Endless Pen [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ATHANASIA'S POV

I woke up with a searing pain in my chest. I couldn't even make myself sit up. All I know is that the part where I got shot was hurting real bad.

"H-Hey. Dahan-dahan lang. 'Wag kang masyadong magalaw." Napalingon naman ako sa kanan ko kung saan ko narinig ang boses ni Bangun. Tatanungin ko sana siya nang makita ko ang orasan kong may date. Three days... "Yes, you died. Again," salita ni Bangun pagkatapos bumuntong hininga.

"It has been a long time since the last time I tried to kill myself so let me adjust," pagpapaliwanag ko sa kanya. But the thing is... the pain where the cause of my death lies, never used to hurt this much.

Inalalayan ako ni Bangun nang makita niya akong nagpipilit umupo. "Ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo, ano?"

Sinamaan ko lang siya ng tingin saka umayos ng upo at sumandal sa headboard. "Would you—" Hindi pa ako tapos magsalita nang i-abot niya sa akin ang baso ng tubig. "Right. Of course you knew." Napailing na lang ako nang ngitian niya ako. After I finished drinking, I gave him back the glass and was about to ask for something to eat when he gave me a cookie. "Right. Thanks."

Inubos ko muna ang cookies—yung isang balot na ang ibinigay niya sa akin pagkatapos kong maubos ang isang piraso—na ibinigay niya sa akin at uminom ulit ng tubig. "Feeling better?" Tumango naman ako.

"Yung nangyari sa Sitio—"

"Yes, it was meant to happen that way," pagtatapos niya.

Napayuko naman ako saka napatitig sa kumot ko."So was I meant to see Zagan there too?"

Narinig ko ang pagbuntong hininga ni Bangun. "Oo."

"Was he the one responsible for all the murders?" Hindi na umimik si Bangun na ikinabuga ko ng hangin. "Right. You're not supposed to spoil me with that information."

Matagal kaming natahimik. I'm already assuming that he's the suspect, but how are we supposed to put him in jail or punish him if he's not really a human nor a body of his own at all?

Muli akong napabuntong hininga. Looking at the bright side, at least I have already solved the case. My eyebrow raised. Since when did I look at the brighter side of anything? Napailing na lang ako saka ibinalik ang pag-iisip tungkol sa dapat kong gawin.

Ang kailangan ko na lang ay maisip kung paano siya mapapatigil sa pinaggagagawa niyang krimen.

Napatingin naman ako kay Bangun. I then put aside the thought of haunting Zagan for now since it'll be impossible to do so. I just stared at the silent Bangun who looks lost in his thoughts. Naalala ko naman bigla ang nangyari sa loob ng kotse niya. "Bangun?"

He raised his head and looked at me. "Hmm?"

I tapped the side of the bed. "Sit here." Agad naman siyang nakinig saka naupo. Without a second waste, I put my hand on his nape and pulled him closer to me. I was about to kiss him when I paused and chuckled. "You probably knew this was gonna happen."

He smiled at me. "I want to assume that I'll be surprised."

I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips. "Your power sometimes sucks."

Bangun chuckled as well. "Yeah, sometimes. Now, stop talking and proceed with what you're supposed to do."

Natawa na lang ako sa sinabi niya bago ko siya hinila ulit para mahalikan na ng tuluyan. I don't know why but Bangun's lips feels like death. I knew I craved it—that I want it and I will do everything I can just to have it.

Once done with the kiss, I loosened my grip around his nape. "Sabi na nga ba maaadik ka sa halik ko eh."

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever." Bangun then softly pinched my nose. "Anyways, my chest pain still stings a little."

"Baka kailangan mo pa ng pahinga. Para namang hindi ka pa sanay sa consequences ng pagpapakamatay mo noon," pagloloko ni Bangun saka ako inalalayan pabalik sa paghiga. But that's just it... I have never experienced this extreme pain before.

Kada mamamatay ako noon at babalik sa tatlong araw bago ako mamatay ay laging mararamdaman ko lang na may kakaunting pressure sa parte ng katawan kong naging sanhi ng pagkamatay ko.

Kaya nga ang pinaka-ayaw kong pamamaraan ng pagpapakamatay ay ang pagtalon sa building o kaya ay hayaang masagasaan eh. Kada gigising ako ay medyo masakit ang buong katawan ko kaya nakakairita.

Pero itong sakit na nararamdaman ko... masyado itong malala kumpara noon. May ibig sabihin ba ang mga 'yun? O siguro ay humina lang talaga ang katawan ko? Napailing na lang ako at iniwasang isipin muna iyon.

Inabot ko ang phone ko na nasa side table saka tiningnan ang oras at petsa. Looks like I'll relive that book signing again after all. Napangiti naman ako. I'll get to see those smiling faces again that make me feel that warm feeling inside me.

Bigla namang nag-vibrate ang phone ko at nakita ang pangalan ni SPO3 Benjie. Ngayon niya nga pala ako kakausapin tungkol sa security ng event ko. "Hello, officer?"

(Hello po, Miss Asia.)

"Ano pong maipaglilingkod ko po?" Kahit alam ko na po ang mangyayari.

(Ibabalita ko lang po sayong maayos na po ang mga magbabantay po sa inyo sa event niyo po sa susunod na araw.)

Tumango naman ako saka ngumiti. "Salamat po, officer." Nag-alangan naman ako nung una pero hinayaan ko na lang ang sarili ko. "And officer, if you don't mind, would you put at least two police officers in Miss Kaia Samson's house the day after tomorrow? I need to make sure that she's safe. She's important."

(Hindi naman po sa pinag-iisipan ko po kayo ng masama, Miss pero pwede ko ho bang malaman kung kaano-ano niyo po si Miss Samson at bakit niyo po siya kailangang pabantayan sa amin po)

I quickly understood his part. "She used to be a friend of mine and I once dedicated a story to her. So, I used her name," I reasoned out.

Mukha namang nakuha ni officer ang nais kong iparating. (Areglado po, Miss. Sisiguraduhin po naming mababantayan po siya ng maigi.)

I let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to know. Thank you, officer."

(Maraming salamat din po, Miss! Good luck at congrats po sa event niyo po.)

Napangiti naman ako. "Thank you po ulit." We then ended the call and I placed my phone back in its original place.

Sakto namang pumasok si Bangun. "Sa tingin mo ba ay makatatayo ka at makalalakad ngayon?" tanong niyang nagpakunot sa noo ko.

"Why ask?"

He seriously looked at me. "Jelayah wants to meet you today."

Natigilan naman ako saka huminga nang malalim bago tumango. "Then let's not keep her waiting."