Snow White is a Gangster (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 37: A Falling Star

Chapter 37: A Falling Star

Soundtrack: Not a Second to Waste – A Rocket to the Moon

I couldn't see anything. I couldn't think of anything. My mind refused to make decisions and my body was not making a single move. My strength left me and I was just standing in front of my crying mother and my father who was soaked in his own blood. No–-I wasn't seeing it. I was seeing red and black in their darkest and hearing screams and cries in their loudest. I refused to see. I refused to hear.

Suddenly, everything went clear and vivid when a slap reached my face and left my cheek stinging. I saw my mother standing furiously in front of me–-her clothes was covered in smudges of blood and even though she was weeping, I could still see the hint of fierceness in her eyes.

"You can't just stand there, Henrietta. Your father needs you. Wycliffe needs you. This is the time that we need you the most and I just can't let you stand there!" There was a firmness and anger in her voice that I didn't get to see most of the time.

"B-But mom-–I'm not a Reaper anymore." I tried not to cry. I refused to let my tears fall.

Isa pang malakas na sampal ang dumapo sa aking pisngi na nakapagpabaling ng direksyon ng aking mukha. Tila mas naramdaman ko ang aking katawan kasabay ng iba't ibang uri ng sakit na unti-unting gumuguhit sa aking damdamin. Tila nagising ako mula sa saglit na pagiging manhid. Nagising ako sa katotohanang ang lahat ng ito ay hindi lang isang masamang panaginip.

"You are Henrietta Arturia! You are a strong woman and you are my child! I don't need a reaper. I need you!" Galit niyang sabi. Diretsa niya akong tiningnan sa mata na parang sa pamamagitan niyon ay maipaparating niya sa akin ang lahat ng gusto niyang sabihin.

"I'm sorry, Mom," nanginginig ang boses kong sabi.

Agad niya akong kinulong sa mahigpit niyang yakap habang marahang hinahaplos ang aking buhok. "It will be alright, sweetie. We'll talk about it, I promise. But for now, let's face the most important thing, okay?"

Tumangu-tango ako at saka niya ako pinakawalan mula sa kanyang pagkakayakap. Agad siyang bumalik sa tabi ng aking ama at tinungo ko naman ang telepono. I was not a reaper anymore and that reduced the list of people that might help us right now. I was now an ordinary person and I had to do it in a normal way–-calling the ambulance and the police station.

Nang makalapit ako sa telepono ay nakita ko ang isang gamit na notepad na naglalaman ng mga mensahe mula sa mga natatanggap na tawag. Nakita ko rin ang pamilyar na sulat-kamay ni Wycliffe sa mga numero sa ilalim ng pangalang Detective Patrick Penber. Malamang ay ginamit niya ito upang kumunekta sa kanya. He'd been a great help during our escape in Eremitia but still, he was a person that was extremely hard to trust. But despite of his crazy manipulation and being untrustworthy, he was still someone who has great connection and that was something I could risk.

I immediately dialed the number and after few rings, I heard his voice at the end of the line. He seemed to be in a party or just drinking at a bar because I could hear the music and people's voices blaring at the background.