CHAPTER 6: THE FEAR

THIRD PERSON POV

Walang malay na nakahandusay sa sahig si Maeca. 

Ang kanyang pisngi ay basang basa ng kaniyang mga luha. Sa tindi ng sakit na naranasan niya sa pagkagising ng kaniyang abilidad. Isang pakpak ang tumubo sa kaniyang likod. Hindi lamang ito isang ordinaryong pakpak sapagkat ito ay kulay ginto.

Habang walang malay napadpad ang diwa ni Maeca sa isang napakadilim na lugar na para bang nilalamon siya nito. Tanging ang ginto niyang pakpak ang nagsisilbing liwanag sa kadilimang iyon.

Luminga-linga siya upang humanap ng iba pang liwanag subalit nabigo siya. 

"Anong lugar 'to," Nag-echo ang boses niya ng bumigkas siya ng mga salita. 

'Nasaan ako?' Namuong katanungan sa isip ni Maeca. 

"Ayada," nakarinig siya ng hindi pamilyar na boses subalit luminga-linga parin siya upang hanapin kung sino ang nagsalita.

Tanging kadiliman lamang ang kaniyang nakita. Sinubukan ni Maeca na gamitin ang kaniyang pakpak upang umalis sa pwesto niya pero kahit anong gawin niya ay parang hindi siya nakaaalis.

"May tao ba d'yan? Magpakita ka," muling nag-echo ang boses niya sa kawalan. Napakatahimik at dilim ng lugar na iyon.

Walang sumagot sa katanungan ni Maeca at unti-unti ng nawawala ang liwanag na galing sa kaniyang pakpak. Unti-unti na rin siyang nababalot ng kaba. 

'Natatakot ako,' tangi na lamang saad niya sa kaniyang isip.

"Ayada, kailangan mong matagpuan ang nakatakda. Unti-unti nang nagbabago ang propesiya. Kailangan mong magmadali," Saad ng hindi pamilyar na tinig. Nabaling ang atensyon niya sa tinig at nakalimutan ang takot.

Doon lamang niya napagtanto na hindi pala talaga siya naririnig ng taong iyon sapagkat para lamang itong nagbibigay at hindi tumatanggap.

'Sino ba si Ayada?' bigla niyang natanong sa kanyang isip. Kanina pa ito binabanggit ng hindi niya kilalang babae subalit may iba siyang pakiramdam na para bang matagal na niya itong kilala at ang pangalan na iyon ay tila pamilyar din para sa kanya. 

"Ayada, saan ko na nga ba 'yon narinig?" napatanong naman siya sa isip niya.

Tuluyan ng nawala ang liwanag ng kaniyang pakpak at tuluyan na siyang nilamon ng dilim.

Sa kabilang banda, sa condo ni Troy. Naiinis itong pinatay ang tawag mula sa isa niyang fling. Matagal na niyang sinabi dito na ayaw na nito sa kan'ya subalit napakakulit nito. He even blocked her phone number but she always keeps on getting her way para lamang matawagan ito.

Muli na namang nainis ang binata ng makita ang pagtawag ng dalaga. Sa inis nito ay sinagot niya ito at sinabing, "Can you stop calling me? I already have a girlfriend. Don't make a fool of yourself," He lied and ended the phone call. He didn't even give her a chance to speak.

He get up and went to the kitchen. Pumunta siya sa harap ng kan'yang refrigerator. Napasabunot siya sa buhok niya ng makitang puro bottled wine at canned drinks lamang ang laman nito.

Nalimutan niyang hindi nga pala siya nagluluto sa condo niya dahil sa labas siya kumakain. 

He irritatedly get his phone and opened the food delivery app. He ordered food then went to his sofa. Ibinato niya ang katawan niya sa sofa. He close his eyes and as he closed it her charming face showed up.

"Damn!" he cursed as he get up. She's getting into his nerves.

"I'm going to be insane," napahawak siya sa noo niya. 

Hindi maalis sa isip niya ang napaka-among mukha ni Maeca. 

He doesn't love her but she keeps on showing up in his mind. He has this urge to his self that he wants to see Maeca all day and even at night if possible.

" I badly want to see her," bulong niya sa sarili niya. " I want to hear her voice," he mumbled. 

"Her lips," pinatong niya dalawa niyang daliri sa labi niya. "This lips kissed her," he was talking about his lips. He looks like addicted to her.

Hindi niya na malayan na tinatawagan na pala niya si Maeca subalit hindi ito sumasagot tanging ring lamang.

Nagtaka siya kung bakit hindi siya nito sinasagot. 

'Did I get her mad yesterday?' tanong niya sa sarili. 

Muli niya itong tinawagan subalit wala paring sumasagot kaya napagpasiyahan niyang puntahan na lang ito.

"Delivery," eksaktong dating ng order niya. Kinuha niya ito at binayaran. 

Tama para sa dalawa ang pagkain na in-order niya. He was hoping na pupunta agad si Maeca but he can't wait kaya siya na lamang ang pupunta sa kanya.

He immediately grab his keys and went to the parking lot.

He was smiling while driving and looking in the food that he brought. 

'I bet she'll be surprised,' bulong niya sa sarili.

But he is the one who got surprised when he saw Maeca's situation. Her clothes are thorned apart and scattered on the floor. He can see her bare skin. There's so many burse in here body. She has conscious but she's not even moving. He's mad and in the meantime pity her. He madly grit his teeth and rushed towards her.

"Who did this to you?" His anger was visible in his voice. "I'm gonna rip their neck. Tell me," He was mad but Maeca can't even open her mouth. Tears fell down on her cheeks that make him soft.

He lifted her and put her in the passenger set of his car. He drove his car into the hospital. He drove it as fast as he can especially when he looks at Maeca who's been suffering. He can't just let her suffer. He has this feeling the same he feel when he saved her in the stockroom. The fear of losing her.

He was confused why he was feeling this but everytime he refused it pain emerged. It feels like his body knows her more than he do. Things are complicated to him but as long as it doesn't bad he was going with it.

"Just survive," fear was visible in his face. 

Napatayo siya ng lumabas ang doctor sa Emergency Room. 

"How is she?" He asked immediately.

"Her bones in her arm were dislocated but she's fine now. She just need a rest," the doctor said and tap his shoulder.

He was relieved when he hear the doctor said. 

'I thought I'm gonna lose you again,' he was confused when he realized what he said on his mind. 

'It been so weird this day,'