The Sub Rosa [Completed]

TSR 18

Sinusubukan kong matapos ang isang musika na lagi kong naririnig during my piano lesson. Nasisiyahan ako sa tuwing tatama ang aking mga daliri sa bawat key.

Pumasok ako rito sa music room dahil parang gusto kong gumamit ng piano. Hindi ako magaling sa piano pero alam ko naman ang ilang basic.

May isang tao kasi ang laging nagtuturo sakin pagdating dito. Matyagang nanonood noon kahit parang walang pangtutunguhan ang mga kamay kong mabagal.

May kausap si Seleucus sa opisina niya at kanina pa iyon. I decided to check the music room while waiting for him to finish his call.

Nilipat ko ang pahina sa mas madali pang piece dahil medyo mahirap nga ang una kong pinipilit tugtugin sa piano.

Natigilan ako sa familiar na kanta, naiiyak dahil hindi ko maaming nangungulila ako sa taong ito.

Isang marahang pindot sa bawat piano keys ay unti unti kong nasusundan at naririnig ang lagi niyang tinuturo sakin.

Tumigil ako dahil hanggang chorus lang ang kaya.

I was about to leave but my eyes caught the cello placed beside the piano.

Ayaw ko sanang pakealaman pero ang aking kamay ay kanting kanti mahawakan ang string nito. Ang ganda, parang tunay na ginto ang strings na gamit. Hind ko napigilang hawakan. I let my fingers traced the line where it leads to a name Lysimachus.

"Amastrise." Tumalikod na ako sa cello dahil pumasok si Seleucus na kasama ang Kuya ko.

Everything happens so fast that I am now sitting here inside the white van that my Kuya Isak and mom used to come in here at my husband's house.

Mom hugged me tightly, but not the usual tight kind of hug because this one was different, so tight that I felt pain on my chest; it's not her hug that hurts me, but I'm in pain for some reason.

She wasn't smiling at me or giving an expression either; her face was blank. When she tried to form a simple smile, it only turned into a sad one. I know something is off, but I cannot tell what it is.

My older brother's face was worried the moment Seleucus opened the door for them. Mom quickly held my hand to move me away from Kuya, who's now talking seriously to my husband.

I peek through our curtains in the living room.

Our house was surrounded by my husband's security every day, though I could still count them before; today's different, and I got goosebumps seeing how high the caliber of their weapon was, plus they were multiplied a lot.

What the hell?!

I couldn't hear them, and their conversation only lasted a minute before they all rushed me inside this white van.

Confused about what's going on.

"I don't understand why I have to go with them. It's too early for dinner. Seleucus, what's happening? Mom?" I'm getting annoyed.

"Stay with them for a while; I'll be the one who'll fetch you later. Go with them, baby."

His hands were cold when they touched my face. He was worried and sad but still smiled at me and gave me kisses.

I was about to argue, but he cut me off.

"Please. " I nodded as I watched him be extremely anxious.

Before we can exit the premises of our house, a numerous amount of black vans were parked at the gate, blocking anyone from exiting.

"Okay, mom, you have to tell me now what the hell is going on. Those vans parked outside belonged to them. Azrael, Ptolemy, and Lysimachus"

I was trying to be calm, but my voice was shaking when I said it.

She shook her head, which made me nervous.

"Mom? Common you gotta tell me. I deserve to know." I pleaded.

Her eyes glistened with tears, and for a moment I was scared to know it.

Then what she told me made me so much more broken than I was.

"Lysimachus committed suicide just this morning......" Parang bombang sumabog saking tainga at nag dulot ng napaka sakit sa aking ulo at dibdib.

Wala akong marinig na iba kung hindi iyon at paulit-ulit. Tila sinaksak ako sa puso ng kutsilyong hindi mabilang kung ilan beses tinarak dahil sobrang sakit ng nararamdaman ko.

Hindi ko na kayang makinig pa.

Tears flowed continuously as I screamed.

"No! Hindi totoo yan. Where is he? Gusto ko siyang makita." Nagwawala na ako sa loob dahil sobrang sakit ng nararamdaman ko.

"I'm sorry, anak." Umiling ako ng marahas kasi hindi ko kaya, hindi ko matanggap.

"Mom, you're lying to me right?" Galit ako rito pero mahal ko. Galit ako kasi ginawan nila ako ng masama pero mahal ko parin sila.

Galit ako kasi nasaktan ako. Galit ako kasi mahal ko parin siya sa kabila ng lahat.

Galit ako ngayon sa ginawa niya.

When I tried to kill myself you told me that I shouldn't do it because there is more color of life that I could see other than black and gray.

"Please, I want to see him." Sobbing while pleading my mom, hanggang hindi ko siya nakikita hindi ako maniniwala.

Panaginip lahat ng ito! Please....

"His father was so mad that he wanted to kill you tonight. Amastrise, whatever happens, you will not set foot outside of this van. It's not your fault, and it was no one's fault." Kaya ba maraming armado sa labas dahil mamamatay na ako ngayong gabi?

Paano na ang mga anak ko sa sinapupunan?

"Your husband can't protect you from his father's raging wrath. Promise me am—No! Please!" Mom panicked when someone harshly opened the van's door and grabbed me away from her.

She shouted for me to be freed, but a big man was stopping her from walking towards me.

Hinawakan ko ang aking umbok para protektahan habang halos kaladkadin ako dalawang malaking mama.

Sinisipa ko sila para makatakbo pero tila impossible dahil mukha ni congressman Richard ang nabungaran ko bago ako sapilitang pina-upo sa malaking bato.

Natigilan ako nang may malamig na bagay ang dumikit sa sintido ko.

"Pa, please don't hurt my wife." Seleucus was forced to kneel when two men were holding his shoulder and putting him on the ground.

Even though my eyes were full of tears and my face was so wet with them, I recognized the other two, who were standing near us.

"Pa, you'll only talk to her 'cause that's what Lysimachus wants. You were not going to kill her." Nagsusumamo at tila pagod niyang sabi. Sinubukang lumapit ni Ptolemy pero agad itong pinaluhod ng tatlong lalaki.

Nagpumiglas rin si Azrael pero pinagtulungan itong paluhodin sa lupa.

Hindi ko alam ang dapat maramdaman ngayong nasa iisang lugar kami.

"Put your gun down, uncle. We didn't talk about this. We are only here to talk to her." Azrael convincing him not to kill me.

Umiiyak ako sa sakit ng pinaghalo halong lungkot, galit at takot. Kung papatayin nila ako, sana naman ay pagkatapos kong manganak para hindi madamay ang walang kasalanan kong mga anak.

"Don't go near us, or I'll shoot her head." Banta ni Congressman kay Kuya Isak na palapit sa direksyon namin. Galit na tinaas ng kuya ko ang kaniyang dalawang kamay bago siya pwersahang pinaluhod.

Pinaluhod silang lahat para masaksihan kung paano ako mabura sa Mundo.

Wala akong mababakasang emosyon sa boses niya pero ang aura niya sa likod ko ay nakakatakot talaga.

"Do you know why I'm here?" Umiling ako. Even though mom told me the reason you're here, hindi ko sasabihin baka patayin mo ako agad.

"Hindi ko po alam." Basag ang boses kong sabi. Ang palad ko ay tumakip sa aking bibig dahil kakawala ang isang hikbi.

Natatakot ako sa pwedeng mangyari samin ng mga anak ko.

Mariin akong pumikit nang kinasa nito ang baril.

"Really, I'll tell you a story you've never heard before." Natatakot ako sa kalmadong boses nito dahil hindi mababasa ang susunod nitong gagawin.

Narinig ko ang pagsigaw nila para sakin.

Kung mamamatay ba ako ay wala ng kaguluhan sa pagitan ng aming pamilya?

Takot man ay hinarap ko siya sa likod.

"If my death means peace for the tragedy in our lives, ........so be it." Kung hindi ko ito gagawin walang katapusang paghihiganti.

Kaya ang buhay ko nalang ang kabayaran sa lahat. Gusto ko nang matigil lahat.

"I promise you that after giving birth to my triplets. I will gladly accept my verdict. I will not run away and hide, so please give my children a chance to see the world." Humihikbing nag mamakaawa ako para sa buhay ng mga batang nasa sinapupunan ko.

"Give your grandchildren a chance to be loved and cherished. If you want to kill me, it will be only me; don't include my babies." Kung kailangan kong lumuhod gagawin ko mabuhay lang sila.

Nag-iwas ito sakin ng tingin ngunit ang baril ay nakatutok parin.

"How can I kill the girl whom my sons love more than themselves? Do you know that the twins broke their promise to me for the justice that we planned for their sister? " Hindi ko alam dahil ayaw kong marinig ang paliwanag nila.

Mapait itong ngumiti bago ibaba ang baril na hawak.

"It's just weeks after you ran away together with my sons and their cousin, but they told me that they couldn't finish what they promised because they love you so much." Mas lalo akong naiyak sa narinig.

Yumuko ito at pinahiran ang mga luha ko.

Kumislap ang mga mata niya sa nagbabadyang luhang gustong bumagsak.

"I know my apology won't bring everything back to how it used to be, but I am sincerely sorry for what I and my family have done to your family." Humingi ako ng kapatawaran sa mga nagawa naming mali.

Tumingala ito bago muling humarap sakin.

"My hatred for your father is something I will carry until death. Hindi ako pumunta rito para patayin ka, kahit pa gusto ko ay mas pipiliin ko ang buhay ng mga anak kong mahal na mahal ka." Inutusan niya ang mga armado na bitiwan ako.

Hindi pa man ako nakakahakbang ay muli siyang nagsalita.

"I'll bring you with me because my son, who's lying unconscious in the hospital bed, needs you. "