Chapter 49: Hunt

Hindi mawala-wala sa isip ko ang mga nalaman ko ngayong araw. The history of this school is not the history I expected it to be... I thought that this school is purely evil and made for killing. But no, this school wasn't like this before. This school was made of love. Ito ay isang paaralang matiwasay noon.

"Miss Dawnt, are you listening? Mukha kang lutang." Sabi ng Prof na nagpabalik sa akin sa kasalukuyan.

"A-Ah okay lang po. Kulang lang po siguro ako sa tulog kaya ganito." Sagot ko at tumango lang naman si Prof at ipinagpatuloy niya ang pagle-lecture.

*****

It is already noon time and Julia just arrived. What took her so long to come back?

"Ba't ngayon ka lang?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang sumisimsim ng juice na tinimpla ko kani-kanina lang.

"Gosh, I'm so worn out! That damn woman made me sort her files alphabetically! Nakakabwesit! And I really think... she's testing me. She's testing my temper."

"W-What?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

"She's testing me, Zaya. I think this is all about the book."

"T-The rarest power?" Nautal kong sabi.

"Oo! She's still in search of the person who has it! I can sense that she's testing my temper. Kanina kasi, uminom siya ng kape tapos nalaglag yung cup at pinalinis niya sa akin 'yon. And right there, I sensed that she is trying me. Marami siyang ipinagawa sa akin sa opisina niya at alam kong sinasadya niya iyon para mairita ako."

"And... if you'll burst out because of your anger, may posibilidad na mailabas mo ang kapangyarihan?"

"Yes. But I know that I don't have a power. Wala akong kapangyarihan, Zaya. I will never have. Hindi parin nga ako makapaniwala na may totoong kapangyarihan talaga. For me it can be seen just in fairy tales."

Hindi ako makapagsalita. Naalala ko yung mukha ko na nandoon sa aklat na iyon... Why am I involved in that book? Why was I there? Hindi naman ako espesyal na tao! Pero bakit nagkaganon? This is driving me crazy!

All the possible ideas came running through my mind... Could it be... No! I am not a special human and I don't assume that I have it even if it's possible. My parents never told me that I am a superhuman or what. I am just an ordinary girl. May nasabi rin ang lola ko noong bata pa ako pero hindi ako naniniwala.

"Hey, Zaya, you're spacing out. Are you alright?"

"Uhh yeah, of course. I am just thinking who could be the one who has the power." Sagot ko.

Julia doesn't know that my face is on the book either! I didn't tell her about it 'cause I know she'll freak out. And maybe she'll think I'm crazy and assuming. Basta hindi ngayon ang tamang panahon para sabihin ko sa kanya ang lahat ng dapat kong sabihin. There's a right time for everything.

"Madame Selina is so persistent that she will be able to find the one who has the rarest power she has been looking for! Ang tanong, nandito ba talaga yung mayroon ng kapangyarihan?" Sabi ng kaibigan ko.

"I think he or she is here. Kasi hindi naman magiging persistent si Madame kung wala eh." Sagot ko naman sa kanya.

"You have a point! And that means that..." Kumislap ang mga mata ni Julia.

"That what?"

"It means that he or she who has the rarest power can save us all! He or she can set us all free from this dungeon!" Kumikislap parin ang mata ni Julia sa naisip niya.

Oo nga. He or she who has the rarest power can set us all free... Pero ang tanong, paano siya namin mahahanap? Sino siya? We need to know who he/she is! We badly need his/her help!

"But how could we find that person? Kung nandito nga siya, we need to reach him/her as soon as possible at baka maunahan pa tayo ni Madame! The person who has the rarest power is our only hope so we can be free. Siya ang tanging paraan upang makalaya tayo dito."

"I'll tell Godwin about this. I know he can think of a plan." Sabi ni Julia. Tumango lamang ako. I agree with her.

"How about let's talk about something else... I want to know why your older brother became the president here." Sabi ko sa kanya at pumunta ako sa sala upang makaupo sa couch at ganoon rin ang ginawa ni Julia.

"Gaya ng sabi ko noon sayo, he proved that he is rightful to be the president of this school. Not to brag but my brother is an intelligent guy. And for his intelligence, nabighani si Madame sa kanya. And his ideas are great and Madame Selina was impressed. So yun yung nangyari, Madame made my brother rule this school. But of course, hindi magpapatalo si Madame," She breathed before she continued to speak. "She told my brother that even he is the president, he needs to follow her orders. Sinabi ni Madame kay Kuya na siya pa rin ang tagapamahala at inatasan niya lang si Kuya."

"In short, it's like she's only using your brother? Because he's intelligent and he has great ideas for this school?" Pagtatanong ko kasi 'yon yung dating sa akin eh.

"Yes, parang ganon na nga. But Kuya Dark knows better. Kailangan niyang paniwalain si Madame. As you can see, pinagkakatiwalaan talaga ni Madame si Kuya and she thinks that he has no harm to be brought. And she thinks that Kuya is agreeing in all her plans."

"Pero kahit na, Julia. Dapat kayong mag-ingat. You know Madame Selina is also an intelligent woman. She has her strategies and she's so observant." Paalala ko sa kaibigan ko.

"How about you, Zaya? What's your plan with the book? Like what you said, Madame Selina is an intelligent woman and she has her strategies and she is observant. Ano na ang gagawin mo sa aklat? I think you should give it up!"

Parang naging masama naman sa pandinig ko ang sinabi ni Julia. Give it up? I can't! I have to know why am I involved in it! I can't let this slip!

"I-I can't..."

"Anong hindi? Zaya, mapapahamak ka sa ginagawa mo! Anytime soon, Madame will search each dorm that this school has! Aren't you scared?" Wika ni Julia at halatang galit siya dahil sa tono ng kanyang pagsasalita at sa ekspresyon niya sa kanyang mukha.

"I am scared, alright! But I can't give the book back to her!"

"You just have to secretly leave it in the library or you can put it anywhere away from us so she will not know that you are the one who stole it!"

"No, Julia! That is not it! I can't give up the book because... because..." Hindi ko matapos-tapos ang gusto kong sabihin. I don't want to tell her about this! Now is not the right time!

"Because what, Zaya?"

"I..." I should tell her. Kailangan ko ng sabihin ang totoo. "I am involved in it, Julia! My face was drawn on that book! I can't let it go easily!"

Shock is evident on her face. "W-What are you t-trying to say?"

I immediately went upstairs to get the book from where I hid it last time. The appearance of the book is the same and I think I'm just paranoid that the book will change its appearance by itself! But when I got a hold of the book, it glowed again!

I immediately came back to the living room. "Haven't you opened this book when you saw it?"

"No, I didn't. I couldn't manage to open it when I saw it because I was so shocked and angry at the same time."

"Look at this, Julia, it glows when I hold it or touch it." Sabi ko kay Julia at hinimas ko ang aklat and there it is again, glowing.

Nanlaki naman ang mata niya. "This book is damn magical! Let me hold it and I'll try if it'll glow."

I handed her the book and she touched it again and again and the book didn't glow. What the fuck? Why did it glow to me, then?

"That's strange... Why didn't it glow to me? Bakit sayo...?" Sambit ni Julia na naguguluhan.

"Yeah, it's damn strange! Should we tell anyone? Godwin or your brother perhaps?" I said to her.

"We can't tell Godwin. At least not now. But Kuya? We can tell him... But I think he's busy at the moment, kaya hindi muna ngayon. We can count on my brother."

Ano ba talaga ang itsura ng kapatid ni Julia? I haven't seen him ever! All I know is that Julia has a brother and her brother is the president of this damn school!

I just nodded on what Julia said. I'll count on her brother because I count on her.

*****

Kakatapos lang ng first period class namin ngayong hapon. After me and Julia discussed the book at our dorm, we ate lunch and we waited for the bell to ring so we could go to our first period class this afternoon. And it's already over.

We were currently heading to our second period class when we heard Madame Selina speak on the intercom in her office which we can hear because there are lots of speakers all over the school's perimeter.

Nagsitigilan naman ang mga estudyante sa mga ginagawa nila at nakinig kay Madame pati na kaming dalawa ni Julia.

"I am searching for an old golden book. Kung ikaw ang nakakuha ng hinahanap kong aklat, you should return it to me immediately before it's too late... You can run, but you can't hide from me!"

Frustration and anger are evident on Madame Selina's voice. I can really imagine her face right now! Biglang kumalabog ng pagkabilis-bilis ang puso ko.

Nahalata naman ni Julia ang takot ko. "Don't worry, I'm here. And my brother and I will help you. Anytime soon, we'll be able to find a way to fight Selina."

I hope so... I really hope that anytime soon, we will be able to fight Madame Selina.

At hindi pa pala tapos si Madame Selina sa mga sinasabi niya, "Kung sino man ang kumuha sa aklat ko, remember this, hide now 'cause I'll fucking hunt you down."

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