1st Door

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

***

VLAD

I'd live. I wished I would. I wished I could. I would if I could.

Nakatarak sa sa kanang dibdib ko ang isang matulis na espada. Sinisimot ng kirot ang bawat ugat roon habang unti-unti nang nanghihina ang aking katawan.

I have lost too much blood in the process. Nakasandal ako sa isang pader, iniinda ang hindi maipaliwanag na hapdi sa bawat kalamnan ko. I feel like I have been poisoned. I was poisoned. The sword's blade has poison on it.

I'd die without any antidote.

Pasara na ang mga talukap sa mata ko nang matunghayan ko ang madugong labanan nina Larry at Andreas. To no regret, I listened to what the latter had to say. He did not kill Karen. The Reds did.

Tumakbo sa isip ko kung ano ba talaga ang tunay na nangyari. Simula sa pagkakatanggap ko ng email mula sa Montellano Online Shop patungkol sa application ko, hanggang sa maging parte ako ng kompanya. I thought I was hired because I was good enough to be in the operations.

Everything was set up. Everyone was sacrificed because of the mafia war that has long been existing for generations.

I did not kill her. K-Karen knows that. Sinundan ko siya sa UN Avenue dahil sa banta sa buhay niya. The Reds shot her in the head. I was too late to save her.

Hearing those words from Andreas, the sincerity in his voice, including the pain made me realize how everything was turned and twisted against all of us. They say everything will always fall into place, if this maxim was true, I'd say it's the ugliest truth I have ever witnessed.

Pinilit kong bumangon nang mamataan kong gigilitan na ni Larryson si Andreas; but I was too weak to move a limb. Hindi ko alam kung mabubuhay pa ako. Hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pa.

Luckily, Minalyn was brave enough to do what I couldn't. She immediately grabbed the sword and threw it like a javelin expert. Naglakbay ang dulo ng espada mula sa mga kamay ng babae patungo sa likuran ni Larry. My eyes were half-closed when I saw the tip of the sword hitting Larryson's nape. Blood bursted out from his neck and to his mouth.

The world froze. As if everything really fell into place. Larryson fell on his knees, shaking, crying and spitting crimson. Ilang segundo itong nakaluhod at tulala bago tuluyang bumagsak sa harapan ni Andreas.

"Andreas!" Dinig kong sigaw ni Mina at Bella.

Tuluyan nang nagsara ang talukap ng mga mata ko. Ramdam at dinig ko ang paggalaw ng dalawa na marahil ay inalalayan si Andreas para makabangon.

The next thing I remembered was Mina calling my name. Kasunod no'n ay naramdaman ko ang mainit na bisig nitong pinilit akong buhatin palabas sa second floor.

"Vlad, dude... it's over. Don't sleep!" Nanghihinang sambit ni Andreas na sa tingin ko'y siyang sumasalo sa bigat ng katawan ko sa kaliwa.

I felt Bella's tiny hands on my hips. Lifting me up. Helping me move. She was crying.

***

Bumungad saakin ang malamig na ihip ng hangin pagkatapos ng ilang minuto. Pakiramdam ko'y nasa labas na kami ng building. Ilang hakbang pa ang nagawa namin nang biglang napatigil ng sabay-sabay sina Andreas, Bella at Mina.

Bella screamed and Mina gasped in despair.

"T-The Reds..." bulalas ni Andreas.

Napamulat ako ng mata. Pinilit kong tignan kung ano ang nasa harapan namin. My body shivered upon seeing what's ahead of us --Rocess Red and Ruby Red. Lifeless. Beheaded.

Nakatali sa magkabilang tarangkahan ang mga katawan ng bosses ng MOS na halatang matagal nang naroon. Nakasabit naman sa metal na arkong may signage ng 'WELCOME TO MOS' ang ulo ng mga ito.

Nanindig ang mga balahibo ko sa nakita hindi ako sigurado pero pakiramdam ko'y hindi pa tapos ang lahat. Hindi pa kami ligtas. "We're not yet safe." I whispered.

Bago pa muling makapagsalita sina Bella at Mina ay bumagsak sa kinatatayuan si Andreas. Hindi na nito kinaya ang matinding pagod, gutom at panghihina.

"Andreas." Mina exclaimed.

Inalalayan ako pababa ni Bella. I was sitting on my lower limbs nang muling kumibo si Andreas.

"I think... we're poisoned. T-the blades have poisoned." Tila nahihilong sambit nito. "We need an antidote."

"W-where do we get it?" Natatarantang usal ni Mina.

"It's with Larryson... I g-guess. Pero nasusunog na ang buong building. You can't go back inside."

Patumba na rin ang katawan ko pero nagawa akong saluhin ni Bella. Her hands were shaking. Panay ang singhap nito ng hangin. Marahil ay naninikip na ang dibdib nito sa sobrang nerbyos.

"Hindi pwedeng mawala ang isa sa inyo. We have reached the ground! Kailangan may g-"

Pinutol ng isang pamilyar na tawa ang sasabihin ni Mina. Narinig namin ang paglagapak ng sapatos ng lalaki mula sa pintuan ng lobby palapit saamin.

"Natas!" Sabay-sabay naming nasambit. Bella held me closer.

Hinarang naman ni Mina ang sarili nang biglang ilabas ni Natas ang baril mula sa likod nito at bigla na lang itinutok saamin. Nakangisi itong parang baliw habang pinapalipat-lipat ang bunganga ng pistol saaming apat.

"It was you all this time! Kaya pala halos lahat ng lagusan alam mo. You were silently watching, observing and killing us at the same time. Ikaw ang totoong mastermind at hindi si Larry?"

"Larry was an accessory. Satana, Mildred, everyone was accessories. Useful accessories para matapos na ang Scorpion empire. Yes, I am the real mastermind. The genius behind every masterpiece that killed your friends."

"You're a demon!" Bella screamed. I could feel her anger next to me. Enormous.

"I am Satan. That's why you kneel infront of me, because I have the last say of who lives and who dies."

"I could have killed you." Said Mina.

"You could have, but you didn't."

"You faked your death... I doubted my judgement on you; I was never wrong." Andreas managed to utter. Sinubukan nitong tumayo pero hindi na niya nagawa. His whole body was shaking.

"One thing that makes us, The Infinites, better than the rest of the Scorpions. We're good in both: the real and unreal." He loaded the gun and I almost stopped breathing. "I have two antidotes here, Andreas and Vlad." Ipinakita nito ang antidotes na nasa dalawang vial.

"L-let them live! You've killed enough!" Mina pleaded. Napakuyom ang mga palad nito na tila handa na siyang hablutin ang espadang nakatarak sa katawan ko para gilitan sa leeg si Natas.

Nilaro-laro ni Natas ang dalawang vials sa kaliwang palad nito habang nakatutok pa rin saamin ang pistol. Then he said, "I only need one from them."

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang iangat nito ang lid ng isang vial at walang alinlangang itinapon ang laman no'n. Natas already killed one of us.

"This vial, I promise, will be used by either this Scorpion,' he pointed at Andreas, "or this math genius. One milliliter which is exactly this vial's content is only enough for one body. Who would you save?"

"Just give me the remaining antidote!" Mina hissed. She was panting heavily.

Tumayo si Mina para abutin ang maliit na bote. Natas kept his promise. Iniabot nito ang Pagbalik nito ay hawak na niya ang antidote. Palipat-lipat ang mga mata ng babae saamin ni Andreas.

Then she knelt down between us. Intensely she closed her eyes and and held the vial with both of her hands. Tears slowly traced her face. "Vladimir, Andreas... I would want both of you to live. Sana pwede."

Andreas gazed at me. His sad eyes met mine. He's given up all his hopes. He wanted to go. I wanted to go, too.

"Mina... B-baka may iba pang paraan?" Bella was weeping from behind the three of us.

"Slowly, the poison will eat your flesh. It will be the most painful death. Ever." Komento ni Natas na nakamasid lang saamin. Inaalog-alog pa nito ang hawak na baril habang naghihintay sa desisyon ni Mina.

Seryosong tumitig saakin si Andreas. He cleared his throat. "You have to stay, Vlad. T-take the vial."

Umiling-iling ako. Hindi ako sang-ayon sa sinabi ng lalaki. If there is someone who deserves a second chance of life, it would be him. He'll be able to protect Bella and Mina. If in any case, the Infinites lives. "Mina, Andreas, Bella... this is my chance to be with Karen. I want to go."

"Vlad..." Mina whispered. Pagkatapos no'n ay naramdaman kong ipinatong nito ang kamay ko sa nanlalamig na ring kamay ni Andreas. Naramdaman koing isiningit nito ang malamig na bote ng vial sa aming mga palad pagkatapos. "I don't have the right to decide whether who lives or who dies. H-hindi ako diyos para gawin 'yan."

"Andreas, d-due take it. You have to live. I forgive you for everything that you've done; let me be with Karen and my unborn child."

Hindi na umimik pa si Andreas. I felt his hand took the vial. Atlast, it was settled.

But Natas was not happy about it. So he screamed, "No Scorpion shall live!" Pagkatapos niyang isigaw iyon ay naitutok niya ang bunganga ng pistol sa gawi ng ni Andreas.

Saktong bumigay ang mga paningin ko nang marinig ko ang tatlong magkakasunod na putok ilang metro mula saamin. Natalsikan ako ng mainit na likido na marahil ay galing sa sugatang katawan ng kung sino mang malapit saakin.

Ilang segundo lang ay nakarinig ako ng malakas na tunog ng bumagsak na katawan.

Natahimik ang paligi sa sumunod na hibla ng segundo. Tanging ang paghinga ng tatlong nilalang sa paligid ang siya kong narinig.

Nang maglaon ay mga yapak ng isang nilalang mula sa malayo ang dumating. Pamilyar ang boses ng lalaki. I have always believed he's alive.

"I'm sorry if it took me a while. Masyado kasing malalim ang sugat na natamo ko mula sa samurai. I got poisoned too, but don't worry, I have the antidote."

My heart was relived. My lips smiled peacefully before my might fell into the well of darkness.

"Vladimir!" I could hear them shouting my name but I was not responding.

I got tired of responding.

I'm going.

I'm going home.

The life I had, everything... all the pain, the memories which only few of them could I remember. I knew then why I had to go through a lot of obstacles. As I grew older, I found more reasons why God had to put me through all of it. The more ways He's created loss for me to seek his comfort. He gives me the enough amount of pain that could make me want to quit life. He wanted me to quit and surrender so that I could ask for a safer refuge, a place where there is no pain, no jealousy, no trouble and worries. He wanted me to be home. He wanted me to quit life and be HOME...

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