Found You, Cindirella (Cast a Spell Series #2)

Chapter XXXIX

Her

"What..."

"When you died... He had a short-term episode. And that episode of hallucination is what he believed for years."

"Anong pinagsasabi mo?! He's fine! Hindi sira ang utak niya!"

"He was not fine, Ci! When you died, it ruined him mentally and emotionally!"

"I didn't die!" I shouted in frustration.

"Iyan ang rason, Ci! Dahil hindi ka namatay kaya nagkagano'n siya!"

"Anong pinagsasabi mo?!" Tumaas ang boses ko.

"When you died... he didn't see your body."

"That's because I'm alive!"

"And it ruined him! Everyday, he kept expecting your presence! And every single day you disappoints him, Henry lash at him! Every single time he kept convincing himself you're alive, he receieve a beating! He knew... he knew deep down you were alive." Nanghina siya kaya nanlaki ang mata ko.

"Kasi buhay ako..." My tears fell, he looked at me as if I was the one who ruined him.

"His brain couldn't take that anymore. He couldn't take the physical torture, the emotional grieve, everything was too much for a young boy. That he..."

"What..."

"He tried to cope with it."

"By what?!" I said harshly.

He looked at me straight in the eye as if I was a ghost in his past. "By burying your body."

"Hindi—"

"That's what he belived. That's what his brain wanted him to believe— in that hallucination."

"Anong nangyari pagkatapos?" Nanghihina kong tanong.

For a beat, he didn't talk. I thought he wouldn't until he did.

"He smiled at me." Aniya habang nakatingin sa kawalan kaya nanlaki ang mata ko. "Sabi niya... hindi mo na raw siya guguluhin. Your soul would be at peace."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. My body was shaking from the information. My lips were trembling, my knuckled were white. Everything was a blur.

And then I remember what Angelo said.

At least you're real.

Back then, in Erikson's mind, I was real. But in reality, I was a delusion.

And it all made sense now.

Kaya ba namutla sila nang sabihin ni Mavrik na akala niya hindi totoong may girlfriend si Erikson? Kasi akala nila... gumagawa nanaman ng delusyon ang utak niya?

Did my memory broke him that much?

"Ci?"

Did Ella... traumatized him that he cannot even mention her name out loud?

"Ci? Ayos ka lang?"

Did I ruin him?

"Ci!"

I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I ruin you, Erikson.

I'm sorry for appearing in your life.

For coming back and ruining your peace.

For breaking that peace.

My eyes fluttered open and a familiar white ceiling stared back at me.

"Pa! Pa! Gising na si ta!"

Nanatili ang mata ko sa kisame sa kabila ng mga taong dinumog ang hinihigaan ko. I remained motionless and quiet.