32 | Pierce Through

HINDI AKO MAPAKALI.

The thought that our city—the whole Grand Ships, rather—was being attacked by those creatures. The thought of losing the place that I had known as my home since I was born, and people there whose lives were not guaranteed at this moment, makes my heart beat two times faster.

Nasa loob ako ng isang kwarto sa ikalawang palapag ng "bahay" ni Mr. Siarez. It's my first time reaching the actual "surface" of Grand Ship No. 1, which is also known as Amaterasu. It has always been one of my dreams to set foot here, but I was too worried to even look around. Ni hindi ko nga namalayan na nakarating na pala kami sa bahay ni Mr. Siarez.

I kept pacing back and forth while subconsciously biting my nails. Ako lang mag-isa rito ngayon sa kwarto dahil umalis si Mama para kausapin si Mr. Siarez. Actually, she was called by him and she had something to say to him kaya sumama siya kaagad.

When my legs felt tired, I finally stopped walking and stared at the closed window for a few seconds before I heaved out a deep sigh and bit my lower lip. Kinapa ko ang bulsa ko para sana kunin ang phone ko, pero natigil ako nang wala akong maramdamang kahit anong huhis parihaba sa magkabilang bulsa ng jacket na suot ko.

Right. I didn't bring it because I thought mabilis lang kami ni Zeig sa labas.

And speaking of Zeig... naiwan siya sa Grendan. Pati ang iba kong mga kaibigan ay nasa Grendan pa rin.

Bahagya akong napaigtad nang marinig ang pagpitik ng siradura ng pinto, hudyat na may nagbukas. Kaagad akong pumihit paharap sa pinto at napaawang ang mga labi ko nang makita ang taong hindi ko inaasahang makita ngayon.

“Aveyron—”

“Don't get me wrong,” putol niya kaagad sa pagsasalita ko. She stared at me coldly. “I am not here because I wanted to. I was asked to bring you to the dining.”

“Wala pa nga akong sinasabi.”

She just rolled her eyeballs and her brows furrowed to further show that she's annoyed. “Just get out and come with me already.”

Napakurap na lang ako. I've known her for a long time, and I've never seen her show this kind of emotion to us. She was always serious and wouldn't even smile at us. Hindi rin ako sigurado kung kaibigan ba talaga ang turing niya sa amin. I still haven't forgotten that she betrayed us, and I didn't know for how long she had been.

Nang lumakad na siya paalis, sumunod naman kaagad ako. I had to close the door before I jog a little to catch up with her speed. Tahimik lang kaming naglalakad, and hearing out uneven footsteps only adds to my restless mind who kept on thinking on asking Aveyron a lot of questions.

“Did you actually consider us as your friends, Ave?” I blurted out subconsciously and my eyes widened when I realized what I just said. “Since when have you been betraying us?”

Hindi niya ako sinagot, nagpatuloy lang siya sa paglalakad kaya, napasimangot na lang ako. What was I even thinking. Of course she wouldn't answer even if I ask her a million times.

“You know, Ave, I got angry when I found out you betrayed us but deep inside my heart, I want to forgive you because I thought you might have a valid reason. I mean, kahit hindi ka naman ganoon ka-open sa amin, being with you and observing you for months, nase-sense kong mabait ka namang tao at—”

“Anzaria.” Nahinto ako sa paglalakad nang huminto rin siya. She glanced at me through her shoulder, her glacier-like stare piercing through my skin. “I suggest you shut the hell up. You're too noisy.”

Bahagyang napaawang ang mga labi ko.  She looked angry. Did I hit something?

Hindi na lang din ako umimik. Nagpatuloy na lang kami sa paglalakad. Makalipas ang isang minuto ay nakarating na rin kami sa wakas sa dining. There were maids arranging the foods and utensils on the table. No one else was there but there were a lot of food.

My brows furrowed. They still had the audacity to have a feast when everyone outside's fighting for their lives?!

“Eat up. Your mom and Mr. Siarez will arrive later,” ani Aveyron. Aalis na sana siya pero nagsalita ako, dahilan para mahinto siya.

“Can you eat with me?”

Nilingon niya ako. “What?”

“I mean... ang daming pagkain. At saka, ako lang mag-isa.”

Inirapan niya lang ako bago siya tumalikod at tuluyan na akong iniwan. Napasimangot na lang ako.

“Miss Fluxia?”

Napabaling ako ng tingin sa maid na lumapit sa akin. She had a very gentle voice, kaya pakiramdam ko na-relax ang katawan ko.

She smiled at me. “The table's done. You should eat now.”

I awkwardly smiled back at her and then I nodded. Napabuga na lang ako ng hangin bago lumakad papalapit sa lamesang punong-puno ng pagkain, at saka nagsimulang kumain.

Habang kumakain, napabaling ako ng tingin sa malaking bintana na nasa malayong harapan ko. Namilog ang mga mata ko nang makita ang isang humanoid na ang hitsura ay kagaya ng kay Maria at may buhat-buhat itong tao na kilalang-kilala ko.

Binitawan ko kaagad ang kubyertos at saka mabilis na tumakbo palabas. Muntikan pa akong maligaw kung hindi lang tinuturo sa akin ng mga servant na nadadaanan ko ang tamang daan palabas, na para bang alam nila kung ano ang gagawin ko.

“Zeig!” I screamed when I finally got out of the house. Malalaki ang hakbang na tumakbo ako papalapit sa humanoid.

The robot who was holding Zeig was actually Gregory. Ngayon ko lang napagtantong siya ito nang nakalapit ako.

Zeig was unconscious and he's full of scratches, ang damit niya rin ay may bakas ng dugo.

“He was almost killed while trying to figut back,” sabi ni Gregory kaya napaangat ako ng tingin sa kaniya. “Dont't worry, he's not badly hurt. He'll wake up after a few hours.”

“Sina Reivohr?” sa halip ay tanong ko.

“They're on their way here, too.”

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag sa sagot niya. I slowly nodded and turned back my gaze at Zeig.

Sumunod ako kay Gregory nang lumakad na siya papasok sa bahay. He said he was told by Mr. Siarez to being Zeig here kaya nakapasok siya kaagad. Pinasok niya sa isang kwarto si Zeig at may lumapit kaagad na maids na nag-asikaso sa mga sugat ni Zeig. I stayed there the whole time he was being treated.

“Nandito ba?!”

Napaigtad ako nang may biglang tumulak pabukas ng pinto. Napakurap ako at saka lang namilog ang mga mata ko at napaawang ang mga labi nang makilala kung sino ang pumasok.

“Caes!” Kaagad akong lumapit sa kaniya para yakapin siya. “Thank goodness you're alive!”

“I heard Zeig's hurt,” sabat naman ni Reivohr na nasa likod pala ni Caes.

I sighed. “Malapit nang matapos ang paggamot sa mga sugat niya.”

As if on cue, dumaan sa gilid namin ang dalawang maid na bitbit ang isang tray na puno ng cottons at bandages na naging kulay pula na dahil pinahid sa sugat ni Zeig.

Kaagad akong lumingon para tingnan ang kalgayan ng kaibigan ko. He's still unconscious, his clothes were removed with only his pants left, and his abdomen and left arm was covered in bandages. He has band aids on his lower lip, below the right eye, and his nose. Even if he wasn't awake, his forehead creasing tells us he's in pain.

“Mabuti naman at maayos lang siya,” ani Caesonia kaya napabaling na ako ng tingin sa kaniya. “Everyone in Grendan was almost killed, good thing there were robots protecting us and rescuing us one by one. Pero kahit marami sila, hindi pa rin nila napigilan ang pagkasira ng syudad. Anza, Grendan's completely destroyed now, it's a matter of time that the ship will sink.”

Habang nagkukuwento siya, pakiramdam ko ay nahuhulog ang puso ko sa napakalalim na balon. I bit my lower lip to contain my sadness and worry.

“I still don't get why they're attacking us now,” ani Reivohr. “Wasn't there an ‘agreement’ thing that that blue girl said back then?”

“Sa tingin ko gumaganti lang sila,” sagot ko. “This wouldn't happen if none of them broke the agreement first.”

“And you think it's us?” sabat naman ni Caes.

Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil nakuha na ang atensyon ko kay Zeig nang marinig ko ang mahinang ungol niya dahil sa iniindang sugat. Napapihit ako paharap sa kaniya at saka mabilis na tumakbo papalapit.

“Zeig!” I held his hand, and he quickly gripped mine as if his life depended on them. “Gising ka na ba?”

Unti-unti niyang iminulat ang mga mata niya. Sa una ay sa kisame pa siya tumingin bago niya binaling sa akin ang mga mata niya.

“A-Anza...” mahinang sabi niya.

“Stop talking. You should rest more.”

And he didn't listen. He tried pulling himself up to sit on the bed, and he grunted when his wound on his abdomen throbbed. Binitaw niya ang kamay na nakahawak sa akin para ipangpigil doon sa sugat niyang sumakit.

“I told you to rest! Kakagamot lang ng sugat mo 'tapos bubuka na naman 'yan dahil ang tigas ng ulo mo.”

At may gana pa siyang tumawa. “I learned that from a certain someone.”

Napabuga na lang ako ng hangin. “Aalis ba kami. Magpahinga ka na muna d'yan.”

Umalis ako sa kama at saka lumakad na. Pinalabas ko na rin kasama sa akin sina Reivohr ang Caes. Hindi na rin umangal si Zeig.

I decided to bring them to the room where me and Mom stays. Malaki naman ang silid para sa dalawang tao lang.

Habang nasa loob kami, kinukwento sa akin ni Caes kung ano ang nangyari sa Grendan. She said everything was destroyed, all of the buildings and even the ship itself was destroyed and not everyone was able to escape and died.

Nasa kalagitnaan kami ng pag-uusap nang may narinig akong mahinang.

“Did you hear that?” I cut off Caes' sentence.

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. “Heard what?”

Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil narinig ko ulit 'yon, and this time it was a hit louder than the first one.

Napatayo na ako at kagad na lumapit sa bintana. I roamed my eyes around and looked for the source of the sound. Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko at naf-frustrate na dahil hindi ko mahanap. Sakto namang narinig ko ulit at nanggaling iyon sa taas, kaya napaangat na ako ng tingin.

“It's from up there?” I mumbled as I stared at the gray sky.

I heard it again, and this time it was clear to me that it's a cracking sound.

Unti-unting namilog ang mga mata ko nang ma-realize kung ano ang nangyayari. And before I could even tell Caes and Reivohr what's going on, a sharp object pierced through the "sky," and a few seconds after, that part of the sky shattered and the glass fell off to the ground, revealing the real look from outside.

Napaawang ang mga labi ko at bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko nang mas lumaki pa ang butas at may pumasok na mula ro'n at nang bumagsak ito sa lupa, nagkaroon ng bahagyang pag-uga ang lupa dahil sa impact.

And right at that moment, I knew we're fucked up for the nth time.