Chapter 05 • A Torch in the Dark

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˖°.𓆩𓆪 .°˖

Flying over the surface of the sea.

That's what she felt while firmly grasping the railing of the bow. Nasa magkabilaang dulo ng bangka sila ngayon ni Asahel. She was smiling from ear to ear dahil pinayagan siya nitong magtungo sa foredeck ng boat. But before giving her his permission, matinding pangungulit muna ang ginawa niya.

"I've never thought this woman would be this headstrong," he murmured. "She's really bringing me on the verge of transforming myself into someone she'll traumatize herself with," iritableng bulong niya sa sarili habang sumusulyap-sulyap sa kinalalagyan ni Acushla.

Hindi niya inakalang mapapapayag siya nito sa mga gusto niya. No one does that to him because of his temper. Since when did she become an exception to that?

"Asahel! Tingnan mo 'tong nahuli kong isda!" she excitedly exclaimed. Lakad-takbo itong lumapit sa steering wheel at itinutok sa mukha ni Asahel ang hawak nito.

"Pinuntahan mo pa 'ko para lang ipakita 'yang isda? Pakawalan mo nga 'yan."

"Aba, oo naman," wika nito at mabilis na itinapon ang isda pabalik ng dagat. She looked at Asahel with huge smiles painted on her lips. "Balik na 'ko sa deck ah. Hindi ako magtatagal, promise," paalam nito at agarang umalis.

"Careful," he told her in a faint voice when she started walking on the slippery side deck. It was a hero's instinct.

How could she be so happy and content with the tiny things he never noticed or appreciated? But seeing her beam with pleasure right now, he couldn't seem to interrupt that. He didn't want to take that happiness away from her.

At habang pinagmamasdan niya ito, he started to have a dilemma within him-a growing realization. Acushla is a flicker of light in this world that needs to be protected. It's as if he didn't want to use her anymore as a tool just for his own benefit. Hindi siya isang kagamitan lang.

His thoughts surprised him. "Since when did I care for anyone else but myself?" he pondered. He felt more like a real human now than ever.

He turned his gaze away from her and focused on navigating the boat when something rapidly broke his reverie. Umihip ang napakalakas na hangin. Hindi iyon nagmula sa dagat o sa kung saan man. It was a different kind of wind that only blew towards his direction, engulfing his entirety and making him shiver.

Oh miserable one
Come and bury yourself in the ocean
Your situation can never be undone
for you are already forgotten
and loved by none

Countless dark spirits started to appear in front of his eyes. They were grotesque and horrifying. Some were starting to circulate around the boat.

They were calling him to his misery, again.

A Seafarer's Voyage to LightTahanan ng mga kuwento. Tumuklas ngayon