Between

Eleven

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Chapter Eleven (Elizabeth's)

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I shut my eyes hard.

Hinayaan ko si Millie na alisin ang sakit sa likuran ko. Nandoon pa rin ang malaking question mark sa mga mata nya.

"I can't help it but, how did you do that?" tanong nya sa'kin.

Umupo muna ako at medyo nawala na ang sakit, konti nalang. Umiling muna ako at hinawakan ang batok 'ko tsaka hinarap si Millie na naka-indian seat sa harapan 'ko.

"I don't know what happened okay? I have no idea," sagot 'ko naman sa kanya at tinignan si Alex na sa tingin 'ko ay dadalhin nila sa clinic dahil sa nangyari kanina.

"Seryoso ka ba? Did you actually realized that you just saved him?" nanlaki ang mata nya habang sinasabi iyon.

"I saved who?" nagtatakang tanong ko sa kanya.

"Alex!" bulong nya at medyo napalakas iyon pero hindi naman ganoon kalakas.

"I saved Alex, you say? It can't be, edi sana naramdaman ko yu--..." napatigil ako at makahulugang tinignan si Millie.

"It can't be, Millie. It's impossible," sabi ko nang nakakunot ang noo.

"It's not, it just happened, Liz. You just saved him, para bang hinigop mo yung sakit na dapat maramdaman nya. You just did. It's a very rare gift, kahit ako, hindi ko pa nagagawa yun," at tsaka sya tumabi sa'kin.

Umiling na lang ulit ako. Impossible ang sinasabi ni Millie. Napakaimposible.

I only got telekinesis since day one, no one of us got two gifts. It's impractical, that thing can ruin the balance. It's just a huge mistake. Yes, a good mistake, too. It saved Alex that gave me a relief.

"Mali ka, Millie. Malay natin, mayroong katulad natin na nandito sa loob ng gymnasium na ginawa 'yung bagay na 'yun. Dahil kung iisipin mo, telekinesis lang ang mayroon ako, hindi ang pagiging shield at pag-ako ng sakit na dapat ay para sa iba," I said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Tinignan ako ni Millie at tsaka huminga ng malalim. "You're right, it sound twisted, too," sabi nya. Tumango na lang ako.

Absolutely twisted.

***

"Ugh," daing 'ko at humiga ng mas maayos. Medyo sumakit ang likod 'ko pero hindi naman yung parang nabalian, parang nabugbog lang. Weird.

"You just saved him, para bang hinigop mo yung sakit na dapat maramdaman nya." Biglang pasok ng sinabi ni Millie kanina.

Pumikit ako ng mariin, trying to stop the thought from getting inside my head. Too late, 'cause it already figured its way inside.

Pero may ibang tanong na nabubuo sa isip ko.

Why would I save him? Why would I risk myself just to save him?

Pero iisa lang yung nabubuong sagot. I don't know.

Mayroong sagot sa dulo ng dila 'ko pero hindi 'ko alam kung ano iyon, palaging naba-blangko kapag nako-contemplate ko na. Palaging back to zero kapag malapit na ako sa one hundred. Biglang titigil na lang ulit.

Tama si Millie, dahil maliban kay Aunt Renee, si Alex ang taong binabahagian ko ng oras ko. In a way na hindi 'ko alam na binabahagi 'ko na pala sa kanya ito.

There's a teeny tiny voice in my mind telling me to know him, but I just can't do that. Hindi ko ito basta-basta na nasusunod, lalo na't nahihirapan ako sa pagcontrol sa sarili ko, hindi ko ata kakayanin na makapanakit ng hindi sinasadya.

With all those thoughts came in handy, I drifted to sleep.

***

"Gift of eduction," salubong sa'kin ni Millie sa sumunod na araw. Na-unat naman ako ng mga kamay ng marinig 'yun.

"Yeah?" sagot 'ko sa kanya, halata sa mga mata nya na hindi na sya makapaghintay na sabihin sa'kin kung ano man ang alam nya ngayon.

"It's a very rare gift among us, in a scale of one to five, only point five of the population has it, and sa aming mga Heilens ito madalas, my great granny, she has it too. And Ceasar, and technically, you. It's an amazing gift, also terrible too, you wanna know why? It's because you can prevent pain from someone, but then, as you extract the pain from them, the pain consumes you. Means, you'll feel the pain that they should feel," tuloy-tuloy na sabi ni Millie habang seryosong nakatitig sa'kin.

"Come on Millie, we're not sure. I have a hypothesis, what if its Vander who actually saved him?" baling 'ko sa kanya.

"I didn't saw him do it," giit nya. Pinipilit pa talaga nya.

"Exactly! Dahil sobrang bilis ni Vander, he's an Athlons, at alam mo kung gaano sila kabilis," pagpunto 'ko sa kanya, at binigyan naman nya ako ng simangot.

"You can't stop me, Liz," at mas lalong sumimangot sa'kin.

"See? May point ako, it's possible. Now, let it go, okay?" at saka sya inakbayan, she sighed in defeat.

"Fine, then," sabi nya.

I just hoped that I'm right.

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