Dispareo (PUBLISHED UNDER PSICOM)

XIII : Transparent and Apparent

CHAPTER XIII

TRANSPARENT AND APPARENT

CIELO'S POV

I keep asking myself, how did it come to this? Back then, Astaroth was just a name I dream about until I began to have these weird dreams as if they're memories that doesn't belong to me. As time passed, Astaroth was no longer a dream but a nightmare standing right in front of me. Astaroth tried to break me but it only made me stronger.

For the longest time, I had this feeling that something is missing in my life. When I figured out it was Axel, that's when I lost Dana. There's this popular phrase—You win some, you lose some—Does it have to be like that all the time? Are consequences really inevitable? Does nobody deserve complete happiness?

"Andito na tayo." Anunsyo ni Raze at nang mapasilip ako sa bintana ay nakita ko ang karatulang nagsasabing nasa Drayton na ulit kami.

"Ano nang plano?" Tanong ni Shem na mag-isang nakaupo sa likuran namin ni Axel.

"We know how to reach Dana's hell. Now all we have to do is find her and lead her out by reminding her the only way out of her hell—happiness." Sambit ni Harper na nasa harapan, katabi ni Raze sa driver's seat.

"I'll do it." Agad kong giit.

"Sasama ako." Sabi naman ni Axel na siyang nasa tabi ko.

"Ako rin." Sabi naman ni Raze.

Dali-daling itinaas ni Shem ang kanyang kamay, "Ako hindi. Pasensya na pero nalunod na ako kahapon. Namamaga pa ang dibdib ko dahil sa chest pumps ng rescuer. Baka madedo na ako talaga ako ng wala sa oras."

"You guys understand the risks right? We have to die before we get there. The chances of living again is small so we have to hurry and find her to get back. Survival isn't guaranteed." Sa sinabing 'yon ni Harper ay muli akong napatingin sa kanya. Mula sa sidemirror ay napansin niyang nakatingin ako sa kanya kaya naman nilingon niya ako na para bang tinatanong ako kung anong problema. Imbes na sabihin anong nasa isipan ko, umiling na lamang ako at ibinaling ang paningin sa bintana.

After all the sacrifices Dana has made, I'm not going to hesitate dying just to get to her. But I do have hesitations when it comes to trusting Harper. I mean after this... after getting Dana, what's going to happen? Tatantanan na ba siya ni Astaroth? At si Wacky, anong mangyayari kay Wacky?

Pansin ko ang pananahimik ni Axel. Magta-tatlong oras na mula nang umalis kami sa Villa nila pero walang ibang ginawa si Axel kundi manahimik. Kahit hindi ko tanungin, alam ko kung ano ang dahilan at ito ay si Wena. That's the thing about family, no matter how invincible you think you are, at the end of the day they are your weakness.

"You don't have to come with us... Think about Wena." Sabi ko na lamang.

Hinawakan ni Axel ang kamay ko, nilingon niya ako at nagpamalas ng isang katiting lamang na ngiti, "This curse started with us, this ends with us."