Author's Note (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Kabanata 4

Warning: This chapter mentions suicide. This may bring discomfort for some readers, so please be advised. Prioritize one's state of mind all the time. Thank you.

NANGINIG ang dulo ng labi ni Adamas matapos marinig ang mga katagang iyon. Para siyang nabingi at hindi kayang intindihin ang sinasabi ng kausap.

"She's what?" he asked, hoping that he just misheard it.

"She's dead. She died two years ago."

Nabitawan niya ang libro. Ilang minuto siyang natahimik habang nagpaulit-ulit sa kaniyang isipan ang sinabi ni Logan.

Imposible. Hindi iyon totoo. Imposibleng wala na si Noa.

"W-why would she die?" He clenched his fist and stood up from the chair. "Stop telling me nonsense! My Noa is not dead!"

"I wish I could be joking too, but it's the truth. Miss Noa committed a s-suicide two years ago." Logan sighed.

He froze.

Nagkapira-piraso ang puso niya matapos iyong marinig. Sunod-sunod ang kaniyang pag-iling at ayaw tanggapin ng kaniyang isip ang sinabi. Hindi maari. Hindi ito ang gusto niyang marinig. Hindi ito totoo.

"Lies. Lies. You're lying to me," he uttered. Although he couldn't see any trace of facade from Logan's word, he would not believe it.

"You are lying to me! Why would she do that? She will not do that!" Buong puwersa niyang sinipa ang swivel chair papunta sa mesa.

Nagulat naman ang dalawa sa kaniyang ginawa. Ang takot na nawala kanina ay muling bumalik pero hindi niya iyon pinansin. The kick wasn't enough to satisfy his confused feeling, so he rushed to the bookshelf and buried a hard blow. Hindi pa siya nakuntento at muli itong sinuntok hangga't sa tuluyan itong magkapira-piraso.

Isang sigaw ang narinig niya pero hindi siya nakinig. Lahat ng bagay na mahahawakan niya ay sinira niya lahat. Ang basag na mga salamin ay mas lalo niya pang winasak at pinagsisipa upang mailabas niya ang sakit na nararamdaman.

Pero kahit na ganoon, mas lalo lang siyang nawawala sa sarili.

Mariin siyang napahawak sa kaniyang veil habang unti-unting nakakaramdam ng pagsakit sa ulo. "Argh . . ."

Napaluhod siya sa sahig at binagsak ang ulo. Isang malutong at mabigat na tunog ang nagawa niya, nabitak din ang sahig subalit hindi pa rin nagbago ang kaniyang pakiramdam.

"Why would she do that? Why would my Noa do that? It's impossible! Why would she do that?!" Hindi na niya mabilang kung ilang beses niyang tinanong at hinampas ang ulo sa sahig. Hindi niya kayang paniwalaan iyon.

"Adamas, what are you doing?" May mga yabag ng mga paa ang dali-daling lumapit sa kaniya.

Sinubukan siyang hawakan ni Gonietta pero winaksi niya ito.

"It's not true. My Noa is not dead. She's not dead!" He clenched his fist. 

He whispered under his breath to cast the power his author gave him.

A surge of fluid flowed down from his nerves until it reached his palms. Burning like fire, the hot sensation inside made him put his palms up--an indication that his threads were coming out.

As the black, thick threads jumped out from his fingers, he slammed his hand on the floor. And like waves, the floor vibrated, pushing his threads inside the sement.

His Thread Finder, an ability taught by his father, could seek through every being. Magagawa nitong hanapin ang kung sino mang nilalang kapag alam niya ang mukha nito. But for Noa, he hadn't seen her yet. Adamas didn't have a clue on what she looked like.