When the Rain Pours (Fortalejo Series #1)

Epilogue

Epilogue

The moment I fell in love with her, I promised to God that I will always protect her, in all ways. That I will never let anyone hurt her. Na dadaan muna sa akin bago makanti kahit dulo ng daliri niya.

I did everything in my power to fulfill that promise but sometimes, it wasn't enough.

Maraming beses akong nabigo na tuparin ang pangakong iyon pero nang sandaling maramdaman ko ang pagtama ng bala sa katawan ko sa halip na sa kanya ay hindi ko mapigilang tipid na mapangiti.

Dahil sa pagkakataong ito, alam kong natupad ko ang pangako ko.

"Y-Yovin..." I heard her voice as I embraced her body, shielding her from any possible bullets that might still come to our direction after the first one. "Yovin... hindi... bakit..."

It was painful. Hindi dahil sa tama ng baril pero dahil sa mga mata niyang kasalukuyang umiiyak habang yakap-yakap ako. Ramdam ko ang dahan-dahang pagbigat ng talukap ng mga mata ko pero pilit ko pa rin siyang pinagmasdan.

I don't want to close my eyes while she's crying like this.

"Y-Yovin please... p-please stay with me, hmm? T-The ambulance is n-near..."

She's... panicking.

Gusto ko mang aluin siya at panataging ayos lang ako ay mas nangibabaw sa akin ang kagustuhan kong pangmasdan siya.

I want to remember every corners of her face. I want to engrave it on my mind forever. Her mystique eyes, perfect brows, pointed nose, fair skin, and her tempting lips.

Sobrang ganda niya talaga. Walang patawad kahit na napupuno ng luha ang mga mata. Maswerte ako dahil ako ang mahal niya. Sobrang swerte ko.

I saw the movement of her lips. She's shouting but I couldn't hear her anymore. The fear and desperation in her eyes will surely hunt me forever. She's crying but I couldn't even move my hands to wipe her tears away.

My sight is starting to blur. Her image is starting to fade away.

Naubo ako at nalasahan ang sariling dugo.

"I l-love you very much, my Gabrielle Mistyca..." Bulong ko bago tuluyang ipinikit ang mga mata.

I was expecting to see nothing but darkness. But the thing that welcomed me is a memory I will never forget. Siguro nga'y mamamatay na ako.

There's this weird belief that when you're on the verge of your death, your memories will come flashing back to you like a rewind in a time-lapse. But this one is different. The memories that are flashing on my mind right now are excruciatingly slow, as if making me live on it again, as if giving me a chance to experience everything again... na tila alam na ito na ang katapusan ng lahat sa akin at ang huling beses na makikita ko ang babaeng pinakamamahal ko.

It was like a fairy granted my unspoken wish to see my love for the last time, but in a different way.

Everything started to play with the view of my Abuelo, unfolding a black umbrella and going out of our car after it was parked in front of an old mansion.

Samantalang naiinis na ako dahil gusto nang umuwi pero eto siya at naisipan pang dumaan sa mansiyon ng mga Romero. It was raining for pete's sake! Gusto ko nang umuwi at magpahinga dahil malalim na rin ang gabi.

"Abuelo, akala ko ba uuwi na tayo? Why are we here?" Tanong ko habang sumusunod sa matandang hindi man lang ako pinasukob sa payong niya. Gustuhin ko mang magpaiwan na lang sa kotse ay hindi niya naman ako pinayagan.

"May pag-uusapan lang kami saglit ni Ricardo, hijo."

Napairap ako sa hangin. "Hindi pwedi bukas o sa susunod na lang?"