Novel & Cerita Fearful

Agad na humagulhol ito ng iyak ng maalala ang sinapit. "T-takot na takot ako, Gail... t-takot na takot ako..." ani nito sabay hagulhol ng malakas. Dama niya ang panginginig ng katawan nito sa sobrang takot habang inaalala ang nangyari dito. "A-akala ko katapusan ko na... a-akala ko hindi na ako aabutin ng bukas. I-I'm scared to death... I was too scared to die!"

Then why do I still feel afraid? Bandang hapon, may board review meeting. Nandoon si Gavin. At si Elyse. At sa unang pagkakataon sinadya kong obserbahan. Hindi obsessively. Hindi irrationally. Just… watching. Si Gavin composed. Professional. Pero mas tahimik. At si Elyse steady. Pero guarded. Parang may invisible distance siyang pinipilit panatilihin. At bigla may maliit na kirot sa dibdib ko.

Ang kanyang puso ay kumakabog, hindi lamang sa takot kundi sa kakaibang koneksyon sa lalaking ngayon ay humahawak ng kanyang kamay. Pagdating nila sa paanan ng bundok, tumigil si Kael saglit. Inamoy nito ang paligid, parang hayop na may matinding pakiramdam sa panganib. Nanatiling tahimik si Amara, pinagmamasdan ang pagbabago sa ekspresyon ng kanyang mukha—mula sa pagiging malamig at seryoso, ngayon ay alerto at mapanganib.

Hindi niya kayang harapin ang sandaling malaman nito ang totoong salarin. Isang madilim, mapang-asar, at kalmadong boses ng kausap ang sumagot sa kabilang linya. "What are you so afraid of? It hasn't even traced back to you yet. Leaving the country right now will only raise red flags and blow your cover."

Maingat siyang umupo sa tabi ko, Sumunod si Zephyr. Tahimik akong nakayuko, pilit pinapakalma ang sarili ko. Tumawa siya nang mahina Ng mapansin na takot parin ako. "Scared?" parang natutuwa sa takot ko. “Good. Fear keeps people alive.” Ramdam kong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Si Azrael, tahimik pa rin sa tabi ko, pero alam kong binabantayan ang bawat salita ng kakambal niya.

Malalim, galit, ngunit mababakas ang takot. “Damn it! Don’t you dare die!”

"You'll know it soon." Bago pa man ako makapagsalita, naputol na ang linya. I paced the floor, my phone trembling in my hand. Fear wasn't just a feeling anymore it was a physical weight crushing my chest. I couldn't afford to be careless, not when my mother’s life and my entire future hung in the balance.

puno ng takot at pangamba ang kanyang bosses habang nakatingin sa binata na papalapit sa kanya. The fear in her eyes was palpable as she gazed at the man approaching her. Her heart racing, she felt an overwhelming urge to turn and run, to find a place to hide where he couldn't reach her. Her legs trembled beneath her, as if ready to sprint at any moment, but her body seemed frozen in place, unable to move as the man drew closer and closer. The sound of his footsteps echoed in her mind, heightening her sense of dread. Would she be able to escape, or would he catch up to her? The fear paralyzed her, leaving her trapped in a moment of sheer terror.

Doon ko nakita ang matinding takot na nakaukit sa kanyang mukha nang magtama ang aming mga mata. She wasn’t afraid for her own safety—her fear was for me, for what might happen to me. It was written all over her face—in the way her eyes darted anxiously and her jaw tightened with worry. “No!” Fana shouted. The man said something to her—words I couldn’t quite catch—before turning to me with a grin that sent a cold wave down my spine.

Alam naman pala niya bakit kailangan pang itanong? “Fine. Medyo.” Bahagya siyang ngumiti. “Good.” Napataas ako ng kilay. “Good?” Anong good don? Minsan talaga ang weird niya sumagot. Parang hindi konektado ganon. “Fear keeps people alert.” Sambit niya. Oh, so that’s what it was. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako, mamangha o lalo akong kakabahan.