BOOK 1 | ESOTERIC

Chapter 26

| CHAPTER XXVI |

"Daylight Embraces the Chaos"

STELLAN

Sa pinakaharap kami ni Eris umupo nang makabalik. Wala na rito si officer Bautista. That makes me wonder where he went. Did he already leave? Kahit si officer Jacinto ay hindi ko mahanap sa paligid.

Ayon kay Eris, the one who is talking right now is the mother of Nyx Deveraux. In other words, she is her grandmother. Mukhang hindi sila nakapunta sa libing ng kanilang anak dahil nasa ibang bansa sila at minadali ang proseso ng libing.

Natapos rin ang kaniyang eulogy. It's just a simple yet heartfelt one. Iyong mararamdaman mo talaga na mahal na mahal niya ang anak. Iyong masasabi mong that eulogy really came from a mother. It is still making her emotional. The death of her daughter is still stabbing her heart. She cried in the middle of it na kinailangan siyang alalayan ng isa niya pang anak na babae.

Bigla kong naalala ang pagkamatay ng aking ina. I have no time to mourn completely dahil kailangan ni Sherry ng masasandalan. I could not cry or scream in agony. And it is still making me weak everytime I remember na talagang wala na siya sa mundong ito. Muli kong naaalala ang kilabot ng ideyang magisa na lang ako sa mundong ito and Sherry's existence is my only way to cope up with that idea. It helps me remember that I am not actually alone. I still have her. I can still live and go on.

I did a sideward glance sa katabi ko. She probably feels the same thing. But the thing is, wala sa kaniyang natitirang pamilya ang kaniyang mapagkakatiwalaan. Hence, she cannot depend on them. And it's like having no shoulder to cry on. Having no one to talk to. Having no one to embrace.

She is right. I should stop talking as if I know everything. I should shut up when I do not know anything yet. I should stop this toxic positivity. Magkaiba kaming dalawa. Magkaiba ang mundo na aming nilakihan. We grew up with different kinds of people around us. I have no idea what she actually went through.

For someone who has everything, she still grew up in a cruel world. She learned the hardest way.

Just as Eris said, nagkaroon ng salo salo pagkatapos ng event. It's still in the same building. There are tables everywhere at meron ding matataas na table para sa mga bisitang mas gustong tumayo. It's almost like a party but without music and lights, and also without loud conversations. The place is harmonious.

Ang mga reporters ang unang nilapitan ni Eris. Maiksi lang ang kanilang conversation. She told them that they can leave now because this feast is already private for the visitors only. Hindi na kailangan iartikulo. Hindi na kailangan pa makita ng publiko. But of course, they ate first. Kung hindi ko pa iyon sinabi ay talagang pauuwiin niya ang mga iyon with an empty stomach.

She really just used them. After that, she no longer cares.

"I cannot believe you did not actually kill them."

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Eris kay Hedone na naglalakad papalapit sa amin. She is wearing her mischievous smirks. She stopped at distance and crossed her arms. The harmonious place got conquered in an instant with her sudden appearance.

"And was that true? You do not actually remember what happened that night? Anong pakulo ito? Did you suddenly think of that and decided to create a story using your eulogy? Here I am thinking you will let this day pass and be a decent person."

Mabuti na lang malayo kami mula sa mga tao. Busy din sila kaya walang napapalingon sa aming direksyon.

She faced her properly and smiled. "As someone who suddenly went to the daughter of the deceased, questioning her innocence...aren't you an indecent one...?"