Glory and Gore (Completed)

Chapter 20

TWENTY
Blair

It was the same dream. Nasa ilalim ako ng tubig. I didn't even know how I got here in the first place. Everywhere I turned, all I could see was nothingness—void.

I'd never been scared of being alone until now. Sinubukan kong sumigaw pero tanging mga bula lang ang lumabas mula sa bibig ko. Tumingin ako sa itaas, still the same.

​Can someone please help me? I wanted to shout. But I couldn't.

​I felt so hopeless. I already knew that no one would come and save me...

I remembered a loud noise from somewhere before I closed my eyes. Saan nanggaling iyon?

I woke up suddenly, every thought in high definition, when I felt someone shaking my shoulder. My eyes took in every ray of light and everything was blurred—but it was better than blackness.

It took me a minute for my vision to adjust. I heard Celaena's voice. "Wake up, Blair!" pero masyado iyong mahina, like it was being stifled by something. "Blair!"

​The voice slowly turned into a deep tone—a guy's voice. There was a figure sitting beside me—Jem.

​"Blair!" muli niyang niyugyog ang balikat ko. Saglit kong inilibot ang paningin ko. There was white fume everywhere I looked. It had blanketed most of our surrounding.

​"Blair, kailangan na nating umalis. Kaya mo bang tumayo?" ani Jem, bakas sa mukha niya ang takot. Wala sa loob na tumango ako. "Then let's go. We have to get out of here." He hastily glanced sideways.

​Tinulungan niya akong tumayo. When I stood up, the world began spinning again. My head hurt like hell. Napahawak ako sa aking sentido. I could feel my chest constricting. I was trying hard to keep my breathing steady. "T-teka lang, Jem..."

​Nakakaunawang tumango siya sa akin. Naroon pa rin takot sa mga mata niya. Pinaikot niya ang kanyang braso sa balikat ko, maingat akong inaalalayan.

I could barely walk. Masyado lang akong nahihilo kaya hindi ako makapaglakad nang maayos.

​Jem started walking and I grab onto his arm. Bethany... where is she?

Napahigpit ang hawak ko roon, na tila ba iyon na lang ang tanging bagay na makakapagpanatili sa akin ng nakatayo.

The explosion of something... she mouthed some words to me... bigla ay naalala ko.

​"Where's Bethany?" I asked him.

​He averted my eyes and looked down. Patuloy pa rin siya sa paglalakad. Napalunok ako. No... it can't be... There was a lump starting to form in my throat. Nagbabadya na ring bumagsak ang mga luha sa aking mga mata. The movements of his eyes were familiar—something bad happened.

​"Sh-she's..." huminga siya nang malalim bago nagpatuloy. "She's gone, Blair."

​Naramdaman ko ang parang bloke ng yelo na bumagsak sa dibdib ko. The feeling was familiar... like something broke inside of me. Noon bumagsak ang mga luha ko. Umiiling-iling na bumaling ako sa kanya.

Bigla kong naalala ang lahat—before everything went black. She said something to me. Ngayon, parang alam ko na kung ano ang sinabi niya. Be safe, Blair. Tinanggal ko ang braso ko sa balikat ni Jem at bumagsak sa lupa. Hindi ko na mapigilan ang mga luhang patuloy na umaalpas sa pisngi ko.