Never Be Tamed

Chapter 11: Antidote

Chapter 11: Antidote

Umaga na nang matapos ni Anabeth ang mga bagong antidotes. It wasn't as concentrated as the first batch dahil sa pinaikling proseso but it was still better than nothing.

The antidote was enough for the remaining patients and the staff and nurses who consumed the village water. Pansamantala ding pinasara ni Senior Violeta ang water tank ng village and requested to further investigate the case.

Isa-isang binigyan ng antidote ang mga natitirang pasyente, sumunod ang nurses at staff who had consumed the village water. Walang natatalang bagong kaso buong umaga and everyone had relief on their faces lalo nang marinig na padating sa village si Zackary.

Tumungo ako sa likod ng hall kung saan nagpapahinga si Anabeth matapos ang halos twenty four hours na walang tulog. Nakatungo siya sa mahabang table kasama ang mga equipment na ginamit niya. Hindi ko siya ginising nang kunin ko ang antidote sa binigay niya sa'kin kanina para inumin. Pero pareho kaming napapitlag nang marinig ang ingay sa labas.

"What's happening?" pupungas-pungas na tanong niya.

Bumalik agad kami sa hall kung saan isang babae ang hawak ang anak niyang halos walang malay. Humahangos ang babae, umiiyak, habang kausap sina Senior Violeta.

"Nakaligtaan ko pong alisin ang natitirang container sa kusina namin. Nang tignan ko ito kaninang umaga, wala na itong laman tapos ang anak ko... hindi na makahinga..."

Natigilan si Anabeth sa tabi ko, nanghihina. "But I don't have any antidotes left."

The child resumed his strained breathing, then couching so hard his entire small body was shaking. "Mahina ang baga niya... pakiusap, tulungan niyo siya..."

"We need to wait for the orders na kasama ni Sir Zackary," said Senior Violeta. "They have what we needed to make an antidote, pero kailangang maghintay dahil-"

Umiling ang babae, halos lumuhod sa sahig, nakikiusap. "Baka hindi niya kayanin."

Tumalikod si Anabeth, hands shaking, tears on her eyes. Hawak ko parin ang bote ng antidote na hindi ko pa naiinom. Isa ako sa mga unang binigyan kanina. Pero hindi ko ito ginalaw dahil nangako akong gagamitin lang ito kapag okay na ang lahat, kapag wala ng ibang nangangailangan.

Pinagmasdan ko ang mag-ina. "May natitira pang antidote."

Napatingin si Anabeth sa'kin, eyes brimmed with tears. "What do you mean?"

"There's still one remaining. You must have missed it."

"Bring it here," Senior Violeta instructed us.

Lumapit ako sa mag-ina at inabot ang bote ng antidote sa kanila. The woman's shoulder trembled in a mixture of sob and relief. Maging ang mga staff ay nakahinga nang maluwag. Hiniga nila ang bata matapos mapainom nito.

Anabeth was still eyeing me pagbalik ko sa tabi niya. "Where did you get it? I was certain I made the exact number. Pilit ko itong pinagkasya-" Bigla siyang natigilan. "Eleanor," she whispered, voice shrill. "D-Did you gave them yours..."

"Nangyari na ito sa'kin dati. I could take it."

Hinila niya ako sa likod ng hall kung nasaan ang mga equipment. "Take what? Eleanor, we've all consumed the village water since we came here. Iba-iba ang epekto ng lason sa katawan ng bawat tao. Hindi dahil wala kang nararamdaman ngayon ay hindi ka maaapektuhan!"

"Pero ano'ng gagawin ko, Anabeth?" I asked her, voice low. "I couldn't let the boy suffer."

"Pero..." Walang ibang nasabi si Anabeth, dahil alam naming pareho na wala kaming pagpipilian kundi ang tama. Isa pa, para sa kanila ang antidote... para sa mga tao sa bayang ito.

"Sir Zackary and the orders are coming. They were informed of the poisoning and they have the ingredients of the antidote with them. Hintayin natin sila. I would make the antidote as fast as I could," Anabeth assured me.

"Don't worry about me."

Hindi mapalagay si Anabeth habang naghihintay. Panay ang silip niya sa labas ng hall while I assured her I was fine and didn't feel anything strange.

Nagpaalam ako na magpapahinga sa likod ng hall. The antidote was slowly taking effect on the patients at mas kalmado na sa loob ng hall. Umupo ako malapit sa bintana, sumandal sa pader at pumikit.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras ang lumipas na nakaidlip ako. Nang buksan ko ang mga mata ko, noises and voices resonated from the hall outside the door. Mukhang dumating na si Zackary kasama ang ilang orders.

Sinubukan kong tumayo pero bigla akong bumagsak sa sahig, tila nawalan ng pakiramdam ang buo kong katawan. Maging ang paghinga ko tila tumigil.

I clasped my chest with trembling hands. The familiar effect of the poison... I could feel it on my entire body, like the time it was being forced into me.

Take this drink, you little bitch. If I couldn't use you, no one can, remember that!

I heard a voice from the other side of the door... Anabeth's voice. "Eleanor?"

I tried to crawl my way up to the wall to stand pero bago tuluyang bumukas ang pinto, muli akong bumagsak sa sahig at tuluyang nawalan ng malay.

Third Person's POV

Naghihintay si Anabeth sa hall, hindi mapalagay. Panay ang tingin niya sa labas, hoping for the orders would arrive. They need to be here so she could make the antidote fast.

"Bakit ba hindi ka mapalagay?" Senior Violeta asked nang mapansin na aligaga si Anabeth, walking back and forth in the hall. "Is there a new patient?"

Sumulyap si Anabeth sa nakasarang pinto sa likod ng hall kung saan nagpaalam si Eleanor na magpapahinga. She's so hard headed yet innocent with her motives. Even if Anabeth wanted to scold her sometimes, she couldn't because she's just been doing what she was taught to do, to sacrifice herself for other people.

Isang ingay ang pumukaw sa kanilang paguusap. There were chatters from the people outside the hall. Dumating na si Zackary kasama ang mga orders. Anabeth heard earlier that they were issues at the border, and then there's the poisoning. How could Zackary even handle everything?

The staff from the apothecary and the nurses greeted the group. Senior Violeta, being the head of the team, reported the situation to Zackary while he surveyed the patients who were recovering from the poison. Lumapit si Anabeth sa mga orders, tinanong agad kung dala nila ang hinihingi niya. Bumaling si Zackary sa kanya. The alpha's son is as intimidating as his father.

"I just... need to make an antidote as soon as possible."

Nagtaka si Senior Violeta sa sinabi ni Anabeth. "All the patients are being treated and given antidote, including the boy who's the newest patient."

Hindi mapalagay si Anabeth, fidgeting with her shoes on the floor. "There's actually no spare antidote. Eleanor had to give hers to the boy..."

Nagbago ang madilim na expression sa mukha ni Zackary. "Where is she?"

"She's at the back. She said she's just gonna rest..." Pinuntahan ni Anabeth ang pintuan sa likuran na bahagi ng hall, kasunod si Zackary at ang ibang staff.

Kumatok nang ilang beses si Anabeth sa pintuan. "Eleanor?" Nang walang sumasagot, bumalot sa kanya ang pangamba. She gripped the knob at tuluyang binuksan ang pinto. On the floor was Eleanor, unconscious and not breathing.

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