Glory and Gore (Completed)

Chapter 43

ACT 43: Round Two (Part 2)

While You Were Sleeping

BLAIR

Naramdaman ko ang marahang patak ng tubig sa pisngi ko at nagmulat ako. I was in a forest. Pero pamilyar ang kagubatan na bumabalot sa paligid ko. This was where my classmates and I hid before we were taken here in the arena. Pakiramdam ko sa bawat paglipas ng segundo ay bumababa ang temperatura ng paligid. Nang lumingon ako sa kanan, naroon ang warehouse—our temporary shelter. Ganoon pa rin iyon, walang nagbago.

Biglang bumukas ang pintuan niyon. Isa-isang lumabas ang mga kaklase ko. Natutop ko ang bibig ko nang makita kong lumabas mula roon si Celaena. Sumunod sila Maru, Evangelyn, Jem, Kaleon, Bethany at ang iba ko pang kaklase. I was shocked to see all of them. Nasa panaginip na ba ako?

I blinked several times to make sure I was inside my dream. But it felt real. Nararamdaman ko ang temperatura ng paligid, malinaw ko silang nakikita. Ipinilig ko ang ulo ko.

Si Celaena ang unang lumapit sa 'kin. Yumukod siya sa tabi ko. "So, you're alive, huh?" she scoffed.

Hindi ko na napigilan ang pangingilid ng luha ko. Hinayaan ko iyong bumagsak. Kahit na nasa panaginip lang ako, she felt so real. I touched her cheek. "C-Celaena..." nangangatal na sambit ko.

Marahas niyang pinalis ang kamay ko sa pisngi niya. "Don't fucking touch me, Blair," singhal niya. "Hinayaan mo ako roon. You left me there in the cabin to die! You saved yourself, you selfish bitch!"

Sinubukan kong abutin ang kamay niya pero mabilis niya iyong inilayo sa 'kin. "I-I'm sorry, Celaena. I—"

She pushed me hard on the ground. "I don't need your sorry," Celaena whispered to my ear. Naramdaman ko na lang ang pagbaon ng punyal sa tiyan ko. Napasinghap ako sa lalim ng pagkakabaon n'on. I dropped my head on the ground, the gentle raindrops falling on my face. I felt the hot liquid escaping from my stomach. Naramdaman ko ang matinding sakit na nagmumula roon.

Marahas iyong hinugot ni Celaena at tumayo. "You should've been the one who died, Blair. Hindi dapat ako ang namatay. Ikaw na lang dapat ang namatay!"

Madiin akong napahawak sa pinagbaunan ng punyal. Patuloy sa pag-agos ang dugo mula roon. When I looked up at them, they were all smiling. Kumapit si Celaena sa braso ni Evangelyn.

"S-she betrayed us, Celaena! Get a-away from h-her!" I shouted, blood coming out of my mouth.

Sinubukan kong tumayo. Si Maru naman ang lumapit sa 'kin. He helped me stand up. I tightly clutched the wound on my stomach.

"Are you okay?" malambing ang tono ng boses niya.

"M-Maru, I'm sorry," inabot ko ang kamay niya. "I-I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to save you—"

Nawala ang ngiti sa labi niya. "Forget it, Blair. And forget I ever kissed you. Forget it ever happened. You're nothing to me. I only said those words kasi nakakaawa ka. I pity you, Miss President," he said, his voice dangerous.

Inilabas niya ang patalim sa bulsa niya. "Run, Blair," Maru told me. "I said run!" he shouted.

Napakislot ako sa lakas ng boses niya. Nag-aalangan akong tumingin muli sa kanilang lahat. Some of them were laughing at me. Nakita ko ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Celaena—it was pure hatred. Panaginip lang 'to, Blair. Panaginip lang 'to, I kept reminding myself. Dumako ang tingin ko kay Jem. Madilim ang tinging ipinukol niya sa 'kin. It all seemed real. Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko na hindi maniwalang panaginip lang 'to.

With my trembling hand clutching my open wound, I started to run. Distance was all that mattered, I told myself. I ran as fast as my feet could carry my body. My eyes were glued in front of me while the world passed in a blur of green and brown colors. Nang lumingon ako sa likod ko, hinahabol na nila ako. The dark expression on their faces were evident enough that if I ever stop, they would surely kill me.

Ibinalik ko ang tingin ko sa harap ko. I was right, this was the same forest that was our temporary shelter from the men in red cloaks for almost a month and a half. Muli akong tumingin sa likod ko pero hindi na ang mga kaklase ko ang humahabol sa 'kin. Running behind me were an army of hooded figures in red cloaks. Their cat-like masks enough to send shiver down my spine. Inaasahan ko na ang pagkamatay ko. Sa bawat pagtakbo ko, ganoon din kabilis na tumatagos ang dugo sa pagitan ng mga daliri ko.

I felt a gunshot on my shoulder. Napaungol ako sa sakit niyon. But I kept running.

When I looked behind me again, the army of hooded figures were no longer there. Napatigil ako sa pagtakbo. Si Mama at Noah na ang humahabol sa 'kin. They were calling my name.

"Blair, anak!"

"Ate, wait for us!"

Iniling ko ang ulo ko. This cannot be real.

Pero hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko na maging masaya na makita sila ulit—kahit na sa panaginip lang ito.

"Imagine that you are in a dream, and if you didn't survive the challenges given to you, this time, you won't be waking up. There will be no second try. In short, you'll be dead. Exciting, right?" Umalingawngaw sa isip ko ang pamilyar na boses ng babae sa speakers. Reminding me of the reason I was here.

Nang makalapit sa akin sila Mama, pumaloob ako sa yakap niya. I felt Noah hugging me by my stomach. Her warmth, it felt so familiar. Everything seemed so real. I started to sob against her shoulder.

"Everything's going to be okay, anak," marahan niyang hinimas ang likod ko.

I suddenly felt okay. Na parang ang lahat ng pinagdaanan ko ay kinapuntahan din. Muli kong nakita ang tanging pamilya ko—

"Ate, are you okay?" I heard Noah asked.

Naramdaman ko na lang ang pagbaon ng patalim sa dibdib ko. I gasped as the knife was thrusted deeper into my chest.

"Don't be a fucking fool, my sweet daughter," narinig kong bulong ni Mama.

"Sorry, ate," nakangiting saad ni Noah.

I looked at her eyes. There was no remorse there. Bumalik ang tingin sa 'kin ni Mama. "How does it feel, anak?" malambing ang tono na tanong niya. She sweetly smiled at me. Hindi 'yan ang Mama mo, Blair! sigaw ng isang bahagi ng isip ko.

I held my breath and pushed both of them away from me. Marahas kong hinugot ang patalim na nakabaon sa dibdib ko. I screamed at the pain. But I let my body feel it. This is not Mama. This is not my little brother, I told myself.

Marahas kong hinila ang kamay ni Mama at pinihit siya patalikod sa 'kin. Gamit ang patalim na hawak ko, pinadaan ko iyon sa kanyang leeg. I felt hot liquid trickled from her opened neck down to my hands. I threw her body on the ground.

That was not her, Blair, I reminded myself. I realized I was crying hard. Nilabas ni Noah ang patalim sa likod niya at sumugod sa 'kin. His small face had the same dark expression just like my classmates'. Hindi ito si Noah.

I pushed him on the ground and thrust the knife in his chest. He spouted blood as he coughed. I averted my eyes from him. Napaupo ako sa basang lupa ng kagubatan. I screamed with my whole body. My fists clenched with bloodied knuckles and the nails digging deeply into the palms of my hands.

"NOOO! NOOO! WHAT DID I DO?!" my voice echoed through the forest.

Napatitig ako sa madugo kong kamay. This was my mother and my little brother's blood. Iniling ko ang ulo ko. I knew when it started it would break me. Para akong isang babasaging bagay na unti-unti nang nababasag.

I had never felt so alone, so lost. Lahat ng mga nangyari ay bumalik sa akin. It all came back to me like a rush of river, overwhelming my senses. My insides were in a tight chaos. A mess.

I buried my face in my hands and continued to sob. Ibinagsak ko ang katawan ko sa lupa.