SCARLET 2: ALICE (Emerald Series)

23

ALICE

I am falling.

Para bang nahulog ako sa isang madilim na butas. Sigaw ako nang sigaw ngunit parang walang nakakarinig sa akin. Patuloy ako sa pagbagsak. This hole seemed endless.

I suddenly stopped falling. Now, I am just floating in this black void. All I hear are familiar voices.

"Scarlet, pakinggan mo muna kami. Please stay."

"Scarlet!"

"Scarlet, don't go!"

The surroundings started to change, bringing me inside a small room.

There are three beds. It looked like a dorm room. A girl is standing in front of me. She was wearing a green skirt, neon orange blouse, at navy blue heels with red socks. "I'm Star. And to answer your question kung nasaan ka ngayon, you're in our school," excited na sabi ni Star. "Welcome, classmate-slash-roommate-slash-new best friend!"

And then suddenly I was running.

Paglingon ko sa likod ko, a three-headed dog is chasing me. That's when I felt my heels break causing me to lose my balance. "Scarlet!"

Up close, nakakalula ang laki ng asong ito. Tumutulo pa ang laway mula sa kanyang tatlong ulo. But it just stood there. It just looked at me. It even wagged its tail.

The dog faded and I'm once again transported to a different place.

"Happy Birthday." Nasa harap ko na bigla si Clyde. He swayed me around while still looking into my eyes. And when I thought he will never let go, he did.

And then he was gone.

I was back in the black void. May malaking salamin sa gitna. I stood in front of it but instead of seeing my reflection, I see a little girl.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Tumatakbo siya palayo. May humahabol sa kanya. Iyak siya nang iyak.

Nadapa siya bigla at nagdudugo na ang kanyang tuhod. Lumingon siya sa humahabol sa kanya.

"Huwag po! Please!" sigaw ng bata.

Nakalapit na 'yong lalaki. He was dressed like one of the royal guards. May hawak siyang sword. Inangat na ng lalaki ang espada niya at itinutok sa bata. Napapikit ako.

When I opened my eyes, I finally saw my reflection. But then I heard the voices again, shouting at me.

"She's from the Dark Side!"

"Niloloko niya kayong lahat!"

"Umalis ka na, Scarlet!"

Napaatras ako, away from the mirror. My reflection changed and in front of me is Scarlet, with her flowing, golden hair and same violet eyes. Every move I do, she reflects.

Oh, no. No... This can't be true.

"But it's true." Napalingon ako sa likod ko. There's a woman a few feet from me. She has the same colored hair like Scarlet's.

"Sino ka?"

"Sino ako?" tanong nito. "Eh sino ka?"

Naglakad ito papalapit sa akin. She touched a strand of my hair. "I don't like what she did to your hair."

I took a step back. "What are you talking about? Sino ka ba?"

"You still don't know?"

A memory flashed before me.

It's dark and raining. Tumigil ako sa pagtakbo nang may madatnan akong gate. Sa harap ko'y may malaking castle. Bumukas ang gate at nakita kong may mga taong naghihintay sa labas ng kastilyo. May tumakbong babae palapit sa akin at niyakap ako. "Welcome home, Alice!"

"It's you..."

"It's me." She smiled at me. A motherly smile. "Pero do you remember now kung sino ka?"

This can't be true...

"It is true."

I can't be her...

"You're her."

"Shut up!" I shouted. I perfectly remember everything now. Everything I've been through, everything I forgot. Everything I lost. Si Jude! Si Star! Si Sky!

I'm hyperventilating. I can't breathe. I can't stop crying. I was the one that caused their deaths. I was the one who killed Sky. I gave Clyde nightmares!

"Anak, don't blame youself..." I hear my mother say. She tried to hug me but I pushed her away.

"Kayo!" I cried out loud. "Kayo ang may kasalanan nito! You made me do those things. You made me kill people. You made me hurt the people I love."

"I'm sorry," she softly said. "I'm so sorry."

She tried to come closer but I flicked my hand. She fell to the floor. I closed my fists and the mirror shatters. I tried to control myself. I can't let my anger control me.

"I'm not going to be the monster that you wanted me to be."

The floor started to shake and then it opened. I was falling again. I thought it wouldn't end until I fell into the water again. I'm back in the lake again. I opened my eyes and saw that at the bottom of the lake is a glowing ring.

That's the ring in my vision!