*𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐏# | completed

𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐈𝐈

"ATE, ATE, please wake up!" nagsusumamong sabi ng isang labing limang taong gulang na babae sa kapatid niyang nasa stretcher ng sinasakyan nilang ambulansya

Nagising siya kanina dahil sa isang tawag galing sa cellphone niya. She picked it up groggily at lugo-lugong sinagot ang tawag nang hindi tinitignan kung sino ito.

"H-hello?" She yawned after.

"F-farren..."

Tila nagising ang diwa ni Farren dahil sa tinig at tono ng boses ng kanyang nakatatandang kapatid. Napabalikwas siya sa hinihigaang kama kasabay ng malakas na pagdagundong ng kanyang dibdib.

"A-ate?" kinakabahan niyang ani. "Anong nangyari sa'yo? Why is your voice like.. t-that?"

Rinig na rinig ang mga mahihinang ungol ng sakit sa kabilang linya. "H-help me..."

Bago mawalan ng malay, nasabi pa niya sa nakababatang kapatid kung nasaan siya.

"FARREN!" Farren's thoughts were stopped when a boy of his age shouted at her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, then turned to her older sister in the stretcher. "Malayo pa ba tayo sa ospital? How long would it take for us to be there? Kaya pa ba ng ilang minuto? S-si ate.. baka kung anong mangyari sa kanya..." Humihpit ang hawak niya sa kamay ng ate niya pagkasabi niya noon.

The boy beside her held her other hand firmly. "She's okay now, Farren. Everything's gonna be alright."

"But Alcaeus, what if-"

"Farren." Hinawakan ni Alcaeus ang balikat ni Farren upang mapakalma ito saka pinaharap sa kanya. "Your ate's fine. You need to calm down. I'm sure sooner or later, magigising din siya and she's gonna be okay."

Alcaeus noticed the discomfort and hesitation to agree on what he had said in Farren's face. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin niya ngunit ang alam niya lang, he needs to be there for her. She needs someone right now. And he will do anything for her just like what Farren did when he needs someone to rely on.

She was there when the whole world turned its back against him. She was there when his life made a complete turn upside down. He promised to protect her, even if it cost his life.

"A-alcaeus-" Hindi na natuloy pa ni Farren ang sasabihin niya nang bigla siyang yakapin ni Alcaeus. And at that moment, tears began to fall unstoppably from Farren's eyes.

"T-thank you Alcaeus. Thank you for always being there." Alcaeus just smiled at her.

Sa hindi malamang dahilan, napatingin sila sa babaeng nakahiga sa stretcher. Her finger moved.

"A-ATE FREYA..."

THE END

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EDIT (AUTHOR'S NOTE): This chapter used to be entitled as "Preview for Part 2". Pero wala na akong time isulat and I figured out it was better to end it this way. I will just leave this as it is and leave the rest up to your imagination. I'm sorry if this turned out to be an open-ended one.