Behind This Name (UNEDITED)

55

CHAPTER 55 - RUN, CELESTE, RUN

"Who said I wanted to be a puppet in your game?"

Biglang naglaho ang katawan niya kaya napaatras ako. All of a sudden, I heard noises behind me. Familiar noises. Lumingon ako at unang nakita si Aria na pabalik-balik na naglalakad, halatang hindi mapakali.

I let out a sigh of relief. I did it! I escaped his illusion! Nasa reyalidad na ulit ako.

Mabilis na nawala ang ngiti ko nang makita ang kalagayan ng iba kong kasamahan. Kai and Kevin were both standing, not moving and seemed to be staring at nothingness. Nasa harapan nilang dalawa si Vienne at panay ang yugyog sa balikat nila. On the other hand, Matthew and Arche were sitting on the sidewalk. Katulad nina Kai, tulala rin sila at hindi gumagalaw.

My lips parted. Naglakad ako papalapit sa kanila, nakatitig at pilit na iniisip kung kagagawan rin ba ito noong lalaki kanina.

"Fenella." I heard Lexi mentioned my name. Mukhang ngayon lang niya ako napansin. Napalingon tuloy sa akin sina Aria at Vienne.

Aria stopped from walking back and forth and immediately ran to me. "Thank you at gising ka na! Napasailalim din silang apat sa ilusyon, and up until now wala pa rin sa kanila ang nagigising."

"Even Kai?" I looked at him.

Aria nodded. "Even him."

"Isang illusionist lang kaya ang kasama ng Institute Center?" kunot-noong tanong ni Vienne. "Like, isa lang ang may kagagawan nito?"

And that made me think. Of course, it was way possible for an illusionist to put more than one person under different illusions. But the thing is, I defeated the man with my illusion inside his own illusion. It would, at least, trigger his body back in this reality. Mawawalan siya ng kontrol sa ibang ilusyon na ginawa niya.

So, kung ako pa lang ang nagigising sa aming lima na napasailalim sa ilusyon, then that means there are more than one illusionist. Ibig sabihin, posibleng 'yong memory manipulator na kasama ng Institute Center ay hindi si Van. Posible rin na hindi talaga nila kasama si Van at ibang gifteds ang kasama nila ngayon.

Magkasalubong ang kilay na tumingin ako kay Aria. "How many exactly are they?"

"So, marami talaga sila?" tanong kaagad niya.

"Maybe?"

"Anong gagawin natin sa mga 'to?" Vienne looked at our friends who were currently not in their senses. She sounded like she's at the verge of crying. Ramdam ko na ang stress sa kanilang tatlo.

Napatitig lang ako sa kaniya, iniisip din ang sagot sa tanong niyang 'yon.

"I still can't use my ability against them. Ramdam kong malapit na sila sa atin but I can't use any of my ability. Hindi ko magawang kontrolin ang memories nila." Aria looked so worried and frustrated at the same time. She was looking at me, seems like asking for my help.

Ngayon na unti-unti ko nang nakikita ang sitwasyon namin, I realized. . . we're cornered. And I could only say one thing. Shit!

"It's like fighting against invisible people," Lexi said. "Daig pa natin ang nangangapa sa dilim."

Then I realized, maybe my move of using my illusion earlier to escape is a wrong move.

Aria held my arm, as if convincing me to help her think. "They're nowhere to be found. 'Yong sasakyan nila. Lahat sila. We couldn't find them. At ngayon na napasailalim pa si Matthew sa isang ilusyon, mas lalong wala tayong kakayahan na malaman kung nasaan sila."

Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa kaniya. We need to think. We had no idea what kind of abilities their gifteds possess. Ang mas malala pa, by now, they probably knew what kinds of abilities we all possess. They really had the advantage. Hindi pa namin makita kung nasaan sila.