New Species

Forty: This Is War

Forty

"Piper. Piper."

Gulat kong naimulat ang mga mata ko nang marinig ang isang boses.

"Griffin? Oh my gosh!" napatalon ako sa kama ko nang makita ang malinis na hitsura ni Griffin. Niyakap ko s'ya nang mahigpit kaya napaatras siya.

"Woah, woah!" napatawa siya saka ako hinawakan sa may beywang. "Did you really miss me that much?"

"Walang-hiya ka. You died," I started hitting him on the chest. Gawd! Ang saya ko! Panaginip lang pala ang lahat. Hindi ko alam kung kaya kong mabuhay knowing na lahat ng mga kaibigan ko ay nasawi.

"What? When did I die?" natigilan siya. "Wait. Was that the reason why you were screaming and crying in your sleep?"

I paused. I was screaming and crying? I sure had wet cheeks when I touched them.

"Lahat kayo namatay sa panaginip ko. It felt so real and it was killing me," napaupo ako sa paanan ng kama ko. I could still feel the tormenting pain from the dream I had.

Naupo s'ya sa tabi ko. "You're thinking of the worst."

"Griffin, I'm scared. Nimrod is going to be strong. I don't think we are ready."

"Hey, hey," he cupped my cheeks with his strong hands. "Everything is going to be okay."

I started trembling. The fear of losing was getting the best of me.

Kung malakas lang sana ako at kaya kong protektahan ang lahat ng taong mahalaga sa akin at ang buong bayan. Magiging malaki at madugo ang darating na laban at hindi ako sigurado kung sino ang mananalo.

Nang may bigla akong naalala. Tumayo ako at lumapit sa aking bedside table.

"What's wrong?" nakasunod sa akin ang tingin ni Griffin.

I opened the lowest drawer and took out the book that was hidden under some clothes.

"Ano yan?" tanong niya nang nakaupo ako uli sa tabi n'ya.

I opened the first page of the book. "Remember when we went outside and saved some Homo sapiens?"

"Yeah?"

"There was a man who came and gave this book to me. I knew he was a praestanus. But I couldn't find him after that."

"What's it about?"

I showed it to him. "It's a book about reality warping."

Hindi siya nakasagot agad.

"Kung kaya ko nga lang sanang pag-aralan 'to in less than two weeks. But I know it's impossible."

"Who was the guy?"

"I don't know. But I guess he's Philippos Eastoft. The reality warping user."

Saglit siyang nag-isip. "Bakit ibinigay n'ya sa'yo? Anong alam n'ya tungkol sa'yo?"

Nagkibit-balikat ako. Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit. Hindi ko alam kung bakit kilala n'ya ako.

"You can't use reality warping. Aether community is going to come after you."

So what? Hindi nga ako sigurado kung makaka- survive ako sa parating na labanan.

"We will be okay, 'ayt?"

I sighed and nodded.

Tumayo na si Griffin at hinalikan ako sa noo.

"S'ya nga pala, bakit ka nandito?" tanong ko nang palabas na siya.