My Love, Darkness

Chapter 22

"What do you want to do now?" Kellan asked in his serious tone. "We have been gone for two days. Hindi pa tayo nakakapag-report sa barracks. What do you think the Division Chief will think about us?"

I don't f*****g know. Titus shut his eyes closed. He doesn't know what to do right now. Lalo na at sari-saring emosyon ang lumukob ngayon sa pagkatao niya.

He felt pain, longing, grieving, sadness. He keeps thinking of the things that happened.

Rushes of memory came back to him. From the day and moment when his eyes darted to Phoebe. He remembered looking at a girl who looks so innocent and pure while crying because of Ava.

He remembered Phoebe being so fragile and weak from filthy mortals he has scared and faced.

"I am with that girl you're f*****g touching with your filthy hands."

He remembered Phoebe so vulnerable but still has a good heart.

"Huwag!"

"May chance siyang magbago, please. Huwag mo siyang patayin," Phoebe sounds so mature even if she's just turning six.

"He tried to rape and kill you afterward, young girl. So tell me, convince me why to not kill this f*****g asshole."

"Mabait ka po. Please, at least let him live."

A mortal child who has felt pain from her parents even if she's just a kid. A mortal who only wants to be loved by her parents.

"Siguro po, uuwi na lang akong mag-isa," biglang sabi ni Phoebe habang kumakain ito ng fries.

"Why? You're just a kid. Do you even know your address?" he asked.

May nilabas si Phoebe na maliit na wallet at may kinuhang papel bago inabot sa kaniya.

It was an address. Hindi makapaniwalang napatingin si Titus kay Phoebe. Ngumiti naman ang bata sa kaniya.

"Sabi sa akin ni Nanny, lagi ko daw iyan itatago para kung sakali na mawala ulit ako, may ipapakita po daw akong address ko para dalhin ako pauwi."

His forehead creased. Ulit? "Why? Are you always being lost?"

Tumango ang bata na ikinainis niya. "Hindi naman po kasi ako iniintindi ni Dad at Mom simula nang dumating si baby Aliyah."

KELLAN sighed while looking at Titus who's still looking devastated from what happened. Tumila na ang ulan at maliwanag na rin ang sinag ng araw.

Kellan knows something that could help them but he's still not sure about it. He was observing earlier and he saw that the area was still under Lamia's spell.

The place was still a mess. Splattered drops of blood and dead leaves. The area is like the haunted houses in the movies. It looks like an isolated area with no people wandering around.

Kung hindi siya nagkakamali, kaya hindi pa nawawala ang nakabalot na mahika ni Lamia sa lugar ay dahil kay Phoebe na mukhang sentro ng mahikang nakabalot pa rin sa lugar.

He's not sure of what he was thinking. Uunti lang ang alam ni Kellan tungkol sa mahika ngunit wala rin mangyayari kung hindi sila kikilos at gumawa ng paraan.

He turned his head on Titus who's still devastated while holding Phoebe's cold hand. Kneeling like he can during being like a statue for a thousand years.

Napabuntong-hininga siya. Gusto niyang tulungan ang kaibigan. Even if Titus became harsh on him, he can let himself be affected to it. Naiintindihan niya ang nararamdaman ni Titus.

Kagaya niya, labis rin siyang nasaktan sa pagkamatay ng mortal na nagbigay ng tunay na buhay sa madilim at boring niyang buhay bilang grim reaper.

Ang kaibahan lang nilang dalawa ni Titus ay naging handa siya nang dalhin niya papunta sa bangka ni Charon ang katawan ng babaeng mortal na iyon.

Hanggang ngayon ay naaalala pa rin niya ang mga memoryang iniwan nito sa kaniya. Ang mga ngiti at bawat tunog ng kanilang pagtawa. Ang kasiyahan na nakikita niya sa mata nito na nakapagbigay ng buhay sa patay niyang pagkatao. Lahat ng iyon ay nanatili sa alaala niya at masaya siya na inihatid niya ito sa huli nitong hantungan.

Mahal niya ang babaeng mortal na iyon. He loves her that even breaking their law as grim reaper doesn't scare him anymore.

Kaya naman naiintindihan niya ang nangyayari kay Titus. Sa nakikita niya ay in denial pa ito kaya lagi lang na isinasagot sa kaniya ay gusto lang nito ang kaligtasan ng batang mortal.

Kung tama ang naalala niya, ang babaeng mortal na sobrang pinoprotektahan ni Titus ngayon ay ang anak ng isa sa mga kaluluwang matiwasay na sumama para dalhin ito sa Underworld.

Napailing-iling siya. I am right. This kid is the real reason behind Titus' sudden changes and decrease of rank.

Nasa ace of grim reapers pa rin si Titus ngunit hindi na ito ang nangunguna para sa kanilang dibisyon. Mukhang wala rin naman itong pakialam tungkol sa kanilang ranggo. Basta ang mahalaga ay patuloy nitong nagagawa ang trabaho habang nabibigyan pa rin ng oras ang batang mortal.

Kellan sighed before calling Titus. "Titus."

Nakita niya ang sari-sari nitong emosyon. He can see it in Titus' eyes that he felt pain while on the outside, he has no emotion. Titus only stared at him without uttering any words while still kneeling on the ground.

"Come on, Titus. Bring Phoebe's body and follow me," aniya kapagkuwan ay tinalikuran si Titus.

THEY are both in Russia again after teleporting again.

"What are we going to do in here?" Titus asked coldness is visible in his voice.

"We will meet Larid again," he answered but Titus seems eager and not in the mood to be clueless in his plan.

"And then what? Shouldn't we deal giving back his silver blade when we are really done?"

Napahinto si Kellan kapagkuwan ay seryosong hinarap ang malamig na mata ni Titus.

"I know what you're going through, Titus. But please, bud. If you want Phoebe alive again, cooperate with me. What we're going to do might help us saving Phoebe?"

NAGTATAKANG napatitig si Titus sa likod ni Kellan habang naglalakad. Patungo uli sila sa underground club kung nasaan nila nakilala si Larid.

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Titus. He can't stop thinking about Phoebe who's already dead in his arms. Ramdam niya ang malamig nitong katawan habang patuloy silang naglalakad hanggang sa maabot nila ang underground club.

When Kellan opened the door for him, a song was playing to each corner of the underground club.

Look at the stars

Look how they shine for you

And everything you do

Yeah, they were all yellow

"God, this place is still loud," may inis na sabi ni Titus na ikinatawa na lang ni Kellan.

"Don't be irritated, bud. Come on, we need to see Larid." Kellan said, grinning at him that made Titus shook his head before looking at Phoebe.