AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know, I know. "Updates every Friday" is a scam, haha! Hindi ko pala kaya, sorry. September is definitely a busy month (and surely the coming months as well). For those who attended the MIBF booksigning, it was really nice to see you all. Thank you for purchasing the new prints of Montello High and SWIAG. For those who don't have a copy yet, I think the books are already available on Summit Books' online shop. Will announce when it's already available at the bookstores nationwide. ;)
But for now, I'd like to thank you for waiting for this DF update. Don't worry, I'll be with you towards the finale. Enjoy reading!
- Siel Alstreim
CHAPTER 33: THE SILENT WAR
The darkness felt like a lifetime; the beginning and end of the short dash symbol between the two dates on a tombstone. I wanted to go back and change everything. I wanted that night to have a different ending. Or maybe, it was just my wishful thinking to begin again. But I knew that it would be futile because I would just be digging a new grave for my own death.
Sa aking muling pagmulat ng mga mata ay napagtanto ko na naroon pa rin kami sa library o basement ng mansiyon. Parehong nakatunghay sa akin ang nag-aalalang sina Detective Penber at Zoey. Marahil ay hindi pa nagtatagal simula nang mawalan ako ng malay. Tinulungan nila akong maupo mula sa pagkakahiga sa maalikabok na leather couch na naroon.
"Please tell me you're still you and not some random ghost!" kinakabahang wika ni Zoey.
Blangko ang ekspresyon na bumaling ako sa kaniya at inalala ang mga reyalisasyon bago ako nawalan ng ulirat. Hindi ko namalayan na napapatagal na pala ang pagtitig ko sa kaniya.
"Emily Devereaux!" malakas ang tinig niyang tawag sa pangalan ko.
I blinked and my eyes focused on her. "I'm sorry," hinging paumanhin ko. "It's only the dust on the leather that has got into me."
She infuriatingly rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She must have been on edge because of the eeriness and darkness of the place.
"Are you okay?" paniniguro naman ni Detective Penber.
"Tumango ako. "I'm good."
"Kung ganoon ay lumabas na tayo. It's creepy here," si Zoey.
Pareho kaming sumang-ayon ni Detective Penber. Ibinalik nito ang malaking libro sa orihinal nitong kinalalagyan bago ako inalalayang makatayo. Isang huling sulyap ang ibinigay ko sa portrait. I had a feeling that this place was dangerous and the people who used to live here were not ordinary ones. There was a reason why it was a dead mansion. Something horrible must have happened for Eremitians to avoid this place.
Tuluyan nang lumubog ang araw nang makalabas kami ng basement. Ang kulay kahel na kalangitan ay napalitan ng itim na tabing na napapalamutian ng mga bituin. Walang ibang ingay sa paligid maliban sa hampas ng mga alon sa batuhan sa ibaba ng talampas. Masiyadong tahimik. At mukhang hindi pangkaraniwan ang katahimikang ito dahil hinawakan kami ni Detective Penber sa aming braso upang huminto sa paglalakad.
"How fast can you run?" tanong nito na parehong ikinakunot ng noo namin ni Zoey.
"We don't run. We ask the maids and pay them to do the running for us," sagot ni Zoey.
I could run on the school hallways. Subalit hindi na lang ako sumagot dahil bakas ang kaseryusohan sa mukha ng detective na tila nawalan ng kulay habang inililibot ang tingin sa paligid.
"So, here's what we're going to do. Zoey can drive, right?" Hindi nito hinintay na sumagot ang huli at ibinigay dito ang susi ng Mustang. "You'll run to the car and drive fast away from here back to Vinea."
BINABASA MO ANG
Dark Fairytale (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)
Teen FictionEmily Devereaux had everything...until it was stolen from her on the night she found her parents dead and their mansion burning. She almost died in the same fire but a mysterious boy saved her before suddenly disappearing in the darkness of the nigh...
