Freedom from Seduction (COMPLETED)

Kabanata 31

Proposition

The cry for help of people tamed me. Bawat hakbang namin ay may kaakibat na pagmamakaawa. I don't know why he brought me to this place. To see people's suffering and to slap the truth to my face? That I am having special treatment even though I had made horrible things?

Gusto kong itanong kung bakit siya napunta rito pero siguro ay sinasayang ko lang ang laway ko. The real question is why does the Inquierdo want him here? He could have anyone to be his reaper, why does it have to be Zeus? He was kind and pure.

Hindi ako matalino. I am not an achiever but I know this very well. Wren Vale didn't ask too much from me, in fact he was going easy on me. Doon palang ay dapat nagduda na ako. But here I am, caged because of what I had caused. I had let him won. I was too clouded by my grief that I didn't notice his plans.

Tumigil siya upang buksan ang isang pinto. Hindi naman ako humihingang sumunod sakanya. I admit that I am afraid right now. They could do anything to me and I won't have any say in it. And I would let him. After all that I had caused him, isn't it just fair for him to have me pay back?

Pumasok siya sa kwartong iyon at sinundan ko siya. Natigil lang iyon nang may humawak sa paa ko upang manghingi ng tulong habang hirap na hirap itong pilit na tumatayo. I didn't slap the dirty hands on my ankle. Instead, I sat down to face her. I gasped when I saw her face. She's still a kid! Tumingin naman ako sa katawan niya at halos hindi na makahinga nang makita ang mga pasa at sugat nito.

My hands trembled as I tried to get away out of fear. She was crying while trying to mutter 'help'. But then I was stopped with the realization that I am older than her. I should be protecting her, why am I so scared? I will end up like this anyway. Bakit hindi ko nalang ibuhos ang buhay ko sa pagtulong?

I closed my eyes to hold back my tears. I had cried enough and showing my weakness in this kind of situation won't help.

Slowly, I went closer to the girl and cupped her face lightly.

"W-what's your name?" I asked.

Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at me. Tila nagsusumbong iyon nang biglang nawalan ng buhay ang kanyang mga mata. It was immediate and fast that I didn't know what to do when she suddenly strangled me.

I tried to push her away but she just won't budge. Isang malaking kamay ang naramdaman ko sa aking likod bago tuluyang mawala ang pagkakasakal sa akin ng bata. I breathed in and out aggressively as I tried to catch my breath.

Nang makita ko ang kalagayan ng bata ay nanlaki ang mata ko. Shocked at how Zeus pushed the child without hesitation, I tried to walk towards the child.

Pero hindi ko iyon dapat ikinagulat. I saw him kill a man and the fact that I was also the one that caused him to be this ruthless, it shattered even the shattered bits of my heart.

"Venice." A low authoritative voice stopped me from walking.

Humarap ako sakanya, tuliro at hindi pa tama ang pag-iisip.

"S-she's just a kid..." I softly said, forgetting what the kid had done to me.

He smirked before pulling me out of my trance when he moved closer.

"That kid almost killed you." He said darklybut with an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

Umiwas ako ng tingin, hindi kayang pantayan ang mga titig niya.

"She's still a kid." I tried to reason out.

Tumingin ako muli sa bata at akmang titignan ang kalagayan nito nang hindi na siya umimik. Suddenly, he grabbed me by the arm and pushed me to the room. Nakatingin pa rin ako sa nakahandusay na bata hanggang sa isara niya ito. I bowed a bit to stop myself from screaming. I want to help the kid. For sure, she wasn't like that before! Dahil pati ako, pati ako ay alam kong nag-iba dahil sa mga pangyayari at realisasyong naganap. She probably doesn't even deserve this world! She's just a victim of the world's mischief. A girl as young as her couldn't possibly create a sin as huge as mine. They took her innocence away from her, that I am sure of!