Fire Exit (Completed)

Chapter 31: We're Gonna Be Okay

Ari's POV

Mahigit 30 minutes na yata simula nung magpunta sila sa tubig at hanggang ngayon wala pa sila. Nagsimula na akong kabahan at kinagat nalang ang mga kuko ko. Oh God... kabang kaba na ako. Hindi na maipinta kung anong gagawin ko sa mukha ko. My face's expression lifted up when I saw them coming out of the water but it quickly fell when I couldn't see any sign of Maurice.

"Guys..." tawag ko "N-nasan si Maurice?"

"We found her. In Cartelle's cave." Ani Eric. Nagpalitan naman sila ng mga tingin. Tila bakas sa mga mukha nila ang lungkot. Tinignan ko sila na para bang nag-aantay ako ng susunod nilang sasabihin. Where the hell is she??? "But..."

"But what?!" I yelled. Dali dali namang lumapit sa akin si Gideon at niyakap ako.

"They got her... Ari, the water creatures.. they have turned her into a stone before we even found her. S-she's gone.." Naiiyak niyang bulong sakin.

"No..." I whispered. "N-no.." I hugged him back and cried on his shoulder. "S-she can't die, right? She's fucking immortal, she can't die!"

"She's not dead, Ari..." Rinig kong sabi ni Eaton. "She's alive but... she's a stone now.." Saka narinig ko ang mahinang hikbi nila. Nasasaktan ako. We were supposed to be having fun. Hindi dapat nangyari 'to.

"Ariadne.." Gideon whispers, "I'm sorry. None of us wanted this." Humiwalay siya sa yakap at hinawakan ang magkabilang pisngi ko. "Look at me," He said and I did. I met his gaze, tila tinatawag ako ng mga mata niya. "It's going to be okay. We'll look for solutions but right now I need you to be okay. Can you do that?" He softly said.

I shook my head as tears began to fall down again, "No... I don't think I can.." I sobbed.

Third Person's POV

Umuwi sila nang bakas ang lungkot sa mga mukha nila. Wala ni isa nagsasalita, kung gaano sila kasaya nung papunta, ganon sila kalungkot nung sila ay pauwi na. Hawak lang ni Gideon ang kamay ni Ari na kanina pa tulala habang naglalakad. As soon as they reached their house, Ari quickly ran upstairs and locked herself in her room. Agad agad siyang tumakbo papunta sa kama niya at nagpakawala ng hikbi.

Akmang susundan siya ni Gideon nang pigilan siya ni Eric. "Give her some time."

Napatango nalang si Gideon at huminga nang malalim.

Kinabukasan, hindi lumabas si Ari ng kwarto niya. She doesn't care about anything. Kung anong itsura niya, o kung gutom na ba siya. Yakap niya lang ang unan niya at nakatulala kung saan habang patuloy na tumutulo ang luha niya. She closed her eyes as she whispers, "Maurice.. please come home." She then buried her face in her pillow.

Habang ang tatlong lalaki naman sa baba ay nag-uusap usap. "Ano na ang balak natin gawin? Tingin niyo may alam ang mga witches para maligtas natin si Mau?" Eaton suggests.

Eric shook his head. "No. Wala pang nakakaligtas sa gawa ng mga water creatures."

"Then why did Gideon tell Ari—" Eaton didn't get to finish his sentence when Gideon butted in.

"Sinabi ko yun sakanya para kumalma siya. Did you see her face when she heard about what happened?" Gideon said and Eaton just shook his head.

"Speaking of..." Eric said, "Ano na nga pala ang gagawin natin kay Ari? We all know she can't stay here any longer."

Eaton shot his bored look. "Shut up, man. We just lost Maurice. And now you're still thinking about sending Ari home? May puso ka ba? Let her mourn. She just lost her friend." Saka ito sumandal sa sofa na tila pagod na pagod.

"Of course I do have a heart." Ani Eric. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be offensive. Ayoko nalang ng gulo." Sabi pa nito at tumingin kay Gideon.

"What?" Gideon innocently said. "I'm not going to talk to her right now, Eric. She needs her space." Sabi niya. Alam niyang nasasaktan si Ari ngayon, pero mas pinili niyang bigyan muna ito ng oras dahil lalapit naman ito sakanya kapag kinailangan siya nito. He's sad. They're all sad. Simula nung una palang ay sila sila na ang magkakasama. They've been through hardships together. Masakit talaga para sakanila ang nangyari.

"Guess we'll be cooking our breakfast from now on." Malungkot na sabi ni Eaton. Dahan-dahang napatango si Eric, tila sumasang-ayon sa sinabi ng kaibigan. "Fuck.. ang hirap tanggapin. Si Maurice lang naman ang kasundo ko dito since napaka KJ niyong dalawa." -Eaton.

"KJ agad? 'Di ba pwedeng si Mau lang talaga ang nakakatagal sa mukha mo?" Pang-aasar ni Eric na ikinatawa naman ni Gideon. Nagpatuloy lang sila sa pag-aasaran nang matigil sila dahil nakarinig sila ng mga yapak pababa ng hagdan. Alam nila agad na si Ari ito kaya naman umayos na silang lahat ng upo. Shock was written on their faces when they saw Ari. Gulo gulo ang buhok nito at pulang pula ang mga mata at ilong.

"A-ari..." Tawag ni Eaton. Wala ni isa sakanila ang nagsasalita dahil hindi nila alam ang sasabihin. Lumapit ito sa sakanila at tumigil sa harapan nila at tinignan sila isa-isa sa mga mata.

"I'm..." she paused, trying to suppress a sob, she then lifted her spirit and forced a smile. "S-so... what do you guys like for breakfast?" Her voice broke. "I'm.. g-going to cook i-if that's alright?"

Eric stood up. "Ari, it's fine. You don't have to." Tumayo na rin yung dalawa at agad hinawakan ni Gideon ang kamay ni Ari.

"Hey.." he called out, "It's going to be okay, we're gonna be okay." And with that, nagyakapan silang apat, tila nagdadamayan sa lungkot na hinaharap nila ngayon.