Chapter 21: Fire

Sumulyap ako sa driver's seat kung saan tahimik na nagmamaneho si Zackary. He didn't say a word since we left the Winslow mansion. Mukhang galit siya.

"May ginawa ba akong mali?" tahimik kong tanong.

The car slowed down and stopped at the side of the road where branches of towering trees meet each other, creating a natural tunnel. Tuluyang humarap sa'kin si Zackary. "Why would you think that?"

I stared down at my hands fiddling in my lap. "You seem mad," I whispered.

Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Zackary, saka sumandal sa upuan at tumingala. "I'm not mad at you, Eleanor. I'm mad at myself for losing control."

Losing control?

"I promise not to scare you, rush you, or meddle with your job. But I couldn't help it."

Tinitigan ko si Zackary, ang bahagyang kunot sa kanyang noo, the way his chest heaves whenever he sighs.

"Zack..." I whispered. "Why are you so nice to me?" I lowered my gaze to my palms brushing each other. "You're the first person who treated me this way... these emotions I feel whenever you're around... they're foreign to me..."

Zackary's hand reached for my chin, gently pushing my head up to face him. In the car's compact space, we were so close we could hear each other breathing.

"You need to get used to it, Eleanor, because I won't stop making you feel this way," he told me. "I just need the assurance that I could protect you before I bring you into this."

"But Zack..." I mumbled. "You don't need to protect me. I'm trying to be strong so I won't have to bother anyone."

"I know." His voice was lower, almost in a whisper, matching my gaze. "You've been working hard and I wouldn't hinder it. You can continue to be who you want to be... just let me look after you."

Napatitig ako sa kanyang mga mata. The golden specks on his eyes... if I stare long enough, I might get lost in them. Zackary's thumb reached for my lower lip, pulling it down gently, making my mouth slightly part.

Emotions crashed into me like waves, making my heart burn like fire in my chest. Unti-unting humigpit ang hawak ko sa gilid ng upuan, natatakot sa tindi ng nararamdaman ko.

Hindi ko namalayan na nakapikit na ako. When I opened my eyes, Zackary was staring at me, a small smile on his lips. "Still too overwhelming?"

Napatango ako.

He placed a hand over my head, gently pulling me towards him, until he pressed a kiss on the side of my head. "I don't mind the waiting, Eleanor."

Binuhay niyang muli ang engine ng sasakyan and we continue to drive back to the apothecary.

But the beating of my heart remained overwhelming for me. Para akong nasa dagat at sari-saring alon ng emosyon ang nagdadala sa'kin, unti-unti ako nitong nilulunod.

Marahan akong napahawak sa aking dibdib, trying to breathe normally. This haze of emotion whenever I'm with Zackary is making me breathless.

--

Kinabukasan, pagbaba ko sa hall para mag-agahan, napansin ko agad na may kakaiba sa paligid. People were rushing, the seniors weren't around and the hall was filled with whispered conversations among the staff.

"Ano'ng nangyayari?" tanong ko kay Anabeth na balisang nakaupo sa table.

"A fire broke down in the north village last night," she told me. "Several people were injured."

Nanghina ako sa narinig. "A fire?"

"Mabuti nalang nakabalik na sa bayan si Sir Zackary kahapon. At least there's someone to lead the orders because everyone was basically at lost."

Halos hindi kami nag-agahan para makasama sa mga staff na mag-a-assist sa site to provide aid. We prepared ourselves, the needed medicines and equipment.

I was anxious while in the car with the other staff. Isa sa kanila ang nagbanggit na hindi magiging maganda ang sitwasyon para sa darating na transition sa susunod na linggo, lalo na at iba't ibang mga pinuno ang dadalo.

I hope Zackary was okay.

Nakarating kami sa site matapos ang kalahating oras. Villages located at the outskirts of Van Zanth were usually hard to reach because of the woods and mountainous terrain. We had to bring the equipment and medicines with us to a short hike hanggang sa bumungad sa'min ang village.

Half of the houses in the small village burned to ashes. Iilan nalang ang nakatayo sa gitna ng itim at abong paligid. Nasa lugar na din ang ilang staff mula sa hospital and most of the residents were trying to salvage what was left of their homes.

Habang naghahanda ng mga gamit sa sinet-up na tent, narinig ko na Zackary was already in a meeting with the village head for the relocation of the residents so they reconstruct the homes. That's the thing about Zackary. There were people who see him as someone who lacked empathy because rather than dwelling with the situation, he was more focus on the solution.

For the entire morning, we focused on treating residents and giving them medicines for surface burns. Those with worse injuries were sent to the hospital in town. Ms. Laura also came by noon to serve meals for the residents.

After treating a child with burns on the soles of her feet, an old lady approached me in the tent. Isa siya sa mga unang pasyente kanina, having her arms burnt but a fallen wood beam.

"Hija," she approached me with such urgency, her voice low like a whisper.

"May problema po ba? May kailangan pa po kayo?" I asked.

"'Yong lalake, nadala ba siya sa hospital?"

Nagtaka ako sa tanong niya. "Sino po sa kanila? Nadala na po sa hospital ang mga residente na may malalang injuries."

Umiling siya at hinawakan ang braso ko. Marahan niya akong hinila sa gilid ng tent. "Hindi siya residente. Tinulungan niya ang asawa at apo kong makaalis sa nasusunog naming bahay. Malubha siyang nasugatan. Kailangang gamutin niyo siya."

Isang tao ang pumasok sa isipan ko. Pilit siyang dini-describe ng matandang babae, pero hindi na kailangan. Alam ko kung sino ang tinutukoy niya.

Agad kong pinuntahan si Anabeth matapos ang paguusap namin ng matandang babae. Tinanong ko kung sino-sino ang mga dinala sa hospital. But everyone she mentioned was either a resident or an order who responded to the scene last night.

"Si Alexander... hindi ba siya isa sa kanila?"

Kumunot ang noo ni Anabeth sa sinabi ko, nagtataka. "We would know kung isa siya sa dinala sa hospital. Pero wala siya sa listahan. May problema ba?"

"He was here last night... he was heavily injured."

Natahimik si Anabeth sa narinig, never doubting my assumptions. Maging siya alam na si Alexander lang ang may kayang gumawa ng bagay na 'yon.

"But if he's not in the hospital and apothecary, where could he be?" Anabeth mumbled.

"Wala bang nakakaalam kung saan siya nakatira?"

Isang malalim na buntonghininga ang pinakawalan ni Anabeth. "He had no permanent place to stay, lalo na noong nangyari ang gulo sa pamilya niya. I remember Uncle Sebastian offered a place for him pero tinanggihan niya ito kaya walang nakakaalam kung saan siya madalas tumutuloy."

Nanghina ako sa narinig. Isa si Alexander sa mga taong una kong nakilala sa Van Zanth. There was even a time he saved me from a raging river. I often see myself in him and I wanted him to be okay. But where could he be?

--

Third Person POV

Nagtaka si Zanra pagbaba niya sa staircase. The Van Zanth mansion was unusually quiet. Hindi pa umuuwi ang kapatid niya mula kagabi and both of her parents left early this morning. It seems there was an emergency.

Nadatnan niya ang mga tagasilbi sa kusina na nag-uusap. Tumigil sila para batiin siya. One of them asked if she needed her breakfast to be served in the dining room or in the patio tulad ng nakasanayan niya nitong mga nakaraang araw. But it was the last thing in her mind at the moment.

"Did something happened?"

"May nangyari pong sunog kagabi sa isa sa mga village malapit sa border," sagot ng isa sa tagasilbi.

A fire? "Are there casualties?" tanong niya.

"Naagapan po ang sunog bago lumalala," the servant added. "Pero balita po namin may mga residente at mga nagresponde na nasa hospital ngayon."

Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon tumitindi ang pagaalala niya sa kapatid. "Is Zack okay?"

"Ang sabi po ng mama niyo, may mga galos na natamo si Sir Zackary, pero maayos lang siya."

Maliban sa kapatid, isang tao ang pumasok sa isip ni Zanra. Gusto niyang itanong kung nandoon ba ito sa lugar o kung maayos ba ito, pero pinigilan niya ang kanyang sarili.

Hindi ginalaw ni Zanra ang kanyang agahan habang nakaupo sa isa sa mga garden chairs sa patio. Bumabalik ang isip niya sa nangyaring sunog. Ayon sa mga tagasilbi, hindi pa alam kung ano ang pinanggalingan nito.

It could be an accident, it could be of something else. Isang bagay ang bigla niyang naalala. Something she had left the tree house nang huli siyang pumunta dito nang mag-isa. There were several books in there and a gas lamp.

She thought of it as ridiculous, being worried that the tree house would somehow catch fire. Pero hindi siya mapalagay. The last thing she needed was for that special place to be ruined.

Matapos ang agahan, kinuha niya ang coat sa kanyang kwarto. The servants were busy with their usual daytime task kaya madali siyang nakatakas. Sinuot niya ang coat at sapatos panlabas bago nagtungo sa garden.

She took the gravel path to the forest at the side of the mansion. The moment she stepped inside, her senses were greeted by the heavy smell of foliage and greens. Huminga siya nang malalim, taking in the crisp air.

Habang naglalakad, isa-isa niyang inalis ang suot na sapatos. Napangiti siya nang maramdaman ang kiliti ng mga damo at lumot sa kanyang talampakan. Matagal na din mula noong huli siyang malayang nakatapak sa kakahuyan.

Nagpatuloy siya sa paglalakad. Zanra remembered it so well... the time when they were young at madalas nilang gawing palaruan ang kakahuyang ito. Zack and Alexander would usually run in the entire premises, beating each other's records. And she would watch them with envy, for she never got the freedom to run fast, to have skill, to be a hybrid.

Maingat na umapak si Zanra sa batuhan sa pagtawid sa mababaw na ilog.

Her brother Zack, never made her feel any less of a Van Zanth just because she's a human. Hindi mabilang ni Zanra kung ilang beses nasangkot sa gulo ang kapatid para ipagtanggol siya. But Zackary is an alpha before anything else... and most of the time he was too busy in training to be on her side.

Zanra stepped back slowly to the mossy forest ground, beyond the river.

But during those times there was Alexander... Alexander who loved to tease her nonstop, who had no care if he's an alpha's daughter. While everyone would go out of their way to make Zanra feel she's being treated differently, Alexander would yell at her, scold her, call her careless and stupid, and had no problem being mad at her if she messes up.

There were even times he would train her to be able to physically protect herself. He used to visit her everyday when her health had worsen, telling her to recover fast so she could go back to her training. But that was then.

Narating ni Zanra ang tree house. Pinagmasdan niya ito, admiring how it was still standing like the first time she saw it years ago. She remembered it so well how it came to life.

"Sa susunod na linggo na pala ang birthday ng prinsesa ng Van Zanth. Napadala mo na ba sa mga bisita ang listahan ng mga gusto mong regalo?"

Alexander used to tease her about being a spoiled princess. That was why when Zanra was younger, she sees Alexander as the annoying best friend of her brother.

"I don't have a list!" she insisted then, glaring at the chuckling guy while they sat on the forest ground, watching Zackary train his ass off until evening.

"Alam ko. Lahat naman ng gusto mo nakuha mo na."

"That's not true."

Zanra was lucky enough to grow in a household where everything she needed was provided for her, but there were times she felt something lacking which she couldn't explain through words or point by specific things.

"Then what else do you want?" Alexander had asked her.

"I just don't want to feel alone whenever you and Zack run around the forest and I was left here waiting for you."

And that's when Alexander and Zackary made the tree house. A place where Zanra could wait for them, watch them above the trees, cheer for them and hang out with Anabeth. A place where Zanra could never feel alone.

But here she was, standing alone, staring at it. Things had changed, everyone grew up and life moved forward. Alexander barely visits or even talk to her.

Umiling si Zanra, with nothing but a fond smile. It's okay. Everything must change somehow.

Maingat siyang umakyat sa maliit na hagdan ng tree house. Noong una hindi niya agad ito napansin, the drops of blood. Habang tumatawid sa hanging wooden bridge na naghihiwalay sa tree house, napansin ni Zanra ang natuyong dugo sa hawakang tali and down to the wooden planks.

Sinundan ni Zanra ang mga patak ng dugo hanggang sa marating niya ang nakasarang pintuan ng tree house. On the door knob were traces of blood. Walang alinlangan niyang binuksan ang pinto.

On the corner of the tree house, there was someone... sitting on the floor, his eyes shut, back against the wall. Hawak niya ang kanyang tagiliran, ang damit niya binabalutan ng dugo.

"Alexander..." Zanra rushed to him, falling in front of him. "Alex... what happened?"

Alexander was breathing heavily, the smell of burnt flesh assaulted Zanra's senses. Nanginginig ang buo niyang katawan, hindi alam ang gagawin.

"I-I'll call for help... Alex... can you hear me? Stay here... I'll call someone..."

Zanra stood up pero natigilan siya nang hawakan ni Alexander ang kanyang kamay.

"Zanra..."

Muli siyang bumalik sa pagkakaluhod sa sahig, letting Alexander knew she's in front of him. "I'm here Alex... I'm here..." Hinawakan ng nanginginig niyang kamay ang mukha ni Alexander, puno ng dumi at galos.

"Alex..." Pinagmasdan niya ang lalakeng nasa harapan niya. "Why are you like this... you're so stupid..." Tuluyang tumulo ang kanyang mga luha na agad niyang pinahid. Pilit siyang huminga nang malalim para kumalma.

"I'll go get some help okay?"

Tuluyang nawala ang lakas niya nang maramdaman ang paghigpit ng hawak ni Alexander sa kanyang kamay. Nanatili itong nakapikit, at ramdam ni Zanra kung paano ito nahihirapan.

"Alexander please... please don't punish yourself like this... you're family's mistake isn't your mistake. I'm still rooting for you. Please bring him back... the Alexander I know..."

Unti-unting kumalas ang hawak ni Alexander sa kanyang kamay, muli itong nawawalan ng malay. Tuluyang bumagsak ang mga luhang pilit pinipigilan ni Zanra.

"Please bring back the Alexander I fell in love with."

***