Z-GENES
"AH." A loud cracking sound sang from his back as he stretched his body.
It felt good.
Two days had already passed, and Lis was now able to move and fool around. Naiwan siya sa Cell ng matanda dahil ayaw siyang payagan ng dalawa na pumunta sa tindahan at mag-ayos ng mga bagong dating na bulaklak. Nasermunan pa siya no'ng nakaraang araw ni Cortez matapos niyang sabihin na dahil sa kaniyang spell kaya nalanta ang kanilang paninda.
On the other hand, he didn't expect to have another supply this fast. Kung hindi lahat, sigurado naman siyang halos lahat ng halaman sa mainland ang naapektuhan kaya nagkapagtataka ang mabilis na supply.
But anyway, instead of staying in the Cell and do nothing, he might as well go to the shop. Maboboryo lang siya sa loob kung wala siyang gagawin kaya nagbihis na siya sa kaniyang pulang balabal. He so much adored the design of the cloak.
Bago siya tuluyang lumabas ay pumunta muna siya sa kusina at kumuha ng isang mansanas. "Is this okay to use as my medium?"
He just shrugged and went out.
Pababa na siya sa hagdanan ngunit napatigil siya dahil sa kaniyang nakasalubong.
"Pahima."
Ito ang unang beses na nakita niya muli ang babae.
"Lis." Bahagya itong ngumiti sa kaniya. Humigpit ang hawak nito sa notebook na dala-dala. "It looks like you're okay now."
Tumango naman siya bilang sagot. Hindi niya alam kung anong sasabihin sa babae. It would be dumb to ask her if she was okay because she was obviously not. Bakas sa mukha nito ang pagod at lungkot. Pansin niya rin ang pamamayat nito.
"Can I talk to you?" sabi nito sa mahinang boses. "I still haven't told you about my decision."
"No. It's okay. You don't have to—"
"There's no reason for me to hide anything from you anymore. You know who I am. You know that I'm . . . a Shadow."
Pahima used to look timid and anxious, but this time, her eyes spoke determination. Pilit na nilalabanan ang takot na bumabalot sa kalooban nito.
"All right."
Bumalik sila sa loob at doon piniling mag-usap. Magkaharap ang dalawa at pinapagitnaan sila ng isang maliit na lamesa.
"I'll tell you everything I know about us—Shadows—but I can't guarantee that I know everything," simula nito. "I was sold by my parents when I was still fifteen. Binenta nila ako sa mga tao na palaging nagsusuot ng puting coat."
Mabilis na nakuha ni Pahima ang kaniyang atensyon. "Humans? You were sold to the H-district?"
She nodded. "Sabi ng ina ko babalikan din daw nila ako kaagad pero hindi na sila nagpakita pa sa akin. Doon ko napagtanto na binenta na pala nila ako."
"How old are you now?"
"405."
One of his eyebrows arched. She was sold at the age of fifteen. And it had been 390 years since that event happened. It just meant that more people had already broken the treaty way back. They weren't the first one. Not only that, but a magician had also been sold off. Illegal doing had been involved.
It was the first time he heard of it, and he wasn't happy about what he found out.
Why would they sell their own child? What kind of parents would trade their own blood for the sake of money? They shouldn't have become parents then.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Dissolving Flower
AdventureLisianthus Hibius Crimson, a S-gene, wishes to abolish the treaty that prevents them from communicating with other creatures living in the same country. It's on the day of his coronation that he almost achieve the first step of his dream, but it com...
