God's Cage | WOTG #1

Thirty-Three

Note: This is an unedited version of this chapter. Some inconsistencies can be seen in this chapter. This chapter has some information that does not align with the previous ones. Once again, what you will read is an unedited version. Although there are mismatched details, the overall plot is not affected in any way.

CADE

HIGH MOUNTAINS STRETCHED BEFORE and loomed over me as they clawed towards the skies with their towering peaks. The clouds were gray as if the sky had burned and turned them into heaps of ashes that hovered above, overlooking what was beneath. Thunder rolled and raged, sending bright blue tendrils of electricity to whichever unfortunate enough to be struck with its luminous fury. Clouds were mourning and their cold tear drops fell into my forehead, tracing its way into my cheeks and chin, before seeping into the soil underneath.

I didn't know if the sky was furious or crestfallen for the mountains had reached their domain, discontented and claiming the sky as theirs, too.

Tinititigan ko lang nang maigi ang mataas na bundok sa 'king harapan nang biglang may sumagi sa isip ko.

Akyatin mo ang bundok na 'yan.

Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggaling ang boses na nag-udyok sa 'kin pero isa lang ang sigurado ako: aakyatin ko ang bundok na 'yan.

Tumalikod ako at hinayaang gumala ang aking mata sa paligid. Napagtano kong ako'y nasa isang malayong isla. Naglakad ako papunta sa dagat. Huminto agad ako nang malaman kong ako pala ay nasa dulo ng isang napakatarik na bangin at ang lalaglagan ko ay dagat na may mga nagtutulisang bato.

Rinig na rinig ko ang pagsalpok ng mga galit na alon sa mga bato ng bangin na para bang pinipilit nitong patumbahin ang isla. Ngunit nanatiling matatag ang bato at hindi nagpatinag sa mga malalakas na alon.

Tumigin ako sa malayo. Wala akong nakita kundi isang napakalawak na karagatan. Wala akong nakitang kahit isang barko na dumaan o kahit eroplano man lang na nasa himpapawid.

Mag-isa na lang ako.

At hindi ko alam kung nasaang lugar ako.

Humarap ulit ako sa bundok. Kung sakaling makarating ako sa tuktok ay magkaroon ako ng mas malawak na tanawin at baka makakita na rin ng ibang isla. Nilapitan ko ang bundok at sinimulang akyatin ito.

Kumidlat nang napakalakas at halos ako ay mapabitaw sa batong aking hawak-hawak. Huminga ako ng malalim at sinimulang umakyat muli.

Itinapak ko ang paa ko sa mga batong naka-usli at ikinapit ko ang aking kamay sa ibang mg bato.

I grunted as I climbed the mountain stone by stone. It was dark so I couldn't see what was in front of me. I was just feeling the stone and grope where I could then lift myself up.

Lighting struck, giving me a split-second of light and making me see what the stone looked like. But no. What I saw wasn't a rock. It was bones. Skulls.

I didn't heed it any attention since maybe, I was just hallucinating all of those. I continued to climb this endless mountain which seemed to rise and rise as I climb.

Umakyat lang ako nang umakyat hanggang sa matanaw na ko ang tuktok. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit habang mas tumatagal ang pag-akyat ko ay wala pa ring nababawas sa enerhiya ko. Hindi pa rin ako napapagad at parang kaya ko pa ulit bumaba at umakyat muli sa matarik na bundok na 'to.