Wages Of Sin

Kabanata 20

Kabanata 20

Today, I have 12 days to fulfill my duty and training by myself.

Napa-angat ako ng tingin sa puno kung saan ako nanggaling kanina. Then I turned to my hands that have many bruises and scratches. Tinago ko na lamang ito gamit ang jacket na sinuot ko kanina lang.

I gulped and tried to wander my eyes. Oh, crap. I don't know where to start.

Nagsimula akong maglakad-lakad habang nag-iisip. Nakiramdam ako sa paligid ko. It felt warm here. The quiet surroundings and cold temperature make me felt calm.

Nahinto ako sa paglalakad nang may makitang isang kaka-ibang puno. That tree seems lost. Unlike other trees around, this one is different. An attention grabber. Nasa likod ng punong ito ang sikat ng araw na mas lalong nagpapatingkad sa ganda nito. But something's off about this tree.

It's dead.

I've never seen any leaves around it branches—na para bang pinagkaitan siyang magkaroon ng kagandahan. But the silhouette look that's against the sky made it lovely. Fine, well.

But just like any other things, if you're different from others, then you're less appreciated.

Lumapit ako sa punong ito saka ito tinitigan. I remembered the training—that senseles training—I had with Thora. I made a little seed—a poisonous one—grew. Is it possible that I can make a dead thing alive?

I swallowed and shook my head. Imposible naman. But nothing's wrong in trying, right?

Hinawakan ko ang isa sa mga branch ng punong iyon saka nakiramdam. I took a deep sigh.

I'm on the edge of giving up when I suddenly feel a little spark in my palms. I think it's my sign. I closed my eyes and slowly, I lift my hand. My brows creased.

Nothing happened. The spark I felt suddenly gone. Parang kanina lang, nakikiliti ako sa kuryente.

Ibinalik ko ang kamay ko sa puno saka muling inulit ang ginawa ko kanina. I took a deep sigh when I felt the little tingling feeling again. Hindi ko tinanggal ang kamay ko ro'n.

My eyes widened when I saw leaves suddenly showed up on its branches. Akmang tatanggalin ko na ang kamay ko sa puno nang biglang nangayayat ang mga maliliit na dahon na tumubo.

"Wait, no," I said and pinned back my hands to the tree.

A smile showed in my face when the leaves started to bloom again. Para nila akong nutrisyon at enerhiya. They'll die if I leave.

But I feel my body weakens. I suddenly feel exhausted. I suddenly don't know what to do. The tree is starting to have leaves again but my body is giving up. Ayaw ko rin namang bitawan ang puno. Not now.

My body began to fell but I'm still holding on the tree. Naka-upo na ako sa lupa pero hindi pa rin ako bumibitaw. Then the tree started to bloom more.

I gulped.

Sinubukan kong tumayo. But my knees are still shaking. Slowly, I began to remove my hands. I smiled. Napatingin ako sa langit. Then my brows creased.

The sky suddenly began to dark. The dark clouds gathered and started to form a heavy rain. I bit my lips.

Tuluyan na akong napa-upo nang maramdaman ang tubig na dumapo sa balat ko. It's cold. The countless drops of water is cold. I can't help but to think again.

Water is one of the elements of nature, right? Maybe I can manipulate it like how Tears use it. Maybe I can do it, too.

Pero hindi ko na kaya. I'm frail. I felt that I used too much energy. Muli akong napalingon sa puno. It's blooming, like how it is should be. But I can't feel the happiness in it. Napakunot ako ng noo.