Shipwrecked Hearts

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The sharp tip of the dagger sliced through the hard wall. Nagalusan ang pisngi ni Kid, may dugong tumutulo mula rito. Ngumisi lamang siya sa akin. "Is that all you've got?" He said in a provoking tone.

"I've got more under my sleeves." I snarled and took two daggers. I threw them into the air. I smelled how many seconds before they fall down—twenty. Muli akong kumuha ng apat na balaraw sa lalagyan nito at sumugod kay Kid. He kept dodging my attacks. I jumped backwards when he was about to hit me with his sword and threw two daggers at him. He blocked it using his sword. The sound of metallic collision echoed through the hallways of the palace.

Ten seconds left.

Muli akong sumugod. This time, I was faster than I ever was. I can feel the adrenaline and survival instinct pumping into my veins. Hindi ko hahayaan na mabulag ako ng kapangyarihan. Power will be my greatest downfall. It was like choosing at this point of time, Kid for power and Maximo for love. I choose love. I choose Maximo. No matter how many offers the universe will give me, I will always choose him and nothing else.

I calmed down and shut off my senses except the smell. Dahil d'on ay mas lumakas ang pang-amoy ko. The atoms and particles floating into the air like dusts, the blood of men, I can even smell the next moves of Kid. With that, I opened again the other senses.

I smirked and faked an aim, mabilis siyang umigtad, my hands changed direction towards his escape. I felt the tip of the dagger pierce through his clothes, ngunit agad niyang tinarak sa akin ang espada niya bago pa man ito tuluyang masaksak sa kan'yang katawan. My reflexes made me naturally dodge the sword and jumped backwards. That was close.

Five seconds left.

With all force I've got. I aimed at him the dagger. He was a second too late in dodging it, nahiwa ang kan'yang braso, ngunit ang sundang ay sumaksak lamang sa pader. I dashed towards him with all might, smelling his next move and predicting it, "c'mon, Aki. You're better than that."

Halos kumulo ang dugo ko dahil sa kan'yang mga sinabi. I desperately slashed through the air as he kept avoiding. Wrong move provoking me any further. I smiled devilishly and hopped back. Nakita ko na ang dalawang punyal na binato ko sa kalangitan. They were falling down with an immense speed. Kinuha ko ang pagkakataon nang nasa harap ko na ang dalawang punyal. Sinipa ko ang isa gamit ang hawakan nito at sinalo ang isa. Nakita ko ang pagtusok ng punyal sa braso ni Kid.

Umimpit naman siya dahil sa sakit. He held the dagger using its handle and took it off his arm. Gamit ang duguang dagger ay pinunit niya ang kan'yang suot na damit at ginamit itong pressure para patigilan ang pagdurugo.

"The cut is deep." Kid grinned at me.

Magsasalita sana ako nang narinig namin ang yabag ng mga paa ng mga tauhan namin ni Maximo. They've come.

"Now you have no escape." Nginisihan ko si Kid. "You're dead."

He shook his head, "what a waste, Aki. Since I cannot have you... then nobody else will ever have you." Saad nito habang umiiling pa rin. Any moment now, darating na ang mga tauhan namin. Any moment now... but it felt like that moment was an eternity, "what a waste to kill you and your baby now." Nagulat nang nasa harapan ko na lang siya nang bigla. Masyado akong naging kampante sa pagdating ng ibang mga pirata! Nakita ko ang espada na ilang pulgada na lang ang layo sa akin, mariin akong napapikit, as if my feet were rooted on my spot.

I waited for the sword to slash through my body. Ngunit wala akong naramdaman, imbes, nakarinig ako ng daing dahilan upang mapamulat ang aking mga luhaang mata. I saw Maximo, he used his body as a shield to protect me.

"K-Kira..." he gave me a weak smile, "you shouldn't close your eyes when the enemy is trying to kill you..." nanghihinang aniya.

"Maximo..." nanginig ang aking mga labi, bumaba ang aking tingin at nakita ang espadang nakatusok sa kan'yang, may dugong tumutulo mula rito.

"Damn!" Kid hissed, nakita ko ang pagdating ng mga tauhan, he pulled his sword off Maximo and blood immediately gushed out of the deep cut. "Well, at least I killed Alexander Renaissance. I'll be back again, Kira. Not to take you back, but to end your misery."

Tumakbo si Kid upang tumakas, with the blood of Maximo dripping from his sword. Hinabol naman siya agad ng mga pirata. Hindi ko na lang sila pinansin. Tanging kay Maximo lamang nakapako ang aking buong atens'yon.

Pakiramdam ko ay unti-unting gumuguho ang aking mundo. I cannot lose you, Maximo. I can't. Not now. Not ever. I put pressure on the side of his abdomen, trying to stop the blood. "Somebody, please! Tulungan n'yo ako!" I cried, nakita ko si Nick na nakatingin sa aming gawi, tila may sinabi ito na tatawagin lang niya ang doktor at magpatuloy lang ako sa aking ginagawa sa tagiliran ni Maximo. My mind was too blank to even understand what he said before he turned his back and ran to call for help. "Maximo, stay... please!"

Agad na nabahiran ng dugo ang mga palad at daliri ko, ngunit wala akong pake. I tried putting pressure as much as I can. Mula sa gilid ng aking mga mata ay nakita ko ang paggalaw ng kamay ni Maximo papunta sa aking pisngi. He caressed my cheek, wiping away my tears with his thumb. "Hindi ka nasugatan, 'di ba?" He asked through his soft and almost breathless voice.

"No. I'm not. Thanks to you." I wanted to hold his hand too, but I needed to keep my pressure to stop his blood from coming out any further. He has lost too much blood. Namumutla na rin siya, ang kan'yang dating mapulang labi ay wala nang kakulay-kulay din. "Stay with me, Maximo..."

Hindi ko mapapatawad ang aking sarili kapag may hindi magandang mangyari sa iyo. Hindi ako mabubuhay kapag wala ka. Ayaw kong mawalay sa iyo.

"Si Joziah? Or Kid?"

"Hinahabol na siya ng mga tauhan." Humihikbing pagpapaliwanag ko.

"Why are you crying as if I am about to die?" He smiled feebly.

"Because you are." Ramdam ko ang mabilis na pagtibok ng aking puso. Wala akong ibang kinamuhian ngayon kundi ang aking abilidad na maamoy ang kamatayan sa oras na darating ito sa isang tao. I can smell it around the palace. I can smell it through Maximo. Death is near. Pakiramdam ko ay unti-unti akong nawawala sa katinuan. Pakiramdam ko ay dinudumog na rin ako ng aking emos'yon, hindi ko mapigilan. Ayaw kong pigilan.

"No..." He coughed blood. Nanlaki naman ang aking mga mata dahil sa dugong halos isuka niya. "M-Makikita ko pa... ang mga anak natin... at papalakihin... tapos... tapos... sabay tayong... tatanda. I... won't die... Starfish... not like this... y'know... I love you... so damn much that it... it hurts me."

His words soothed my senses and calmed my universe down to the core. It was assuring. He was assuring.

"I-I love you too, Maximo... so damn much that that kills me seeing you like this."

For a moment, I thought he had a chance... I thought we can go through it together because of the words he mumbled through his ragged breath. I thought we'd have our fair share of happily ever after... but this isn't fairy tale, this is fairy fail. But still, I clutched unto this false hope that kept my sanity intact. Until...

Until he slowly closed his indignant eyes with a tear on his right eye deteriorating unto his cheek. With that, he fell into the dark realms of forevermore, with his pale lips curved upwards into a sly smile, with my remorseful face—the last thing he'll ever see. His hand that touched my cheek went down inertly, creating a soft thud on the marbled floor.

He... he's gone. He's gone. H-He... he is. And I can't even smell any hint of life from him. Not even his soul. Not anything. Just death.

"Ang iyong hinaharap ay nakabalot sa kamatayan. Maaaring kamatayan mo o kamatayan ng mga taong mahal mo. Maaari ring kamatayan ng nasa sinapupunan mo."

And it's your fault why.