Capes 1: Charge

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It's hard to see the people he cares about could be gone in a blink. Watching his casket lowered down under six feet underground. It was painful and wretched for him. His hand gripped tightly on the flower he's holding and when it was about time to throw it under, he doesn't have the energy to raise his hand and do it.

Lockey turned his back and walked away from the crowd. It's just too much for him. He can't watch his friend gone and believe that the next morning, he won't be seeing his smile, cranky jokes, and hilarious laughs. All those he would miss about him, too bad, it all ends on a bad note and that's because of an abomination.

The abomination who had done this wasn't caught and is still roaming the city on his own will and freedom. He was so mad. He doesn't know what to feel. He knew his father died because of an attack caused by an abomination and seeing how his best friend died on the same cause, it was just all anger.

He doesn't know how to get to this abomination. He has no resources. He's just a human who has to deal with the deaths of many people around him.

"Lockey!" tawag ng tita nito sa kanya.

Naglakad naman ito patungo sa kanya. Bahagya niya itong nilingon at agad na binalik sa hawak niyang puting rosas. Hindi niya nagawang ihulog iyon sa hukay ng kanyang kaibigan. He's not ready to live believing that Keith died of a horrible incident.

Umupo sa tabi niya ang tita niya at hinagod ang kamay sa kanyang likod upang pagaanin ang damdamin. "I'm really sorry, Lockey."

Napahugot na lamang ng malalim na hininga ito. Pinipigilan niyang bumigay sa emosyon, pinili niyang maging matatag. "Wala na naman akong magagawa pa."

Kanya namang pinatong ang balikat ng kanyang pamangkin. "Malalagpasan din natin 'to. Malalagpasan din ng pamilya ni Keith 'to. Hayaan na lang natin ang gobyerno na mahuli ang may sala."

Hinarap naman ni Lockey ang kanyang tita nang may buong pagtataka sa kanyang mukha. "If my father was an abomination and he chose to save people, why does he needs to die? Why does good people die?"

Napakibit-balikat na lamang ang kanyang tita. "H-Hindi ko alam, Lockey... pero siguro ganito talaga ang mundo. They look at them as an abominations—na isa silang pagkakamali at hindi sila nararapat na manalagi rito sa Summit City."

"Dito lang naman sa Summit City ang may ganitong pulisiya."

Napabitaw naman ng malalim na hininga ang kanyang tita. "Totoo naman. Pero kahit na gustong umalis ng mga taong may abilidad palabas ng Summit City, hindi nila iyon nagagawa dahil sa higpit ng security sa borders. This is just a painful reality we have to bear every single day of our lives."

"Pero pakiramdam ko..." Hindi naituloy ni Locke yang kanyang sasabihin.

Napakunot-noo naman ang kanyang tita. "Ano 'yon, Lockey?"

Umiling naman ito. Mistulang ayaw na niyang sabihin dahil sa kabilang banda, wala naman siyang magagawa kung hindi ang tanggapin na lamang ang katotohanan.

"Ano nga 'yon, Lockey?"

"Tita Amora, wala nga..."

Pero sa kanyang isip-isip, pakiramdam niya'y laging nakabuntot sa kanya ang kamalasan. Tumayo naman siya sa kanyang kinauupuan.

"Oh, saan ka naman pupunta ngayon?" tanong nito sa kanyang pamangkin.

"Mag-iikot lang muna..."

"Delikado, Lockey. Umuwi ka na lang. Umuwi na lang tayo. Tara na?"

Umiling naman ito sa suhestyon ng kanyang tita. "Hindi na po. Gusto ko po munang mapag-isa. Sa tingin ko mas kailangan ko 'yon ngayon."

"Sige, papayagan kita pero huwag kang magpapagabi, a?"