Chapter 16 (1/2)

KS Chapter 16

Captain Who got ahead of the police in the pursuit for jewelry shop robbers Before that, he has also saved an infant held hostage by his own father who lost hisold man cross Roxas Boulevard back to his hoht in the act; rescued a fa flood; saved far volcano; landed a Boeing 747 with three broken engines; exploded a giant robot wrecking havoc to park-goers in Nayong Pilipino¹; quickly escorted volunteers helping the Negros children²; and saved wohanistan Fro, Captain Who did nothing but work as a hero to the best of his ability He no longer sees Bok-bok, nor talk to his parents He has lost playing tier holds the broken stuff he loves tinkering with, neither does he clean the shop anys on the radio anymore since he does not open the radio anyway Nopoeer dreaer has a dream

”Stand up Are you sick?” A rough voice wakes up Rogelio one evening at eight o' clock He did not eat dinner that day, nor lunch or breakfast; like every other day past He gets up and sits on his bed to face his visitor, but did not bother opening the lights

”No” This was the first time he answered his father rudely

Mang Ernesto continues walking into the dark rooht part of his face becoh the s History has written lines and wrinkles on the old man's face ”You can't save everyone”

Rogelio does not answer

”You have powers, but you do not hold the people’s lives”

”How did you know?”

”You are round ”But I never had the guts to take the path you have chosen I was afraid of the responsibilities that ca with this power I could never proain” The old hs ”I mean, I could, but like my brother…I couldn't do it for my whole life”

”Brother?”

”To try and dodge fate and start a new life, they gave the surnarandfather's second wife to the mayor Solo Ernesto winces for a bit as he looks at his li ”I didn't know there were consequences” There were no bandages wrapped around his right leg, showing a foot four times the size of a normal person's, full of little lumps and watery wounds

”Why are you only telling me this now?”

”There was no need before,” the father turns his back to him and pauses for a bit ”What happened to Tessa wasn't your fault”

Rogelio doesn't reply

”You shouldn't punish yourself”

”I a myself!”

”You did what you can,” Mang Ernesto turns back to his son He sees hi eyes

”No cotton,” Rogelio shakily says for the first ti fro to steady itself but could not hide it's tears ”No medicine, no doctor—”