The Sixth Girl

Medley's Radiance

"Wake up."

Ang mga salitang iyon ang nagpaalala sa akin na buhay pa ako.

Nasa gitna ako ng kadiliman. Wala akong makita o marinig. Pero ang pamilyar na boses na iyon ang gumising sa akin.

Dahan dahan kong minulat ang aking mga mata at tumambad sa akin ang malinis at kulay puting kisame ng silid na kinaroroonan ko.

Huminga ako ng malalim na parang unang beses ko lang huminga sa buong buhay ko.

I looked around and saw that I am in a small, yet very clean and expensive looking room.

Tiningnan ko ang aking katawan at nakita kong nakabenda ang aking mga braso.

Nakasuot ng sa pagkakaalam ko ay hospital gown na kulay pearl white.

May dextrose na nakakabit sa kanang kamay ko at may ilang pang hindi ko malaman kung anong mga wires na nakakabit sa iba't ibang parte ng aking katawan.

I can move my hands and my body pero the funny thing is I can literally feel nothing yet I feel heavy and I know I will not be able to sit, much less stand up.

Inilibot ko pa ang aking mga mata sa aking paligid at nakita ko ang isang malaking flat screen t.v sa tapat ko at isang mini fridge sa hindi kalayuan.

Then finally, my eyes rested upon the guy sitting surprisingly in a seat besides my bed.

The guy I know who woke me up from my deep slumber.

"Dex," mahina kong bati sa kanya.

He smiled at me. Still wearing the same clothes and the same eerie expression like he knows something I don't.

"Where am I?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Riksent Duchy Hospital. Private Ward," kumpleto niyang sagot sa akin.

As I looked at him, I suddenly remember what happened to him.

"Your wounds?" takang tanong ko sa kanya na parang walang nangyari sa kanya, "How did you healed up so fast?"

Napailing na lang siya at tumingin sa kanyang katawan, "The wounds will always be here, Verna. You can't see them because I don't want you to," makahulugan nyang sabi sa akin, "Don't mind me, how are you feeling right now?" alala niyang tanong sa akin.

Huminga ako ng malalim at tiningnan ang aking katawan. If I remembered correctly ay may sugat ako sa tiyan pero wala akong maramdaman.

"No pain, no discomfort. I just feel heavy and numb," sagot ko kay Dex na tumango lang sa akin.

"That's because of the pain killers, Verna. You should not be used to it though," paalala niya sa akin, "Once the effect subsided, you will feel pain."

Napatawa na lang ako sa kanya at napailing, "Thank you so much for reminding me," I answered sarcastically.

Bigla kong naalala sila Winry at Travis, "How's Travis and Winry? Are they allright?"

"Yes, they are actually at a better state than you. Believe it or not. You are not so lucky as you thought you were that night, Verna. Not with the countless unhealthy grazes of bullets in your body and head. Not to mention the shot you took in your stomach," makahulugang sabi niya sa akin.

"How did you..." simula kong tanong pero nginitian lang niya ako ng matamis.

"You saved them, Verna. You did it," congratulate niya sa akin as tears fell from his eyes.

Naramdaman ko na may pumatak ding luha sa aking mga mata at umiling ako, "No, I don't deserve that praise. I guess, what I really did was save myself from losing hope," naiiyak kong sabi sa kanya.

"Whatever you want to think. Regardless of your motives, you saved Travis and Winry. You saved their happy ending because you want to make sure that happy endings do exist," seryosong sabi sa akin ni Dex, "You see, Verna. You proved to yourself that you can make other people's dreams come true. When you turn your hopes and dreams into action, you can make a miracle happen all by yourself," seryosong sabi niya sa akin before standing up and heading for the door.

"Wait! Dex!" hiyaw ko sa likod niya and he stopped walking, "Just, who are you?"

Lumingon siya sa akin and he smiled to me happily, tears silently falling from his eyes, "Thank you for saving my sister, Verna. You succeded on what I repeatedly failed to do. I don't care if you think you did it for yourself but I know what is really in your heart," sabi niya sabay turo sa kanyang dibdib, "I promise I will make it up to you when we finally meet again. I'll be there when you finally reach your end," pangako niya sa akin as he began to walk again towards the door.

This time, to my surprise, wounds are suddenly appearing on his whole body.

The same wounds I saw back when I was in the castle.

Finally, I am now sure and know what he really is. He is no longer of this living world...

He opened the door and instead of a hallway, what I saw was a bright light coming from it. Before he walked towards the light, he stopped and looked at me one last time. With what maybe the purest smile I ever and will ever see in my life, he left me with the words I know I will never forget until my dying day.

"I held an undying hope for my sister inside my heart and achieved what I thougth was impossible."

He tuned his back on me and stepped into the light that suddenly burst in eternal radiance that engulfed him completely.

"Now I move on, to greet a new dawn."