Running Through The Waves (Isla Vagues Series #1) - COMPLETED

Kabanata 24

Kabanata 24:
Alive

I was so close to reaching Kairus' hand, and yet he suddenly faded when an inaudible voice echoed in my ears. I just felt something hard pumping my chest, making my frozen heart start to beat.

"Fuck! Breathe! C'mon!" I heard a muffled voice begging. My mind became blank again. The veins in my body became warm as blood started to flow all over my body. The suffocation of water in my throat had faded.

"Breathe!" The sound is getting inside my ears. I don't know if it's because of the water I'm imagining things. Is it Kairus' voice? Where is he? Bakit wala akong makita kundi kadiliman lang? Hindi rin ako makagalaw. Ang bigat-bigat ng katawan ko.

The pumping on my chest continues. It feels hard and calloused, like what Kairus' hands feel.

"No! Hindi puwede!" The frustration in the voice was so evident it made me shudder. I just felt something soft brush on my lips.

Naramdaman ko na lang ang unti-unting pagpasok ng hangin sa dibdib ko. Nanikip itokasabay ng pag-alon ng tubig sa tiyan. Sa isang iglap ay napaahon ako nang may maramdamang umangat sa dibdib patungo sa lalamunan. I shut my eyes as I cough water.

"Yes! Open your eyes for me, Kayeziel!" Mas naging klaro ngayon ang hindi pamilyar na tinig sa akin. Patuloy ako sa pag-ubo ng tubig hanggang sa wala nang lumalabas. Nagtaas-baba ang dibdib ko sa paghabol ng hininga.

A cold breeze of air swept across my face. Naaninagan ko ang kaunting liwanag sa paligid. I don't know what's happening. Am I still drowning? Is this the afterlife, but why does it feel like I'm still breathing?

Hindi ko alam, pero mabigat ang dibdib ko sa pagkabigo. Nawala si Kairus at kahit anong pilit kong idilat ang mga mata ay hindi ko na siya muling nasilayan. I gasped as the darkness shut all my thoughts.

My eyelids felt so heavy as I tried to open my eyes. I let out a whimper when I struggled to swallow. My throat felt so sore. Ang bigat din ng ulo ko na para bang may kung anong nakadagan doon. My breath is stable now. Malabo sa paghihirap kong lumanghap ng hangin kanina.

Malabo ang paningin ko sa unang subok ng dilat. I tried to lift my hand to rub it, but I felt so weak. Kaya ilang beses ko na lang itong kinurap hanggang sa lumiwanag ang paningin. Bumungad sa akin ang puting kisame.

I narrowed my eyes as I slowly moved it downward. Unti-unti ring lumiwanag ang pandinig ko nang narinig ko ang mahinang pintig mula sa gilid ko. I looked at it, and I noticed the heartbeat machine. May aparato rin sa gilid ko at doon ko napagtanto na ang kaluwagan ng paghinga ay dahil sa oxygen na nakakabit sa ilong ko.

My eyes widened in realization.

Am I in the hospital? Paano ako napunta rito? There's even an IV Fluid that was attached to my wrist. The pain when I tried to remove it felt so real, so this is not a hallucination.

Umiling-iling ako.

Wala akong matandaan bago ako muling mawalan ng malay kundi ang hindi klarong tinig at ang paglanghap ko muli ng hangin.

Shit!

Did I fail? Nahuli ako nila Lyndon? Nakaligtas ako sa paglunod?

"Mabuti at gising ka na." I flinched at the sudden voice beside me. Mabilis akong napalingon sa pinanggalingan ng tinig at naningkit ang mga mata ko nang masilayan ang hindi pamilyar na lalaki. Tumayo siya mula sa sofa.

My lips quivered at his serious gaze. He crossed his arms, and the veins in his arms protruded. The first thing I noticed was his black clothes. It looked like a sort of uniform based on the design of it. I don't know if he was one of my family or Lyndon's men. Because they usually wear black too. Ang kaibahan lang sa lalaking ito ay... mas pormal ang suot niya at tila pang-propesyonal sa larangan ng seguridad.