4: Is it Possible?

Madaling araw na nang makarating ako sa bahay. My body was still trembling from the cold and the fear that had consumed me during the escape. I could hardly believe that I was safe and sound within the confines of my own home. Here, I could shed the facade forced upon me by society's suffocating standards.

The memories of Zone Z flooded my mind as I immersed myself in the bathtub. The persistent buzzing sound, the oppressive presence of the soldiers, the faces of the people in the Hall, and both Seven and Bean. All of it felt so surreal, yet it had been all too real.

I should consider myself lucky, ngunit may bahagi pa rin sa akin na nagi-guilty dahil sa nangyari. Bean somehow saved me by pushing me off the raft, kahit na pwede namang kaming dalawa ang magtangkang tumakas. The chances of getting caught were high, but still, may chance din naman na makakatakas siya. I'm feeling guilty because I made it out alive while Bean...

Sana lang ay hindi siya nasaktan kanina. I can still picture the determination in his eyes when he expressed his desire to leave that place. That look in his eyes as he pleaded with us and even tried to blackmail Seven by threatening to inform the guards if we didn't take him along.

And speaking of Seven, the guy's still a big mystery. Hindi ko siya maintindihan. Some aspects of his behavior don't add up. He had a detailed escape plan, but he doesn't want to leave Zone Z, as he claimed. I'm not sure if he's genuinely trustworthy, even though I managed to escape using his plan.

When someone is intelligent enough to create a concrete plan with minimal to zero loopholes and precise calculations, doesn't that make them dangerous? What's the deal with Seven?

Also, he seemed familiar.

Hindi ko alam ngunit tila may kung ano sa kanya at pakiramdam ko ay minsan ko na siyang nakita. Honestly, he appeared good-looking despite his tanned skin and the shirt that could double as a rug. If someone is that attractive, I should surely remember them. However, the familiarity I felt seemed different. Ewan ko ba, hindi ko alam.

Maybe what happened last night affected me so much, kung kaya kung anu-ano na lamang ang naiisip ko. Mabilis na nagsabon ako ng katawan at nagbanlaw. I grabbed my clean robes at ibinalot iyon sa sarili bago lumabas ng banyo.

Pumunta ako sa kwarto ni lola, the room where the underground library is. Iyon na rin ang kwartong ginagamit ko mula nang mawala si lola. Living alone in this vast house felt incredibly lonely and empty until I discovered my faithful companions–the books.

My great-grandmother was surely an avid reader during her days. She was middle class with a huge house and a mini-school in the yard. Ang lola daw ni lola ay dating guro. She taught kids during her days, kaya nang mag-asawa siya ay ginawa nilang mini-classroom ang dating toolshed na nasa hardin. Pero hindi namana ng lola ko ang kagustuhan nitong magturo sa mga bata nang walang hinihinging kapalit, maliban na lamang sa kakarampot na sweldo ng mga guro. My grandmother chose to become one of Sanip's highest-paid educators, serving as governess of the oligarchs.

When she died, she had an honorable death--iyon ang naging pasasalamat ng mga Glass, ang pamilyang pinagsilbihan niya.

Naalala ko noong bata pa lamang ako ay madalas na pinag-aawayan ng mama ko at ni lola ang tungkol doon. Hindi ko na maalala ang eksaktong detalye ng kanilang pagtatalo, but I can remember it had something to do with my grandmother's decision to become a governess of the Glass. Maybe it was the reason why my mother ran away from home at hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin siya bumabalik. I was seven the last time I saw her.

Minsan ay may mga pagkakataon na iniisip ko, paano niya ako nagawang iwan sa poder ni lola? My grandmother was so strict, and she wanted me to strive hard to become like her, one with a degree so that I can be of service to the oligarchs. She wanted me to earn impressive scholarships so I could run for a national position. I had never considered becoming a politician. Sanip's government required impressive property and a formidable educational background as a requirement for electoral registration. And who could afford a formidable education? Only the wealthy.

Hanggang ngayon ay dala ko pa rin sa alaala ang huling sinabi ko sa kanya bago siya mamatay. I told her I would never be like her, a puppet of the people who blew money and only think of themselves. I threatened her na gaya ng mama ko ay lalayas din ako kapag pinagpilitan niya ang gusto niya. I wanted to become a public teacher; gusto kong magturo ng mga bata. I wanted my legacy to be someone who nurtured the intelligence of young minds. I couldn't understand why she was so insistent on her way. The memories are hazy, but it's similar to the disagreements my mother had with her.

"Hindi mo ako maiintindihan, Mona, hangga't sarili mo lamang ang iniisip mo!" malakas ang boses na sigaw ni Lola kay Mama. I stood in the corner, shaking every time something like this happened at home. Minsan nga lamang umuwi si Mama sa bahay, ngunit kapag nakauwi siya ay nagtatalo pa sila ni Lola.

"Ako ang hindi mo maiintindihan, Mama!" malakas ang boses na sagot ni Mama kay Lola. She pointed at me with hatred in her eyes. She always looked at me that way. I was never a bad kid; in fact, I was so good. I excelled at school, I had a lot of achievements, at iyon ay dahil sa pag-aakalang makukuha ko ang loob ni Mama kapag naging magaling ako sa lahat ng bagay. "Dani is a mistake!"

At that age, I still hadn't understood the deeper meaning of being called a mistake. The word itself is heavy in the heart, ngunit sa tuwing nagiging sanhi iyon ng kanilang pagtatalo ay mas lalo kong naiisip na hindi lamang ako basta-bastang pagkakamali ang ibig sabihin niyon. It was more than that.

Dumapo ang sampal ni Lola sa pisngi ni Mama. Maging ako ay napapiksi at napapikit na tila ba nararamdaman ko rin ang sakit na dulot ng sampal. I've been crying since they started their argument at hanggang ngayon ay umiiyak pa rin ako.

"At anong gusto mong gawin? Hahayaan na lamang ang lahat? Kung pagkakamali man sa'yo ang pagdating ni Dani, then be smart enough to fix this! May karapatan ang bata!" sabi ni Lola.

Like their other arguments, my mom was firm on her decision about me being a mistake. Hindi ko alam ang puno't dulo ng kanilang mga pagtatalo and there's no way of knowing dahil hindi naman nila iyon sinasabi sa akin. Their arguments would lead to my mom despising my grandmother for being a hypocrite dahil sa pagsisilbi nito sa mga mayayaman--who somewhat have control of the government because they are close to the seat of power.

Their endless arguments continued hanggang sa hindi na umuwi si Mama. My grandmother always reminded me to do good in school so she could apply me for scholarships na maaring irecommend ng mga Glass.

The Glass Family is the richest and most influential family in Sanip. In fact, Glass Group is one of the world's largest conglomerates, with ownership of various businesses, even expanding into the digital sector.

Since then, I hated the Glass. Pakiramdam ko dati ay sila ang may kasalanan kung bakit magulo ang buhay namin. Sila ang ugat ng mga away nina Mama at Lola. My mom loathed my grandmother for serving Catherine Glass. Sa tuwing nakikita ko siya sa balita noon ay naiinis ako. Iniisip ko na bakit mas natuon pa ang oras ni Lola kay Catherine Glass kaysa kay Mama? Halos magkaedad lamang sila, ngunit malayo ang narating nito sa buhay kung ikukumpara kay Mama. From a young age, Catherine Glass displayed promising traits as the heiress of Glass Group, and my grandmother served as her governess.

You see, kung mas naituon lamang ni Lola ang atensyon niya kay Mama, my mother wouldn't have run away. Hindi niya sana ako tinatawag na malaking pagkakamali. Ah, there's so many things that would have happened if only Catherine Glass didn't exist in the first place.

Pero mula nang matagpuan ko ang library sa underground ng bahay, my mindset somewhat matured. I didn't dwell on my hatred of the Glass Family. Dati ay minsan ko nang naisip na maghiganti, but what can I do? Ano lang naman ako kumpara sa mga Glass?

Then I discovered the library, I figured out the best revenge I could get. At iyon ay imulat ang mga tao sa pamamagitan ng pagtuturo sa kanila ng mga bagay na hindi nila malalaman mula sa mga paaralan na pag-aari ng mga Glass. I wanted to teach them basic knowledge about how the economy actually works dahil hindi namin iyon malalaman mula sa mga media outlets na pag-aari ng mga Glass. I want them to know their rights as people of Sanip.

Mabilis akong nagbihis at bumaba sa library. This is the only place that makes me calm. I still haven't recovered from all that happened to me since yesterday, kaya minabuti ko na lamang na bumaba at magbasa. It was exhausting to think about it, tapos dumagdag pa sa isipin ko ang pagbabaliktanaw sa mga pagtatalo nina Lola at Mama. Even remembering the Glass Family gives me so much headache! Kailangan kong alisin ang mga iyon sa utak ko at aliwin ang sarili ko.

I picked a random book at nang binuklat ko iyon ay ang sulat-kamay ni Lola ang una kong nakita sa pahinang iyon.

With knowledge comes great power.

Signed,

Emily Lopez. 12/5/2979

Bahagya akong natigilan at napakunot ang noo. This library belongs to my great-grandmother Elizabeth, pero alam rin ito ng Lola ko? When I discovered this place five years ago, hindi ko iyon ipinaalam sa kanya dahil sa takot na baka ipasunog niya ang mga libro—as mandated by the state.

But she signed this. A proof of her knowledge of this place. Kung gayon bakit hindi niya ito sinabi sa akin? Bakit mas pinili niyang manilbihan sa mga Glass na siyang dahilan kung bakit pinagbabawal na ang mga libro ngayon?

The Glass owned the largest multinational technology company, which provides internet-related services, operating systems, computer software, electronics, at kahit lahat ng mga data na pinapasok sa internet at na-a-access ng mga tao ay kontrolado nila. Sa madaling salita, they partnered with the state, kung kaya't pinagbabawal na ang kahit anong libro at nafi-filter ang lahat ng impormasyong maaring mabasa ng kung sinuman sa computer.

This just caused me to become more baffled than I was before, kaya ipinasya kong matulog na lamang. I didn't get a second of sleep last night dahil sa paghihintay ng tamang pagkakataon para maisagawa namin ang pagtakas.

I put down the book and made sure to lock the secret door at tinakpan iyon ng rug. There were instances na may random rounds ang Sanip Police para i-check ang mga bahay-bahay. That is to check if any individual is planning to lead a revolt or anything, kaya may random rounds.

Bumalik ako sa kwarto at naupo sa kama. Napasinghap ako nang maalala kong hindi na kasali sa schedule ko ang pagpunta sa Zone Z upang magturo ng mga bata. Dahil sa naalala kong iyon ay mas lalo lamang akong nalungkot. I shook my head to clear my thoughts at nahagip ng paningin ko ang isang picture frame na nasa taas ng drawer.

Picture iyon ng lola ko kasama ang mga Glass. It's probably her latest pic with them which I presumed was taken a two years ago. Nakaupo sa engrandeng upuan ang dalawang matanda na mga magulang ni Catherine Glass. Erica and Catarino Glass still look authoritative despite their wrinkly skin and thin figures. Nakatayo sa likuran nila ang mga pinagkakatiwalaang tao at isa na doon si Lola. She stood beside the couple Catherine Glass and Denver Bane. I almost dropped the picture frame when I saw the face of the guy beside Denver Bane.

He looked exactly like Seven!

Ilang beses akong napakurap at sinipat ang picture.

Was it Seven? No, imposible.

This guy in the picture is Catherine and Denver's son, Wolff Bane! Why would Wolff Bane end up in Zone Z?

No matter how I convinced myself that they looked different, it's unmistakable that they looked the same. Maliban na lamang sa ilang mga bagay gaya ng balat. Seven is tan, his body is soiled due to forced labor at Zone Z. He had scars on his forearms, he got callous on his palms.

On the other hand, Wolff is flawless. Olive-skin, clean and formal clothes, and the way he stood screamed power and authority. Malabong si Seven at si Wolff ay iisa!

It's not possible!

Ang tanging pagkakatulad nila ay ang kanilang mukha at utak.

It is no secret to the whole of Sanip that Wolff Bane of the Glass Family is a genius. Rumors said that at the age of three, Wolff Bane was able to solve algebra and trigonometry problems. At seven, he attended known universities abroad. At fifteen, he founded Bane Laboratories, rivaling Marave Pharmaceuticals na pag-aari ng mga Marave, another oligarch and a direct rival of the Glass family. Wolff Bane has so many achievements that I lost count, and I do not care at all. He's living his best life as the youngest billionaire of Sanip.

Malabong siya si Seven. It's possible to have someone who looks exactly like you, right? Or maybe they just look the same in the picture. I haven't seen Wolff Bane in person dahil ni minsan ay hindi ako sumama kay Lola sa tuwing may mga balls o gatherings sa Glass Palace. Seven may be smart, but he cannot be compared to Wolff Bane. And there's no way that a Glass would be in Zone Z no matter what his reason is.

The sound of the doorbell almost made me jump in place. Agad na ibinaba ko ang picture frame at lumabas ng kwarto upang pagbuksan ang bisita. It's four in the morning. It's not surprising to have a visitor at this hour dahil ganitong oras nagdo-doorbell ang sundo ni Lola papunta sa mga Glass. Ang mga bisita rin niya na mga mayayaman ay ganitong oras din pumupunta noon.

Bigla akong natigilan.

Now that's surprising!

The doorbells at this hour stopped when my grandmother passed away! Who would ring the bell at this hour?!

My hands were shaking as I slowly gripped the knob to open the door. Dalawang lalaking nakasuot ng itim na suit at dark glasses ang nasa harap ko.

Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan nang makita ang mga armas sa gilid nila. One of the guys scanned me with a small device, running it all over my body. The other guy pressed the side of his dark glasses bago mahinang tumango.

"Clear," sambit nito. Sabay silang gumalaw sa magkabilang gilid, revealing a man in a white shirt with a few buttons opened and a loose tie. On his arm hung his burgundy suit. My eyes widened when I recognized who it was.

He looked exactly like Seven... but with flawless olive skin and nice clothes.

It was Wolff Bane.

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