Cleopatra: The Zombie Slayer

CHAPTER 16

CHAPTER 16

BREAK

CLEOPATRA

"WE NEED TO STOP MEETING AT ODD PLACES." natigil ako sa pagpapagpag ng damit at lumingon sa lalaking nagsalita.

It was Killy, he was laying here on the roof of the bus. Umakyat ako rito dahil gagawin ko sana ang ginagawa niya ngayon. Gaya-gaya.

I got bored waiting. Pero ang totoo ay wala pang five minutes, umalis na ako doon.

"Bakit ka nandito?" tanong ko sa kaniya. I sat down and hugged my knees. It was cold tonight.

"Gusto ko lang. Ikaw, bakit ka nandito?" tanong niya pabalik.

"Gusto ko lang din." sagot ko. Hindi na siya nagsalita pa kaya namayani na ang katahimikan.

Tumingin nalang ako sa taas gaya ng ginagawa niya. The stars were out tonight, just not as bright as what I saw in Baskerville. Wala kasing ilaw sa Baskerville kaya makikita lang ang mga bituin doon. Now, that I've thought about it, if I disregard the bad memories, Baskerville is actually a peaceful and wonderful place.

Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko na hindi na ulit ako babalik doon. Once this shit is over, I'll face Baskerville again, when I have already accepted that it is the place where my mother and Miss Erin died, and where I almost lost Forseti.

"We were all awake, you know?" kinausap ako ni Killy. Hindi ko siya naintindihan kaya hindi ko siya nilingon at tinanong. Ramdam ko na may sasabihin pa siya.

"When you sang on the bus.." sabi niya. Malakas akong napasinghap at tinakpan ang mukha ko.

"You were there?" nahihiya kong tanong sa kaniya. And the others were awake too?! Bakit walang nagreklamo! Mga traydor!

"Only I have the guts to tell you what all of us have been thinking by that moment." seryoso niya pa ring sabi. Anong iniisip nila? Na pangit ang boses ko! At siya lang ang may kayang sabihin sa akin 'yan? Hindi talaga ako confident at hindi sila ang kinakantahan ko!

"Susuntukin kita kapag sinabi mong pangit ang boses ko." pagbabanta ko sa kaniya. He raised his head and looked at me with a questioning face.

"It was beautiful.." sabi niya sa akin.

"W-What?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

"Hindi ikaw, ha." pahabol niya.

"Tangina mo." minura ko siya kaya napatawa siya. He threw his head back and faced the stars again. Dahil parang interesado talaga siya sa langit ay napatingin na ulit ako.

"Everyone was thinking about their own survival and there you are, singing a song about how survival is nothing without the person you love." sabi niya.

"All of us felt ashamed." halos pabulong niyan wika.

"I never meant to—" hindi natapos ang sinasabi ko.

"Kaya mas lalo kaming nahiya sa'yo. You've never intended to be selfless. I saw you saved the girl who got stabbed and gave her blood, you went for the people left inside the airport while we warmed our butts on the bus. I've never felt this useless in my whole life!" sabi niya at tumawa. Parang baliw. Hindi ako nagsalita at nakinig na lamang sa mga pinagsasabi niya.

"Forseti is so lucky to have you.." sumeryoso na siya. He has me but I don't have him. At suwerte ba siya kung hinahabol-habol ko lang siya kung saan saan?

"Why does he get to have all the fine girls?" tanong niya.

"You don't need a fine girl, Killy. She just have to be the one you love." sabi ko sa kaniya.