Living with Death Nextdoor [ON-HOLD]

Chapter 23: Death's Feelings

Third Person's POV

Sandali pa lamang ng paglisan ni Layla sa silid ay madaling nainip si Zero doon. Pagkatapos nitong kumain ay agad din itong lumabas ng room upang sundan si Layla. Nilibot nito ang buong hotel, nagbabakasakaling makasalubong si Layla o si Feil.

Pero madilim na ay hindi nito mahanap sino man sa dalawa. Napagod na ito sa kakalakad, nakarating ito sa likod ng hotel kung saan may pool. Napaupo ito sa isang upuan at sandaling nagpahinga.

Roofless ang lugar na iyon, kaya makikita ang mga bituin sa madilim na kalangitan. Napatingala ito sa madilim na kalawakan kung saan napapalamutian ng kumikinang na mga bituin.

"Layla..."

Siya at siya pa rin ang laman ng isipan niya. Hindi nito alam kung bakit, pero sa bawat sandali na mawawala sa paningin niya itong dalaga ay hindi niya maiwasang mapaisip.

Ano itong nararamdaman niya? Hindi nito kaylanman pinagisipan ng masama si Feil, ngunit sa tuwing si Feil nalang ang bukang bibig ni Layla, hindi nito maiwasang...

Mainis.

Kumikirot ang dibdib nito.

Napahawak ito sa dibdib niya. It's throbbing again. Naalala niya nanaman yung nakita niya kanina, just after Layla's paranormal experience in the bathroom. At that time, he already felt there's something wrong in his surrounding. Especially in Layla's room. Kaya naman nagmamadali itong pumunta doon.

But, when he stormed into the room... 

Nadatnan niya nalang na magkayakapan si Layla at Feil sa bathroom.

He realized he was too late. Layla was already crying, hard. Pinapakalma na ito ni Feil, and he was relieved.

But there was something else...

He froze there for a moment, as he watches both of his friends hugging. May masamang nangyari, kaya normal lang na I-comfort ni Feil si Layla. Pero...

Zero thought it would be better if he was the one doing it.

That's the first time he felt this pain in his chest. Ramdam niya na parang sinaksak siya ng isang scythe sa kaniyang dibdid.

"Ganito ba ang nararamdaman ng nga kaluluwang kinukuha ko sa tuwing matatanggap nila ang talim ng scythe?..."

He tightly hold onto his clothes, as his chest hurts more.

"So this is what they call pain..."

Thousands of thoughts ran inside his mind. Of what he needs to do. On how he can avoid those negative feelings. He had enough. He'll make sure na 'yon na ang huling pagkakataon na kumirot ang dibdib niya when it comes to Layla.

"I hate this feeling..."

Sapagkat ang tingin niya kay Layla ay tulad ng mga bituing nakikita niya ngayon...

They bring only light and joy when they appear through the rage of darkness, not pain and sufferings.

Not like him.

After a moment of rest, sa wakas ay tumayo na ito. Nawala na ang kirot sa dibdib niya. What he did just now was effective that caused the pain to disappear.

Just by imagining his self with Layla, alone...he dreamed. That someday they'll be like that. His feelings may be unclear, but right now, he just want happiness together with Layla.

For now, what he really is doesn't matter.

For now he'll try to be human. To think and feel like a human.