August's POV

Nagising na lang ako na magaan ang pakiramdam. I can't hear nothing but the smooth blow of the air conditioner. Ilang beses pa akong napakurap and the event last night flashed back in my mind na parang naka-autoreplay kaya napabangon ako bigla at napatingin sa paligid and I saw the sofa occupied by a god. Charot! It's occupied by Cayden and he is sleeping soundly though it is obvious that he doesn't fit on the sofa. It's too small for him. Bakit naman kasi ang tangkad niya?

Tahimik akong bumangon at pumanhik ako sa banyo. Naghilamos na lang ako at nagtoothbrush. Naramdaman ko na rin na masakit ang tiyan ko kaya nagbawas na rin ako. Lumabas ako na tulog pa rin si Cayden. Hindi ko na namalayan kung anong oras ito nakatulog dahil una naman akong nakatulog kesa sa kanya.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pagkakaabalahan ko. Tiningnan ko ang oras at alas cuatro pa ng umaga. Sobrang aga kong nagising na kadalasan ay mga 7am na ako nagigising lalo na kung alam ko na hindi ako pupunta sa office. Or malamang talagang nakapagpahinga lang ako ng bongga kaya nagising ako ng maaga.

Naibaling ko naman ang tingin ko sa desk at nakita ko doon ang aking libro na talagang sinadya ko pa kahapon sa Laguna. Pumanhik ako papalapit sa desk at kinuha ko ang libro. Nawala ito sa isip ko kahapon. Buti na lang at napanhik ang tingin ko rito dahil kung hindi ay baka hindi ko kaagad na naman ito mababasa.

Bumalik ako sa kama at halos magtalukbong ako ng kumot dahil sa lamig ng air con pero na hagip naman ng mga mata ko na nahulog ang kumot ni Cayden kaya napabangon ako ulit para kunin yun ay ibalot kay Cayden. Wala pa naman itong t-shirt pang-itaas. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nakahubad baro ito eh ang lamig lamig ng kuwarto. Dahan dahan kong inilagay ang kumot at salamat sa diyos dahil hindi naman ito nagising.

Bumalik ako sa aking kama na walang ginawang ingay. I grabbed the book and stare at the cover bago yun binuksan. The first page was blank and second page has credits and some text that I did not bother to read. Ganyan talaga ako. I turned to the very first chapter and read.

I never thought that I would die this way. I was just on my way to home from work. I never thought that this people is about to end my life. From the alleys where I was walking, I was dragged to the highest building in Shanghai. I don't have any idea what they want from me. All I felt was fear. I am afraid to die.

"You dared to mess with our boss. You got some nerve you dog." A man with a scorpion tattoo on his left neck said that to me.

I cringed. An image appeared on my mind. The only person they can mean is the mobster named Xui Rai Tien. A female mobster that wanted me dead because of the prosecution that lead her to prison and I was the opposing lawyer.

I always knew that my job was dressed with danger especially if the opposing clients are mobsters, but there is nothing that I can do. I only did fight for the truth and winning the case means a lot with people who reached me for help to bring justice to their dead daughter.

"Please spare me. I really-" I almost fainted with the excruciating pain when I felt someone punched me hard in my stomach. I felt an iron taste on my mouth. I guess it is blood.

"We are ordered to kill you to make you repent your bad decision in......hell...." the man answered as he point the gun and pulled the trigger. I felt the bullet hit my shoulder blade and because of the impact and pain I was pushed hard and uncontrollably walking backwards and the next thing I know is I was falling. I screamed and my tears are falling. I am scared of the feeling if my body will hit the ground or do I still have time to feel. I prayed and prayed and asking for a second chance. If someone can save me...... if someone can overturn this situation. All I see was a blinding light slowly eating my sight.

Suddenly my body hit the cold water and I wasn't able to move to my surprise. Why there is water? The river was way to far from the building. Why am I in the water? Until I almost lost my breathing but I saw a ray of light from the surface of the water.

I did try to reach it but I can't until I realized, I can't reach it if I won't move or swim. So I paddle and swam hard to the surface until I reached above and my lungs breathed a fresh air. I gasped for air like there is no tomorrow. And almost got drowned again when I saw the surroundings.

I have no idea what is this place and why am I even in the water. I flinched as I felt the pain on my shoulder. Am I dreaming? But why the pain feel so real? I am confused as I swam to the shore. Or am I dead? This might be heaven...... or a glamour cover for hell. I don't know where to go. But I was caught of guard when an aged lady appeared from the forest. She's dressed in a plain clothing but she looks stunningly beautiful despite of her age but my eyes was trained to her belly as I saw it was in bulged. I don't know if that was natural because of her age, it's impossible to call it pregnancy.

An angel perhaps? I never knew that an angel will appear right before my eyes. She was eyeing me like I am some sort of weird specie before she spoke.

"You have a weird clothing taste." She spat a comment over my clothes like seeing my clothes is the most ridiculous thing in the world.

I was wondering why did she took time noticing my clothes, when they are just simple suit. This is common and invented a long time ago.

"Ah, lawyers do have this kind of taste." I answered with half smile but I almost gave a sour face when I felt again the throbbing pain. I looked on my left shoulder can see the hole and the blood but it's not that visible since I am wearing black and I am wet from the swamp or lake or river. I don't know.

Her forehead creased. "Lawyers? What's that?" She asked.

She doesn't know about lawyers? How? "Lawyers, people who defend a case and unravelling truths." I answered to her. Well, that's half true and lie.

"Ah... I didn't know there is a lawyer in Pandora." She answered.

I was caught by her statement. "Pandora?"

She nodded. "Yes, you don't know? Our planet? By the way my name is Mikaella and you are now in Anatolia." I was confused on what she's talking about. Pandora and Anatolia? Is that in China?

"Is this in China?" I asked.

"China? What's that? But this is Pandora, ruled by the King and and Queen. King Yuan Raven Vel Versailles and Queen Snow Brielle Versailles." —

That made me paused from reading. How did this man know about this names? This name is not just common names that can be guessed. Oh god, this book might be freaking real! Or maybe this is a true story of the Author! Shocks! Bakit ngayon ko lang binasa? I had so much time in the world pero imbes na basahin ito eh kinalimutan ko pa.

"It's not just me...." naisaad ko at mas lalong humigpit ang pagkakahawak ko sa libro.

"What do you mean by, it is not just you?" Nagulat naman ako sa biglang tanong ni Cayden kaya mabilis akong napalingon rito na medyo kinababahan pa. Peste, bakit ba ito nangugulat? Nagising ba ito dahil maingay ako?

"The book...... I think this book is real." Naisagot ko sa kanya at ipinakita ang libro. I may sound ridiculous but after reading the first page ay imposibleng hindi ko masasabing hindi totoo ito dahil isa ako mismo ay isa sa patunay na ang mga taong nabanggit sa libro ay totoo at buhay sa ibang mundo.

"Real? How? You know those kind of stuffs are created with imagination. A composition of fiction." Sagot naman nito sa akin na ayaw pa na maniwala.

Umiling ako. "See it for yourself." Saad ko at iniabot kay Cayden ang libro at kinuha naman nito at nagsimulang nagbasa. I was looking at the ceiling and thinking about it when a few minutes after I heard Cayden's reaction.

"This book must be destroyed. This is holding the secret of our world." Saad nito kaya napalingon na naman ako rito.

"What? No you can't destroy the book. Aren't you curious of the man who wrote it? That only means that I am not the only one who was able to go to Pandora. There is someone else or it might not just be one or two people." Sagot ko rito at umalis ako sa pagkakaupo sa kama at lumapit kay Cayden. "Don't destroy the book."

I saw how his jaws clenched. "But is putting our world in jeopardy."

Umiling ako. "Cayden, you read it. It is not just a story. It is related about my birth! Didn't you see? As King Laurent mentioned, I was the daughter of Mikaella and Clandestine and I don't even have a single idea about them."

"But the secrecy is more important than-"

"To hell with secrecy. At this age Cayden, do you think people will believe it? Have you read Harry Potter? Twilight? Immortal instruments? Elite? They are a bunched of books about fantasy novels. Do you think, 7 billion people will believe the story? They will be fascinated but will never believe the story." Saad ko rito, dahil yun naman ang totoo. In the 20th century people will not believe such stories. Usong uso nga ito sa wattpad.

"Fine, you can keep it." Sumusukong sagot nito. Kaya kinuha ko kaagad ang libro dahil baka magbago ang isip nito bigla at sunugin pa nito ang libro.

Binasa ko ang libro ang the story is centered with the man named Lou Han, the protagonist. I was wondering why did they not used an english name instead of chinese name but it did not change the fact that the story is interesting. It contains his escapade and including Mikaella, my birth mother. She's the one who helped and saved Lou Han and he help Mikaella on her everyday living since she's old and bearing a child. On the story it doesn't say about if the baby she's carrying are twins, but as king Laurent said, they never knew it was twins until birth.

I was too focused with the book and I did not noticed that Cayden gone outside. I don't know if he's gone for a jog. Yun naman kasi ang nakagawian niya at napansin ko na nga lang na bumalik na siya at may dala-dalang mga supot ng pagkain.

Biglang na distract ako sa aking pagbabasa dahil sa mabangong amoy ng pagkain. I smelled longganisa, there is a hint of scrambled eggs as well and fried rice.

"Let's eat?" Nakangiting yaya sa akin ni Cayden.

😳 Gosh, I missed that smile. It feels like it was forever since the last time I saw it. Kaya napatango na lang ako at inilapag ko ang libro sa kama at tumayo na ako at pumanhik sa lamesa. Inilabas naman ni Cayden ang mga pagkain na as usual boxed food pero marami sila. Bukod sa longganisa at egg, meron pang ham, bacon, luncheon meat at chocolate drink. Seems like he now exactly knows my appetite.

So we dig in and I was enjoying the meal without any worries. You can't eat half heartedly dahil nakakawalang gana yun. Natapos din ang agahan namin at syempre, simot ang pagkain. I did not saw any disgust or confusion on Cayden's face or eyes. Instead, I saw enjoyment and happiness when he saw I was eating like that. He's always been like that. Di ba kadalasan ang mga lalaki, natuturn off kung malakas lumamon ang mga babae? Well meron din naman na walang pakialam dun pero kadalasan they prefer girls who eat like a bird, na halos hindi na kumain dahil sa katipiran kumain.

"That was a great meal." Napangiting saad ko at tinulungan na rin si Cayden sa pagtatapon ng mga basura.

"The food in the restaurant below has a great cook." Sagot naman nito ng nakangiti.

Great cook pero mahal. Pero hindi ko na yun pinansin pa dahil ang importante, hindi naman ako yung gumastos. Si Cayden naman.

Kung anu-ano lang ang ginawa namin. Nag gym kami dito sa Remington nagcheck ako ng mga emails. Tawag sa headquarters. Si Cayden naman ay busy din kakaharap sa kanyang laptop. Kung high schooler lang sana ito baka napagkamalan ko pa itong nagdodota dahil sa bilis magtipa nito sa keyboard.

Sumapit na ang alas tres ng hapon at naisip ko na ang magaganap na Auction mamayang bagi. May mga na-receive na rin akong mga reports kung sinu-sino ang mga darating na mga panauhin. Dumating na rin yung damit na pinili ni Nate dun sa Cinco.

Naligo na lang ako, ako na lang mag-aayos sa sarili ko tutal masyadong magara na ang damit, hindi ko naman siguro kailangan magpabongga sa make up dahil mission ito. Natapos na akong magligo at nakaroba na akong lumabas ay tumunog naman ang doorbell. Hindi ko alam kung bakit o baka umorder lang ng pagkain si Cayden. Ito na ang nagbukas ng pintuan at—

"Kailangan natin paganda—"

Napalingon ako dun dahil kilala ko ang boses na yun. Pero baka nagkamali lang ako dahil nawala naman din kaagad.

"August's friend?" Narinig kong tanong ni Cayden rito. Wala naman akong marinig na sagot hindi ko alam kung tumango o hindi nakasagot. "Come in."

Niluwagan ni Cayden ang pagkakabukas ng pintuan at iniluwa nga doon ang taong hindi ko inaasahan. Si Misha na nanlalaki ang mga mata ng makita ako at bumalik din ang tingin nito kay Cayden at pabalik ulit sakin.

"O.........M..........G! Don't tell me, naglilive in na kayong dalawa?!" Gulat na tanong naman nito sa amin.

Napangiwi naman ako dahil sa naisip niyang ideya. Pakyu ka talaga Misha, isa kang malaking pakyu.
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Ang bagal ng votes haha. Pero dahil mabait ako, kahit hindi pa abot ang goal mag-uupdate ako.