Shipwrecked Hearts

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Napaluhod si Kid sa sahig na tila baldadong tulisan. Tila sinumpong siya't magkakasunod ang kan'yang pag-ubo ng dugo. His blood splattered on the floor like an abstract art with random shapes and sizes. Marahang dumapo ang kan'yang kamay sa punyal na nakasaksak sa kan'yang dibdib. "You missed the heart." Halos nanghihinang saad nito.

Wala na akong oras pa para panukalahan siya. Hinubad ko ang suot kong tuksedo at tinupi ko ang mahabang manggas ng aking polo hanggang sa siko. "I won't kill you out of mercy, just don't get in my way anymore." Pag-aalipusta ko sa kan'yang. I kicked my shoes off my feet and was about to dive into the waters and save Maximo and Pearl when I felt Kid's bloody hand grip my foot.

Ang kan'yang kamay ay marahas na nakahawak sa aking paanan. Ramdam ko ang pagbaon ng kan'yang kuko sa loob ng aking balat. "No... don't leave me, Aki. I love you..." he said in his low voice.

Using my other foot, I kicked him back and he stumbled into the ground. "I have no time to deal with you!"

Tumawa nang marahan si Kid, "they're a goner now, Aki..." kasabay nito ay ang pagkaramdam ko ng panghihina. Tila unti-unti akong nawawalan ng kontrol sa sarili. Napasandal ako nang bahagya sa barandilya ng barko matapos ang ilang sandali. Yumuko ako at nakita ang maliit na sugat. The wound was fresh, it was only a dot. I gasped, Kid planned it!

"You've been paralyzed by my sword. I win, Aki." Mahinang sambit ni Kid na nakahiga lamang sa sahig.

Ignoring his banters. I tried moving but my body wouldn't budge. "Come on, move!" Desperadang utos ko sa aking sarili. My eyes rolled to the ocean as it was the only thing I can move. Hindi ko na mahagilap sina Pearl at Maximo... kahit man lang anino nila sa ilalim ng katubigan ay wala na. No... they're still alive. I know it.

Wala akong ibang maramdaman ngayon kung hindi ay ang pagkamuhi sa sarili at sa aking kapatid. I should've killed him! Now he has the upper hand! I tried to scream but my mouth won't move anymore. This paralyzing poison has already taken its full effect in my body... and if I know it won't wear off any sooner.

Tinitigan ko ang aking daliri kung saan ko pinagtuonan ng atens'yon na pagalawin. Come on, move... move, damn it!

"Stop struggling, Aki. You know it's no use."

Move, please just fucking move!

Hindi ko hahayaan na masikil ako ng kahit ano. Isasalba ko sina Maximo at Pearl. With a few attempts, I finally moved my index finger slowly. If there's one thing I learned, you can somehow stop the effects of paralysis if you focus on moving a cell in your body. Mind over body, they say.

Bumalikwas ako at halos pasuray-suray na naglakad palapit kay Kid na halata ang pagkagulat dahil sa aking pagkilos. Pakiramdam ko ay halaya ang aking mga buto sa katawan na nanlalambot. I grabbed a dagger from my belt, then grabbed another with my other hand. Now both my hands were holding a dagger.

"Kid..." inupuhan ko siya at dinaganan upang hindi na siya makagalaw pa. I pinned him down on the platform. Humigpit ang hawak ko sa dalawang punyal, tila naging mariing kamao ang aking mga kamay na handang sumuntok at sumaksak. "I had enough of you..."

Nanlaki ang kan'yang mga mata, halata ang takot na agad na pumangibabaw. "W-What are you doing?"

With that, I pointed at his chest, "this..." I stabbed him with the dagger in my right hand, then with the left. He groaned in pain. He tried to resist but I forcibly pressed him against the floor.

Still not contented, I drew the bloodstained knife out and pierced it in again. And again. Again. And again. Until his guts came out and my hands were tarnished with a red paint. I didn't stop until I felt a bone breaking... until he stopped screeching and moving... until I confirmed that he's really dead.