PAHIGPIT ng pahigpit ang hawak ko sa litratong nasa aking kamay habang tinatahak ang daan patungo sa infirmary. My breathing was as heavy as my footsteps. Kahit anong ulit ko na titigan ang litrato at suriin ito, hindi ako nagkakamali na si Milka nga ang babaeng kasama ni Demi.
That khaki dress that she wore the day we first met at that forest.I cannot be wrong.Hindi na ako kumatok nang makarating ako sa infirmary. I immediately came in and saw Demi lying on her back at the third bed.Her eyes went on me while I walked towards her. Her hair was a mess and her leg, which I believe was the one I twisted, was wrapped in bandage."Doesn't it seem strange for the Supreme Student to visit me in this stupid place?" she asked, rolling her eyes on me. "What? Nandito ka ba para pagtawanan ako?"Umiling ako. "No. I have something in my hand that I believe is yours."Her forehead creased. Bumaba ang tingin niya sa kamay ko. Bu"Paris... help me, please!" cried the girl with jet black hair and a pair of silver eyes. "You should understand why we're doing this, twin. It's for your own good," the seven-year-old boy replied. The girl stared at her twin in pure shock. Her eyebrows narrowed and her lips parted. Silently wishing that this wasn't real. Hindi siya makapaniwala sa sinabi nito. He was like stabbing her face to face, and there's no point in denying that it's hurting her. She felt betrayed. "Paris... bakit?" She felt a pang of pain as she fell to her knees. "Why?" the boy paused and gazed at his twin. His eyes were full of confusion, full of doubts. They were gleaming with tears that Paris was trying to hold back. "Because it's the right thing to do. Kakambal kita pero kailangan naming gawin ang tama," he continued. The girl clenched he
"HOY, babae! Bumalik ka rito!"I cussed and ran as fast as I could when I heard the annoying high-pitched voice behind me."Give me back my Dims!"I tilted my head and rolled my eyes. Ang ingay. Panting and gasping for air, I found myself hiding behind a bunch of stinky trash bags. And when I say stinky, really stinky. Bahong hindi bagay sa ganda ko.Napatingin ako sa Dims na nasa kamay ko. These will be enough, I think?"You thief! Nandito ka lang pala!"My eyes widened, not in horror, but in panic. I can't be seen! Come on, Ara! Isiniksik ko ang sarili sa malaking trash bag at naramdaman ang pagbabago ng katawan ko. I felt light as a feather. My skin turned ash gray. My vision became clearer and sharp. I was not panting anymore. I could feel my body joi
"YOU'VE got a nice name! Tapos sasabihin mo pa na Foot ang pangalan mo." I shoved the dry leaves that were scattered intentionally in the entrance of my cave. Almost every day, I get these pieces of rubbish from childish creatures living downtown, such as humans. Hindi naman talaga sila nakatira sa gubat pero sinasadya nilang umakyat para pagtripan ang nananahimik kong buhay. Mga isip bata. "Do you know what the name Aurora means?" "Not interested," I plainly stated bago lumabas sa kweba. I roamed my sight to the bushes hoping to see the odd wolf once more. I don't know but its presence felt so familiar. Especially its eyes... If I could just catch it without the annoying Milka freaking out. "Alam mo, your name kinda sounds intimidating when mentioned, weir
 THE noise of busy chariots and buzzing chitchats were breaking my eardrums as I passed through the crowd. Nasa unahan ko si Genesis na tila hindi naapektuhan sa ingay ng paligid. Pasipol-sipol lamang ito at tumatango pa sa mga taong lumilingon sa kanya. Minsan ay kumakaway rin siya sa mga babaeng panay ang pagpapa-cute. What a flirty man."Where are we heading to?" I asked. Yeah, that was stupid of me to go with him without any single idea where he's taking me or where I'll be staying. Masyado akong nagtitiwala sa lalaking 'to."At Gloysh Place. It's an inn not so far from here. I'll explain everything to you when we get there," Genesis replied and winked at me.I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "Stop flirting."Natawa ito at hinila ako palayo sa maraming tao. "It's not flirting. I'm just being friendly."
PEOPLE and danger don't go together, do they? But it's inevitable. I never thought my questions would be answered this early. Danger has found me, but the thing is — I must turn danger into opportunity.Seeing him wearing the crown, gaining respect from people, living the abundant life everyone wishes for, makes me wanna curse him to death. How dare he live a life in spite of the horror and traumas he inflicted to an innocent child."Are you alright?""Yeah. Don't mind me," sagot ko sa tanong ni Genesis. Hindi ko mapigilang mapayukom ng kamao na siyang dahilan ng pagkunot ng noo ng kasama ko."You're acting weird since you've met the king. He's quite intimidating, isn't he?" Intimidating, huh? I was never intimidated, and never will. He's just acting mighty because of the throne, pero walang bagay na nakakatakot sa kanya. Why would
"Even death bows down to me.""What --- Are you threatening me!?" tanong nito habang nakakunot ang noo sa galit. Such a hot-tempered man.Bahagya akong umatras at napangisi. "Are you threatened?"Umayos siya ng tayo at sinamaan ako ng tingin. "Who do you think you are?""You already did a background check on me. Ba't mo pa tinatanong?" sambit ko na walang halong kahit anong interes ang boses.If I knew that this is what I'll be facing, I shouldn't have wasted my time. Natutulog pa sana ako sa kwarto ko ngayon."Hindi mo ba alam ang salitang respeto?"I grunt as my eyes darted at the two violet badges on his chest. Ang isa ay katulad ng badge na suot ni Genesis, kulay lila at may nakaukit na letrang 'F'. Ang pangalawa naman ay may nakaukit na salitang 'Carwell' at sa baba nito ay may nakasulat na
Tahimik kong tinahak ang daan palabas ng dormitory building at hindi pinansin ang maiingay na nag-aaway sa likuran ko. "I am Ara's friend! Ako na niyan!" "Get your nose away, Shaye. Ako ang kasama ni Ara nang dumating siya dito." "Pero ako ang room mate niya!" Napapikit ako at napabuntong hininga bago huminto at nilingon sila. "Can you two shut up?" asik ko na halos magkasalubong na ang kilay sa inis. For hell's sake, they have been arguing for almost a decade! Nag-aaway para sa walang katuturang bagay. Tinaasan ko ng kilay ang dalawang maingay. "Ako naman kasi dapat ang maghahatid sa'yo, 'diba? Room mate tayo," ani Shaye at pasimpleng inirapan ang katabi niya. "But I was the one who brought Ara here. Therefore, she's my responsibility." "I'm no one's respons
ANOTHER day has gone by and as usual, the tower is as boring as ever. I feel like I'm being imprisoned in a sense of endless peace. Peace is not the best thing for me, and will never be. I prefer being chaotic. Chaos means death, and death... is my expertise.Nakakabagot na magmukmok sa kwarto araw-araw. It has been three days and geez, my hands are itching to do things! Things that mages aren't allowed to do.I have been toured around the whole campus and Shaye was the one who accompanied me. It was my request, for I don't like Caelum's presence. He's too conceited just because he's the head council and the king's nephew! As Shaye said, classes will start three days from now. That means, sooner, I'll be sitting in my assigned seat, listening to some typically boring discussion.I let out a huge sigh. Tumalikod ako sa bintana at sumandal dito. Tumingala ako sa kabilang pader ng aking kwarto. My eyes loc