Heaven Academy

35 - Four Against Heaven

35 - Four Against Heaven

"Your mother was sent to the hospital."

Shit. Holy fucking shit.

"I-I will escort you outside, Miss Erisk," our adviser added. "I was told that one of your family drivers is on the way to pick you—" Hindi lang basta-bastang napatigil ang adviser namin nang humarang si Dominic sa harapan ko, napaatras siya at napalunok.

"I'll go with her," simpleng sabi ni Dominic sa usual niyang tono na nakakapagpasunod sa kahit na sino.

"B-But, Sir Dominic..." Several gasps were heard. It is very rare to hear someone speak again after Dominic Defensor has made a decision, and our dear adviser seemed like he was going to argue. "It's okay...I-I will make sure that Miss Erisk here will be fine and—"

Napasinghap ulit ang karamihan, pati na ako, nang may biglang tumadyak sa adviser namin dahilan para mapasubsob siya sa sahig. Napapakurap na nilingon ko ang may kagagawan na casual lang na nakasuot sa magkabilang bulsa ng pantalon ang mga kamay. Ni hindi niya nilingon ang tinadyakan niya na mabilis na pinalibutan nina Dion Estrada at iba pa niyang mga alipores. Diretso lang siyang tumingin kay Dominic.

"I'll drive," sabi ni Luther saka nauna nang maglakad.

Tumingin muna sa'kin si Dominic saka tipid na tumango. Hinawakan niya ulit ang kamay ko at hinila ako para sumunod kay Luther. Nilingon ko rin si Charlotte na mabilis ding sumunod sa'min.

"That teacher might be just being threatened, you know," kibit-balikat na paalala ko nang makalabas kami mula sa main building ng Heaven Academy.

"Don't think about any unnecessary thing right now, Erisk," walang lingon na bulong ni Luther, sapat para marinig naming tatlo. Sa sinabi niyang 'yon, may bigla akong naalala. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad kaya napahinto rin si Dominic.

"Wait, Saichi said that their father was also sent to the hospital and Saryo is missing—"

"If he's missing then that means they already got him." Parang huminto ang mundo ko dahil sa sinabi ni Charlotte. Hinawakan niya ang kabilang braso ko para magpatuloy ako sa paglalakad, na para bang may humahabol sa'min.

Lumingon ako kay Dominic pero seryoso lang din siyang nakatingin sa daan. Wala ni isang kumikibo. "What? Are we not gonna do anything about it? We know they got him and—"

"We're doing something so you won't end up like him." I couldn't say another word when Charlotte said that. "Or Iris, or Aster," she added.

Nagbaba na lang ako ng tingin hanggang sa makapasok kami sa kotse ni Luther. "Where are we going?"

"Any place except here and where your mother is right now," Charlotte who was sitting at the shotgun answered while putting on her seatbelt. "I can't believe they're using the same tactic they did to Iris."

Magsasalita pa sana ako nang parang may kung ano'ng pumitik sa utak ko. Doon lang nag-sink in sa'kin...

...oras ko na.

"You're not dying." Naramdaman ko ang paghigpit ng kapit ni Dominic sa kamay ko nang magsimulang paandarin ni Luther ang sasakyan. Lumingon ako sa kaniya at hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko nang mapansing parang mas natatakot pa siya kumpara sa'kin.

The Dominic Defensor is scared. That's news.

I wasn't able to say anything when we both almost hit the back of the seats in front of us. Luther and Charlotte both cussed as they almost hit the wheel and the dashboard. When I sat properly again, I looked outside the windshield and saw more than five security guards blocking the closed gates of Heaven Academy.