Cage in Law [Completed]

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Fuck.

The only word that I can say for the entire time she's treating me; A rough nurse can be if she has a patient.  

Done tying the scarf around my arms and legs with herbal medicine and ointment. She stood up and looked at me, glaring at her. "I told you to not move." 

"Because you keep putting pressure on my wounds! How come you don't move?" She just shrugged at me before returning to her spot.

Napadaing ako. I wanted to complain even more. Parang dumoble ang sakit ng katawan ko but this is better than having an infection and cut it. 

I don't want to go home with only half of me.

Speaking of home, where will I live after this? Don't want to go back to living in Yaleda. A demon once lived there.

Should I start camping?

I glanced to the person beside me that I've been avoiding eye contact even on my peripheral view. It was Mike laying down peacefully, with no scars but a thinner body. Clenched my fist into a ball and looked at Eve, hands at the back and face on the ground, being pinned down by the lead warrior.

I will never forgive you.

The moment I laid my eyes on her, alam kong may mali sa babaeng ito. Woman instinct? I believe so, o sadyang mainit lang ang dugo ko sa kanya. Yeah…the second is one much better.

Palagi itong nangunguna sa mga naging kaso sa Yaleda. Hindi lang naman siya ang pwedeng humawak tungkol doon. But she keeps volunteering like hungry for hot news. 

Good thing that I never trusted anyone.

My eyes went back to Mike. Blown by the wind messes his hair a bit. Bumaba ang tingin ko sa tiyan nito na mabagal sa pag-akyat baba, tila nahihirapan sa paghinga. Mike earned my trust, even from his team and to others.

Never really wanted to be attached to someone, or open up. Rather stay in my room without talking for the whole day. Books interest me more than playing around and doing nonsense things. Well, that was before though.

Napapikit ako sa biglang paglakas ng hangin sa aking likuran na halos liparin na ang mga dahon sa tangkay ng puno. Napatingin ako sa kalangitan, iniisip na may paparating pero pagharap ko sa likod ay bumukas na ng tuluyan ang portal at naglalabas ng mainit na hangin. Para akong napapaso, para kaming pinapakuluan ng buhay.

"Everybody move back!" They did as the Chief ordered. Hindi na ako gumalaw sa kinauupuan para bantayan si Mike.

Ang init, bwisit.

Hindi nakatakas sa pandinig ko ang pagwawala ni Eve. "Bitawan n'yo ko! Andiyan na s'ya!" Hirap kong umulat ang aking mata dahil sa init ng hangin, kaya naman ng pagkalingon ko dito ay tumatakbo na ito papuntang portal, sakto naman ang pagtigil ng malakas na hangin.

Dumagundong sa lakas ang dibdib ko sa kaba. Kailangan ko na bang bumangon at tumakbo baka may demonyong lumabas at isama ako sa baba?

I hope not.

Overthinking didn't help. Eve kneels in front of the portal crying, waiting for someone to come out. Hindi naman na ito naghintay ng matagal nang may paang lumabas hanggang sa makalabas nito ang buong katawan.

The old man with a kind feature looks around with a confused expression until he sees Eve right in front of him. Nanlaki ang mata nito. Hindi ko makita maigi ang mukha nito pero alam kitang kita ko ang pag-iling nito.

Why? 

"Eve, mahal." Tuluyan nang lumuha si Eve ng marinig ang malambot nitong boses. Maski ako ay muntik maiyak sa lambing ng boses nito.