Station 4

Hi.  Here's  a short update.  Just feel like I need to. I'll  edit it soon and for the continuation so stay tuned.

Just wanna let you know that I'm just copying my story posted in wattpad. I haven't figured yet how to insert pictures 😅 tell me if you have questions.

Happy Reading!

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"It's me."

Napatigil sa pagpupumiglas si Zaddie ng makita kung sino ang humablot sa kaniya. May ngisi ito sa mukha at nakasuot na rin ng itim na damit tulad na lang ng suot ng ilang kalalakihang nakita niya.

"Did I scare you?" Naramdaman niyang hinaplos nito ang kaniyang mukha nang marahan na tila ba ingat na ingat ito.

"H-h," she stuttered. Ngumiti ang kausap niya.

"Miss me?"

Inilayo niya ng kaunti ang sarili sa lalaki. "Where have you been?"

He just shrugged. "Just do some errands. You?"

They started to walk side by side. They are the only Wayfarers on that hallway, with the silence disturbed only by the almost inaudible sound of their shoes; and yet, it's comforting for her. At least I'm not alone, she thought.

"Confused of everything. I mean, they just show me my past which makes my head clouded. But now, thinking of those things, it doesn't feel the same way when I think of them before. I felt like a huge stone just lifted off my chest. I actually felt calmer now."

He smiled but this time, it was genuine that she thought his eyes sparkled "I'm glad there's Clesen."

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

They walked to the hallway of the castle on the side. Walls carved with different design makes Zaddie's head turn left and right. She was really amazed by how the decors of the castle are so detailed. It probably built with a lot of what?  Powers maybe?  But she's sure it takes a lot of time.

"Can I ask?"

She broke the silence. The atmosphere around them was nice, but her thought wandering to something because she felt his hands rubbed against hers frequently makes her think. And she doesn't want that. She doesn't want to assume. She had been hopeful on her past life that somehow, she gives malice to everything. Because that's what those movies and books taught her and that doesn't bring her good.

Tumango ang katabi habang tuloy lang sila sa paglalakad. "How did you die?"

She took a step then turned around when she saw him through her peripherals that he's frozen on his spot. She saw how his hands clenched into fist and his expression became hard. She gulped. "I-it's okay if don't want to answer that. I-I'm just curious." She bowed her head and played with her fingers.

"Snake," he said after some time making her looked up at him. "A poisonous one." He gave her a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. She suddenly felt guilty asking him.

Maybe his death holds a painful memory.

She didn't ask him more. She knew she just ruined the mood and she badly wanted to console him but didn't know how to. He's been silent and thinking deep based on his facial expression while they continue walking to the hallway. They're almost in the end and she saw some Wayfarers.

She stopped walking. Then face him. She thought he'll face her too but he's just looking to the direction they'd walked to. Marami-ramin na ring Waferers sa paligid. He stopped.

"I should go."

He just nodded then walked passed her. He didn't even say a word or give her a glance. He just walked out from her. She bit her lip thinking what could his past look like for him to react this way.

She felt guilt rising in her. She wanted to chase him, but she wanted to know what she should say first.

Should I apologize? Maybe I can tell him a joke to lighten up his mood? How about I treat him? But how can I treat him in this world?!

She kept thinking of the things she should do until she can't see him no more. Her shoulder fall because of disappointment.

Damn. I really crossed some line.

***

Dumidilim na ang paligid. Nakakaramdam na ng panghihina si Zaddie pero hindi naman niya alam kung nasaan siya. She roamed around until she find herself  in the train station again.

She felt defeated and just wanted to give up. Until she saw someone familiar—a guy leaning to the wall, his hands on his jean's pocket. Looking on her opposite direction.

"Hey."

"Hi." Umalis ito sa pagkakasandal sa pader at napakamot sa ulo. "I thought I'll find you. Looks like it's the other way around." She just shrugged to the comment.

"I forgot to introduce myself to you before." Inilahad nito ang kamay sa kaniya.  "Brio. You?" Sasagot sana sina pero naalala niya iyong nasa may gazebo siya.

"Fey."

"Suites you," he looked up at the sky being swallowed by the darkness. "The cirque is ending. You can stay in my place if you want."

"What?"

He faced her and tilted his head a bit to his side while examining her. "I think we should get you something to eat first and then you rest. Let's go."

Hindi na siya nagtanong pa kung bakit. She really felt tired roaming around that she doesn't want to think anymore. She just wanted to rest. She badly wanted to shut down her system for a while.

Brio brought Fey to what she thought is a restaurant. It's just the same as the usual restaurant in the Mortal World. Tables and chairs,  waiter, salivating smell of foods and the mixture of murmurs and a song.

He ordered them food. Then after serving everything to their table, she saw him showing the waiter his wrist. The waiter instantly tapped the same rectangular thing the guy with the cardboard tap to her wrist. She unconsciously looked at her wrist and saw the blue rectangular outline. But unlike before, it wasn't filled with blue. The quarter of the bar was filled with the gradient of blue and green. It's like a logo of the battery of a Mortal phone.

"That's Soulcule." She looked up at him questioningly. "It was like a meter of your condition. C'mon, you should start eating before it turns red."

Napakunot ang noo niya. Sumubo muna siya bago magsalita. "What will happen if it turns red?"

"I'll tell you later. Eat first." Inilapit nito ang isang plato ng manok sa kaniyang harapan.

"Who would have thought that there's food afterlife?" she mumbled to herself but he heard her.

"It's not really food." She looked up at him. "Um, It's like a ball of energy for Wayfarers in disguise of a food. That way it's appetizing for us.

"Ludovia slowly became alike to the Mortal World. I think that this way, it'll be easier for us to stay."

"Slowly?" tanong niya pagkatapos lunukin ang nginunguya at muling sumubo. Habang sumusubo ay napapansin niya na parang unti-unting nawawala ang pagkahapo niya. She felt better and better everytime. Parang unti-unting nawawala ang pagod niya sa kanina niya pa kalalakad.

"Well,  Wishes can be grant here in Ludovia with the right price. Wayfarers before started to wish things like make the energy ball like food, or have the right to choose what they want to wear or what they want to look like. There's many to mention actually." He took a sip of his wine.

"One thing is the communication. You see, you can actually understand me when I say C' est une gare."

Ito ay estasyon ng tren.

Her eyes widen. She actually understands him!

He smiled. "It's French. I learned few before. But yeah.  That's my point. If you can't understand the language, there's this unknown thing in your head that translates it to your mother tongue. So you can actually talk to me to whatever language you're comfortable with."

"Talaga?" He nodded with a chuckle, his dimples being visible.

"Tell me more."

He sipped from his wine. "Well,  you're soulcule has greens now. Ibig-sabihin lang, may tirahan ka na sa Verdant Demesne. Its the one on you saw on your left earlier on the express."

She nodded, remembering the green land that morning. "How about the castle?  What's that?"

"It's where the officials or Ovulus stays.  They're the one mintoring Ludovia and governs it. Namamahala,  gano'n."

"Then, you're standing on Mauve Demesne." Iniangat ni Brio ang pulsuhan at ipinakita sa kaniya ang sarili nitong Soulcule. "I'm living here."

The bar on his wrist was full with the gradient of what she thinks was violet ang blue.

Nagkwento lang si Brio sa kaniya ng kung anu-ano habang kumakain. He talked about how long he's been in Ludovia and some of his experiences when he came here. He talks a lot but there's one thing she thought Brio was avoiding. And remembering H, she doesn't pushed him to tell his story in Mortal World and how it ends.

Uminom si Fey wine. Nabusog talaga siya sa kinain. Ramdam niya ang tiyan niyang sasabog na ata dahil sa rami ng kaniyang kinain. Matapos noon ay lumabas na sila. Madalim na ang paligid sa labas. Mas naappreciate niya na ngayon ang Mauve Demesne na parang violet themed city.

Light are everywhere and it looked like a lively city. The building with purple lights looks good with other neon colors. A magnificent view in night.

"I'm actually tired. Can we just go to your place tomorrow?" Sasagot na sana si Fey nang muling magsalita si Brio. "I promise I'll help you find your turf.  Mag-stay ka na lang muna sa condo ko. "

For a Wayfarer, Fey is someone who trust easily. But everyone does have their desperate times right? She's desperate to not be alone again. She knew this time, she'll do everything.

They made their way to his home, quietly. That day really drained them.

But their day wasn't finished yet.

Habang naglalakad sila ay may biglang lumabas ang isang Wayfarer  sa harap nila. Hindi na namalayan ni Fey ang nangyari dahil sa bilis nito.

Nakita na lang niya ang kasamang tumumba sa sahig.