FEUTERACRIA : School for Elemental Users

Chapter 20 : One of the Chosen

ALEXIS

A week has passed. Isang linggo na ang lumipas at bumalik ulit ang lahat sa normal nitong daloy. Ito yung unang araw na nagkaroon ulit ng klase matapos ang insidente na naganap - na mukhang kinalimutan at isinawalang bahala na ng lahat.

The case of Helga Alborne is already closed. Or maybe just hidden in a closet. Hidden from us, from anyone.

We confirmed that she's still alive, though barely alive. Her burnt body is in the process of recovering, but she's in a deep sleep. The school said that because of the trauma, she experiences a coma state. So basically, no one has ever spoken to her regarding what really happened. Pumunta na rin noong nakaraang araw ang mga magulang niya rito para sunduin at dalhin siya sa kanilang lugar.

Again, everything is set in its normal placement.

I can't help but look back how we spent our week. The five of us had been very busy since last week. We're trying to connect everything we got. We have formulated several theories which might happened during the incident. But just like any other theory, it's not a fact until proven true. We still need some pieces to complete the whole puzzle. And just when we're on the verge of finding it, this happens.

Nang maglabas ang paaralan ng opisyal na pahayag tungkol kay Helga at kung papaano na naresulba ito, hindi ko alam kung magagalak ba ako o magtataka.

Ayon sa pahayag ng paaralan, nahuli na rin ang salarin, pero dahil lubhang confidential ito ay mas minabuti nang hindi na ungkatin pa ang mga malalalim na detalye.

Wala namang nagtanong kahit isa, naunahan sila ng galak sa pagkakahuli ng salarin dahil ligtas na muli ang paaralan. But I can feel that there is still something wrong with the circumstances. Hindi ko alam kung ako lang ba ang nakakaramdam nito or maging ang mga kaibigan ko rin.

"We should exhale all the thinking-matter we had last week, and inhale the fresh breeze of the school. I missed walking in this hallway so bad," pahayag ni Mat na nagpatawa sa aming apat.

Simula kasi nang maglakad kami ay walang nagsasalita sa amin. Siguro lahat ay may baon pang mga katanungan at patuloy pa ring nag-iisip.

"The case is closed. The school handled everything. What we had done was exciting as hell, but maybe Matthias is right, we should move on too because everything was taken cared of anyway," natatawang sabi ni France. She has finally spoken. And in that moment, alam kong tuluyan na ring nabura ang insidente sa aming mga isipan. Well, she won't let go of anything if she can still feel that something is off.

"I surrender. My mind can't take it any longer anyway," sagot ko na may kasama pang pagtaas ng kamay.

But it's a lie.

My self mechanism is screaming that I should not let my guard down. Like everything is just a ticking bomb and it will explode sooner or later. Nevertheless, I need to show them that I'm in with them.

"Rest assured," mahinang sabi ni Emily.

I narrowed my eyes at her. Emily is absolutely quiet the whole time, well she's really quiet, but her silence is different lately. She's being quiet for a reason, like hidding something from us. Siguro hindi ito napapansin ng iba naming kasamahan pero hindi ito nakalagpas sa akin. I've known her well because I'm a keen observant. I'm aware how everything changes to someone I've been with.

Inisip ko na lang na siguro private masyado ang bagay na tinatago niya. Something from her past or anything that she couldn't say it loud. Well, she's Emily Smith; quiet, mysterious, stealthy.

"Just thinking about the school stuff makes me want to commit a suicide." Nabaling ang atensiyon namin kay Nicholas nang padabog siyang nagsalita. Napatawa kami.