Pandora's Academy: Blood & Splendor

Epilogue

KAREN

"Stay here, my love. Mom is just going to finish some business," sambit ni Lydia kay Marize nang maihatid ito sa isang kwarto. Hindi niya na inintay pang sumagot ang anak at lumisan na agad, saka sinuguradong naka-lock ang pinto. Namamasa pa rin ang pisngi ni Marize mula sa luha at nanatili lang siyang nakaupo nang ilang sandali. 

Maya-maya lang, nang makasigurado na wala nang nagmamasid sa kaniya ay saka niya niya hinawi ang buhok sa gilid ng kaniyang tenga at pinindot ang button sa kaniyang hikaw.

"Lufian..." sambit niya. Hindi pa lumipas ang ilang segundo bago may sumagot sa tawag niya.

"Karen, are you okay?" sagot ni Pandora sa kabilang linya. 

"I'm not fine," sagot ni Karen, gamit-gamit pa rin ang mukha ni Marize. "Do you know how  much I wanted to puch Lydia on the face the moment I saw her?"

"I know, but I'm glad you still acted out your part."

"Lydia was listening when I was talking to Jules. It took me a lot of effort to pull off those tears, so make you sure that this will work, Lufian. Or else..."

"Don't be silly. I know that I'm doing. What about Jules? How was she doing?"

 "Lydia already separated me from Jules as we expected."

"Jules is gonne be fine," saad ni Pandora. "For sure, Lydia's gonna subject her to various testing to complete her project, but Jules is gonna survive from that. This is a good ground for her to conquer her past."

"You put so much trust to your little sister, even if you didn't even tell her anything about the plan," saad naman ni Karen. "Cringe."

"Of course, Lucinda is my precious little sister."

"Fucking sister complex." Lumapit na si Karen sa may malapit na kompyuter at nagsimula na siyang tumipa. "I'm already hacking into the system. What time are you gonna get here?"

"We're already close." 

"Okay, I'm going to prepare you an entrance route."

***

ASEL JULES CARSON

"I'm not gonna be like them!" bulalas ko at hinawi ang imahe ni Lucy sa harapan ko. Hinatak ko kaagad ang lamesang nasa tabi ko at hinarang 'yon sa pagitan ko at ng mga nilalang na 'yon. Sinipa ko 'yon palayo at nabangga ang ilan sa kanila, saka natumba sa sahig. Tumawa lamang sila na para bang inaasar ako.

"There's nothing you can do to stop us, young lady," sabat pa nung isang lalaki at tinulungang tumayo 'yong natumba kanina. I gritted my teeth and pointed my blade towards them.

Hindi ako magpapahuli nang buhay.

Sinalubong ko sila at sinimulan silang atakihin. Kahit maliliksi ang kanilang galaw, nagagawa ko pa ring makabagsak ng mga tira sa kanilang mga katawan. Dahil hindi sila tulad ng mga gawa ni Lydia noon na walang sariling pag-iisip, mas madali silang basahin ngayon.

They possess a damn strong hunger, but they fight like amateurs.

Ngumisi ako at natawa. "Lydia did not prepare you for combat, huh?"