungkol ba sa sunog?" Tanong ni Agnes.

"Yeah. It was Zoe's suggestion." sagot nya. Napasimangot si Agnes.

"Unfair, kayo lang dalawa." bulong ni Agnes na dinig na dinig naman.

"Hindi ka kasi kasing awesome namin ni Zoe." lait naman ni Cedric sa kanya at saka humalakhak. Sinuntok naman sya ni Agnes sa braso kaya napaaray ito.

"Sadista mo talaga." inis na salita ni Cedric pero nakangiti.

"Ah! Ewan ko sa inyong dalawa. Ba't parang out of place na ako?" Pagmamaktol ni Agnes. Napailing nalang ako sa dalawa at hinila sila palabas nang bumukas na ang pintuan nang elevator.

*********

It's 12 am. Everything's in pitch black. Napatingin ako sa buwan at mga bituin. Mas maliwanag ito ngayon kesa nitong mga nakaraang araw. Napangiti ako. Nakaupo lang ako sa railings at pinapakiramdaman ang malamig na hangin. Tulog na tulog na si Agnes sa loob at talagang napakatulog mantika nito.

"It was a threat." salita ni Cedric.

"A threat to the deity. The student and the arson. It was all for the deities, a challenge."

"Let the deities handle this, I'm sure they received the threat. Let them do their job and let us see what they do next."

A threat. A challenge. And the deities. Tumingin ako sa madilim na kalangitan. Everything i see is black and void. No one knows where does it end. How classic.

Is this what you want? Tanong ko sa bathalang laging nanonood sa kanyang mga kinasasakupan. But i guess no. I remember what she always says.

"I am like a Gardener, I plant them, Water them and wait with all my heart, that's all i do." salita ko, like mocking her way to speak words.

I ask her. "So you're not responsible for this?" . And she will answer..

"Some don't even get to sprout, and some bloom late. Some wilt away quickly, some turn out to be medicinal, and some, poisonous. And some plants will kill everything around them. Is that my fault?" Salita ko. Napabuntong hininga ako at humugot nang hininga.

"Then put those righteous one and disregard the ungrateful one."

Nagulat ako nang may bumaba mula sa itaas at umupo sa tabi ko at nagsalita. Napatitig ako sa kanya na nakatingin sa tanawin. Vasilis. He heard me and he knew me. There's no escape.

"That's not how it works. A garden doesn't belong to the gardener." salita ko. This is what i always learn from her.

Namayani ang katahimikan sa paligid at sa pagitan namin ni Vasilis. Nakasara ang pintuan nang veranda kaya siguradong hindi kami maririnig ni Agnes kung may paguusapan kami ni Vasilis, hindi ko rin alam kung pano nya nagagawang bumaba mula sa itaas papunta rito sa veranda namin.

"Who are you? No....what are you?" Tanong nya na bumabasag sa katahimikan. Tumingin sya sakin. Nagkasalubong ang tingin namin at naramdaman ko na naman ang kakaibang pakiramdam kapag malapit sya. Kapag ganito sya kalapit at kapag nagtatagpo ang mga mata namin. He gave me chills everytime.  "You don't sleep. You don't eat, probably, people see you eat but what i always see is different. You seems like you are breathing but you don't. What you always do and say is not what ordinary student can do and say." dagdag nya. Nanatili akong nakatingin sa maitim nang mga mata.

"Let the deities handle this, I'm sure they received the threat. Let them do their job and let us see what they do next," i repeated what he said earlier. Nanatili akong nakatingin sa kanya. "You surely make sure i can hear you earlier. And yes, i received the threat. But you're wrong, they let this happened because it has good reason. For people's sake." dagdag ko at ngumiti sa kanya. Nakita kong nagiba ang ekspresyon nya pero saglit lang ito at bumalik sa blanko ang mukha nya. Umiwas ako nang tingin.

"Yeah. You people think rational of course, there's nothing to doubt. Can't you just skip the hardships?" Salita nya nang may inis at iritasyon sa boses.

"I am a gardener, like what i said, i can't do anything for you people. Let the deities achieve the best for us," sagot ko at tumingin sa madilim na paligid. "Life's a mysterious beast, isn't it?" Dagdag ko pa. Bumaling akong muli sa kanya, i smiled, i can see the reflection of the moon in his eyes, what a beautiful view. "If you think about what i said earlier. You'll find out what it means." Pahayag ko at umiwas nang tingin saka bumaba na sa railings nang veranda. Tumalikod na ako at pumasok sa kwarto namin ni Agnes. Tumingin muli ako sa veranda pero wala na sya doon. Bumuntong hininga ako at humiga sa kama.

"People see what they are told to see." she said while looking at the people who passes by.

They might not realize it, but not everything they see is true. Because there are more than meets the eye.

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