"WHY did you come here?" Tashia asked, with someone following her. Tashia and her companion walked in the darkness, searching for something.
A woman appeared to them, a single entity and her original self, Leah. She didn't speak, but she knew they were being led towards Sharlene; they were also walking quickly now.
"Don't get left behind here, or you might not be able to come back." Tashia reminded her companion.
She suddenly stopped and slipped through back then. She was hesitant to follow, but here they are now.
The three souls there immediately surprised them. She saw that Sharlene was just hugging Leah.
"Return to your true self, Leah. I know the pain you are experiencing; I know that. You've already gotten your revenge; don't dirty your hands anymore." She heard Sharlene say this while she was still hugging him.
She shook her head. "No, no." Leah replied firmly.
"I need to chase them; don't follow me anymore! Don't ask me again." They looked at them intently.
"Tita." Ashley, a young child, called out and approached her.
"Tita, your baby is waiting on the other side." Ashley said.
Suddenly, tears fell from her eyes. "So, Auntie, return to your true self; return, Tita. They are waiting for you there." Ashley said this while holding Leah's hand, suddenly showing weakness to them.
"Tita Leah." Lawrence called out. Lawrence suddenly hugged Leah. "I'm so sorry that we didn't look for you back then. I'm so sorry that we believed the rumors without verifying them. I'll take care of it. I'll take care of everything, Tita Leah. We made a huge mistake." Tashia witnessed Leah's tight embrace and sensed the regret and sadness surrounding Leah's circumstances.
It didn't speak; it cried and cried. She knew the sorrow of the wail it had just released. Suddenly, Leah appeared, approaching a figure filled with sorrow and anger.
She couldn't understand herself, and she cried too.
"Leah, we are creating karma with every decision; no one is to blame for what's happening to us. Every wrong decision we make comes back to us— to Grandma, to my mom back then, to my child, to our ancestors. This decision has become our karma, Leah." Sharlene, who was also crying, couldn't hold back her words.
"Karma came back to us; that's why you revealed your true self. Let it be; they will face true karma, Leah. Go back to being yourself." It even smiled.
They saw it slowly return to its true self, while still embracing itself, until they saw a single soul.
She hugged herself tighter, still sobbing, now wearing a white dress. Suddenly, Manuel hugged her.
"No words can explain, Leah. Even if I rot here, I will be in darkness for eternity." Manuel said that his voice was full of sadness.
She helped Sharlene to stand up.
"Manuel, there is no place for the anger I feel for what you did to our child; I will never easily forgive you. But I am not the one who will decide that," Leah said while looking intently at Manuel.
"Leave now; my world is crumbling. You need to get out of here." Leah ended up saying this to them.
So they quickly went outside. They even witnessed the collapse of the palace caused by the event. It has calmed down now; they are walking in the darkness. The sight of the three souls escaping caught their attention.
"You no longer have the power to imprison us, Leah." Felicia said back then.
"Grandma, that's enough." Tashia just sighed.
"Grandma, let go of that past; let go of that greediness, Lola. If you carry that with you, you won't find peace." Sharlene even uttered those words, her gaze fixed on Felicia.
"Grandpa, you didn't even acknowledge me as your grandchild when Mom died. But, never mind, I became strong despite what you did to me." Sharlene stared at Raymundo.
"Uncle Manuel, I appreciate your assistance with my daughter Ashley and your care for me during my parents' absence." Sharlene smiled at Manuel.
"Ellena." Suddenly, Manuel hugged Sharlene. I am truly sorry. I apologize for what I did. I wanted to save you, but I was too scared back then. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Ellena." Tashia even saw him kneel in front of Sharlene.
"Uncle, I know that." Sharlene smiled even more.
Suddenly, someone greeted. to them in blinding light; they saw four souls back then.
"C—Carmela, D—Donald." Manuel introduced them by name.
They turned around then.
"Ellena, is that you?" Carmela asked Sharlene.
Sharlene weakly nodded in response to the question, which surprised her. Suddenly, Carmela hugged Sharlene. "My child." This is what she called.
It was clear on her face that she was shocked and didn't know what emotion to show at that moment. Suddenly, she burst into tears—not realizing that her tears were falling again when someone suddenly held her hand.
She looked at it; it was Ashley happily looking at her mommy.
"Ah, so much drama. Are you going to pick us up? Let's go, I need to rest." Raymundo said sarcastically.
So Carmela just stared at him. "Dad." Calling out to her father. "Come on, come on." Raymundo even smiled.
Carmela just sighed. "We're not here to pick you up." It couldn't help but say.
Carmela turned to Leah, and she approached.
"Have you made a decision?" she asked.
Leah just nodded. Carmela smiled at her decision and reached for Leah's hand.
"Child, be happy with your offspring. I am happy to see you healthy and growing up like that. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you as you grew up. We couldn't take care of you as your parents, but you're a very strong person, Ellena." She even said it out loud.
Sharlene didn't say anything anymore and just nodded while crying at that moment. Leah followed Carmela's lead. She noticed that Manuel didn't follow, but he just smiled.
Suddenly, she gently pushed Donald. "I know you have wronged our child, but you didn't abandon her." He even said.
The old man was carrying a baby, and they could hear it crying.
"Aunt Tashia, that's Tita Leah's baby." Ashley whispered to her.
Leah was carrying her baby, tears streaming down her face.
"Wait for us!" Angely said.
Suddenly, she disappeared with Manuel.
"What are we going to do now, Felicia?" Angely asked.
She smiled at the three. "We will take the place of those travelers."
They were surprised. She suddenly became alarmed at what she said, and she disappeared.
"We need to go back, or we won't be able to return to our bodies." Tashia could only say...
The others just nodded.
She just gasped and felt a headache; she was also dizzy back then.
She looked at her whole being then. She returned.
"Sis Vivianne," she called her.
Tashia looked at her companions. She woke up and was thankful that nothing happened to her.
"Are you worried that they will take your body?" Vivianne couldn't help but ask.
She could only weakly nod. "W—Where are they?" she asked.
"Returned to the darkness, while you sleep and your spirit travels, of course, I also did something here. That old woman probably doesn't know that I know what to do when a wandering soul possesses someone." Vivianne shook her head.
Tashia saw Sharlene, who was still sleeping until now. A wave of anxiety gripped her chest.
"Sis Sharlene?" Tashia asked her.
They exchanged glances with Vivianne. "What happened?" Lawrence suddenly asked her.
"Maybe Sharlene couldn't handle the journey of her spirit; she hasn't traveled before, right?" Tashia asked Vivianne.
"Yes." Vivianne scratched her head in confusion.
"We need to observe what will happen, then. Isn't that the ultimate cost to bear? Justine asked them.
She just nodded weakly. Ashley wasn't just silent, but her eyes clearly showed her concern.
They let Sharlene rest for a while; Sheila is still asleep until now.
Will we finally have the opportunity to breathe easily? asked herself and sighed.