The Nation's Outcry

Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Until Afterlife
Zanashi

A week after the president has been caught, the riot and war suddenly stopped. Ilang linggo pang nanatili ang mga sundalo sa lugar na iyon dahil baka nga hindi pa pala sila tumigil pero talagang wala na. Tahimik akong nagpapasalamat nang dahil doon dahil kung tumagal pa ito, sasabak na si Denver sa giyera.

Noong sinabi niya ito sa akin, inaamin kong natakot ako pero muli kong pinaalalahanan ang sarili kong para ito sa taong bayan. May tiwala ako kay Denver at alam kong ligtas siyang uuwi. Gayunpaman, ang kaba at takot ay nanatili pa rin sa sistema ko. Kaya talagang tila nabunutan ako ng tinik nang maibalitang umatras na sa giyera ang AFFO.

Matindi ang pinsala sa lugar na iniwan ng giyera. Ang mga taong biktima nito'y humihingi ng tulong. Marami naman ang nagbigay tulong sa kanila mula sa iba't ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas. Sa loob ng isang buwan, tila hindi pa nakakaahon ng konti ang mga biktima ng gulo at naiintindihan ko sila. Aabutin ng ilang siglo bago nila ito tuluyang maiintindihan o baka nga.. kailanman ay hindi nila ito maiintindihan. 

Two months later, Denver has proposed to me.

I cried the whole night after his proposal, can't believe what was happening and can't believe that he's actually really serious about me. Akala ko noong una, bumibitaw lang siya ng mga salitang hindi naman niya maisasagawa, pero inaamin kong umaasa pa rin ako rito.

I've seen my friends back in college cry because of broken promises. They were fed of great words that eventually left their mouth hanging and that served as my warning towards Denver's promises. That's why I tried to distance myself to him.

What Faiqa said has enlightened me as well. Her beauty is for husband only and she is for her husband only, she said. So I thought that it would definitely be unfair for my future husband if someone has actually enjoyed touching my body and kissing me when it was supposed to be his only. Because yeah, after all, my purity is my greatest gift to him, and so my beauty.

To say that I was shock was an understatement. Hindi pa nag-iisang taon mula nang magkakilala kami, marami pang bagay ang hindi namin alam sa isa't isa, at kahit hindi namin sabihin sa isa't isa, maraming hadlang sa pagsasamahan namin.

Ang namumuno sa grupong tinutugis ng mga sundalo ay ang tatay ko. Isa sa nangunguna sa pagtugis sa AFFO si Denver. Pinatay ng tatay ko ang kapatid ni Denver sa hindi makataong paraan. Kitang-kita ko kung paano mamatay si Kysler sa harap ko dahil binaril siya ni Denver. Ang daming hadlang at ang daming lamat sa pagsasamahan namin. Gayunpaman, pinili pa rin naming makasama ang isa't isa at ayusin ang lamat na mayroon kami nang magkasama.

It was one ordinary and peaceful night when he did it. Billions of stars were shining over the sky, the moon was slightly peeking behind the thick and shaggy leaves of a large tree in front of us, and the cold wind was seeping through our body.

Niyakap ko ang jacket na nakapatong sa pantulog kong damit. Balot na balot ako dahil sa lamig na dala ng hangin pero siya'y nakasuot lang ng tee shirt tulad ng lagi niyang sinusuot kapag natutulog. Talaga ngang matibay siya sa lamig, huh?

I raised my brow when I saw him looking up at the sky, seriousness was etched all over his face, his adam's apple was moving every now and then, and my favorite dog tag of him is still shining against his chest, unintentionally completing his intimidating image as a captain.

"Do you know kite-flying is my favorite thing to do?" nakangiti kong tanong.

Mula sa kanya ay itinuon ko ang tingin ko sa saranggolang pinapalipad niya. He tied a small light around the wooden dowels of that kite that's why even it's already dark, we could still see it from here.