PROLOGUE
RUN.
She obliged.
No looking back, ignoring all the gun shots.
Notminding the cold rain, the thunder, and the lightnings that surround her, asif, if she will look back, she will be dragged back to that place, with nomeans of any escape and die alone. Ayaw niya mang makumpara, pero iniisip niyana kung hindi na siya makatatakas ulit, mamamatay siya.
Ayaw niya 'non. Even at this point, even at this kind of danger, that she's alone, close to collapsing amidst the dark, cold and rain, iniisip niya na kapag namatay siya, maiiwan si Bryson. Masasaktan, walang dadamay sa binata. She still has a lot of things to expect in the future. Her plans with him. Everything.
At hindi niya pwedeng iwanan si Macey. Kapag nawala siya, wala nang dahilan si Macey na lumayo sa pamilya. She might be one of her family, merciless. Hindi niya pwedeng iwan si Arrow. Kapag maingay si Bryson at Macey, at busy, walang kakausap kay Arrow. Wala nang magiging kasundo, at kung magkakasakit ang dalawa, walang katulong si Arrow.
They need her. She needs to escape because she has to be with her friends.
Holding that thought, it somehow gaze her strength, and continued running. Wala siyang ibang makita. Masyadong madilim, pero naaninag niya ang daan sa tulong ng maliit na liwanag ng buwan. Tall grass, huge trees, asphalted empty road. It seems endless like even she will run 'til day light, it will not be enough.
She's in a deserted place.
But then, it didn't stopped her from running away from that place. Sinunod niya ang sinabi ng babae sa kaniya. Ang nagligtas, at kahit gustuhin man ay hindi niya makikilala. She turned right, and ran. Ang sabi nito ay may sasalubong sa kaniya.
She will not give up. She shouldn't be. May magliligtas sa kaniya. May mag-uuwi sa kaniya.
Then... in a blink of an eye, from a far, even with a blurry vision, she was still able to get a sight of it. A head light. A cars head light!
Someone's coming!
Sa nakita, mas binilisan niya ang takbo kahit halos mapaluhod na siya sa panghihina at pagod. Pakiramdam niya, hindi pa malayo ang naitakbo niya simula kanina. Her body feels heavy, and weak all over. Maybe, it's the adrenaline—her adrenaline rush making her run, making her endure...and the thought of going home to her friends...
Maybe, that is.
Paulit-ulit siyang kumurap.
A joltof pain...penetrated her. Hindi na niya mapigilan na umalpas ang maliit na sigawsa bibig. Blood. She's seeing blood all over. Her hands travelled on it. Ngayon ay nasa palad na niya. Humahalo sa bawat patak ng ulan...
And even before the car could reach her, her vision started to black out, and the sound of the rain leaving her ears... and she's feeling numb...
AND SHE WOKE UP.
"Saan ka p-pupunta..." Hindi niya halos makilala ang boses niya. She didn't mind the rain. Ang nasa harapan niya ngayon ay si Bryson, papalabas ng bahay nang maabutan. Dala ang maleta at nakapang-alis. Like her, he didn't mind the rain...
Pero wala ang alin man 'don...
Ang tingin nito sa kaniya ay blanko. No any evident worry. No emotion. No anything...he was just staring at her.
"B-bryson..." she reached for his hand but even before she could, he took a step back, and dodged her hand away.
Hindi siya makapagsalita. Ang mga mata niya ay nagtatanong. Hindi niya alam kung bakit...kung ano ang nangyari. Alam niyang hindi sila okay nang isang buong lingo...pero alam niya...na kahit ganoon, kung makikita siya ni Bryson sa ganito...at malalaman nito ang pagkawala...ang naranasan niya...o kahit hindi pa...
Hinding-hindi magiging ganito ang reaksyon ni Bryson. Hindi ganitong tingin...
Napalunok siya at akmang hahawakan muli ang kamay ng kasinatahan nang magsalita ito na nakapag-patigil sa kaniya.
"Let's break up."
***
BINABASA MO ANG
The Unseen Trial [Ace Lucifer's Series Three] ON GOING
General FictionNot every trials can be seen. Not every hardships is being noticed. Sometimes, there is always an Unseen Trial that no one notices.