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I STARED AT the the small waves slowly moving, the soft crashing of the waves on the bottom of the boat kept distracting me from thinking.
I couldn't stop biting my nails as I kept on rehearsing what I'd say to Mama when I see her later. I've thought of all the possible situations we'll have once she see me after leaving our house for a ‘sleepover.’
“Argh!” Napahinto na ako sa pagkagat sa daliri ko nang makaramdam ako ng kirot. I looked at it and a small amount of blood flowed out. Kaagad kong pinahid sa damit ko ang daliri ko. Napabuga na lang din ako ng hangin.
We're going back to Grendan now.
We've already accomplished what we've been wanting to know since day one, but I didn't feel satisfied. What we found out wasn't the whole truth. I want to know more. I want to find out more.
Basing from what I've found out these past few days, hindi ko pa rin maintindihan ang totoong rason kung bakit nangyari ang World War na naging dahilan para mapadpad kami rito sa dagat.
Sino ba talaga ang dahilan? Was it the humans or those creatures who occupied the land now? Maybe someone out there can tell us the whole truth, but who?
“Anza, are you okay?”
Napabaling ako ng tingin kay Caes nang bumulong siya sa akin. She's sitting across me and she had to lean forward a bit so I could hear her.
Napatitig ako sa mukha niya. Dark circles were starting to get visible under her eyes. Mas maputla na rin siya kumpara sa dati. The small cut on the side of her lips was already healed but it left a small, dark line.
I nodded at her. “You?” tanong ko pabalik.
Hindi niya na nasagot ang tanong ko. Nalipat ang mga attention namin sa boat nang bahagya itong umuga.
“What was that?” bulong ni Reivohr.
“Baka nakarating na tayo,” sagot naman ni Zeig.
We couldn't see what's outside. It's so dark. Good thing there was light inside this boat.
“Nandito na tayo,” sabi ng lalaking nagmamaneho ng bangka. “Lumabas na kayo.”
We quickly fished out our oxygen masks, wore it, and stepped out of the boat. Dahil sa sobrang dilim, kailangan ko lang lakihan ang mga mata ko para maklaro kahit ang mga silhouette ng mga kasama ko.
The driver lit up a flashlight kaya napabaling kami ng tingin sa kaniya.
“Before you leave, here's Mr. Siarez’ reminders to you...” aniya habang walang emosyong tinitigan kami. “I'm watching you.”
It was just three words, but it sent shivers down my spine lalo na at pumasok sa utak ko ang posibleng expression ni Mr. Siarez no'ng sinabi niya 'yon.
I slowly gulped and looked away.
Sinundan ko ng tingin ang kung saan tinutok ng driver ang flashlight. Bahagyang napaawang ang mga labi ko nang makita ang ilalim ng Grendan at ang malaking ‘10’ na nakasulat sa gitna.
Napaigtad ako nang marinig ang malakas na dagundong ng parang malaking pinto na bumubukas. Napaawang ang mga labi ko nang makitang unti-unting bumababa ang metal na deck sa harapan namin.
There was someone standing behind the door. Nang tuluyan itong bumukas, ang paglapag ng pinto sa surface ng dagat ang naging dahilan para anurin ng alon nang bahagya ang bangka namin.
Napakurap ako nang sa wakas ay nakita ko na kung sino ang nakatayo sa deck.
“Thanks for bringing them here safely,” aniya sa driver na kasama namin.
“Make sure you'll monitor them properly and report to us all the time,” sabat naman ng driver na dahilan para tumango ang isa. Bumaling siya sa amin at sinenyasan kaming umalis na sa bangka at tumalon papunta sa deck.
Nauna nang umalis ng bangka si Zeig na sinundan naman ni Reivohr. Rei assisted Caes dahil hindi pa niya nababawi ang lahat ng lakas niya. I heaved a sigh before I followed them. Nang nakalapag na kami sa deck, saka naman umalis nang tahimik ang bangka.
Nagbaling ako ng tingin sa sumundo sa 'min. A smile creep on her face when our eyes met.
“Good to see you again, Ms. Anzaria Fluxia,” bati niya. “Were your questions answered after risking your lives?”
Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko. “You knew all along?”
She shrugged. “Of course. Who'll never get suspicious if kids suddenly want to see the waterworks that day?”
Bahagyang napaawang ang mga labi ko.
She was that humanoid woman who brought me and Reivohr around the waterworks before. Noon din may suspetsya ako sa kaniya pero binalewala ko na lang din.
“But don't worry, I didn't tell anyone about anything. I was even surprised I was told to fetch you kids here. I was actually rooting for your group to have fun exploring. So, was it fun?”
Hindi na ako nakasagot dahil nagsalita si Zeig.
“We should go home now. Saan ba ang daan?” seryosong sabi ni Zeig sabay libot ng paningin sa paligid.
Ms. Lavigne chuckled. “Okay, Mister. You're so impatient.”
Napasunod na lang ako ng tingin sa kaniya nang lumakad na siya. Sumunod naman na kaagad kami sa kaniya.
It looks like where we entered was a secret passage, too. When we entered a door, the same stairs we saw before when me came down the end of the waterworks was what greeted us. Isa-isang umilaw ang mga ilaw na nasa tabi ng hagdan. Nang nakaakyat na rin kami sa taas, bumungad naman sa amin ang main waterworks kung saan ang mga makenarya ay maingay.
Napayuko ako habang naglalakad at mariin na lang din akong nakapipikit habang iniisip na haharap na ulit ako kay Mama.
--
SUMAKAY KAMI sa kotse ni Ms. Lavigne at isa-isa niya kaming hinahatid pauwi. Me and Zeig were the last one to leave dahil mas malayo ang sa amin. The whole ride, we were just silently sitting there while I was looking outside of the window.
Napatitig na lang ako sa labas ng ship. It's still noon here. Kahit hindi nila sabihin sa akin, I could clearly understand why the view of the ocean inside and outside of the ship is different.
Kung malalaman kaya ng mga taga rito ang katotohanan, will we have the same reaction?
Huminto ang kotse kaya napabaling ako ng tingin kay Ms. Lavigne. Nang natingnan ko rin ang labas, saka ko lang napansin na nasa tapat na pala kami ng bahay.
“Ms. Fluxia, we're here.”
I smiled at her. “Thank you, Ms. Lavigne.” Bumaling ako kay Zeigmund. Our eyes met but he quickly looked away. Bahagya akong bumuga ng hangin bago lumabas ng kotse.
“We'll be leaving now. Good bye, Ms. Fluxia.” When she smiled at me, ngumiti lang din ako at saka tumango.
Sinundan ko ng tingin ang sasakyan nang umalis na ito. Makalipas ang dalawang segundo, binaling ko ang paningin sa bahay namin.
Bahagyang napaawang ang mga labi ko nang makita ko si Maria na nakatayo sa harap ng pinto na gulat ding nakatitig sa akin. I was about to call her when she suddenly turned around and went inside the house. Lumakad na lang din ako papasok.
Nang malapit na ako sa pinto, lumabas si Maria and this time kasama niya na si Mama. Hindi pa ako nakapag-react ay bigla akong niyakap ni Mama.
“Anza!” Mama called me with a worried voice. “Saan ka ba galing?! We've been looking for you everywhere! Akala ko ba sleepover lang?!”
Marahan ko siyang tinulak papalayo dahil hindi ako makahinga sa higpit ng yakap niya. “Can we... go in first?”
Mama sighed deeply to calm herself before she grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the living room. Pinaupo niya ako sa sofa at saka siya umupo sa katapat kong sofa.
“Explain,” she said firmly.
Humugot ako ng hinga bago sumagot. “So... uh, I don't know it we're aloud to tell you—”
“Alam ko,” pagputol niya sa sinabi ko. “Alam ko pero gusto kong malaman ang rason mo kung bakit.”
Napaawang na lang ang mga labi ko. I was about to say something nang mariing pumikit si Mama at napasandal na lang sa sofa at saka marahang hinilot ang noo.
“Inaasahan kong magmamana ka sa papa mo pero hindi ko sinabing pati pagiging ganito mamanahin mo.”
Napakurap na lang ako. I don't know what she's talking about.
“Hindi pa isa ring scienctist si Papa?”
She shook her head. “No, no. He isn't really a scienctist but he knows a lot enough for Grendan's Research Lab to recruit him and make him one of them.”
Bahagyang napaawang ang mga labi ko. Was he that smart? “I'm also curious but... how did he died? I mean...”
“Sa ganitong paraan din siya namatay,” sagot ni Mama. “He was working as a scientist for Grendan only, but he got greedy and he wanted to know more.”
“You mean... he was sent as a volunteer, too?”
Napakurap si Mama bago nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. “How did you know about volunteers?” Napatayo na siya. “Kaya ba kayo nawala nang ilang araw dahil pinadala kayo bilang volunteers?”
I bit my lip before I nodded slowly. Mama groaned in frustration. “Puta.” Naihilamos niya na ang kaniyang palad sa mukha niya. “Do you realize how dangerous it is, Anzaria?!”
Bahagya akong napaigtad dahil sa pagtaas ng boses niya. “I... I didn't know it will get worse like this!”
“You know but you chose to do it regardless! Alam mong bawal pero ba't ginawa mo pa rin? You even dragged your friends on this! This is why I told you to just stay put here with me. I burned that book because I know you'll be more curious if you know a lot. I did my best to hide that laboratory but you still found out about it. Shit!”
Napayuko na lang ako. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko kay Mama. I know it's all my fault.
“Mabuti nga't nakauwi ka pa nang buhay!” She sighed roughly. “This will be the last time, Anzaria. Starting now, you're staying home. You won't be leaving this house without my permission. Got it?”
Napaawang na lang ang mga labi ko.