Leaving the Fate Behind
The Vabuerettis finally arrived at the town proper.
Getting Sophia inside her room, Elizabeth dampened a towel and quickly wiped it on her daughter’s arms, going through a lot of dense emotions as Sophia remained docile, sitting on her bed.
Through the half-closed door, Philippe and Grandma Lucy watched the mother-daughter scene. They wanted to know what happened to Sophia in the woods, more particularly when they saw the wound-mark at Sophia’s right foot.
“Hey.” Philippe’s voice unfocused Elizabeth. “How is she?”
Elizabeth was not able to answer him right away, absolutely drained and feeling out-of-herself.
Feeling the need to leave the two, Philippe then offered something. “I’ll go and make chicken soup.” He tried to smile.
Still standing outside Sophia’s room, Grandma Lucy decided to join Elizabeth. The second she got closer to eyeing Sophia, the more she tried not to reflect all the objectionable things about her granddaughter’s misconduct.
“Mom...” Elizabeth wanted to say something to her mother-in-law. “Mind if you continue cleaning up Sophia? I’ll just look for a dress she could wear,” she said, and went to Sophia’s closets.
“Sure.”
Elizabeth went through Sophia’s old clothes and noticed the red dress, appearing like it was never worn. She reached for it, and a small card fell off the floor. It said,
My dearest Sophia, on your 13th birthday,
remember to smile. Wear this dress, and I
will be there, with the moon, watching you.
- B.V.
Elizabeth was suddenly beside herself with worry. BV? She mulled it over and looked at Grandma Lucy, her look questioning, hoping that Grandma Lucy knew something about it. Elizabeth only knew one person who had initials of BV, and it was Benjamin Vabueretti, Philippe’s long-time missing brother and the Most Wanted Criminal charged with rape. Her heart cracked into fragments, speechless at the thought that the person who molested her sister, long ago, was actually out there, hiding somewhere close.
Her pondering was cut short when Sophia unexpectedly stood up and went straight to the bathroom, then wept and wept, as if for the last time. Jericho was now in prison and Abanir—it was his unexpected kiss that enormously troubled her.
How it all ached! Her heart was aching, not knowing what to do!
Then, she realized she wanted to see Jericho. After all, she was the reason why he was arrested. But in her mind, how could she ever see him, when everyone here was guarding her? Then, she decided to seek her father’s help, and he was at the kitchen, cooking.
Philippe’s worry intensified. His daughter was asking for his car key, and he found it hard to refuse.
“There are just two places where she’ll want to go, either to the lake house or to the precinct!” intruded Grandma Lucy.
“No, she won’t go to the lake house, nor to the precinct!” Elizabeth put in.
Sophia became deadly quiet. She wanted to see Jericho, but it seemed like there was no chance now. I am betrayed by everyone! She sobbed to herself silently. She could not bear to leave Forest Green knowing Jericho would be in jail.
Now, Grandma Lucy spoke again, “You have two choices, Sophia. First, if you insist in being with him, Jericho will be behind bars forever…”
Sophia’s eyes clouded further, while hearing these words from her grandmother.
“And second, you can leave today, but I guarantee you, Jericho will be released from jail. But you have to promise me... that you will never... ever come back to him... again!” Grandma Lucy’s voice was now at its utmost pitch.
Sophia, now on her feet, felt near-collapse. It was as if a lot of knives had stabbed her already-bleeding heart. Her agony worsened but she realized she must not be selfish. She wanted Jericho to continue his life, and she had no choice but to let him go.
“Fine,” she answered in a spineless, quaking voice. “I will... leave... but you have to truly promise me that you will free him.” More tears filled Sophia’s eyes.
Grandma Lucy and Elizabeth were very much relieved, as if flaming chains had just been removed from their necks. Finally, Sophia would no longer be connected to the guy that disgusted them all, the most.
“At this very moment, I can call the precinct and withdraw my allegation against him. He could be freed, any time. I guarantee that, Sophia,” Grandma Lucy reassured her.
When Sophia heard it, she went straight to the car without looking at them, making a sign that she was now ready to leave Forest Green.
As a result, Philippe and Elizabeth hastened their goodbyes to Grandma Lucy.
Grandma Lucy felt extremely sad about the things that happened, but she convinced herself that she did the right thing for her granddaughter.
It was almost sundown when the family finally left Forest Green.
In Kravena, Abanir bestowed his utmost strength to battle the united forces of the Sulabuns and the Fegratus. He had unleashed every command to his fellow Kravenas and struggled vigorously to win the battle, for his tribe and for the human he yearned to be with—Sophia.
The battle persisted heavily. The forces of the Kravenas were dominating, in spite of their smaller number. They craved—for so long—for a victory that would give justice to their fellow ones who sacrificed their lives for them.
Abanir unleashed every deadly arrow he had at his back and stabbed his bolo through and through, at every single foe—in his mind, to grant revenge for Karan.
After the very long battle, some of the Sulabuns and Fegratus were now fleeing. They were now losing the fight.
Abanir looked around thoroughly, hoping to see, at least, the wings of Banaak. He was dismayed. Banaak did not join the battle, not even his son Kalib.
After the enemies completely escaped their territory, Abanir checked on his family. He was very thankful; they were there, alive and well at the palasyon. Abanir still roamed around, searching for Rabel. Out of nowhere, suddenly, Rabel’s voice was heard—coming from the trees, yelling that he was all right.
Abanir was somehow relieved that his dear hakaro was alive. Still, he continued securing their territory, speculating that some enemies might still be around.
Right after that, the other Kravenas began cleaning the place and lamented, for a few of them did not survive the battle.
Abanir, with an intense pounding in his chest, felt the need to see Sophia. He asked Rabel to watch the tribe for him, and then rushed to the lake house.
Landing there, he noticed its quietness, and to his extreme disappointment, there was no presence of Sophia there. In spite of that, he persisted and waited for the human he longed for—hoping, at least for a moment, that he could see her silhouette.
Ardently, he waited. Yet at the crack of dawn, not a thing stirred his senses. The sadness in him ruptured his heart. Desolately, he went back to Kravena—still, with the aching hope of seeing Sophia. Again.