Nagising ako nang wala si Lucian sa tabi ko. I stood up and went to the bathroom. I looked at myself on the mirror. I'm a mess, after all. Maga ang mga mata ko at namumutla rin ako.
Hindi ko namalayan ang pag-alis ni Lucian. Wala siya sa buong lake house at pakiramdam ko, mas ayos na 'yon kaysa nandito siya at patuloy kong naaalala ang mga sinabi at nagawa niya. Come to think of it, I've never really asked him about how my parents gave me to him. Ni hindi ko natanong kung anong hitsura ng magulang ko dahil galit ako sa kanila, they abandoned me with a stranger. Pero hindi pala 'yon ang totoo.
The fact that Lucian killed them haunts me. Ni hindi ko na siya kayang tingnan dahil galit na galit ako sa kaniya. "You messed up, Autumn," inis kong sabi sa sarili ko at inilagay ang ulo ko sa tuhod ko. Lumipas ang oras na nakaupo lang ako sa sofa at walang ibang ginagawa.
Lucian's not here. I could sneak out and run away from him forever, but why couldn't I? Bakit hindi ko kayang iwanan siya? Why am I so in love with a monster?
Napaigtad ako nang biglang bumukas ang pinto, akala ko si Lucian ang bubungad sa akin, but no. It was Garam. He looked like he was in a hurry to get here. Nagulat ako nang hilahin niya ang braso ko.
"We're leaving--" Kusang gumalaw ang kamay ko at lumayo ako sa kaniya na ikinagulat niya.
"Saan mo ako dadalhin?" I asked. Humugot siya nang malalim na hininga at tumitig sa akin. Mas lumalalim ang bandang ilalim ng mata niya, para siyang hindi nagpapahinga.
"Away from here! Away from Lucian! Come with me, Autumn." Muli niyang kinuha ang kamay ko at hinawakan 'yon nang mahigpit. Napatingin ako sa kaniya, this is my chance to get away. To run. To be free.
"If I walked away from that door, hindi na ako makababalik dito, tama ba?" Tumulo ang luha sa mata ko at kasabay n'on ang pagtango niya.
"I'll protect you. So, come with me." Hinila niya ako, and all I can think about is how to be free from all the pain I'm feeling. If I ran away, will it change everything?
---------------------
The door flung open again. Nang humakbang siya papasok ay nagtama ang mga mata namin. When he saw me crying again, he averted his gaze. He was about to go to the kitchen when I stood up.
"Garam went here." Natigilan siya sa paglalakad, pero hindi pa rin niya ako nililingon.
"Then, you could've run away. Why are you still here? Do you really want to pain yourself that much to stay with a monster like me--" Hindi na niya naituloy pa ang sasabihin niya nang niyakap ko siya nang mahigpit mula sa likod.
"Tama ka, I had all the chance in the world to run away, but I couldn't. I could've said yes to Garam, but I didn't. Because he's not you." Is it wrong to love someone to the point that you overlook every mistakes they did? Because if it is, yeah. I'm in the wrong. "I love you, Lucian."
Hindi siya gumalaw at hinayaan niya lang akong yakapin siya habang walang patid sa pagtulo ang luha sa mata ko. Pagod na akong umiyak, I'm so tired, but never for him.
"Didn't you say you hate me?" he asked. His voice was cold, yet I know what I said last night still makes him frustrated. I told him that I will never hate him, but I did.
"Yes, I hate you. I hate all the thing you've done just for your own benefits, I hate you for lying to me, I hate you for killing my parents, and I hate you because in spite of it all, I still love you." Hinila ko siya paharap sa akin at muli kong nakita kung gaano rin siya nasasaktan. This is him, the Lucian I know. He's only like this to me. His ocean eyes stared at mine.
"You're really something, huh?" He smirked and caressed my cheeks to wipe away my tears. "Alam mo ba kung gaano ako natatakot mawala ka?"
Hindi ako nakasagot. I didn't know that someone like me will cause him fear. I made the demon feel fear.
"I know you won't kill my parents without a reason, right?" tanong ko. Umiwas siya ng tingin na para bang ayaw na naman niyang sagutin ang tanong ko. I held his face. "Lucian, I'm here. I will never leave you. Just please... tell me."
Because I need to know. Kilala ko si Lucian. He's like this because he has reasons. "Listen--" Bago pa niya matapos ang sasabihin niya ay biglang bumukas ang pinto at sabay kaming napalingon doon. Bumungad sa amin si Ate Charlotte at Leon na nagmamadali.
"Lucian, Autumn needs to leave now!" sigaw ni Ate Charlotte at nagulat ako nang hilahin niya ako. Nagtataka ako dahil para silang balisa at nagmamadali ang bawat kilos nila.
"Saan tayo pupunta--"
"Crosswood Town is now under Leviathan's power! Lahat ng tao, walang malay, the whole town is filled with Leviathan's dark aura!" ani Leon. Hindi ko maintindihan kung sino ang tinutukoy niyang Leviathan at kung ano ang nangyayari. Ang alam ko lang, may masamang nangyari sa mga mamamayan ng Crosswood.
"If we leave here, they'll find her!" Napasapo si Lucian sa ulo niya at parang hindi na niya alam ang gagawin. "Fuck! Bakit ba kasi ngayon pa dumating si Leviathan!"
"Who's that?" Sabay-sabay silang napatingin sa akin na para bang walang gustong sumagot sa akin. Pero may ideya na ako kung anong balak ng demonyong 'yon dito. "That Leviathan, he's after me, right?"
Umiwas ng tingin si Lucian. "He's not just after you, he wants to drag you in hell for Lucifer."
Hindi ko naiintindihan ang mga sinasabi nila. Ano'ng mayroon sa akin? I'm just a half demon, walang dahilan para gustuhin akong kuhanin ng mga demonyo, at patayin ng mga anghel. Ganoon na ba kalala ang kasalanang ginawa ng magulang ko para mangyari ang lahat ng ito sa akin?
"Fuck, they're here!" Nakarinig kami ng mga nakaririnding tunog sa buong paligid, kahit hindi pa nagtatakip-silip ay dumilim ang kapaligiran, pero ang kadiliman na 'yon ay nakapaninindig-balahibo. The lake house started shaking, halos matumba na ako pero pinalibutan ako ni Leon, Ate Charlotte, at si Lucian na mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa kamay ko.
"Don't tell me he's not alone?" tanong ni Lucian kay Leon na naka-focus ang tingin sa pinto ng lake house.
"When did Leviathan play fair?" aniya, na parang kilalang-kilala niya ang demonyong 'yon. "You know all our brothers, wala silang sinasanto kun'di ang mga sarili nila. And now..."
"... He's fucking here."
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N O T E:
From here until few more chapters, magiging puro action na. But I'm not that imaginative when it comes to fight scenes, so please bear with me. I'm really trying my best! Maraming salamat!
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