Without having second thoughts, I swiftly walked towards the guy and threw punches in anger while I was facing his back.
“I could’ve gotten back to life! You shouldn’t have done that! Open the portal again! I wanna go back!” tuloy-tuloy kong sigaw at pagdadabog sa kanya.
Tahimik lang siya at hindi ako hinarap ngunit naramdaman ko ang paghinga niya nang malalim na parang pinipigilan ang sarili. Hindi man lang siya natinag sa mga ginawa kong panunulak at pananapak sa likod niya. I mean, of course?! He clearly has powers!
“I said, open the portal!”
Napasinghap ako nang humarap siya at marahas akong hawakan sa pala-pulsuhan at pigilan ang susunod kong pag-amba ng suntok.
“You shut your mouth, Lierathana,” he muttered in my face.
Napatulala ako. How did he know my name?!
“You all are to be sent to Enclave,” he declared in a dark, commanding voice, much more authoritative than Caelum’s.
All of the animas disappeared in a few seconds. I blinked. Now, what?
“And you,” he turned to me, still gripping on my wrist.
His soft-looking lips parted, ready to voice out the words in his mind, but he didn’t. He played the inside of his cheek with his tongue and for a moment, I got to stare at his face.
His intense gaze was fixed on me for a minute, his dark and stormy eyes paired with his thick eyebrows reflected anger for what just happened.
What could’ve I done?
“This will be the first and last time you’ll try to escape Mortus.” His chiseled features and strong jaw clenched with tension.
The anger in me fueled up when he lazily threw my wrist to Caelum. “Take care of her,” he commanded with an authoritative voice before walking away with his hands in his pockets.
Pinanood ko ang bulto niyang papalayo. Just like all the other animas and Caelum, he was in his white clothes except he has a much more different aura. Who is he?
“Ayos ka lang?” ani Caelum sa tabi ko na nakapagpabalik sa ‘kin sa ulirat.
Itanggi ko man, si Caelum lang ang mukhang normal at mabait sa mundong ito. I mean, I can’t be that sure, though. But for now, he’s all I could trust. Lahat ay wirdo’t nakakatakot, kung hindi naman, masama ang ugali gaya nung lalaking umalis.
“Wait…” I had a sudden change of mind. Dumistansya ako muli mula kay Caelum. Hindi ba mas nakakatakot kung mabait siya? Wala talaga akong mapagkakatiwalaan sa mundong ‘to kaya mas mabuti nang ganito.
Caelum is good-looking, but unlike that man who just walked away, Caelum has a light and carefree aura which makes him look more approachable yet still authoritative like the guy. They both hold powers.
He scratched his eyebrows as if worried yet tired of behaving me since earlier. “Lierathana, ‘di ba?” aniya sa ‘kin. “Ang haba naman ng pangalan mo, Thana nalang, ah?”
Kumunot ang kilay ko. “That’s literally my nickname. Binasa mo rin ba ang isip ko? You’re being a creep like that guy.” I pointed at the direction of the guy a while ago. “How did he even know my name? Was he stalking me when I was still alive or he’s a mind reader? Either way, he’s still a creep. He’s annoying, he’s cruel--”
“Isa lang ang tinanong ko, ang dami mo nang naisagot,” putol niya sa sinasabi ko.
Whatever. I’m naturally talkative since I was young. Hindi ko naman in-expect na hanggang sa kabilang buhay ay madaldal pa rin ako.
BINABASA MO ANG
Life in the Dead
Short Story𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 People that have lived a nonsense, meaningless life belong in neither heaven or hell; Mortus is their destination. It is the planet of the dead with souls that are, obviously, not living anymore. All they could do is to tal...
