Timeless Souls [COMPLETED]

Prologue

Jake's POV

First of all, I'm dead.

So like any other normal person– I mean soul, magtataka ka talaga kung ano pa ginagawa mo dito sa mundo. When you die, your heart stops and your soul gets out of your body. It's either you go to heaven or hell. To be honest, I expected hell. I killed Veronica Gorostiza. I'm sure you all heard about her.

Yung nangyari sakin sa mental? I deserved that. I deserved all of that bullshit. But those who died because of my father didn't. I admit, my father is a monster. Halos hindi ko na ito makilala dahil sa pinaggagawa niya. It was horrible like a devil's work. Mas malala pa ata ito kay Zafier.

But I can't help but to feel guilty. Why? Cause my father turned into that monster because of me. He lost his sanity nang malaman niya yung nangyari sakin sa loob ng mental na yon. Of course, I was the only one he has left tapos ganon pa yung nangyari sakin. Any parent would've gone insane.

Yes, I did helped out Xerafin and her friends out. I was the one whistling. I didn't do anything terrible though. Just a slight scare kasi trip ko lang.

Syempre! Di ko papalagpasin yung pagkakataon na manakot ng iba. I'm a ghost. That's what we do! Kidding aside.

Ako rin yung duguang lalaki. That form was my original state when I died. Duguan, gusgusin at halos di na makilala. Yung ibang nangyaring kababalaghan sakanila, hindi na ako yon.

Xerafin Velasquez is something different for me. Very different.

I would be lying to myself kapag sinabi kong hindi ko siya gusto. I like her. I like her a lot.

Kagaguhan diba? I'm already dead pero nagkagusto ako sa buhay. Nakakainis kasi. Kung napunta agad ako sa impyerno edi sana hindi ko na nakita si Xerafin and I wouldn't fall for her charms.

God, may galit ka talaga sakin 'no?

Let me tell you something. My love life isn't really good. Lagi na lang akong pinapahamak ng puso ko. My first love, Sky. She wasn't for me, friend zone is real. Apparently she's only focused with Zafier. My second love, Veronica. Late ko nang na-realize na mahal ko pala siya and now she's dead thanks to me and my fucked up brain. I was too blinded.

And now... her. I am fucking astounded with this concept. I'm dead. I'm not suppose to be feeling anything, let alone love.

You must be wondering, bakit buhay pa si Xerafin eh nilibing na nga siya. When my dad was in trial at nasa ospital naman si Xerafin, barely alive ay may isinagawa siyang plano.

She faked her own death.

Hindi ko rin alam kung paano niya nagawa yon. Wala akong nakitang kahit anong bahid na pineke niya lang. There was a corpse, nandon din yung ashes ng bangkay niya. It was a mystery indeed.

She has her ways. Parang BDO lang. Pfft. Tawa naman kayo. Korni.

She book a flight to Batanes secretly. Doon siya nagtago. Pinakadulo ng Pilipinas kumbaga.

Sinundan ko siya. Why wouldn't I?

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako while staring at her. Kasalukuyan siyang nakaupo sa isang bench na nasa isang hillside. The bench was located near the edge of the cliff kung saan kapag nahulog ka ay katapusan mo na. She wasn't scared though. Ito kasi yung pwesto kung saan tanaw na tanaw niya ang ganda ng Batanes, she felt the ocean breeze, beautiful skies and the calm atmosphere. Ito yung gusto niyang buhay. Mapayapa. Walang drama. Walang problema.

I stared at her beauty. Di na nakakapagtaka kung bakit sakanya ako nahulog. Hindi lang yung itsura niya ang dahilan. Everything about her. Ang kaso, mukhang napahamak nanaman ako ng puso ko for the third fucking time.

May pag-asa ba ko sakanya? Ang labo.

Damn. Kahit patay na ko namromroblema pa rin ako. Takteng yan. Kelan ba ko mananahimik? What am I still doing here?

Sa pagkakaalam ko, kaya lang naman hindi lumilisan ang mga kaluluwa o kaya naman hindi napapayapa kasi may 'unfinished business' pa sila. May kulang pa.

Ilang beses kong pinagtuunan ng pansin yan. Ano pa ba kulang ko? Ano pa ba kailangan ko nang matahimik na ko?

I sighed at napatingin na lang ako kay Xerafin at bahagyang napangiti. She looks so innocent. So fragile. I never knew that a soul can be capable of feeling such strong emotions.

Then it hit me.

Unti-unting nawala ang saya ko sa labi at napalitan ito ng isang malungkot na ngiti once realization sinks in my brain. Alam ko na. Nakakatawa pero ang sakit.

Alam ko na kung bakit di ako matahimik. I already know what my unfinished business is. Alam ko na kung ano pa yung kulang sakin. Isang bagay na hindi ko man lang naranasan ng buong-buo. One thing that I've always desired ever since.

Isang bagay na parang hirap na hirap ibigay saakin. It's none other than...

Love