LORI'S VIEWPOINT
"Tama na!!!" malakas kong pagsigaw.
"Jaze! Wake up!"
"Don't leave me!"
"Goddamnit! Show your face!!!" paghahamon ko, the girl was crying and the sound of her voice is vibrating in my ears.
'I don't like the sound.'
"Jaze, don't leave me!"
Napaluhod ako sa sobrang sakit ng ulo ko dulot ng bawat pag-iyak na naririnig ko, bakit ako apektado? Bakit parang nasasaktan ako. It feels like someone was dying and it directly affects my emotion.
Namimi-lipit akong napahiga sa madahong lupa ng kakahuyan, "Tama na!!" I kept on yelling even if I know to myself that no one can hear me.
"Stop! Th—" someone holds my hand.
"W-who are you?" I asked her.
"Rosella," tawag niya sa akin at niyakap ako. Kung titignan mo siya, she's in mid '60s.
"B-bakit niyo po ako tinatawag na, Rosella?" I asked confusedly, bumitaw siya mula sa pagkakayakap at itinayo ako nang dahan-dahan humarap siya sa akin ng may kasamang ngiti. Napagtanto ko rin na huminto na ang pag-iyak.
"I'm Lady Hafiona." she introduced herself.
"Lori." I heard his voice uttering my name for the first time in my life, why does it sound like a lullaby to me. I don't know why I always had this heavy feeling when he's around.
"Thrill," I whispered, nagtama ang tingin namin he looks... a bit worried.
"Jaze," Lady Hafiona said na nakatingin kay Thrill, at may kasamang ngiti sa kanyang mukha.
Binitiwan niya ako at nilapitan si Thrill, hinawakan niya ang kamay nito at pumikit, gulat ang ang naging reaksiyon ni Thrill, sa nangyari.
I remained silent.
What's happening?
"When her demon comes out, you can show it to her and everything will be back to normal, for now... it's on you," she said to him and smiled.
She left me a couple of sincere glances before she completely swallowed by darkness.
I threw my head back at him.
I never believed that a beast had emotions until this one is staring right at me.
Hindi ko alam kung nagkakamali ako, pero nakakita ako ng lungkot mula sa kanyang mga mata, totoo ba talaga ang nakikita ko. Bahagya akong lumapit sa kinatatayuan niya. I just gazed back at him.
Silence filled the atmosphere.
He pulled me closer to his chest.
Niyayakap niya ako ngayon is this even real?!
My heartbeat is messing with my head, there's a lot of questions popping out right at this moment, waiting for me to answer—when the truth is... I don't even know how to explain the feeling I have right now.
Feels like familiar.
Bumitaw na siya at hinila ako palayo sa lugar na iyon, and this time it's soft and slow pull.
"Stay, here," he demanded, at umalis.
'what was that?"
Thrill, what the hell happened to you?!
Bakit may lungkot akong nakita mula sa kanyang mga mata? I'm terribly worried about what's the reason, he's a cold beast how can a Thrill Mikaelson, gotten sad out of a sudden.
'what happened to him?'
"Hey!" hinabol ko siya. "What the hell happened to you?!" I held his left hand to get his full attention. "It was nothing," he answered in a straight and cold manner.
'he's back.'
"I can see it in your eyes, you were sad," I spoke out. "Even a beast like me have days when I need to be sad," he replied, I bit my lower lip.
We remained quiet.
"I know you are not evil as people think you are." I declared, dapat nasa utak ko lang 'yon, bakit ko ba nasabi?!
'mind your words next time, Lori!'
"I'm much worse," he stated and then he left.
"You're leaving again?!" I spat out. "I'm hundred percent sure you can handle yourself," he left.
'fine.'
I'm in the midst of my walks until I sight something odd.
A smoke?
Mabagal ang pag galaw nito, unti-unti kong hinakbang ang aking mga paa pabalik ng mapagtanto kong kada madadaanan nitong halaman ay namamatay.
Poisonous Fog.
I run backward as fast as I could.
We can't do anything especially when the environment turns out as our opponent.
Nakakabanga na ako ng matutulis na sanga dahil sa bilis ng aking pagtakbo, alam kong marami na akong sugat ngunit wala akong maramdaman.
I stumbled myself, buong lakas akong tumayo at tumakbo muli.
I saw a lake, there's no other way. I stayed under water for a long while, minutes passed until I've decided to move up. I chased the air heavily. This is a suicide punishment.
The fog is no longer present.
Lumakad ako paalis sa lawa, naisipan kong i-check ang sarili ko, I saw multiple wounds on my right arm, legs, and stomach.
I hate this.
The good thing is I couldn't feel any pain.
Isinandal ko ang likod ko sa isang puno malapit sa lawa, I moved my head up at malalim na huminga. Do we have to go through these kinds of challenges before we won Dad's sympathy?
I grab my dagger out, good thing I wore gray long sleeves matched with denim pants and a black converse high cut. Pumunit ako ng kapirasong sleeve mula sa damit ko at itinali sa legs kong nagdudugo, sa dami ng sugat kong natamo iyon ang pinaka napuruhan.
Warm rays from the sun caress my skin and greeted my poor state, the sun is our indication that our punishment is finally over. I remained sitting for hours, ayoko munang tumayo, I feel so tired but I couldn't feel it literally I just knew to myself that there are times when I need to be tired.
I hope they survive it safely.
~~~
KAMIL'S VIEWPOINT
Bahagya ko ng nakikita ang mga kasamahan kong ligtas na lumalabas mula sa Maze Forest, si Zariah at Ash, ay magkasabay na lumabas bahagya namang may sugat si Zariah, sa kanyang leeg at may punit ang kanyang kaliwang mangas.
Si Ash, naman ay may bahid pa ng putik sa kanyang katawan at punit na damit kagaya ng kay Zariah, they hadn't survived the night that easy, just like me. I've gotten multiple wounds but I'm okay.
I saw Thrill, unlike Zariah and Ash, he walked out of the Maze Forest alone, wearing his sleeveless black shirt and black pants the bruises from his left arm are visible.
Lana is with Filch, akay-akay ni Filch si Lana, mukhang nagka sprained ito. We all had multiple bruises and wounds on our body, after a couple of minutes we saw Thalia, she's holding a dagger and she keeps on twirling it within her right hand. Kaunti lang ang galos nito ngunit malayo parin ang itsura namin ngayon sa itsura namin bago kami pumasok sa Maze Forest.
Bakit wala parin si, Lori?
"Someone might haven't survived the Maze Forest, what a rickety." we heard Headmaster Luke, stated out of a sudden.
Lahat kami ay ibinaling ang tingin sa bukana ng Maze Forest, hoping that our Headmaster's prediction wasn't factual.
Lori, I know you've survived it.
"No one will go back for her. Let her do her part." the Headmaster commented ng makitang iginalaw ni Zariah ang paa niya upang bumalik.
"Listen to the Headmaster, never waste your life... saving someone, who can handle herself hundred percent," she was looking at Thrill, while Thrill is looking at her wounded leg and stomach.
"LORI!"
Iilan sa amin ay masayang sinalubong siya, napakarami niyang sugat, lalong lalo na sa legs niya she has a good survival skill, pinunit niya talaga ang sleeves niya para lang itali sa kanyang binti, nang lumapit ako sa kanya napansin ko namang may sugat siya sa kanyang pisngi hinawakan ko na lamang ang kanyang kamay.
"Thanks, Kamil," she said to me while smiling genuinely.
She's in her poor state but I know she'll be okay, I have given her enough energy, nireserba ko talaga ito para sa kanila.
Sinolo namin ang tig-isang hospital beds dito sa infirmary. Katabi ng kama ko si Lana, na kasalukuyang natutulog then Lana, to Lori, na natutulog rin, kasunod ni Lori si Thalia, na nakatulala lang sa kisame.
Katapat ko naman si Zariah, na tulog while next to Zariah is Ash na nakatingin lang sa mahimbing na natutulog na si Zariah, while Thrill is asleep and then Filch na tulog rin.
Tatlo lang kaming gising ngayon, I gazed at every one of them, thankful that they are all safe. I hope hangang sa Battler's Tournament hindi man kami manalo basta kumpleto kaming makakalabas ng Arena.
~~~
"Wakey wakey!" nagising ako sa boses ni Master Froyle, nakatulog na pala ako. Isa-isa niyang pinapapasok ang mga delivery man na may dalang maraming pagkain.
Now, this is life!
Napansin ko ring pinagigitnaan ng kama namin ang isang mahabang lamesa, kung saan nakalatag ang maraming pagkain.
"Lamon!" masayang reaksyon ni Ash. "Ayan, jan ka magaling," komento naman ni Zariah sa naging asal ni Ash, habang kumukuha ng burger. "Proudly," said Ash.
"Uy, pizza!" masayang dinampot ni Thalia, ang thin crust pizza mula sa karton nito. "Easy, maraming carbs 'yan." naging tugon ni Filch, kay Thalia. "Oh, who cares? Edi tumaba." Thalia opposed. "Fine you're still cute kahit na tumaba ka," he commented. Ngumisi na lamang si Thalia, kay Filch.
Humihikab pang bumangon si Lana, at napangiti sa napaka gandang tanawin na sumalubong sa kanya. "Waaah foods!" she exclaimed. Masaya ko namang nina-namnam ang big fries na agad kong dinampot kanina.
Habang masaya silang nagku-kwentuhan, bumaling ang tingin ko sa mahimbing na natutulog na si Lori, she looks really pale at kita mong pagod siya kahit na mahimbing siyang natutulog. Thrill is looking at her, umiinom ito ng soft drinks at paminsan-minsang dinadaanan ng tingin si Lori. Hmm, once lang siyang naging ganyan.
Ngayon nalang ulit.
They really look good together, lalo na ng makita ko sila noong first-day na nagbabangayan sa hallway, looks like nahanap na ni Thrill ang tunay na katapat niya I hope this time hindi na siya iiwan at ipagpapalit.
Thrill is a very honest and protective person, nalaman ko 'yon ng makita ko kung paano niya alagaan si Claire, noon.
But Claire relinquished him.
"Thinking too much." I snapped back ng marinig ko si Lana, na kinakausap ako. "Hindi parin gising si Lori," I pulled out a topic while eating my fries. "Yep, matakaw talaga 'yan sa tulog, ako na nga ang naghahatid nang breakfast niyan tuwing umaga eh," she shared out while eating her carbonara.
"Close talaga kayo, 'no?" I commented. "Noong bata pa kami, palagi kaming nagaaway guess what? Hindi sabunutan, suntukan at tutukan ng daggers pero habang tumatanda kami we had figured out na ang isa't isa nalang ang mayroon kami, we've become each others' company. Kung ako ang nag di-defend sa kaniya sa parents namin, siya naman ang lumalaban sa mga kaaway namin up until now. She's reckless but kind, igi-give up niya ang kaya niyang i-give-up para sa mga taong mahal niya. Like her music career." pagpapaliwanag niya habang napapaisip sa mga memories nila.
Interesting.
~~~
LORI'S VIEWPOINT
Matapos ang nakamamatay na parusang dinanas namin kagabi, ay naging okay naman kaming lahat mas nakikilala namin ang bawat isa ng makipaghalubilo kami ni Lana, sa kwentuhan nila ngunit sa pagising ko pito nalang kaming nasa loob ng Infirmary.
Thrill's bed was empty.
"Kamil?" I called her habang papalabas na kami sa Infirmary. "Yes?" she replied. "Can I have a word, with you?" I opened up. "Sure." she agreed, we're now headed to the Brookshire's Garden.
"May kilala ka bang Rosella and Jaze?" I commenced, bahagyang kumunot ang noo nito at seryosong tumingin sa akin, looks like may alam siya. "Yeah, just a bit info, want me to tell you?" I just nod.
"Just like us, dito rin sila sa Brookshire nag-aral, kaso matagal na 'yon eh. They were lovers back then, nakakatawa nga eh may pagkaka hawig kayo ni, Rosella, she's beautiful and brave while Jaze is handsome like Thrill. Tragic nga lang ang ending. With that, Rosella entered the Maze Forest followed by Jaze and didn't look back. That was the last time anyone saw them." she revealed. "Ang sabi-sabi pa may balak pumatay kay Rosella, but Jaze, defended her from death. Pero hindi na nila nalaman kung ano ang sunod na nangyari sa kanila, after that," she added.
'what a tragedy.'
"Why what happened?" she asked ng mapansin niyang, napapaisip ako. "Nothing, parang narinig ko lang somewhere." I lied, mas mahirap mag explain kapag sinabi ko pa. "Hmm, let's go kailangan mo ng magpahinga," she said at ngumiti sa akin.
---
"Rosella."
"What?!"
"Ang tigas ng ulo mo, sabi ko huwag kang aalis sa dorm mo diba?"
"I can handle my self Jaze."
"Bakit ba ako nag mahal ng babaeng lalake pa kumilos sa akin."
"Well, who told you to love me, sabagay no one can resist my charms."
"Come with me."
"Saan?"
"Just follow Ms. Beauregard."
"Fine."
Switched scene.
"Don't kill him! Instead... take my life!"
"No. Step back! Rosella."
"Jaze, I don't want to lose you."
"So am I!"
"No!!!"
"Jaze! Wake up!"
"Don't leave me!"
"Rosella, live for me."
"Jaze, don't leave me!"
"No!" I can hardly breathe, I pulled my body out of the bed. I drank full glass of water. Hinawakan ko ang dibdib ko dahil sobrang lakas ng tibok ngayon.
What a strange dream.
Why do I feel like I was connected to them?