-Sophia Bailey-

November 24, 2026
1:27 pm
Kiran Street, Ireal City

"Please! Itigil mo! Mapapahamak tayo! Nagsasabi ako ng totoo, David!" pamimilit ko kay David pero kanina pa siya na nagbibingi-bingihan.

Inalog ko pa siya, muntikan ko na ring inagaw ang manubela sa kanya pero itinulak niya lang ako at halos itapon niya na ako palabas. Ano nang gagawin ko? Kasalanan ko ang lahat kung hindi kami magtatagumpay.

"Ano bang problema mo? Kaninang umaga ka pa, ah! Nakainom ka ba? Ha?!" bulyaw niya sa akin na nagbigay-dahilan para mas bumigat ang paghinga ko. Aatakihin talaga ako kapag hindi ako magtatagumpay.

Hindi na mahanapan ni Emery si Luciana at Anthony. Ang masama nito, maaaring pupunta pa rin ang tunay kong katawan saka si Austin at tatawid na sila mamaya.

If I won't successfully stop David, I'll just hope tht Austin and the real me had cancelled their errand. Or maybe Emma and Logan had stopped them already.

There's no time to rely on them. Kailangan kong gawin ang makakaya ko.

"Sige na nga kasi! Pakinggan mo ako! Sundin mo ako!" Inalog alog ko na naman si David pero umungot ito sa pagkairita at hindi niya sinasadyang itulak ako kaya halos sumakit ang tagiliran kong naihampas sa gilid ng seat.

I was wincing in pain when I noticed how David glanced at me. "Kung hindi ka titigil, ibababa na kita!"

"Pero may sira ang truck! May mababangga tayo! Mababangga natin sila!"

Ilang beses na pinalo ni David and noo niya dahil sumasakit na ang utak nito kakasumbat sa akin. "Paano mo nasabi? May alam ka ba sa kalagayan ng truck, ha? Kaya nga natin pinaayos kanina para masigurado, hindi ba?!"

"Paniwalaan mo nga kasi ako! David! Sigurado ka bang inayos talaga ng mekanikong 'yon 'tong truck, ha!"

"Ibababa talaga kita!"

"Fine!"

Inasahan kong ibababa niya ako pero hindi niya ginawa. Talagang tinatakot niya lang ako at ayaw niya akong pababahin dito sa truck ngayon. Hindi ko na gustong alamin kung ano ba talagang mahalaga kay Cedric kasi gusto niya talaga itong isama sa lakad niya. Ang importante, huminto kami!

Ang mahalaga, mailigtas ko si Austin.

Nilingon ko ang dinadaanan namin at halos maluha ako nang medyo papalapit na kami sa tatawirin ni Austin at ng katawan kong si Sophia sa kalsada.

I wanted to see him smile again. I badly wanted to see Austin care and smile at me all over again, as we cross the Kiran road. But I didn't wish to see the last time I saw his troubled face once more. Never.

Ayaw kong makikita ko na naman sa sarili kong harapan ang pagkamatay ni Austin.

I appreciated the second chance.

I appreciated the given opportunity for us!

But I didn't have the thought to appreciate of failing this second chance again.

Austin deserved to live. He deserved to smile once more. We wanted to let that happen again. I wanted to make it happen forever in front of my eyes! Because he's Austin.

I heaved a sigh and looked at David when he started silencing himself. He didn't know that something bad will happen, any seconds now. Wala talaga akong mapapala sa malaking taong ito kung lalaban pa ako.

And knowing this face I have, it's familiar before I've seen it on that tragedy. I didn't want Cedric to be on such danger too.

I have to find a way. Sinubukan ko na lamang na i-open ang cellphone ni Cedric at kahit papaano, maalala ko man lang ang cellphone number ni Austin o 'yong cellphone number ko na lang ang babalahan ko.

Kung sino man ang nasa katawan ko ngayon, makikita niya ito at malalaman niyang dapat na nilang bilisan ni Austin sa pagtawid. O dapat hindi na sila tumuloy pa!

Habang tina-type ko ang numero ko sa contacts, nagtaka ako kung bakit may biglang nagpakitang number suggestion at mas natulala ako sa nabasang recipient.

"Miss Sophia"

Numero ko nga ito! Teka, numero ko ang nasa existing contacts ni Cedric. Bakit nasa kanya na agad?

Whatever was his reason! This is the easiest way already.

I was about to drop my message to my real number when I noticed that we're already near from crossing the Clock Shop. Palatandaan ang Clock shop na malapit na kami.

"H-Hey!" rinig kong usal ni David, na nag-aalala na. He was getting bothered but none of us couldn't notice the problem. Hindi niya man sabihin sa akin ang rason, alam ko na kung bakit tila nag-aalala na siya.

Binilisan ko na lang ang pag-type sa message pero muntik ko pang mabitawan ang cellphone nang ako naman na ang inalog-alog i David.

See?

"Oh, ano?! You didn't listen! That's it! Now look!" I shouted at him but he only clicked his tongue. "Seryoso na ito! May problema yata tayo!"

Yata? May problema talaga at wala na tayong magagawa ngayon! Mabilis na ang pagtakbo ng truck!

Napahinto ako sa pagpindot sa cellphone kasi naaninag ko sa may Clock Shop ang dalwang pamilyar na tao. Lalo na ang isa sa kanila.

Halos matulala ako nang makita ko kung paano hawakan ni Austin ang kamay ko.

We were both smiling as we held our hands together.

Naaninag ko naman sa sideroad ang itsura ni Logan at Emery o si Emma at Logan na medyo malayo sa kanila. They were rushing all the way to stop them and they're trying their best to run now that they saw our truck. Someone was also running on the other side of the road. It was Emma's body but she's Emery.

Hinahabol namin ang oras. Nakikipag-unahan kami sa mangyayari.

Tila nabingi ako lalo na't mas naging problemado na si David. He couldn't hit the truck's break anymore. We're at a not-normal speed and we've been chasing tragedy as well.

Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

Tila kasi, naimantsa na lang ang tingin ko kay Austin. He's smiling, he's very glad to be with me right now. I just wanted to look at him.

I slowly faced Cedric's phone to send my number a message when Austin and my own body had stared walking across and the truck where I'm at is almost near them.

I'll save Austin. We'll save Austin no matter what happens.

I collected a massive amount of air to press the send button.

But gladly.

I didn't do it.

'Faster! Run! No, don't cross! Don't! Just be faster!!!'

I faced my threatening message.

These words I typed to send it to my own number were absolutely familiar.

These are the messages I've received im the real time. Dahil nagawa ko pa itong titigan noong tumatawid kami ni Austin, ako na sana ang masasagasahan noon dahil sa pagkakamali ko.

Why did I receive this warning?! Why did I even check it on my phone? Nakatawid sana kaming dalawa noon.

Why did Cedric send it to me back then?

I sighed and decided to not send it as I listened to David's curses as he slammed the stirring wheel.

I ignored him. I ignored Emma, Emery and Logan who were now watching them across the road.

I just watched me and Austin, crossing the road happily.

Without Sophia, stopping and checking her phone out. Without Austin saving me, and Cedric, giving me his warning.

Nakangiti akong napatitig kay Sophia at Austin at medyo nagulat ako sa nahagilap ko.

In just a second, I saw Luciana in me.

Hindi ako nagkakamali, Luciana was smiling at me as another guy held her hand. Austin and my body was gone in my sight for a second.

Luciana was holding a bouquet of flowers as she was being held by a guy with his Ivy cap.

Nang kumurap ako ay nakatawid na ang tunay kong katawan at si Austin. I thought I was just imagining people, but if Emma, Emery and Logan saw it too, I want them to explain it to me. As long as Austin crossed the road safely.

Nakatawid na si Austin at ang tunay kong katawan sa kabilang side. Masaya silang huminto.

And I was here, crying.

"Bakit ka umiiyak?! Hoy, umisip ka ng paraan!" sigaw ni David sa akin.

Napapikit na lang ako habang lumuluha.

I just did it.

We did it.

Austin crossed the road safely. We crossed Kiran safely.

I'm sorry for now Cedric, ako na ang bahala kung ano ang mangyayari sa inyo ni David. Basta nasisiguro kong mabubuhay kayo.