Paper Crown

Chapter 50:

"A weapon is always dangerous.. but you know who's more dangerous than it? It's the wielder.."
-Mang Julyo

Chapter 50:

=3rd POV=

Tahimik ang paligid habang ninanamnam ng lahat ang kapayapaang tuluyan na nilang nakamit. Kapayapaang nagmula sa buhay ng ilang taong may naiwang mga mahal sa buhay.

Pinangunahan ni Áma ang panalangin habang nasa harap niya ang mga bangkay na tinakpan nila ng puting kumot. Mahina lang ang pagbulong nito ng mga dasal para sa mga yumao, ni hindi ito nakakaabot sa iilang dipa na layo ni Avery mula sa kanya.. o dahil pinili nitong mas hindi pakinggan o pansinin ang nasa paligid niya? She's been staring at nothing for the last hours. Denise and Mang Julyo still acted the same way like before, but she knew that both of them are hurting. And now.. imagine how hurtful it was to be with the person why your child had died. Kaya mas pinili na lamang niyang manahimik. Hindi niya kailangang magsalita. Binigo niya ang lahat ng taong umaasa sa kaniya kaya aminin man niya o hindi, unti-unti nang nilalamon ng takot ang buong sistema niya.

And when the ceremony was over, one by one, the people left with a heavy heart. All except Avery. She remained standing from where she was before still looking at nothing. Kung ito pa nga lang parang hindi na niya kaya paano pa kaya sa susunod? How can she confidently raise her sword against her true opponent when she know someone is also risking their lives by fighting alongside with her? How can she accept more deaths that will surely come along the path she chose to take?

"Iha.." ilang beses na napakurap-kurap si Avery ng maramdaman ang pagtapik sa balikat niya. She turned to look at the person and saw Áma looking at her with concern laced in his eyes.

"Áma.." she said in a solemn voice.

"Alam ko ang iniisip mo, iha." the old man uttered. Mas pinili namang manahimik ni Avery para pakinggan ang nais sabihin nito. "I had also lost my own men in the battle we chose to take. Too many than what you just lost. But I know that no matter how much lives has been lost, the truth that someone has been stripped off the right to live is something that shouldn't be compared about." he started to tap her shoulders several times that she lost count on it.

Tama siya. Hindi lang siya ang nawalan, pero ang mas nais niyang malaman ay kung paano makakaalis sa kinalalagyan niya. She knew she shouldn't dwell on what just happened too much but she also can't just forget what happened. "Alam kong maaaring hindi makatulong ang sinabi ko sayo, iha pero gusto kong tandaan mo ito. Lahat tayo ay may sari-sariling rason para lumaban. At ginagawa natin ang lahat para sa rason na ito. At alam mo ang dapat mong gawin? Protektahan at gawin mo ang rason na pinaglalaban ng mga tao mo. Ipaglaban mo ang rason nila habang pinaglalaban mo rin ang rason mo para tapusin ang labang ito." those words might confuse others but not Avery. She understands what Áma just said. And he was right. Alam niyang lahat ng taong nasa tabi niya ay may kanya-kanyang rason para lumaban. All of them has a reason just like her. And Avery knew Augusto's reasons. Dahil katulad ng karamihang pumili na pumanig sa kanya ay ganoon din ang rason nito.. ang magkaroon ng maayos, mapayapa at may pantay-pantay na tingin sa mga mamamayan na Imperyo. At siya ang nakikita nilang paraan para makamit yun.

That somehow lifted Avery's spirit up. She always know her reason and the things she can do for it. At ngayon, hindi niya kailangan ang mahinang bahagi niya. Dahil kailangan niyang tapusin ang laban na pinili niyang harapin ngayon.