Dangerous Gentlemen II: The Damned

SWEET PAIN

I decided to finally turn off my cellphone nang nakatanggap na naman ako ng tawag. Simula nang ibinalita ang nangyari sa hospital ay walang tigil ang pagtunog ng cellphone ko. I know most of them is probably worried kung kumusta ako at kung ano na ang nangyari but I really am not in the mood to explain things to them.

Kasalukuyan akong nandito sa presinto at hinihintay na matapos si Paige. She's beeing interviewed by the police kasi of what happened.

"Talaga ba, Boss? Iyong si Adrian Finch ang may gawa nito?" I heard one of the police said habang nakasunod sa isang lalaki na sa tingin ko ay boss niya. Mukha silang nagmamadali sa bilis ng paglalakad nila.

"Oo. Nakakagulat nga kung paano siya nakalabas. Maayos naman daw ang proteksyon ng facility. Ang dami rin na police na nandoon pero lahat sila ay patay." Naiiling na sabi ng kausap niya at napapalatak pa. I saw the other man shivered with what he heard.

'What have you done, Felix?'

Malalim akong napabuntong hininga at hinilamos ang kamay ko sa mukha. Pakiramdam ko ay parang namamaga ang mga mata ko sa antok at pagod pero I can't rest. I don't think I can even rest due to what happened today.

"Krystina," napaayos ako ng upo nang marinig ko ang boses ni Paige. Nagtaas ako ng tingin at nakita na kakalabas niya lang ng opisina ng pulis kung saan siya kinausap. Tumayo ako at sinalubong siya na kasama ang pulis na kumausap sa kaniya.

"I got the information that I needed. I'll just call you some time soon kung meron na kaming nakuhang dagdag na impormasyo tungkol sa nangyari,"

"Salamat po, chief," sabi ko sa pulis na tumango sa akin at nag-aalalang nilingon si Paige na nakayuko pa rin. The police gave me a look and I immediately knew what it meant. He wants me to watch our for Paige who's having a post traumatic stress disorder. I nodded at him na tuluyan nang tumalikod pagkatapos tapikin ang balikat ni Paige.

Tinitigan ko si Paige na wala sarili. Walang emosyon lang ito na nakatulala sa sahig. Sobrang putla ng mukha niya. 'I can't just leave her to be like this.' I thought.

"Do you want to come to my place?" I offered her. Ilang segundo ang lumipas pero hindi siya sumagot. Imbis na hintayin ang magiging sagot niya at kusa ko na lang siya na inakay papunta sa labas patungo sa sasakyan ko. I helped Paige sit beside me at ako na rin ang nagsuot ng seatbelt sa kaniya. Tahimik lang kami buong byahe hanggang sa makarating ako sa bahay.

"We're here, Paige." Nilingon ko siya na tahimik pa rin at nakayuko lang. Awang-awa ako sa kaibigan ko, kung ano man ang nasaksihan niya, I am sure it is that bad for her to be like this.

I helped her get out of the car at inakay papasok ng bahay. Agad naman kaming sinalubong ni Lolo Danilo na puno ng pag-aalala ang mukha. Basing from the look on his face ay mukhang alam niya ang balita. "Krystina," nag-aalalang sabi niya nang tuluyan siyang makalapit sa amin. He was about to say something nang tinuro ko si Paige sa tabi ko.

Lolo Danilo nodded na naintindihan ang ibig kong sabihin. "Let's go to my room, alright?" I said to Paige na tipid na tumango. I would give her a separate room if we're on a normal case. Pero iba ito. I am worried that Paige might think of killing herself.

She seems to be having a hard time processing through what happened, especially that she is the only survivor na wala manlang sugat. There were others who were also able to survive pero ang iba ay merong critical na sugat habang ang iba naman ay dead on arrival. I still haven't have an idea kung ano talaga ang nangyari. All I know is that Felix was able to free himself and massacred the place.

Inalalayan ko si Paige na makahiga sa kama ko. "Rest for now, okay? Nandito lang ako kung kailangan mo ako." Mababa ang boses na sabi ko sa kaniya habang hinihimas ang likod niya. Paige closed her eyes pero ilang segundo ang lumipas ay dumiin ang pagkakapikit ng mga mata niya. Naluha ako when she started to cover her ears, I bet she could still hear the screams of the people around her.

"Wait. I'll be quick." paalam ko sa kaniya at agad na tumayo. Kumuha ako ng tubig at binuksan ang isang aparador ko sa kusina. Kinuha ko ang isang container na may laman na pampatulog. I stopped using this for quite a time now simula nang pakiramdam ko ay maka-recover ako. But for unknown reason ay natagpuan ko na lamang ang sarili ko na bumili ulit nito before I went back to Philippines from Macao. My gut feeling is telling me that I would be starting to live a nightmare. Now I finally found its purpose.

Nilagyan ko ng pampatulog ang tubig ni Paige at bumalik na sa kwarto ko. "Paige," marahang tawag ko sa kaniya. Paige opened her eyes at tinignan ang baso na hawak ko.

"Drink this," I said to her.

"May pampatulog ba iyan?" My eyes widened with what I heard.

"How did you know?" gulat na tanong ko. Hindi naman kasi mahahalata na merong pampatulog ang tubig. It's all clear and not even foggy to look at. Even when you drink it ay hindi mo iyon malalasahan. It's just like a water.

"I don't, I was hoping you would really put something in it. I want to rest, Krystina. I want to forget kahit saglit lang dahil sa bawat pikit ko ng mga mata ko aypaulit-ulit kong nakikita ang nangyari. I can still even hear their screams." Naluluhang sabi ni Paige.

I swallowed what seems like a hard lump in my throat at tumango. "I am here. I will stay with you, alright? I will be here whenever you want to talk about it and I will stay with you. You are not alone, but for now drink this so you can rest up just like you said."

Paige looked up me for the first time and smiled a little bit. "Thank you," pabulong na sabi niya at kinuha ang baso na hawak ko at agad na inubos iyon. Binalik ni Paige ang baso sa akin at agad nang nahiga. Ilang segundo lang ay lumipas ay napansin na mapayapa na siyang natutulog.

I let out a heavy sigh at hinimas ang noo niya na nakakunot pa rin kahit tulog na siya. Her face still shows the stress that she is experiencing. Ilang beses rin siyang napapaigtad. "I'm just here, Paige." I whispered to her ear.

Just like what I promised her ay nanatili nga ako sa tabi niya. Kahit na inaatok ako ay hindi ako umalis sa tabi niya. The sun finally went out and I am still awake. Ramdam ko ang pamamaga ng mga mata ko dahil wala pa akong sapat na tulog but I couldn't afford to sleep.

"Idlip lang," I promised myself at humiga sa tabi ni Paige. Ilang segundo pa lang akong nakapikit nang marinig kong tumunog ang doorbell sa labas.

'Oh dear, sino na naman kaya iyan?' My heart started to thump fast. Pakiramdam ko ay para akong na-trauma sa nangyari kanina. Parehong sitwasyon kasi. I was half asleep when Paige called and told me the bad news.

Napipilitang bumangon ako sa kama at bumaba ng hagdan. Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng hagdaan nang marinig ko ang pamilyar na boses ng isang lalaki na nagsasalita. "Hi! Good morning, ako po si Elijah. I am a friend of Krystina, is she here po ba?" tanong nito kay Lolo Danilo na siyang bumukas ng gate.

Dali-dali akong bumaba ng hagdan at lumabas. Lumiwanag ang mukha ni Elijah nang makita ako pero agad ring napalitan iyon ng pag-aalala nang makita ang itsura ko. "Krystina!" bulalas niya at basta na lamang pumasok ng gate namin at sinalubong ako ng yakap.

Ilang beses akong napakurap nang bigla akong mag-loading sa ginawa niya. I didn't expect him to hug me. "Oh, Krystina. I am so glad you are fine." paos ang boses na sabi niya at hinimas ang likod ko.

My vision started to blur nang maluha ako. Simula kanina ay hindi manlang ako umiyak dahil pakiramdam ko ay kailangan kong magpalakas para kay Paige. I always kicked out the idea of some of my colleague and friends being murdered from my mind because I was fixated by my worry to Paige.

'Maybe, just for a while. I badly needed this.' I closed my eyes at pinaikot ang braso ko sa likod ni Elijah and hugged him tight. The burning pain that I am feeling while out body is touching cannot be compared the pain and emptiness that I am feeling in my heart. Once again, I feel lonely. Once again, I feel abandoned.

It's the same feeling that I felt when I was the only one who survived in that accident when I was with my fiance. 'Kung hindi ba ako umuwi, would I meet the same fate like them?' I can't help but wonder. Wala sana akong planong umuwi kanina but I have to dahil walang kasama ang dalawang bata at si Lolo Danilo sa bahay. Plus, Paige was pushing me to come home dahil kailangan ko raw magpahinga dahil kakauwi ko pa lang ng Pilipinas. I can still clearly remember her face and how confident she was in telling me that she could handle everything. That there were a lot of Police that will help her in case of emergency.

Elijah pulled back at nag-aalalang tinignan ako. "I heard about what happened. I'm sorry if I just came into your house without even telling you. I've been trying to contact your number but my call wouldn't come through so I decided to just come into your place uninvited because I was so worried." puno ng pag-aalala na sabi ni Elijah.

Puno ng pag-iingat na inalis niya ang luha na tumulo sa mga mata ko. His sweet but painful gesture which made my heart ache. "Thank you, Elijah." puno ng emosyon na sabi ko at nagtaas ng tingin sa kaniya. His eyes were laid gently into me. They reflect the worry that he feels about me. Looking at Elijah, I felt the heaviness in my heart started to lessen. His face is so peaceful that I felt myself loosen up just by looking at him.

"Come in," I invited him inside my house. I saw the kids watching us with curiosity and worry in their eyes pero inakay sila ni Lolo Danilo pabalik sa silid nila.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras na ang lumipas. Tahimik lang ako na nakaupo sa sofa habang si Elijah naman ay nasa tabi ko. Kahit wala siyang sabihin ay okay lang, his mere presence is enough to make me feel that I am not alone.

Nilingon ko si Elijah when I heard his phone rang for countless of times already pero palagi niya iyong pinapatay. I bet it's his patient or other co-worker calling him. "You should go," puna ko sa kaniya. He immediately looked at me.

"No. I will stay with you. I can tell them to-"

I held his hand and flinched when I felt that burnng pain again pero nilabanan ko iyon. I forced a smile at him. "You can come back here whenever you are free. But please, don't make me feel guilty for having you here while there are people waiting for you." Elijah looked at me while having an internal debate with himself. Sa huli ay malalim siyang napabuntong hininga at tumango.

"Alright. I will come back here as soon as possible." He said at tumayo na. Nagulat ako when he suddenly leaned over and kissed my forehead. "I'm just here for you, Krystina." Makahulugang sabi niya at gave me a small smile before he turned his back on me at umalis na.

Malalim akong napabuntong hininga nang maiwan na naman akong mag-isa. Tumayo na ako at aakyat na sana ng hagdan nang natigilan ako nang makita si Paige na nakatayo sa pinakatuktok niyon. "Paige!" nanlalaki ang matang sabi ko nang makita ko ang mkha niya. She is crying heavily while looking down on me.

"I have to tell you something, Krystina."