The Sacrifice

Eight

Ramdam at rinig na rinig ko ang mga yapak ng taong nasa likod namin. I am running out of breathe pero patuloy parin ako sa pagtakbo, patuloy parin akong tumatakbo kahit halos tuyo na ang lalamunan ko, habang hawak hawak ni Leandro ang kamay ko.

Ilang beses na naming sinubukang lituhin ang sumusunod samin ngunit parang alam na alam niya kung saan kami dadaan, hindi man lang namin siya malinlang at matakasan.

Ano bang kailangan nitong intruder na to?!

I took a quick glance from behind and he was much farther away from us, hindi katulad nung kanina na parang malapit na niya akong maabot.

''Leandro..'' hinihingal ko na tawag sakanya.

''Trynna'' He said, out of breathe too. ''Just keep... running.''

I did what he was saying, takbo lang ako ng takbo. Due to adrenaline rush nalang din siguro kung bakit hanggang ngayon kinakaya parin ng mga paa ko ang tumakbo ng ganito kabilis at katagal. I wasn't really an athlete before but I'm glad I ran this far without fainting.

Lumingon ako ulit and I saw that the intruder was not running anymore. Tumigil din ito para habulin naman yung hininga niya. Maya maya naman, nagsimula na itong tumakbo ng mahina.

''Leandro'' sabi ko ulit. ''Leandro!'' Hinila ko siya at pareho kaming napatigil sa pagtakbo.

''Trynna, what are you doing?! Tumakbo na tayo habang malayo pa siya. Trynna, let's go!''

''Leandro, let's.. let's split up. Kung maghihiwalay tayo mas mahihirapan siyang hanapin tayong dalawa.'' I suggested and manage to glance to the intruder na mabilis nang tumatakbo dito.

A hand automatically held mine as we continued the chase.

''No Trynna'' sabi naman ni Leandro, answering my favor earlier. Naramdaman kong humigpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ko.

''Remember that time Danilo and I talked through minds?'' I nodded, even though, hindi naman niya nakikita. ''I asked him kung gaano na katagal.. ang intruder na yan. He's... He's been here for 16 years already.''

Oh my god. Ganun katagal?!

Napalingon ako ng kaunti sa lalake and from his face, I saw a solid determination, a strong faith. Hindi ko alam ang kailangan niya at ewan ko rin kung anong advantage ang makukuha niya samin kung baka sakaling maaabotan niya kami. He's so eager to chase us, maybe to get some answers from us, just to get out of this maze.

''Why didn't you tell me?'' I said, as I notice that we are heading into a dark forest.

''Dito. Dito. Dali!'' Leandro instructed, as we duck behind a very big bush. Sinilip pa niya yung intruder saka mabilis na yumuko.

''Leandro, bakit di mo sinabi sakin?'' I whispered as we were letting the pace of our breathing even.

''Because.. I don't want you worried and scared, Trynna'' he answered between hitched breathe, holding his heart to keep it in normal beat.

Napatahimik naman ako sa sinabi niya, and again, I felt the struck of relief. Hindi mawaglit sa isip ko ang maliit na bagay na baka.. kahit kaunti lang, he cared for me too.

I smiled inside my head. Ever in my existence, walang nagsabi ng ganun sakin. Siya pa lamang.

I saw him peaking through the bushes, nakaupo lang ako, still managing my breathing, habang tinitingnan siya. Bigla namang napa kunot ang kaniyang noo.

''Bakit?'' I asked as he looked at me.

''Papunta na sana siya dito but he suddenly stop nang makita niya ang gubat na ito.''