Mirror Academy

Chapter 1: Knight Bus

Chapter 1: Knight Bus

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Don't depend too much on anyone in this world. Even your own shadow leaves you when you're in darkness.

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= Blythe =

Nagmadali akong lumabas hanggang sa patuloy pa rin sa pagragasa ang mga luha ko. Wala akong paki-alam kung sino man ang makakakita sa akin. Wala naman na akong image na inaalagaan eh. Why even bother?

Hindi ko na pinansin ang guard sa guardhouse at madaling hinigit ang maleta ko mula sa gilid. Hindi ko na rin pinansin kung ano ang mga nabunggo ko at dumiretso na lang ako sa gitna ng kalye at doon naglupasay.

*horns!*

Shit. Hindi ko napansin 'yung paparating na sasakyan at wala na akong nagawa para maka-iwas.

*screech!*

*bogsh!*

Damn. Ang sakit. Ang sakit sakit. Mas masakit pa sa mga nararamdaman ko ngayon. Ba't hindi man lang ako nawalan ng malay? Or even better, buhay?

Nakakaloka. Every fiber in my body hurts like hell and I can't do anything about it.

Wait. Why is the ground I'm laying on is shattered to pieces? I have minor cuts and I don't feel like a bone collapsed inside me. What the...

"Hey, red head! 'You gonna come in or what?" sigaw sa akin ng isang boses lalaki.

Is he talking to me? Yes, I got red hair but how in the hell am I going to get up from here?!

"Need help getting up?" ay hindi. Obvious naman na diba? Naramdaman ko na lang na may bumuhat saakin papasok sa loob ng bus. "I am sorry that we hit you. Here, drink this." hindi ko man lang naramdaman 'yung sincerity niya. Anyway, may inabot siya saakin na maliit na vial na may clear liquid sa loob. "Be careful. It's taste like..." hindi na natapos 'yung sasabihin niya nung mainom ko na ang laman nun.

┻━┻ ︵ヽ('Д')ﾉ︵ ┻━┻

Shit! Shitness overload! Shutangina, ang sama ng lasa! Oh my gosh! I am going to die of this freaking taste! Who the hell made this?! What is this?! It's like I'm drinking horse pee! Eeeehh! Get this out of my tongue right now! Please. I beg you...

And that's how I died.

Lol. Nagwawala na ako sa loob ng bus dahil shit! Ang sama talaga ng lasa! Nainom ko na pero nasa dila ko pa rin ang lasa. Oh my gosh. I am gonna kill whoever made this shit.

"Oh, grow up, red head. The taste will only last until every fiber on your body is good as new." dagdag pa ng nagbuhat at nagpainom saakin nito.

→_→

Every fiber? But that's like, all of my body! It might last for hours! Even worse, days! But on the bright side, effective naman 'yung pinainom niya saakin dahil parang unti-unting nawawala 'yung sakit na nararamdaman ko sa kalamnan ko.

Breathe, Blythe Britney Benson! You're strong. Strong in your own way.

Ilang minuto pa ang tumagal ng tuluyan ng mawala ang nakakamatay na lasa and I feel good as new. Even better.

I'm not mourning anymore for the worthless people who stabbed me in the back. It's their loss anyway.

"So? Why were you laying on the street?" tanong saakin nung lalaki na ngayon ko lang nakita ang pagmumukha.

In fairness, gwapo siya but he's way too old for my age. He's in his early twenties and I'm 18.

"FYI, I was not laying on the street. I was running until 'you hit me." sabi ko. "and what the hell did you make me drink? And who made that?" mataray na dagdag ko.

May pinindot siya sa relo niya at nagsimula ng umandar ang bus.

"It's none of your business." sagot niya.

"What the?"

"Anyway, we ran over you because we sense a nearby distress which happens to come from you. Anyway, this is the Knight Bus. Ordinary humans can't see this and you are no ordinary human, of that's what you're thinking" mahabang sabi niya.

"So what am I?" naguguluhan kong tanong dahil hindi raw ako ordinaryo.

"It's for me too know, and for you to find out." sabay ngisi ng nakakaloko.

Gago pala to eh!

"What does this Knight Bus do?" tanong ko ulit.

"Well, it senses distresses people like us and get them to they're desired destination with the comfort of the hotel. And we run over some of our costumers before letting them in."

"So, where's is the "hotel" comfort you're talking about?"

"Well, it depends on the amount of money you're willing to pay."

"What if I don't have the currency you're using?"

"You can change them in that machine." sabay turo niya sa parang maliit na bending machine sa gilid ng sofa na inuupuan namin.

"Fine." pinasok ko ang isang 10 dollar na kakakuha ko lang sa wallet ko. Mahirap na baka hindi naman kagandahan ang patutunguhan. Konti lang rin naman ang dala kong pera eh. "What does this get me?" tanong ko habang hawak-hawak ang limang golden coins na lumabas mula sa machine.

"A king-sized bed in "king-sized bed-sized" room." Ano raw?

"Take me there."

Hinila niya ako patungo sa maliit na hagdan at inakyat ito. Binuksan niya ang unang pinto na bumungad saakin.

(ˉ(∞)ˉ)

No kidding. Isang nga itong kwarto na may king-sized bed at dalawang malaking unan pero walang sahig! Kama na agad.

"Where am I gonna put my stuff?" tanong ko. "Where is my stuff?"

"Don't worry it's already in the cabin." sagot niya. "Anyway... Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere. Anywhere away from me and would accept people like us." sagot ko at nahiga na ulit. Tho hindi ko pa talaga alam kung ano ang tinutukoy niyong "kami" pero masyado ng pagod ang katawan ko ngayon araw dahil sa lahat ng kamalasang nangyari sa lecheng buhay namin ito.

Narinig ko ang pagsara ng pinto kaya umayos na ako ng higa.

I don't need anyone right now. All I need is a good night sleep to escape this bullshit-filled, harsh, deceiving, unforgiving, son-of-a-bitch reality.

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© J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) for the idea of "Knight Bus".