Darating kaya ang bukas? [PUBLISHED]

EPILOGO

"What are you doing here?" Iritableng tanong ni Brianna sa aking pagbisita.

Hindi ako nagsalita. Pinagmamasdan lamang ang kanyang mukha at ang kanyang orange na kasuotan.

"You've already succeeded to put me here. What else do you want? Huh?!" Singhal niya sa akin. Mukhang naiirita sa panunukat ko sa kanyang kasootan.

Hindi pa rin ako nagsalita. Tinitigan ko lang siya.

"Don't you dare look at me like you're so innocent all along, Arianna. You can fool them with your goodie-goodie imagery of yourself, but you can't fool me! Are they really that stupid not to figure out how you're but too good to be true? Santa-santahan, api-apihan, pweh!"

Hindi ko pa rin siya sinagot.

Copyright ⓒ DyslexicParanoia (Angela Atienza), 2015, All rights reserved.

"I bet your laughing at me deep inside you, you ambitious fake little witch!" Sigaw na niya. "Mga bata pa lang tayo ganyan ka na. Lahat nang sa akin, gusto mong angkinin. You seduced Rafael because he's mine, and you also know for a fact that the reason why I don't want to keep Rafael is because I am eyeing for Anton, and you got him too? Fuck you, Arianna! Fuck you! Isa kang dakilang mang-aagaw!"

Nagwawala siya sa galit. Tinatampal ang fiber glass na namamagitan sa aming dalawa.

"Binabawi ko lamang ang lahat ng mga kinukuha mo sa akin pero ako pa ngayon ang lumalabas na nag-iisang kontra-bida?" Dagdag niya, "Bakit? Parehas lamang naman ang likaw ng bituka natin ah. Ambisyosa. Parehas lamang naman tayong ambisyosa ah!"

Hindi ko pa rin siya sinasagot.

"Now you see I've lost on our lifelong competition over things. Are you happy now, huh?! Are you happy now?!"

Tuloy-tuloy lang ang pagtampal niya sa salamin. Nanginginig sa galit.

"Actually," Sabi ko, "Yes." Nginisian ko muna siya bago ako humalakhak nang walang puknat.

"You pretentious little slut!" Sigaw niya, "You won't really stop until you get what is rightfully mine, don't you?!"

Humahalakhak pa rin ako kaya lalo siyang nainis.

"You know what Brianna?" Kalmadong sabi ko, "You're right. I was an ambitious little witch. Just like you are. I do like getting what you have. It's fun you know. Lalo na kung, pinaggigilan mo ako sa galit? I know we're almost the same. We're twins, what can you expect? We both want everything this world has to offer, but guess what? I don't think I am exactly like you in many ways. First, I am smarter. Guess who's in jail right now. 2nd, I am a winner; I always win in the end. Guess who have them all right now. And 3rd I sure am ambitious, but I'm not greedy like you. I know when to stop. I know what contentment means."

Tumayo na ako.

"I took Rafael from you because I knew I can love him better than you do back then. I saved Anton from you because I know he's better off with me. Do you know why?"

Imbes na sagutin niya ako ay tinampal niya lamang muli ang fiber glass.

"I have conscience, you don't. I know what love means... and I really, really love Anton, his child, my child, his family... you don't. I am indeed ambitious, but I play it clean. I do not conspire in crimes, nor do crimes myself-that's just not my kind of thing. I didn't put you in jail, Brianna. You did. You did that to yourself. So why blame me, for things you have done in your own freewill?"

Umiiyak na siya.

"Tama ka naman na pareho lang tayong nangarap ng mas maganda at maayos na kinabukasan." Dugtong ko. "Pero hindi mo naman kailangang gawin 'yun sa maling paraan. Hindi mo kailangang maging masama para umasenso. Dumarating ang bukas para sa ating dalawa, at sa lahat ng tao. Pero kung paano natin haharapin 'to, ay nasasaakin at nasasayo. Huwag mong isisi sa tagumpay ng iba ang mga kabiguan mo."

Tuluyan na siyang sumubsob sa kaiiyak.

"A-are you not gonna help me? Huh?!" Tila nagmamakaawang sabi niya pagkatungay niya.

"I will." Sabi ko, "In spite of everything, you're still my sister. I really hate what you have done to many people, to me and to yourself, but I still love you. I really do. Work yourself out to become a better person you could possibly be, and then we'll talk. Malay mo, dumating din ang bukas para sa ating dalawa. Ang bukas kung kailan pareho na tayong kuntento at maligaya. "

[KATAPUSAN]