ASTERIA

Chapter 6: We're never gonna see them

The Heads were still in disbelief, unable to accept what had happened. Their children had entered the gateway yesterday—and now, they were gone. The monitor continued to display the same grim message: deceased. No heartbeats had been detected since, confirming the worst.

Eve sat in silence, paralyzed by shock. Mike stayed beside her, gently trying to calm her, while Rick and Lydia worked frantically to find a way to bring their children back. Denial lingered heavily between them—they refused to believe that the names on the monitor truly meant their children were dead.

Mike took a deep breath before speaking. "Kapag nandyan ulit 'yung gateway, kailangan natin pumasok." (When the gateway reopens, we need to go in.)

The three stared at him in disbelief. Lydia furrowed her brows, glaring.

"Ano? Hindi nga natin alam kung safe." (What? We don't even know if it's safe.) Lydia muttered.

"Kayanga tayo papasok para malaman, diba?" (That's why we're going in—to find out, right?) Mike shot back.

Eve gave a slight nod and stood. "Papasok ako." (I'll go in.)

"Are you out of your mind?! If we die in there, lalo tayong wala magagawa! Kaya pwede ba, stay in your place and just think of something better na makakatulong instead of this nonsense!" (We'll be even more helpless if we die in there! So can you just stay put and think of something useful instead of this nonsense?) Lydia shouted.

Eve gave her a maddened smirk. "If mamatay tayo sa loob, edi sinagot mo lang 'yung tanong na kahapon pa natin tinatanong." (If we die in there, then you've answered the question we've been asking since yesterday.)

Her words sent a chilling silence through the room. She was essentially admitting that their children might truly be dead—and the worst part was, she was probably right.

Lydia's fists clenched, anger welling up, but Rick placed a hand on her arm, stopping her.

"Alright. Kapag bumukas 'yung gateway, papasok tayo. Eto lang 'yung way para malaman natin kung safe ba talaga ang mga anak natin. Until then, nobody should know what happened. Understood?" (Alright. When the gateway opens, we go in. This is the only way to know if our kids are really safe. Until then, no one speaks a word about this. Understood?)

Rick ordered, his voice leaving no room for debate. The staff nodded in silent agreement.

Eve left the office and headed straight to her unit. She walked into Nina's room, and as soon as she saw her daughter's things, the tears came again. She collapsed onto Nina's bed, clutching her favorite stuffed toy, pretending it was Nina herself.

Then her eyes landed on a crumpled note on the floor—the one Nina had written before everything happened. Eve remembered it too well. The moment Nina entered the gateway, Eve had run home and cried right here, in this very spot. And now, she found herself doing the same.

Her hands trembled as she picked up the note and read it once more.

"Dear Ma,

May gagawin akong hindi mo ikatutuwa. Sorry in advance pero Ate Carla, Enzo, and I are just trying to live and help all the Oasians. May nakita akong butterfly not too long ago tapos nakita din pala ni Ate Carla, ibig sabihin non hindi ko nag i-imagine lang. Nalaman namin na mas lalong totoo nung narinig namin lahat ng pinagusapan niyo sa office, na matagal niyo ng alam 'yung about sa butterfly, at di lang pala butterfly.

Papasok kami sa loob non, Ma. Para malaman namin if talaga bang survivable 'yon at makakatulong ba talaga siya sating lahat. Narinig namin 'yung about sa guards, Ma bakit ganun? Bakit ka pumayag? Pero tapos na, nangyari na.