30 Doors

4th Door

It may be roundly asserted that human ingenuity cannot concoct a cipher which human ingenuity cannot resolve.

-Edgar Allan Poe

***

"Zyril, please don't go." Vlad was half screaming - half crying as held Zyril's dying body. Tumagos na ang masaganang dugo mula sa katawan nitong tadtad ng bala.  

"Vlad," umubo ang babae at bumulwak ang dugo mula sa bibig nito. She was panting. Hardly. "My t-time is finally o-over..." her eyes weakened as she continuously sobbed for her last breath. 

Napakuyom ako ng daliri. It was all my fault. It was all our fault why Zyril had to go through this. She could have enjoyed her life as an innocent girl but the Scorpions saw her special skills and took advantage of her dad's situation as a barter for her joining the team. Scorpion freed his dad, made some arrangements to better their life in exchange for Zyril's once peaceful life -become one of our assets.  

It was all my fault. But, why am I still alive? 

"A-are you an m-mafia Zy?" Vlad asked without any hesitation. He needed to hear it from his friend. 

"I'm so sorry Vlad," Zyril cried. Pero mas lalong bumulwak ang mga dugo sa bunganga nito. Her grip on Vlad's arm tightened. She's going. "I'm sorry for k-keeping a secret, but it was all for your safety. I did everything t-to p-protect you... my f-friends."

Hindi na umimik si Vlad. Pigil ang mga hikbi nitong hinigpitan ang mga yakap sa kaibigan. Natas was trying to control his emotions. Mina and Bella were crying beside him as well. Both could relate to the situation. They've all lost their friends, maybe in different ways, but with the same degree of loss and longing and pain. 

"P-please live my dear Vlad. P-please make Satana, Kid, and my death worthy. M-may w-we meet again?"

Humagulgol si Vlad pati na rin si Mina. His tears fell on Zyril's death. Mas hinigpitan nito ang yakap sa kaibigan bago nito sinambit ang pamamaalam kay Zyril, "M-may we meet again, Zy." 

Then. 

With a gust of the wind, Zyril's grip let go of Vadimir's arms. Zyril's was gone. She died trying to cover our secret. She died protecting my identity. She died remembering and standing with her oath: protect her brother's identity even on her last breath. 

As Vlad cried for the last time he's holding his friend, everyone in the room sniveled silently. 

May we meet again, Zyril. I uttered in my head. 

Pagbitaw ng utak ko sa mga salitang 'yon, nagulat ako sa isang paparating na kamao mula sa pasugod na si Vlad. The guy knocked me out with his powerful knuckles. Hindi ako kaagad nakapalag. 

He had all the right to kill me. Afterall, it was all my fault. 

Sinundan ng malakas niyang suntok sa kanan ang isa pang tadyak sa sikmura. Halos sumuka ako sa sobrang lakas no'n. I glared at him as my form of defense, but his stare was far more dangerous than I could have imagined. 

Vlad was ready for the kill. He knew what was going on. He knew who Zyril was, who I was, and who we were. 

"You put her into this! You put us all into this! You killed all our friends! You must die!" He hissed. Pasugod pa sana ito pero kaagad siyang napigilan nina Natas, Mina at Bella. 

I tasted my won blood. I spit them instantly as I try to recover myself. "Go on! Kill me, Vlad. Kill me and end every pain, every guilt, and all the loss I've been feeling! End it!"