Attacked
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The Gleens and Aldeheid awoke early that morning to drive south. Their mother's house had already been sold, so they had to pack some of the remaining items as well as file the paperwork. They knew they wouldn't be done for long, so they decided to take a trip to Cragmerre first.

Ilang buwan na ang nagdaan nang lumipat si Aldeheid ng tahanan. Cragmerre hasn't changed that much, bukod sa bagong banderita na nakasabit sa bawat poste ay ang makukulay na mga parol na nakaakibat rito. It was the middle of October, people in Cragmerre must be excited for Christmas.

Dumaan muna sila sa resto kung saan paboritong kinakainan niya kasama ang namayapang ina noong buhay pa ito. As usual, with Dorothy, Aldeheid couldn't eat what she likes if it's not for her allergies but since she's doing better than past, ang sa unang hindi niya makain ay nagawa niya nang tikman ngayon.

Nilasap niya ang bawat pagkain at tumikim na rin ng beer na order ng kaniyang kapatid. But, of course, she could only take a sip since she was scared of what would happen to her, especially after her doctor had warned her of this.

Matapos nilang kumain ay bumili na rin naman sila ng ilang kagamitan bago nagtuloy-tuloy na sa biyahe. Their vehicle was a Ford Ranger truck, so they had no trouble transporting the items.

It was yet three o'clock in the afternoon, and if it's not winter, it takes three hours to get back to Malcolm. Napatunghay lang si Aldeheid sa upuan habang masayang pinapanood ang senaryo sa labas. Autumn never let her down. They'd walk among orange trees, stumbling over soaked leaves on the road, and even breathe in the crisp fall air. This was her only escape in the past, but now that she's with Malcolm, everything feels different—a euphoric change.

Huminto muna sa isang tavern ang sasakyan dahil sa papaputok sa sinapupunan ng pinakabata niyang pamangkin. Aldeheid giggled when she saw how Rexter couldn't take it any longer. Halos hindi na nga ito makalakad ng maayos pagkababa nito sa sasakyan.

She was left alone with Rosalia who's strangely quiet at the moment. Gustuhin niya mang makiramdam sa paligid ngunit ayaw niya namang kimkimin nito ang kung ano man ang gumugulo sa isipan ng dalaga.

She gently pinched Rosalia's palm and smiled when Rosalia turned to her. Mabilis nitong tinanggal ang nakasabit sa tenga at pilit siyang nginitian. "Yes, Auntie?"

"Is there something troubling you?" Rosalia denied, but Aldeheid sensed hesitation inside the adolescent. "If you're frightened of telling your mother, you may tell me."

Aldeheid wouldn't force Rosalia to reveal if she didn't want to, but Rosalia sighed profoundly, which threw her off surprise.

"I think I found my mate, Auntie." Rosalia pouted na para bang ayaw niya sa ideyang iyon.

Napakurap si Aldeheid at hindi makapaniwala sa narinig.She only recently learned about them, which explains why she finds it strange to hear things that aren't ordinary to her.

Napangiti nalang siya sa pamangkin, "Really? That's great!" komento niya upang pagaanin ang loob nito.

Nunit mas lalo lamang itong napamusot, "It is...but I don't like him. I-I..." Rosalia sighed and went on, "...I have a boyfriend. I love my boyfriend. That old man can't be my mate! That's absurd!" may magkahalong asar at pandidiri sa ekspresyon nito.

"Does your mom knows about you having a boyfriend in your age?" umiling ito na ikinatawa niya.

Ika nga nila na kung ano ang puno ay siya ring bunga—mag-ina nga sila ni Dorothy! Parehong rebelde!

"So, what's your problem about it, Lia? Can't you just tell him you can't be with him?"

Napahalukipkip ang dalaga, "I did but he's determined, Auntie! Naasar ako! We're not even compatible for our age! He's freaking old! Gusto ko nga ng sugar daddy pero ayaw ko namang sa kaniya!"

Hindi niya talaga alam kung paanong namana ng pamangkin niya ang ugali ng kaniyang kapatid, kung hindi lang sa balingkinitang katawan at maliit na mukha nito, baka akalain niyang si Dorothy itong kausap niya.

"How old is he exactly?" Aldeheid asked, curious about Rosalia's frustration.

Napakurap si Rosalia doon at napalabi bago nag-iwas ng tingin atsaka nagmusot, "27." she said it in speed.

Aldeheid could only tilt her head and giggle, "Is he pretty?"

"Ew, no," Rosalia answered—obviously apart from what her heart was saying.

Hindi pa ata siguro nito alam na naririnig niya sila. Hindi niya nalang pinansin iyon at nagpatango-tango nalang na may ngiti sa labi. Rosalia rolled her eyes when she saw her pero kalaunan ay natawa narin naman bago naging tili iyon nang may biglang nahulog sa bubong ng kotse nila.

Mabilis na napakapit siya sa pamangkin upang protektahan ito ang ulo nito baka sakaling masira ang bubongan nila.

Aldeheid's mind was racing with questions when a low grunt found her ears.

She heard Rosalia screeched before she felt long nails on her back. Naramdaman niya na biglang bumilis ang takbo ng puso nito kasabay nun ay pagiging alarma sa paligid.

Rosalia's eyes darkened before turning crimson as she sniffled in the air, attempting to figure out what was above them. Pumitik pareho ang kanilang leeg patingala nang bigla itong gumalaw. The automobile lurched left and right before a massive blood-covered bear came at their window.

Pareho silang nagulat doon pero mabilis namang nakaagap nang bigla nitong kinalmot ang pintuan sa tabi ni Aldeheid. In a blink of an eye, nasa harapan na ni Aldeheid si Rosalia habang pinagtutusok ito ng mga na salamin ng kotse at isang kamay ay pinagkakalmot ito.

May mga balahibo natanggal mula sa uso at unti-unti rin dumugo ang kamay nito. Napahiyaw ito sa sakit at mas lalong bumangis. With only a span of seconds, Aldeheid found Rosalia across on the road, covered in the once-piled crates after being tossed by the wild bear.

Napasinghap siya at hindi magawang gumalaw sa nasaksihan. She wanted to run towards Rosalia but she couldn't now that the bear's attention was on her.

At the back of her mind, mabuti lang na nasa kaniya ang atensyon nito para hindi na nito mahawakan ang pamangkin niya. But her niece needs her help.

Mabilis gumalaw ang mga paa niya at napalabas sa kotse mula sa kabila nang magsimulang tabigin ito ng uso. Luckily, she was quick to run kasi kung hindi ay sigurado siyang madadaganan siya ng sasakyan.

Maybe it was an impulse that instead of going inside the tavern, she went towards Rosalia instead, kahit paman na alam niyang kailangan nilang dalawa ng tulong. Her niece was still conscious but she got hit so bad that she could barely move her feet to run. Narinig niyang sinundan siya ng uso kaya walang paalam na kinarga niya nalang ang pamangkin at tumakbo paalis upang makalayo ngunit hindi sila tinantanan nito.

Aldeheid looked for a safe place where she could leave Rosalia but before she could even think, bigla nalang silang dinambahan nito. Nahiwalay sa mga kamay niya ang pamangkin at siya naman ay napagulong sa tuyong lupa.

She winced as her back ached and she noticed blood oozing from her skin. She was practically out of breath, but Dorothy arrived at the precise moment they need, kaya nagkaroon pa siya ng oras upang puntahan ulit ang pamangkin na ngayo'y wala ng malay.

She needn't reach Rosalia's pulse to feel if she's still breathing dahil ramdam na ramdam niya pa rin ito sa ilang metrong pagkakahiwalay nila.

As she carried her niece's head on her lap, something inside her just snapped when she found that rusty stench that squirmed her stomach. Bigla siyang nanginig at nang-init. She was so enraged at the time that she didn't realize she was planning to kill the wild bear.

Kaya nang makita niyang tumilapon ang katawan ng kapatid ay doon na nag-alab ang kaniyang galit. Aldeheid couldn't think properly, and everything she did was impulsive.

Sa isang iglap, nakita nalang niya ang sariling sinalubong ang uso na nakahanda ang pares na kamay sa pagkalmot nito. A yowl echoed the immense expanse with one slash. Blood squirted in her face as she stared at the woeful bear being ganged up by the people from the tavern.

Wala sa sariling napaluhod nalang siya habang hindi makapaniwala sa nagawa. She was instantly befuddled and terrified by what she had done. She had never used violence against anyone before, nor had she ever become enraged about anything. Kaya natameme nalang siya.

Even after Crowick and Dorothy went to help them, tanging tango at iling lamang ang nagawa niya habang patuloy pa rin sa pag-iisip sa nangyare.

Until Dorothy told her to take off her blood shot eyes, doon na siya natauhan at walang ibang gustong kausapin kundi si Callum.

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nyariina