It was fearsome to think about all the terrible things and all the secrets the darkness hid.
Darkness was everyone's old friend. When a person wanted comfort, the darkness could provide a worthwhile companion. Unlike people, it gave no judgments, and untrue promises of friendship. It wouldn't say, "I love you", asking for reciprocation. It would always be there. All without asking for anything in return.
That was what Marya Soberene Morawa used to think. Ang kadiliman ang palagi niyang takbuhan kapag nalulungkot siya at may bumabagabag sa kalooban niya. Sa tuwing naririnig niya ang bawat putok ng baril sa labas at ang bawat sigaw ay palagi niyang isinisiksik ang sarili niya sa loob ng malaking kabinet ng kanyang dating kwarto. It would be dark, and she would still close her eyes, talking to it like an old friend. She liked the darkness more than she liked people because unlike the latter, she didn't feel judged when they were together. It had been her old friend once.
That had been a year ago. This time, things were different. Maybe what her grandma said was really true, that there was a thin line between love and hatred, and that in a simple flip of a card, immense love could easily turn into immense hatred. Life was tricky that way.
She had been avoiding darkness ever since. She no longer felt the same sense of comfort it once gave her. Instead she'd feel caged inside the domain of darkness with the memories she longed to forget.
The darkness always remembered. That was the problem.
Standing inside a dark room, she felt as if she was locked in a dungeon. She could hear familiar voices speaking familiar lines everywhere. She tried not to listen, but sometimes, the voices were insistent, especially when she was facing the man that could possibly be the root of everything.
Andrés Roman Confiado in the flesh.
She pursed her lips, looking at his unconscious body. It had only been a few hours since she took him with the help of Urklyn, her friend, but he still hadn't woken up. Maybe his body hadn't completely recovered from the coma.
Nonetheless, he was alive. He was still alive even when Marya saw him die firsthand. That made him a big threat.
A lot of people died three months ago, and they remained dead. She didn't know why he was able to cheat death when a lot of people who never wanted to die couldn't.
It was unfair.
She chuckled after thinking about that.
No... it had always been unfair. The system had always been unfair, and she doubted that he would understand. He wouldn't understand, especially when he wasn't in their situation, especially when he didn't see the world as they did.
"Hindi puwede iyang iniisip mo." Napatingin siya kay Urklyn nang marinig iyon. Nakasandal ang lalaki sa dingding habang malalim ang titig sa kanya. "Hindi maaaring iisa silang dalawa. Nakasaad sa batas na kapag napatay ang Panginoon sa isang coup ay magiging malaya na tayo—"
"Hindi mo pa ba nakikita?" pagpuputol niya rito. Nakakuyom ang kanyang mga kamao habang tinititingnan ito. "Klarong-klarong wala Siyang intensiyong pakawalan tayo. Sigurado akong isinagawa ang coup para isipin nating may pag-asa pa tayong makalaya, pero hindi mo ba napapansin? Tayo-tayong mga nasa ibaba lang din ang naghihilahan. Kung hindi tayo mamamatay sa gutom ay mamamatay naman tayo nang dahil sa sistema!"
Itinuro niya ang wala pa ring malay na si Rom. "Nakita ko siyang namatay gamit ang dalawang mga mata ko mismo. Tingnan mo kung sinong buhay pa rin hanggang ngayon? Hindi sina Celia, hindi sina Wilbert, hindi ang mga kaibigan nating napatay nang walang kalaban-laban kung 'di siya, siya lang.
