Thunder
Caleb
Thick and long nails, huge muscular body and golden eyes, I mumbled as I looked at the person in front of me, the reflection of the creature from the water.
Amara's right, I said and saw myself looking at my own reflection on the lake. I'm a monster.
I saw a monster in front of me.
"Caleb," Zion said the moment he finally found me, he took the seat beside me and looked at me directly in the eye.
'Kung hindi ko lang kaibigan 'to, iisipin 'kong may gusto siya sa akin dahil sa paraan ng pagtitig niya sa akin.
"We've been looking for you everywhere, what are you doing here?"
Napabuntong-hininga ako, muling tinitigan ang repleksyon ko sa tubig at sinabing, "I'm a horrible person, Zion." Sabi ko't mapait na ngumiti. "I don't even know if I should call myself a person, I'm a creature. An evil creature."
"That's not true, Caleb." Zion said, holding my shoulder as he tried to make me looked at his way. "You're not evil, you're not a creature--"
"Then what am I?" I said and pointed at the reflection of the monster in water. "A monster?"
"Listen, Caleb." Aniya't bumuntong-hininga. "Hindi sinasadyang sabihin ni Amara ang lahat ng iyon kanina, nadala lang siya sa damdamin niya't alam 'kong hindi ka katulad ng sinasabi niya." Sabi niya't hinawakan ako sa magkabilang-balikat.
"We're friends, right?" Aniya't nginitian ako. "And as friends, we should trust each other. I believe in you, Caleb. I always do."
I smiled upon hearing Zion's words, thought how lucky I am even tough I feel like I am being drowned in a cold water and realized that there were still brightness in a world full of darkness.
"Zion, umamin ka nga sa'kin," I said, revealing a naughty smile as I felt myself slowly returning to my human form. "Crush mo ko 'no--Aray!"
"It was good to hear your corny jokes again, Caleb." Aniya't nginitian ako na parang walang nangyari, na 'tila hindi niya binatukan ang makintab 'kong noo! "Stay that way." Sabi niya't umalis na.
Tipid akong napangiti, muling nilingon ang sarili ko sa tubig at napabuntong-hininga nang makita ang sarili ko, ang Caleb na kilala ko.
I wish I could take away her pain, I said as I remembered the way Amara looked at me with disgust and terror. I wish I was never her nightmare.
"Caleb," Amara said as we walk around Moon Haven after our battle from the Protector's Camp, her blue eyes met mine and said, "Do you ever have nightmares?"
My brows furrowed upon hearing her question, looked at her with confusion as I said, "What's with the sudden question?"
"I'm just curious," Aniya't nahihiyang umiwas ng tingin. "I just want to know if you ever see things that you wish never exist, that you hope would never happen again. That," Sabi niya't nilingon akong muli. "You don't want to see ever again."
Napatitig ako sa kaniyang mga mata, nakita ang takot sa kulay asul niyang mga mata't sinabing, "Why? Do you have nightmares?"
"Yup," Sagot niya't nagkibit-balikat na 'tila wala lang sa kaniya ang sinabi. "Always."
My hazel eyes stared at her, saw a girl that was so strong but was fragile, weak and afraid deep inside.
Oh, Amara. I mumbled as I looked at her. You don't have to act like everything's ok, I'm here with you. You can cry on my shoulder. It's ok to be broken sometimes.
"You know what?" She said after a short period of silence. "I hope I could never close my eyes again, 'cause everytime I do, I can see it again. I can hear their cries so loud that I almost thought everything was real." Aniya't napatigil ako nang makita ang luha sa kaniyang mga mata. "I am living my nightmare again."
Natahimik ako, 'tila hindi makapaniwalang nakikita ko ang ganitong side ni Amara kasabay ng pagsabi niyang, "And it felt horrible," She said as tears continued to fall from her eyes. "So horrible that I wanted to kill myself everytime I see my family being killed by those monsters, being bitten by those wolves who ruined my life!"
Mariin siyang napapikit ng mga mata, 'tila nakikita sa harapan niya ang kadilimang naransan niya't sinabing, "I can never forget the look on their faces as they tried to fight for their lives, how loud their cries were while they we're being mercilessly killed by wolves!" Nanghihina siyang napaupo sa lupa, dahilan para agad akong mapalapit sa kaniya kasabay ng pagsabi niyang, "I will never forget how golden his eyes were, how beautiful it was even though he was a complete nightmare, a monster!"
"What do you mean, Amara?" I said as I helped her get up. "Who's the one with golden eyes?"
"The Lord of the Wolves," She answered with sharp words, so sharp that I can almost feel it stabbing my heart. "A Lycanthrope, the one who ordered the wolves to attack and kill not only my family but everyone from our village."
Natahimik ako, can't seem to find the right words to tell her but I found myself standing right next to her saying, "Listen, Amara." Sabi ko't bumuntong-hininga. "Hope is the only thing stronger than fear," Sabi ko't nginitian siya. "Always remember that."
Mariin akong napapikit ng mga mata, nakita ang sarili ko sa ekstaktong pwesto 'kung saan kami nagkausap ni Amara't sinabing, How can I say something like that to her? Sabi ko't mapait na ngumiti. When I am a monster, her living nightmare.
Zion
"Son!" I heard my Father calling me, his warm hands immediately met my trembling ones and said with teary eyes, "Don't let go. Listen to me, open your eyes!"
I weakly turned to his direction, saw how broken my Father was as he carried me in his arms like a child saying, "Don't you dare close your eyes!" Aniya't niyakap ako ng mahigpit, letting his tears fall on my bloody shoulders. "Stay with me, son. Don't go."
"Father," I weakly said, my voice almost sounding like a whisper as I touched his face. "I'm sorry for everything, I-i," Sabi ko't mapait na ngumiti. "I love you."
His blue eyes landed on my way, his tears stopped from falling as he heard every word I said.
"Son," He said with trembling lips, trying to find the strength to face me and said, "I love you too, so much than my own life."
I smiled, thought that I would be really happy hearing those words for the last moment of my life and stared at the girl with purple eyes standing right in front me, crying and was so broken.
I guess this is goodbye, I said as a weak smile formed on my lips. Goodbye, sabi ko't unti-unting napapikit ng mga mata.
My beautiful Goddess.
I heard my Father's loud cries, Hades' evil laugh as darkness slowly filled my system, removing every light from my eyes and leaving only the girl with purple eyes on my memory, forever.
And as I closed my eyes, a loud thunder came. Striking and banging as if it can feel my pain.
As if we we're one.
Agad akong napadilat ng mga mata, naramdaman ang mabilis na tibok ng puso ko't nakita ang sarili 'kong mag-isang natutulog sa ilalim ng puno.
What was that? I said as I stared at my reflection from the Mirror of Truth. Why am I dying in my dream? And why, sabi ko't napatitig sa kalangitan.
Why was there a thunder?
