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Chapter 43: Awaited Duel

/43/
Awaited Duel

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THE HEARTBREAKING memories of the past shifts into a dark, velvet room.

It was in a moment of solitude lit only by a single candlestand pushed back to the corner of the chamber. Grandious and large was the entirety of the space and in the middle of it all stood a lovely canopy with the softest mattress.

Tahimik ang paligid at nakikita ko si papa at si Winthrop na nakahiga sa kamang ito — but they were anything far from intimate.

Instead of a loving arm wrapped around her waist, my father had its back turned to his wife, at ganoon rin si Winthrop. Ni hindi nga magkadikit ang kanilang mga likod; sobrang iba sa usual na asta ng mga mag-asawa.

Habang mahimbing na natutulog si papa sa kaniyang gawi sa kama, Winthrop was trying her best not to make any noise as she cried herself to sleep.

Malalalim ang mga hinga at hikbi nito, kaya naman pilit niyang ikinokontrol ang kaniyang balikat na hindi masyadong gumalaw habang umiiyak; for she knows that letting my father see her like this will only make matters worse.

So silently, she cried her heart away, the tears staining the bedsheets which made her pillow damp.

My heart crumbled for her.

At this point in life, I can tell that she just wanted someone who would be with her throughout the troubles and heartbreaks — isang tao na dadamayan siya sa kaniyang mga problema. All this time she just wanted someone who would listen to her, lend a shoulder for her to cry on, someone who would momentarily give their wings just in case hers are broken.

Gusto lang niya ng taong mamahalin siya kahit ano man ang mangyari.

But life never gave her that satisfaction.

Instead, she was made to mourn alone in the depths of the night when no is around to see her at her weakest — mourning both for her deceased mother, and the love that her husband can never give to her.

Just as I cruciatingly watched Winthrop silently weep for herself, bigla naman akong nakaramdam ng parang mga kaluskos sa kadiliman na hindi ko mapaliwanag.

The surroundings were quiet aside from Winthrop's short, heavy, breaths; but I felt as if something was happening in the background. Hindi ko nga lang masabi kung ano 'yon.

"Sky!" A hushed whisper suddenly came across the room and my eyes widened in surprise. I immediately whirled around the room, readying my stance.

"Skylar!" The voice was louder now, and it came in various echoes and layers as if it weren't just one person calling out to me.

"Who's there?" I called out in a hushed, calculated voice, my eyebrows furrowing at the prospect of it.

"SKYLAR!!" The voices screamed in chorus — they were plentiful now.

Unti-unti na akong nahihilo sa karamihan ng mga sumisigaw na ito, visibly overwhelmed by the voices and wondering who in the world was calling out for me in this darkness.

Just as I was beginning to feel faint and nauseous with the audible inundation, a familiar voice screamed out.

"ELOISE!"

And then I knew.

With a gasp, I screamed out as loud as I can — overpowering the voices in my head and tightly shutting my eyes until I can see nothing but bloodshot red.