Chapter 39

The second she woke up, she knew something is wrong. Nakapiring siya kaya wala siyang maaninag na kahit ano. May nakatakip ding busal sa kaniyang bibig kaya hindi siya makasigaw, hindi makahingi ng tulong.

The only sense that's perfectly working for her is her hearing. Rinig niya ang marahas na hangin, ang tunog ng mga nagsasayaw na puno, ang hampas ng mga alon, at ang mga mahihinang boses ng mga lalake sa unahan.

She can feel the bitter chill of the night, the imminent danger that is looking at her in eyes. The grass cuts on her skin sting and the cold ground she's lying felt like a coffin.

Kumilos siya para sana tumayo pero nakatali ang kaniyang mga kamay at paa kaya wala siyang nagawa kundi umiyak na lang.

Kuya... Kuya... Help me. Please.

"Mhhhhhh... Mhhhhhh..."

Her muffled cries echoes in the night and then she heard several footsteps approaching her. Nanginginig ang mga kalamnan na pumiksi siya nang sapilitan siyang itinayo at kinalagan ang mga paa. Lumakas ang tunog ng mga alon sa likod niya at nilipad ng hangin ang buhok niya. Inalis ng mga lalake ang piring niya. Kumurap siya at hinayaang mag-adjust ang mga mata sa dilim.

"Cin! Cin! Angel! Are you alright? Alcindra, tell your kuya you're okay. Please," saad ng isang boses na hirap na hirap.

Kuya? Kuya? You're here? Kuya!

She looked around frantically and finally saw her brother meters away from her through the specs of light from the nearby lighthouse. Nathan is on his knees, his face full of blood with two armed men by his side. Putok ang mga mata at labi nito dahil sa pambubugbog.

Kuya...

She stepped forward to run to him but a voice from the man she didn't expect to be here stopped her from doing so.

"Don't move a step or else you'll see your brother's brain splattered before your very feet."

Pumikit siya at umiling. No, no. It can't be. He cannot be doing this.

Dahan-dahan siyang bumaling sa kanan at kulang na lang ay mahimatay siya nang makita si Langdon na nakatayo at nakatutok ang baril sa kapatid niya. His eyes shining for blood and revenge.

Gumalaw ang kamay nito at ibinaba ang baril bago ibinalik uli pero sa pagkakataong iyon ay sa kaniya na nakatuon.

"Or it could be your blood, Cin."

Napaatras siya pero agad ding napabalik nang makita na bangin at karagatan na ang nasa likod niya. One wrong move and she could be dead together with her baby.

She shook her head while her tears continue to pour down. Lord, please. It cannot be him. He cannot be doing this.

"Langdon Asturia! I'm begging you! Kapag ginawa mo iyan, isusumpa kong uubusin ko ang pamilya mo! Walang kasalanan si Alcindra! Ako ang patayin mo, gago ka! Bakit mo idadamay ang inosenteng kapatid ko. Wala iyang kamuwang-muwang!" sigaw ng kapatid niya.

Langdon just sighed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I know she's innocent but she's not that innocent anymore, Nathan. I fuck your sister with Casindra in my mind and it's okay for her. I heard Alcantara girls value their purity but she lost her mine with me. I guess I'm honored."

She shook her head and continued trying to untie the ropes on her hands. This is not Langdon. This is not the man she loves so much. She refused to acknowledge that this savage man in front of her is the man who protected and saved her.

"Asturia!" tungayaw ni Nathan. "Casindra loves Alcindra so much. You can't possibly kill her. She is the only tie we have with Cas." Crying, Nathan begged to Langdon. "Spare her, please. Kill me. Ako ang may kasalanan ng lahat. Alcindra didn't do anything to you."

Langdon didn't retreat. "You remember this place, Nathan? In that same spot where your sister is standing, is the same place where you let your father shot Casindra in her heart. I will not kill you. I will let you live with the memory of witnessing your sister die before your very eyes without you having the chance to save her just like what you did to me. You just let me watch, binded all my limbs while my love is falling from that cliff." Nanginig ang boses ni Langdon nang alalahanin ang pangyayaring iyon. "Hindi lang isang buhay ang inutang niyo sa akin. Your father also killed our baby. You can go to that fucking bastard after this and tell him everything how fucking painful and hard it is to see your loved ones be killed and be gone just like that as if their life don't matter. For now, you will be his substitute and your sister will be the sacrifice."

Gulat na nanlaki ang mga mata niya. Bumaling siya sa kapatid na halos mabaliw na sa ginagawang pagpupumiglas laban sa mga lalake na hawak ito sa magkabilang balikat.

Langdon turned to her. "Why? You can't believe that your brother and your father can do that? Hindi rin ako makapaniwala na tumira ka sa akin nang hindi man lang kita nakikilala. All this time, I'm feeding and protecting a daughter and a sister of a murderer."

Ikinasa nito ang baril at ibinalik sa pagkakatutok sa kaniya.

Umiling siya, ang mga kamay ay pilit na inaabot ang bulsa para mailabas ang box kung saan naroroon ang PT. It's the only way for her, the baby, and her brother to be saved.

Please don't, Lang. Don't kill me. Buntis din ako. Don't kill our baby.

"Say your goodbye, Nathan. And to you Cin, say your prayers."

Her tears totally blinded her so she struggled very hard to catch his attention towards the pocket of her dress.

No, Lang. You're not like this. You care for me too. I know that. I feel it. Please don't be like this.

Patuloy niya na kinapa ang box sa bulsa hanggang sa mahawakan niya ito nang unti-unti siyang makawala sa tali.

"No, please. Don't kill my sister, Asturia. Cin! You're not going to die," pagtangis ni Nathan na mahinang gumagapang sa lupa papunta sa kaniya.

Hinuli niya ang mga mata ng kapatid at ngumiti kahit alam niyang hindi nito iyon malalaman pa.

Kuya... I'm sorry for putting you through all of this. You're suffering again because of me. You're hurting again because of me. I'm sorry and I love you so so much.

Umalingawngaw ang unang putok. Natanggal ang busal sa kaniyang bibig sa kaniyang gulat.

"I may have loved you Alcindra but I will always love Casindra more," usal ni Langdon.

Agad niyang kinuha ang box sa bulsa at nagsalita nang tuluyan niyang mapalaya ang mga kamay.

"I'm preg-"

Pero bago pa niya makompleto ang sasabihin ay sumambulat na ang pangalawang bala. The second bullet pierced straight through her heart.

Nakita pa niya ang pagtulo ng mga luha sa mga mata ni Langdon bago nito tuluyang kinalabit ang gatilyo. Tumalsik ang basyo ng bala kasabay nang pagkahulog ng duguang katawan niya sa bangin. Nabitawan niya ang box sa lupa at nanalangin.

Stay, please stay and let them know that I have a baby.

Ngunit gumulong lang pababa ito kasama siya.

"No!!! Alcindra!!!"

Pumunit sa kadiliman ng gabi ang isang sigaw ng paghihinagpis.

Mabilis ang pagkalat ng dugo mula sa dibdib niya patungo sa tiyan pababa at pumatak sa naghihintay na dagat. Pumaimbulog siya paibaba sa tubig.

She held her hands towards Langdon to reach for him while coming to a realization.

She fell in love with him the first time she saw him.

And she still do love him even when she saw him pulled the trigger.

A tear fell down from her eyes as she descended into the wet cold harsh waves. She closed her eyes as she plunged into the water and vanished into the nothingness as darkness engulfed her knowing that this time, no one will be able to save her.

This time, no one will save her because her savior, Langdon, the love of her life, just killed her.

Bago agawin ng kadiliman ang kaniyang liwanag ay naalala niya pa ang mga sinabi ni Langdon.

"I may have love you Alcindra but I will always love Casindra more."

"Lang? Have you ever felt something for me? Perhaps, have you ever loved me just a little?"

"Cin, let's not talk about that. Ang importante ay nandito ako at magkasama tayo."

Perhaps you didn't love me even a little, Langdon. Oh, how devastating it is to die like this.

And our child... Our child will not have the chance to see the light of the day. She will not be able to set foot in the verdant Monte Vega.

Monte Vega... how I wish I didn't leave you. I should have stayed. I should have stayed there with you.

Hindi nila makikita ang katawan ko. Gusto kong mailibing kasama ang mga kamag-anak ko.

Hindi kailanman sumagi sa isip niya na sasapitin niya ang pinakamalupit na tadhana sa kamay ng lalakeng pinakamamahal niya.

Why was she born with a stupid heart?

Why, after all, did her heart still beat for that man?

Why does she have to love him with all of her?

Did she love too purely?

Or was the world just too infernal for her?

I'm sorry, kuya.

I'm sorry, mom and dad.

I'm sorry, Lucy.

I'm sorry, Tati.

I'm sorry, Drey.

I'm sorry, my baby.

Lang, I hope the mermaid will save me again.

Can the mermaid travel from Cerro Roca to here?

Lang, no. Takot ako sa dilim. I can't. I'm afraid of dark. Kuya... Help me.

She felt a different kind of peace when she sank to the bottom of the sea.

So this is it.

This is what her ancestors have been warning her about.

This is what Tatiana meant.

This is what Lucy said.

This is what her only brother, Nathan, cautioned her.

The darkness is slowly embracing her.

Death...

The darkness is slowly owning her.

Death...

The darkness is slowly embracing her...

Death...

Death...

Death...

...

...

...

Death is the taste of forbidden love.