Figli della Notte #1: Codename Havoc

Chapter 20

'This isn't easy,' ang tanging nasa isip ni Chandra habang binabaybay ang maputik na dirt road pababa sa pampang.

Bago pa man mag-alas tres ay dumating na sina Delilah at ang biyenan nito para sunduin nila. Pinili nilang mas maagang bumiyahe dahil humina na ang ulan. Iniisip din nila na baka lumakas uli ang ulan mamaya so they're taking advantage of the drizzle para makabalik sa kabilang ibayo.

Combination ng maputik at madulas ang daan. Minsan, parang mabigat ang kanyang sapatos dahil na-stuck sa putik at minsan naman, napapahawak siya sa kung anuman ang mahawakan niya dahil para siyang nakaapak sa sahig na may sabon.

Kanina pa niya minumura sa isip niya si Coven. Hindi nga nito hawak ang panahon at kung susumahin ay hindi nito kasalanan ang lahat, pero gusto niya ng isang taong pwedeng i-blame - so Coven received all her ire at the moment.

Tiningnan niya ang lalaki na nasa harapan niya.

And mas nainis siya lalo dahil mukhang wala itong kaproble-problema sa paglalakad. He looks so at ease, hindi man lang ito mukhang penguin na umiilag sa kung ano man ang nasa paanan nito na gaya niya.

"Oof!"

Muntikan na siyang madulas uli - for the nth time. This time, though, napakapit siya kay Coven na timing naman na nasa malapit lang sa kanya.

"Careful!" paalala naman ng lalaki habang inaalalayan siya sa braso.

"I am being careful!" banas naman na sagot niya.

Napatingin sa kanya ang lalaki, probably dahil maririnig talaga sa boses niya ang inis. Umiwas na lamang siya ng tingin. Alam niya sa sarili niya na unfair ibaling kay Coven ang inis niya, but at the moment, she just can't help it.

"Walk steadily," paalala na lamang ng lalaki bago ito naglakad muli. 

In just a few steps, Coven was already out of her reach.

"Jeez," marahas na buntong hininga na lamang ang pinakawalan ni Chandra. She's feeling really awful right now, not only because of the weather and the condition of the road, but also because of how she acted.

Mas nagdahan-dahan pa si Chandra sa paglalakad. Hindi na niya ininda ang distansya niya mula sa mga kasamahan. Ang goal niya lang ay ang maabot ang pampang in one piece.

Nasiyahan siya ng matanaw na niya ang bankang pagsasakyan nila pabalik sa kabilang ibayo.

'Finally!'

And just when she thought that nothing could finally go wrong, Murphy's law kicks in.

'The more you fear something, the more it will happen.'

In that split second between sa pagkakadulas niya at paggulong niya sa remaining distance mula sa dirt road patungong sandy area ng beach, nagawa pa niyang isipin ang Murphy's law.

Kung pwede lang talagang ipagpalit ang IQ niya with athleticism at the moment.

Tatlong gulong lang yon pero pakiramdam ni Chandra, para siyang sakay ng isang F1 formula race car na nag-flip sa race track.

Kahit nahihilo bahagya, nagawa pa niyang marinig ang pasigaw na pagtawag sa kanya ni Coven at ang pagtili ni Delilah.

"Fuck...," bulong niya sa sarili. Hindi siya madalas nagvo-voice out ng mura. But right now, she's throwing propriety to the wind.

In an instant, nasa tabi na niya si Coven.

"Are you okay?!," bakas ang pag-aalala sa boses nito.

Hearing that question, Chandra took the time to assess herself. It looks like gumulong nga siya sa dirt road but the upper half of her body was saved by the grass and bushes sa gilid ng daan. She didn't hit her head on anything that may cause a concussion.

May pain siya na nararamdaman sa balakang niya, which made her groan.

And then, she tried to feel her legs. Her legs... she can't feel anything on her legs except pins and needles.

Realizing that something may be wrong, she tried her best to wriggle her toes, pero napa-ungol siya dahil it hurts when she tried to move them.

"Chandra, what's wrong?!"

And then she felt panic rising from her stomach.

'No, this can't be.' 

Sa isip niya nag-flashback sa kanya ang kanyang past when she was chained to a wheelchair, unable to move her legs... unable to walk on her own. The feeling of helplessness when she can't run away came back to her. Panic slowly enveloped her at the thought na muli siyang hindi makakalakad.

She hasn't found Cody yet and she won't be able to do a damn thing when she's wheelchair-bound. And alam niya na hindi mage-effort si Primo na hanapin si Cody no matter how much she begs for him to do so.

And she started sobbing. Sobbing real hard as these thoughts swirl inside her head.

'What if I can't walk again?'

"Chandra, please, tell me what's wrong!"

"This.. is... a-all.. your fault!" nasabi na lang niya in between her sobs. "I can't... can't... feel my legs."

"What?!"

"Sir, buhatin mo na si Ma'am papunta sa banka," udyok ni Delilah kay Coven. "Para madala agad natin si Ma'am sa ospital."

Hearing that, Coven positioned his hands underneath her body. Maingat siya nitong binuhat. Although, mabilis nitong binaybay ang distansya papuntang banka, she can feel that he did his best to keep a steady arm.

Coven was still craddling her kahit nasa banka na sila at papabyahe na.

She was still sobbing, and when she looked up, she saw that Coven was gritting his teeth. Nakatingin ito sa destinasyon nila with impatience in his eyes.

Nang mapansin nito na nakatingin siya rito, he asked, "Did you hit your head earlier?"

"No, I didn't," humihikbing sagot niya.

"You said you can't feel your legs," sunod nitong tanong sa kanya, "are you hurting somewhere specifically?"

"My waist hurt," sagot niya. Medyo kumakalma na siya since unti-unti ng nawawala ang pins and needles na pakiramdam niya sa kanyang mga paa. "Hindi ko maramdaman kanina yung mga paa ko. I only felt pins and needles, and it hurt when I tried to wriggle my toes. But now, nagi-ease na yung pins and needles na sensation sa mga paa ko. I think can wriggle my toes without hurting now."

She thought that she'd try to wriggle her toes this time.

"Don't do anything foolish," narining niyang sabi ni Coven. Napatingin uli siya rito at nakita niya ang hint of disapproval sa mga mata nito. "I felt your thigh muscles twitch and I know you're trying to wriggle your toes. Stay still or I'll throw you overboard."

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa sinabi nito. Just knowing na this man can feel her thigh muscles made her remember na nakakandong nga pala siya sa lalaki. At the moment of realization, namula ang mukha niya.

Gusto niya sanang sabihin dito na ilapag na lamang siya, but then she remembered na this is a moving boat - and a small one at that.

To hide from the shame, ibinaon na lamang niya ang kanyang mukha sa dibdib ng lalaki.