Shipwrecked Hearts

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Tila nabingi ang mundo ko dahil sa lakas ng pagsabog. Nahati ang barkong sumabog kung saan nakasakay sina Maximo at Marco. Binalot ito ng apoy at usok habang unti-unting kinakain ng karagatan. Ako naman ay napako sa aking kinakatayuhan habang pinapanood ang trahedya. Marco just did a suicide bombing.

I looked around frantically using my telescope, trying to look for Maximo who must be struggling in the water. But all I saw were debris, not only from the ship that Marco blown-up, but all the other ships that we've sunk. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. "Maximo!" I screamed. Ang mga tauhan ko naman ay sumama sa paghanap. Please, stop hiding and come out wherever you are!

Nanlaki ang mata ko matapos ang ilang sandali, tila nakita ko ang katawan ni Maximo, unti-unti itong hinihilala ng dagat pababa. Hindi ako sigurado kung siya nga ba ito, pero kailangan kong tumaya dito kahit na walang kasiguraduhan dahil ito na lang ang magagawa ko sa mga sandaling ito.

Binato ko ang telescope sa gilid at hinubad ang tuxedo. Wala na akong pakialam sa paligid ko, ang mahalaga ay maisalba ko si Maximo. Alam kong hindi siya nasama sa pagsabog. He is fast. Maybe he was just caught with the force of the explosion, but not the explosion itself. Maximo is invincible, he cannot be killed by just a mere bomb.

"Kira, what are you doing?" Charles asked, he looked worried. Hindi ko siya pinansin. My eyes were locked at Maxino who was underwater, mabilis kong kinuha ang tali sa gilid at pinalibot ito sa aking katawan, binigay ko naman ang dulo nito kay Charles, "I'm going to save Maximo. I have no time to explain. Just pull me up when the rope stops moving." Utos ko, wala sa sarili akong tumayo sa taas ng barandilya at humugot ng malalim na hininga, pagkatapos ay nag-dive ako papunta sa loob ng tubig.

I wanted to close my eyes because of the saltness of the sea that was stinging my eyes, but I needed to keep my vision locked at Maximo. I forced my body down the water. I'm very determined that it was Maximo. I kept my breath in, I can feel the pressure being pulled upon my body, but I didn't give no hid to it. All I could think of at this moment was saving Maximo.

The sea seemed to be so endless, I cannot even see the bottom of it, the sand, it was pitch black down here. The distance between me and Maximo was gradually increasing, which is why I propelled faster. I needed to reach for his hand now. I'm not sure if I was crying too because of the water.

I let out a few air from my lungs. I was damn tired but I pushed my body further, finally, I grabbed Maximo by his hand and I pulled him to me, hugging him. He was out of air, that's why I kissed him—transferring what's left of the air inside me to his.

Then I felt Charles pulling me up with the rope I entangled by body with.

~~~

Napamulat ako, doon ko napagtanto na nasa barko na kami. "Where's Maximo?" I asked frantically.

"Starfish." Maximo said, agad ko namang binaling ang tingin sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Nakita ko si Maximo, he was topless, he was drying his hair with towel. Napansin ko na maraming t'walya rin ang nakabalot sa akin, we were inside the captain's cabin. Apparently, I was laid down at the bed. "I heard what you did from Charles." Aniya, binaba niya ang t'walya at umupo sa gilid ng kama, "thank you, I owe you my life."

"You owe me nothing. I just did my job as your queen."

"It should be me protecting you, though." Maximo sighed, as if what I did has scratched his pride as a king.

Bumangon ako at saka hinawakan ang kan'yang kamay, "it's our job to protect each other." I told him. "A relationship should be give and take. It shouldn't only be you protecting me, but me protecting you too. That's how we should do it."

Ngumiti si Maximo, "if you say so." Bumuntong-hininga siya matapos ang ilang sandali, "I can't believe I've put you and our baby in danger."

Namula naman ako dahil sa kan'yang sinabi. Is he really sure that I'm already carrying a life inside my womb? I don't know. I just can't believe it myself. No. It's not that. I just don't want to disappoint Maximo if ever the possibility that I'm not pregnant arises. It's too early to assume that I'm already pregnant.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

Umiling naman ako, "where's Marco?"

Maximo shrugged. "He must be dead." He must? That means his body hasn't been found yet. There are a lot of possibilities and what ifs—what if he isn't really dead? Just because his body isn't found means he has passed to the afterlife.

"What about his crew? Ang pagkakaalam ko, it was only Marco on board that ship."

"I believe they're at the Treasure Trove. Marco must have been confident that he can defeat us with his power in numbers using the Sea Brigands." Aniya. "The moment you underestimate the enemy is the moment you lose." He added.

"So, do we retrieve the ship?"

"Our troops are exhausted. You and I, too. Double Deck has suffered immense amount of damage. We need to retreat, it's the most natural thing to do. We suffered a lot of damage. Plus, it's not like Treasure Trove can hide, as long as I have the tracker inside it."

"Maximo, stop eating your own words. You said it yourself, the moment you lower your guard is the moment you lose the war."

"I'm not lowering my guard, Starfish. I'm following the rules of battle. We shouldn't move hastily. Our victory here doesn't guarantee our victory out there."

Tumango naman ako. I finally get what he meant, tama ang sinabi ni Maximo, hindi dapat kami padalos-dalos at magpakampante. "How about Meliodas?"

"Right now, he must have fled Anarchist Harbor. He'd be dubbed as dumb if he stayed." So, he really knows that he is a traitor, too, because of our encounter today. "I shouldn't have had taken them with me." Maximo snapped as if regretting.

Hinawakan ko si Maximo sa kan'yang kamay, "it shouldn't be you regretting, dapat sina Marco at Meliodas ang nagsisisi. Trusting someone isn't something to regret, it should be those who took advantage of that trust."

Isang tipid na ngiti ang ginanti ni Maximo, "still, it's really hard. You'd just wish to turn back time. But this is reality." Aniya, "wala tayong magagawa. And turning back time means erasing all the wonderful memories we had made, and that's not what I want."