Glory and Gore (Completed)

Chapter 10

TEN
Blair

Tumakbo kami nang tumakbo ni Celaena hanggang sa hindi na namin alam kung nasaang parte na kami ng gubat. We ran as fast as we could without direction, only the scream of that girl.
I kept looking at our backs to make sure that no one was following us.
Scream again, I said under my breath.
Hanggang sa muli siyang sumigaw. This time, malapit na iyon sa puwesto namin. "Please, help! Anybody!"
Celaena didn't wait for me and quickly ran towards the source of the voice. I ran after her.
Hidden behind the bushes, I could make out a figure. A girl was sitting on the wet earth—it was Evangelyn. Pero hindi siya mag-isa. There was a body lying beside her. Lumapit ako sa puwesto niya. Nasa tabi ko si Celaena na nakatakip ang palad sa bibig.
Nakaupo siya sa basang lupa at madumi ang suot niyang uniform. Wala na ang puffer jacket niya na suot niya kanina. Her auburn hair was a mess. And she was crying hysterically. Nagtaas siya ng tingin.
"Oh, my God, finally," aniya na nangingilid ang luha sa kanyang pisngi.
Celaena was the one to crouch beside her. Hinawakan niya ang magkabilang braso ni Evangelyn. "What happened?" she asked.
May kaunting ambon pero binalewala namin iyon ni Celaena dahil... kailangan naming tulungan ang kaklase namin. Nakaramdam ako ng kaunting pagkadismaya na si Evangelyn ang sumigaw. I didn't know why. Part of me hoped that it was someone worth saving. I pushed that thought aside.
Hindi makapagsalita ng maayos si Evangelyn. She couldn't stop crying.
"Evangelyn, tell us," puno ng awtoridad ang boses ko. Hindi ko hinayaang maapektuhan ang sistema ko sa pag-alis nila kagabi sa gubat.
"K-kasi..." huminga siya nang malalim. Tinulungan siyang tumayo ni Celaena. "W-we ran... th-then those... men in fucking cloaks..." at nagsimula ulit siyang umiyak.
"What did they do?" Celaena gently touched her shoulder.
Nanginginig ang kamay na itinuro ni Evangelyn ang nakahandusay na katawan sa lupa. "Th-they... killed her!" she exclaimed, eyes full of rage and fear.
Bahagya akong lumuhod para tignan ang katawan. Gamit ang natitirang lakas sa katawan ko, I turned the body over. Halos manlumo ako nang makita ko ang pamilyar na mukha niya. It was Stacey's.  Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. I shook my head, hindi naniniwala sa nakikita ko ngayon.
"No, this isn't happening..." I could feel my chest constricting.
"Yes, it did, you fool! Hindi mo ba nakikita? She's... dead!" bulyaw ni Evangelyn.
"Stop it!" nilapitan ako ni Celaena. "Blair, please..." her lips were quivering. But still, she wasn't showing her fear. Siya lang ang mukhang matino sa aming tatlo. Pinipigilan niya ang sariling umiyak. "Kailangan na..." bumuga siya ng hangin, "...nating umalis dito."
Alam ko kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin. And she was right. Baka maabutan kami ng mga nilalang na iyon. I saw something odd on Stacey's neck. It was tainted by delicate purple veins that crept up to her jaw—the same mark as Bridget's.
Mahigpit kong hinawakan ang braso ni Evangelyn. "Where are your friends?" nagulat siya sa ginawa ko
"'You mean Bridget and Eyrene?" she asked.
Tumango ako. She glanced sideways, like searching or looking for something—or maybe someone. Something's bothering her.
"E-Eyrene left us," sabi niya, bumalik ang tingin sa lupa. "W-we had to leave Bridget behind. Nang mawala bigla si Stacey while we're running, ako lang ang humanap sa kanya. I-I thought they were both at my back. Pero wala na sila. Th-then... nakita ko ang mga naka-cloak. They were were walking away from this very spot where I found Stacey's body. I hid myself bago ko siya nilapitan. And that happened," she pointed at the body of one of her friends. "Those filthy creatures."
"Okay," ang tanging nasabi ko. Humugot ako ng hangin, sinusubukang pakalmahin ang sarili ko.
Tiningnan ko si Celaena na nakaluhod sa lupa and staring at Stacey's body. "Celaena," tawag ko sa kanya.
Lumingon siya. Pinunasan niya ang basa niyang pisngi. "Let's go?"
Tumango ako. My guess was right... there was something about them. Pero bakit nila iyon ginagawa—ang patayin kami? What's their reason?
Celaena stood up, brushing dirt off her clothes. Bago ako sumunod sa kanila, mabilis kong pinasadahan ng tingin ang bawat puno kung mayroong pigura na sumusunod sa amin. Pero tanging ang mga puno lang ang nakita ko. My ears became sharper and my mind paranoid, every snap of a twig was a predator, even if it was just some animal.
Isang bagay lang ang dapat naming panghawakan ngayon; we have to stay alive. Ito lang ang tanging paraan para manatili kaming buhay—ang tumakbo nang tumakbo.
And soon the darkness will take over this forest, leaving us helpless and in fear—just like a prey.