Never Be Tamed

Chapter 18: Delirium

Chapter 18: Delirium

I opened my eyes to a dark room, the curtains still closed from the previous night. Maingat akong umupo sa kama, pinapakiramdaman ang aking sarili. It was the day after healing Zanra and so far, I haven't felt anything strange for me to worry about. I think I did good. Maybe the pain from last night was all it was.

Nagayos ako ng sarili at bumaba sa hall para mag-agahan. Anabeth was awake early in the morning. Pagdating niya sa hall, agad siyang tumabi sa'kin. Mula nang bumaba ako, the staff kept asking me if I was okay. Dumagdag dito si Anabeth.

"Okay so far?" tanong niya nang magsimula kaming kumain, some toast, berry jams and bacon.

Tumango ako bilang sagot. After coming from the hospital yesterday, dumeretso ako sa kwarto ko para magpahinga. And so far, I was doing okay.

"Kapag may kakaiba kang naramdaman, even the tiniest bit, you know you can tell me right?"

Ngumiti ako. "I'm actually surprise I'm doing okay. Maybe it wasn't so bad."

Hindi agad sumagot si Anabeth. Her eyes remained worried kahit hindi niya ito pinapakita. Habang kumakain ng agahan, dumating si Senior Violeta at Senior Rowena sa hall. They brought the news that Zanra was already awake after the hospital informed the apothecary early this morning.

"Hindi ka sasama?" tanong ko kay Anabeth upon hearing that some of staff would visit the hospital.

"Hindi muna," answered Anabeth while we were washing dishes on the long sink. "She should spend her time with her family and staff who could make her feel better."

"Sana maging okay na siya," bulong ko.

Anabeth sprayed water to my face with her fingers. "Of course, she's gonna be fine. She's Zanra, the alpha's daughter, and she have us as friends."

After heading out of the hall, sinabi ko kay Anabeth na dederetso ako sa greenhouse to check on the buds I re-plotted days ago. Pero sa halip pumayag, she held her folded hands to her chest and pulled her lower lip to a frown.

"You're supposed to be resting. The senior staff would kill me kapag nalaman nilang nasa labas ka sa mga oras na ito. You're still under monitoring, you know."

"Pero-"

"I'm honestly worried, Eleanor," buntonghininga niya. "We have no idea how your skill works in this kind of situation. Mabuting 'wag muna tayong maging kampante."

I reached for her shoulder to squeeze. "I understand. Dadaan lang ako sa greenhouse sandali before I head straight to the main house para magpahinga."

Anabeth was still hesitant before she let me out of the tower. Bahagyang madilim ang langit paglabas ko sa tower. Napatingala ako, feeling the breeze. Heavy gray clouds hovered over the town from a distance. Nagbabadya ang maulan na araw.

Nagmadali akong dumeretso sa greenhouse, passing by the garden and Senior Rowena's vegetable paths. There was no storm warning from town so I was hoping the rain wouldn't be as strong. Baka masira ang mga halaman.

Pagpasok ko sa greenhouse, I lingered on the pond, watching the fish play hide and seek among the lily pads. The greenhouse was one of my favorite places in the apothecary. It's almost as big as a tower with different sections for plants, herbs, flowers, medicinal plants, new buds, and low trees.

Nagtungo ako sa likod ng bahagi ng greenhouse kung nasaan ang mga bagong sibol na halaman. There's a whole row of new buds from our previous foraging from the forest. I checked their tiny green stems, carefully touching their leaves and checking the soil. Habang abala sa ginagawa, bigla kong nalaglag ang isang tray ng mga punla sa batong sahig.