The heat was unbearable. Every breath felt like fire scraping down my throat. My vision blurred between smoke and tears, and all I could think was—this is it.Lumalapit na sa akin ang apoy; sinusunog ang lahat ng puwedeng masunog. My body was heavy, my skin stung from burns, and my blood mixed with the soot on the floor. I tried to crawl, pero nanginginig na ang braso ko.“Help…” I whispered, barely audible. “Alexus…”Then, through the chaos, I heard footsteps. Fast. Desperate.“Elize!”That voice—deep, frantic, familiar—cut through the roar of the fire. I forced my eyes open. Through the haze, I saw him.Alexus.He pushed through the smoke, his shirt already soaked with sweat, his face streaked with ash. “Elize!” he shouted, kneeling beside me. “Stay with me, okay? Don’t close your eyes.”I tried to speak, but only a weak sound came out. “She… Alice…”“She’s gone,” he said firmly, his voice shaking. “Patay na si Alice.”I blinked, trying to process his words.Dead.Alice.For a mo
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