Glory and Gore (Completed)

Chapter 9

NINE
Blair

I was a freshman at Ellis University. I had no friends there, kaya naman every lunch or break, I'd eat inside the girls' restroom. Tahimik dito at walang manggugulo sa akin.
Tahimik akong nakaupo sa loob ng cubicle nang marinig ko bigla ang pagbukas ng pinto ng restroom. I heard the clicking of heels and familiar voices just outside of my door.
"Have you seen the transferee yet?" boses iyon ni Evangelyn. She had been my classmate back then. Siya rin ang Class President that time.
Tumigil ako sa pagnguya sa burger na hawak ko.
"She's quiet, 'yon 'yong napansin ko," komento ng babae, her voice was not familiar. "But I heard na galing siya sa country side? Like province, gano'n?"
Narinig ko ang mahinang pagtawa ni Evangelyn. "Yeah, tama ka. Nanggaling na rin sa kanya 'yon. But the things is," aniya at narinig ko ang pagbukas ng zipper ng bag. "She doesn't know that we're the queens of this university. Shouldn't we suppose to let her know? Para hindi um-attitude."
Some girl giggled. "You should, Evangelyn. Nakita mo 'yong hindi niya pagsang-ayon kanina sa class meeting natin? That bitch should know her place."
"She really wants to get on your nerves that much, huh?"
Pagak na tumawa si Evangelyn. "Let's see. Maybe Blair Wadson wants to join our "lowly club."
"Teach her a lesson," saad ng isang babae.
Hindi sadyang nalaglag ang bottled water ko. It created a noise enough to make Evangelyn and her friends that someone was there inside the restroom. I could feel myself trembling. I should stand up and tell these girls that I didn't want anything to do with them.
Nag-echo ang paggulong ng bottled water palabas ng cubicle ko.
"Who's there?" si Evangelyn.
Hindi ako nakapagsalita. I heard their footsteps coming near my cubicle. "Buksan mo 'to," she commanded.
Huminga ako nang malalim bago ko iyon binuksan. Evangelyn and two girls were standing in front of me. For a few seconds, we just stared at each other.
"So, dito ka pala kumakain, transferee?" ani Evangelyn. Tumawa ang dalawang babaeng kasama niya. "Lumabas ka rito. Let's talk."
Nanatili akong nakatingin lang sa kanila. Tumaas ang sulok ng labi ni Evangelyn. "Should I repeat myself?"
Nang hindi ulit ako sumagot, marahas niyang hinila ang buhok ko. Kinaladkad niya ako palabas ng cubicle.
"If I ask you to do something, gagawin mo iyon sa ayaw at sa gusto mo," sabi niya, malapit ang mukha niya sa akin.
Naramdaman ko ang sakit sa anit ko. I should fight back but I couldn't bring myself to do it.
"I heard na patay na ang papa mo," she whispered. Muling tumawa ang dalawang babae na nasa likod niya. "Hold her hands, Christie, Rose. I'm going to teach this bitch a lesson."
Marahas na hinawakan ng dalawa ang magkabila kong kamay. I was kneeling in front of Evangelyn. Kinuha niya ang trash bin ng restroom.
"This is for disagreeing with what I said sa meeting kanina," nakangiting saad niya at binuhos sa 'kin ang laman ng bin.
Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. I cried.
Then I heard the door of the restroom opened. Hindi ko makita kung sino iyon kasi nasa opposite side ako nakaharap.
"Stop this, Evangelyn. Ire-report kita sa faculty," another unfamiliar voice.
Tumatak sa mukha ni Evangelyn ang takot. Binagsak niya ang bin sa sahig. "Let's go," aniya sa dalawang babae.
Marahas nila akong binitawan. For a few moments, I just stayed there. Noon ko nakilala si Evangelyn. She was still wearing glasses back then. Nilapitan niya ako at inalis ang mga duming sumabit sa buhok at uniporme ko.
"I'm sorry this happened to you. Don't worry, ire-report ko sila sa faculty," sabi niya at tinulungan akong tumayo. "Blair, right?"
Nagtatakang napatingin ako sa kanya. Using the back of my hands, I wiped my wet cheeks.
She smiled at me. "Your name is Blair, 'di ba?"
Tumango lang ako. Kinuha niya ang isa kong kamay at hinawakan iyon. "I'm Celaena. President ng School Council."
"So much for my first week, huh?" natatawang saad ko.
"Let's get you cleaned up. May shower sa baba lang nitong floor. I'll also get you a fresh set of uniforms."
That's how it all started. From then on, we became friends and eventually through the years, became best friends.

I could feel myself trembling—both in fear and cold. It was almost a familiar feeling. Tila naging tubig ang mga buto sa tuhod ko at hindi ko iyon maigalaw. I could feel sweat crawling down my face. At ang tibok ng puso ko, halos marinig ko na iyon. They took their time searching for any sign of movements nearby.
We remained hidden behind the thickness of the tree. My heart throbbing in fear as I grasped Celaena's hand.
Nahihirapan akong huminga. Each second seemed to last an eternity as I sat perfectly still, listening to their footsteps, determined not to make a sound or movement. Nakita ko ang mabilis na pagtulo ng mga luha ni Celaena, one after another. She was trying her best not to blink, na parang ayaw niyang hindi makita ang mga susunod na mangyayari. I forced a smile to make her feel better, but I knew it wouldn't. Walang makapagpapagaan ng loob namin ngayon.
Ilang segundo pa bago namin narinig ang mga papalayong yabag ng mga bota sa basang lupa. Hinintay ko muna ang ilan pang segundo bago ako pinakawalan ang kanina ko pa hinihigit na hininga.
"Oh, God," habol ang hiningang sabi ko.
Pinunasan ni Celaena ang pisngi niya, nagmarka ang maduming lupa roon. Nagulat ako nang mahina siyang tumawa. "Really, really close."
Then I remembered Janice's scream, stifled by something—or maybe someone. Bahagya akong tumayo at tumingin sa likod ng puno, kung saan naroon ang bus namin. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makitang isa-isang pumasok ang mga lalaking naka-cloak sa bintanang kanina lang ay pinaglabasan namin. The way they move was... as if they weren't moving at all. Calculated hand movements.
Dahil medyo maliwanag na ang paligid, nagawa kong matandaan ang details ng robang suot nila. Their robes bore the same pin Mrs Chua had given me—the encircled eye. What does that mean?
"Pumapasok sila sa bus," I informed Celaena. My stomach twisted in a knot.
"Ha?" Celaena placeed a hand on my shoulder. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang tinitingnan ko. "A-anong... gagawin natin?"
Tila ba hindi gumagana ang utak ko. There were lots of plan inside my head; like going after them and fight our way in to save our classmates. Pero alam kong... buhay rin namin ang nakataya roon. And we wouldn't stand a chance against them.
I stifled the part of me that wanted to go after them. We both knew that there's only one thing they could do to them—kill them.
But why?
"I don't know," tugon ko kay Celaena.
I felt my own breath, warm against my cold cheeks.
Nagpa-panic na siya and so was I. "Then... we have to think..." bumalik siya sa pagkakaupo at umiling-iling. Alam kong pareho kami ng iniisip; to be heroes and just save them. As if it's that easy. But, are our lives worth risking to save theirs? That I don't know.
"God!" sinuntok niya ang tuhod niya. "Gusto ko silang tulungan... pero..." she started to sob quietly.
Lumapit ako sa kanya. Mahigpit ko siyang niayakap. Ipinatong niya ang ulo niya sa braso ko. "B-Blair... ano'ng gagawin natin? W-we should atleast... save them."
Napabuga ako ng hangin. "You know we can't, Celaena. Hindi natin... alam kung ano ang gagawin sa atin ng mga nilalang na 'yon. Maybe..." nauutal na sabi ko, humahanap ng tamang salita.
"We can just talk to them. Baka naman rescue team sila—just dressed differently..." suhestiyon niya.
If this was just a normal day, I would laugh at what she's said. Pero hindi. Ang kailangan namin ay ang isa't isa ngayon.
"No, Celaena. Alam kong alam mo 'yon. They're not normal people like us. They're creatures capable of killing. Listen to me," I said. "Ano ang maaring dahilan kung bakit sila narito sa lugar kung saan bumagsak ang bus natin?"
I saw it in her eyes. She knew, she just didn't want to believe it. "P-paano ka naman nakasisiguro? At ano, uupo lang tayo and wait for them to do what they are about to do sa classmates natin? We're just going to let them do it? Hindi man lang ba natin susubukan silang iligtas—in any way we possibly can?"
Kanina lang, siya ang may gustong umiwan sa kanila—to save ourselves. And now, she's the one trying her best to save them? To come up with a plan?
"Celaena! Just stop saying things. We have to think this through. We can't just run there. Wala tayong armas. Ano ang gagamitin nating panlaban sa kanila?"
Umayos siya ng pagkakaupo. "S-sorry..." pinunasan niya ang basa niyang pisngi.
Namayani ang katahimikan sa pagitan namin. May mangilan-ngilang huni ng ibon sa paligid. But there's no wind. The sun seemed to hide itself when we badly needed its warmth.
"Tell your classmates that I'm sorry I couldn't do anything about it," Mrs Chua's voice echoed in my head. "Tell them I tried..."
Ito ba ang tinutukoy niya? Itong mga nilalang na ito? But my mind couldn't seem to stop asking why. I needed answers—we needed answers.
Suminghap siya kaya naman bumalik ang tingin ko sa kanya. "I-I can be a distraction," aniya. "Tatakbo ako sa kabilang bahagi nitong lugar na 'to at... at... magpapahabol sa kanila. And you... you will go there and save them."
Napakunot ang noo ko. "Celaena! Are you out of your mind—"
She quickly cut me off before I could even finish. "Please, just listen, Blair. This is a good idea. I'll be the bait and you'll save them." She smiled, a forced one. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin at gagawin ko; kung pipigilan ko ba siya o hahayaan.
"C-Celaena..." ginagap niya ang malamig kong kamay. "Y-you don't have to do it. You can't... we should just run—"
Isang nakabibinging sigaw ang umalingawngaw sa buong kagubatan. It was a girl's scream—a voice of someone I knew. Mabilis akong lumingon sa paligid, umaasang maririnig muli ang ingay. Sinubukan kong muling tumayo, listening closely around the forest.
Nabalot na ulit ng katahimikan ang buong paligid.
Please, shout again, I whispered to myself.
"Hindi lang ako ang nakarinig niyon, 'di ba?" nasa tabi ko na rin si Celaena. I could hear her harsh breathing. "We have to go there before those men in cloak does."
She nodded in acknowledgement. Before I was even aware of making a conscious decision, my legs were pounding furiously on the cold, wet earth, my ears straining for more sounds, more clues as to where it came from.
Hindi ko ininda ang sakit sa kaliwa kong binti. Mas nanaig ang determinasyon sa sistema ko. I had no clue as to what we would do when we get there, just that we had to get there, fast.
Sigurado akong kaklase namin siya. Or else, kung hindi man, bakit siya mapapadpad dito sa gubat? It was also a possibility. If I didn't save one, I could save the other, right? Parang milyon-milyong mga malalamig na kutsilyo ang hangin na humahampas sa mukha ko. Adrenaline ran through my veins, rapid as the wind; fight or flight, stand or run, be a hero or a coward.