Strings and Chains (The Frey, #1)

33. Her Choice

STRINGS AND CHAINS

CHAPTER 33

I spent a long time wandering in void. I was going crazy. Malapit na. Sobrang lapit na. I was alone in a place where there was nothing but darkness. I talked to myself most of the time para lamang malibang ang sarili ko. There would be times where I just thought of good memories when I was a child. 'Yong mga panahong wala pa akong iniisip at iniitindi. 'Yong busy lang ako sa paglalaro ng iba't ibang laruan. Busy mag-aral. Simple lang. Masaya na kasama ang mga magulang.

Araw-araw ko silang iniisip. My parents, friends, and, of course, Raiden. Wala araw o oras na nawala sila sa isip ko. I was afraid that I would forget them, so I spent my time thinking about them. I could feel myself drifting away the longer I stay in that void so it became my habit. I would always think of their faces smiling. That kept me strong during those dark times. That kept my faith na makakabalik ako sa kanila, na malalagpasan ko 'tong pinagdadaanan ko, na makikita ko ulit sila.

I didn't know where I was. I didn't have any idea. Hindi ko alam kung nasa langit na ba ako o nasa impyerno na ba ako. Hindi ko alam kung patay na ba ako o buhay pa ba ako. All I know was that the time is still running. At nakakulong ako sa kadiliman ng mahabang panahon. I didn't know how to get out. I just stayed there and waited until I could see a way to get back to them.

At kung nandoon ako ng sobrang habang panahon, then Lauren's plan somehow failed. It was not really a complete failure. It still helped me a lot. There were just some side effects that happened. I remember how the orb sucked everything inside me. It almost got my soul. I didn't know what happened next, but Lauren said she did everything she can to pull me out of it.

It was somehow a success. I became human again. My contract with Lilith is now gone. I don't know how that damned orb managed to do it but it ate everything, including my supernatural abilities. I am now human again. And again it was a risk. Lauren didn't know if it would be a success. So I am thankful that it turned out pretty well, but we didn't expect that I would sleep for months. I fell into coma after what happened. And my time in that darkness explains everything. My time in void was also the time I slept.

And after ten months, I woke up.

How?

I don't have any idea. I just did.

And what happened after that?

Lauren explained everything to me. Raiden showed up the day after I succumb to my sleep. He failed to find a curse breaker. I expected that too. And Lauren was right. There's no way that a curse breaker would suddenly pop out and help us. Raiden got really mad when he learned what happened. Thank God his brothers were there to calm him. Still, even if he caused a scene, Lauren can still make him bend the knee. So he just accepted it, he had no choice. He was there by my side every day, watching out for me and waiting for me to open my eyes. Ten freaking months he waited patiently.

It was a sunny morning when I finally woke up.

My vision was blurry at first but it became clearer later when my eyes adjusted to the light. I saw the damn ceiling at first of course. It was the first thing that welcomed me. I could feel the warm wind that went inside the room. It brushed on my skin and hugged my whole body. It was so bright. So bago pa magpanic ang utak ko, I looked around. The windows and glass doors were open. The curtains were dancing as the wind travelled through it. I could see the green lawn outside and the roses planted at the backyard.

It was a sunny day.

I looked at my left side and saw Raiden sitting on sofa while sleeping.

Mabilis na kumunot ang noo ko nang makita siya. I wondered if they do really sleep. And how the hell he still looked so handsome even if he was sleeping? It was so unfair. Life is so unfair.