Golden Ceremony

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Librarian's Playground

The Librarian reached their heavy hand on my neck, kahit tinutulak ko siya palayo, hindi siya natitinag.

He groaned and suddenly squeezed his hand around my neck a bit tighter, my feet levitating above the ground as he hung me up in the air with his grip.

Hindi na ko makahinga!

Pilit kong nilalabanan siya, kinakalmot ang kanyang braso at hinihigit ito para mabitawan niya ako, pero dahan-dahan nawawala ang lakas ko dahil hirap na kong makahinga.

Nanlalabo ang aking paningin. Masyado siyang malakas at malaki para matinag sa lahat ng mga pwersa ko na tila bang hangin lang ako sa harap ng isang bundok.

Kahit anong suntok at pagsipa ko sa tiyan niya, hindi pa rin siyang kumikibo, ni hindi man lang nasasaktan sa pag-atake ko sa kanya.

"L... Lothaire!" I managed to say through getting choked by this monster.

Dumidilim ang aking paningin, nahihirapan manatiling nakamulat ang mga mata ko. Nawawala na rin ang lakas ko na lumaban, nauubusan ng hininga na paghihigupan...

"Get away from her!"

Mula sa sigaw na iyon, biglang may malakas na paghampas at nabasag na bagay na kasunod nito, napa-"Argh!" ang sumasakal sa akin.

Nabitawan ako ng Librarian kung kaya't bumagsak ako sa sahig. Umubo ako dahilan sa sakit na aking nararamdaman sa lalamunan mula sa pagsakal ng Librarian sa akin, desperadang makalanghap iyong baga ko ng hangin.

Lothaire's worried face stared at me as he knelt on my side, holding my wrist to pull me up and get going. He heard me and came for me.

"We have to go now, Cove! Get up!" Inalalayan ako ni Lothaire tumayo. Nanlalambot pa rin mga binti ko pero pinipilit ko na lang makatayo para makaalis na kami.

Hinigit niya ko palayo sa Librarian. Napansin kong may basag na lampara at mga bubog na nakakalat sa sahig. He must've smashed the Librarian's head with a lamp from one of the bookshelves.

We made a run for it and kept on going between moving bookshelves sliding in and out of our ways, from darkness to brightness from the lamps, from the yellow-orange light to green.

Turning left, then right. Suddenly, to the right, and moving to the left. I was so dizzy and confused, I could only rely on Lothaire's hand holding mine to bring us to safety.

Huminto kami sa gitna ng maze kung saan may apat na daan, isa ang mula sa pinanggalingan namin, dalawa sa magkabilang panig, at isa sa harap.

Papalit-palit ang tingin namin sa daan at nalilito kung alin ang pipiliin. Nilingon ko si Lothaire sa mga mata niya at kusang lumuwag ang aking pakiramdam mula sa sinag ng berdeng liwanag na nagpakislap ng kanyang mukha.

"Lothaire!" I threw my arms around him, hugging him tighter, and buried my face on his neck. "I was so scared... I didn't know what to do without you..." My lips trembled from speaking.

I felt his arms touch my back, Lothaire hugging me back with as much intensity in his embrace as I could muster.

"I thought I had lost you..." He whispered in my ear, his warm breath fanning my skin, and I shivered, from such relief of being here with him. "I was so worried. Just stay with me and I'll protect you."

Iniyakap niya pa ko nang mahigpit, his arms wrapped around my body, his face digging into my shoulder as if he had been looking for me all this time instead of finding a way to get out.