I am Darling

My Fate

I am Darling and I was Invincible. But when a friend became a foe I couldn’t help but wonder what had I done wrong. I had loved them so much more than this life has to offer but I understood why Rhea did what she did. I knew where she was coming from and I was still blaming myself in all of this. I remember how she had been there in all of my adversity. It could be all part of the evil plan but no matter what, her help was not an act. I could feel the truthfulness of her heart. Her sincerity couldn’t be denied. Inspite of that all I knew help was still around the corner. I would always have hope in my heart as long as I live.

Who was this masked man? What on earth he wanted from us. Was he related to Gab? I thought so. Was he responsible in killing everyone I loved? Maybe.. but how long the suffering would last? Questions kept running in my mind and I would never get answers if I wouldn’t start a thing. “What do you want from us? I asked the man on the mask. “STILL YOU DON’T GET IT.. DO YOU? You are the most dreadful thing happened to my son and you still have no idea what am I doing?!! I am JUST GIVING BACK TO YOU WHAT YOU HAD GAVE TO MY SON, THE PAIN, THE HUMILIATION, THE INTIMIDATION.. YOU DON’T DESERVE TO LIVE!!” He SCREAMED AND SHOUTED. “SON? WHO’S your son? GAB? BUT YOU.. WERE DEAD!” I exclaimed. He removed his mask and the face I had been longing to know appeared before me. He was a little younger than my father. HE HAD A BUILT OF A FIGHTER. HE HAD INDEED SOME SIMILARITIES TO GAB. “AM I?” He taunted. “Well the sea became my paradise and I had lived there for so many years..I was planning to be there forever with my family.. but when I came back for my wife, she was missing from that stupid facility and just to find out that my son had been suffering from the hands of everyone.. INCLUDING YOU! IT’S PAYBACK TIME!” He added. The man was not in his proper mind. I could sense it. “YOU CRAZY MAN.. YOU KILLED MY FATHER, I WILL KILL YOU IF I COULD GET OUT OF HERE..!!” Daniel cried as he was struggling to untie the rope. “Stop it Daniel, you could put us all in danger.. just calm down..” Christina said to Daniel in a very low tone. “We are ALREADY IN DANGER!” Daniel replied intensely. “PLEASE MISTER, Darling has already regretted what she had done in the past. SHE HAD PAID A LOT when you had killed everyone she loved, SO PLEASE.. forgive her now and please untie us.” Isabel begging to the man. “NO YOU CAN’T!” I’VE MURDERED EVERYONE including my siblings when THEY LET GAB SUFFER INTO THEIR OWN HANDS... WHY DO YOU THINK I WILL SPARE YOU FROM THIS... YOU ARE NOT WORTH IT!!” The man said angrily while he was cleaning the knife and the firearm he was planning to use against us. Then we could hear the man murmur things that only he could understand. I saw the knife again in the man’s hand. I couldn’t forget that knife during my search at the police station with Rhea. It was a Gut Hook knife, a special type of blade in which the spine has a sharpened semi-circle grounded into it. It definitely has a hook in its spine. I couldn’t forget those details I got from the police. It was so memorable to me having my first investigative work to the murders. That knife was in front of me now and in the hand of the perpetrator right next to me. I was watching that masked man while he was swaying around that knife in his hand trying to scare us. Then he laughed and would turn to his firearm pointing it to us. “So you did all the killings?” Christina cried. The insane man answered, “Hmm… DO YOU WANT TO BE NEXT?” He answered and laughed to his teeth again. “Where’s Gab?” I asked. “HEY BABY GIRL.. You missed my boy so fast… you had just met last few months with this stubborn little boy here.. have you? (referring to Daniel)” He teased. I looked at Daniel and he stared at me with big surprised eyes as if asking if it was true. I just nodded. “Well anyway.. to answer your question.. he is just around the corner babysitting your mamas..ooops.. I am so noisy.. you didn’t hear me did you? HA HA HA..!!!” He teased more. “WHAT! You got MY MOM… OUR MOMS? YOU STUPID STUPID MAN, If anything happens to THEM.. I’m gonna GET YOU wherever you go. I’m GONNA STUCK YOUR OWN KNIFE TO YOUR CHEST AND YOU WILL REGRET WHAT YOU DID TO OUR MOMS..” Daniel warned him while trying to pull the rope again and again. Daniel was so mad after hearing that our moms were also abducted by this insane man. The two ladies were crying so hard already and I just couldn’t stop them. I too was worried about mom and Aunt Gracie. “S T O P P P.. STOP THAT NOISE! Nothing will happen to them if you all just behave.. AM I CLEAR HERE? He ASKED. “Don’t you worry about my boy.. he could do some kung fu things but he couldn’t even kill a cockroach.. so your mamas are somewhat in … safe hands..” He said. “MOMMMM.. MOMMMM.. ARE YOU OKAY IN THERE? AUNT DAYNA.. AUNT DAYNA…ARE YOU BOTH OKAY?” Isabel shouted. “SSSHHH, I told you to shut up and stop that noise!!” He exclaimed and went to Isabel and squeezed her neck strongly that she almost lost air. “I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP YOU LITTLE RAT!” He SCREAMED. “No no please.. don’t do it, stop that.. please.. What do you want from us? Please just let our moms go.. please..!” I begged. “NOTHING! I WANT NOTHING FROM YOU BUT YOUR LIVES..” He said furiously while pointing the firearm to each one of us. “Leave my cousins and our moms alone, it is me you want.. let them go and you can do whatever you want to me.” I added. “We will not leave you here.” Daniel told me. “No Danny.. this is all my fault..” I answered. “It is I.. It’s me.. I am the one who hurt your son, I am the one humiliated, intimidated and ruined your son’s life.. SO TAKE ME INSTEAD. BUT SET MY COUSINS AND OUR MOTHERS FREE.. I AM THE ONE YOU WANT!!!” I said. “Do you think it’s that easy little rat? You were just lucky my boy didn’t kill you AND I TAUGHT HIM A LESSON. BUT THIS TIME.. I WILL.. AND THERE’S NO WAY OF RELEASING ANYBODY! After years of suffering do you think I am that easy to be fooled by just someone else? NO! Because I’M GONNA KILL ALL OF YOU.. ONE BY ONE AND I WILL START WITH… YOU!” He answered and pointing the knife to Christina. “No no no please.. leave my sister alone.” Daniel cried. Isabel and Christina were also crying and screaming uncontrollably. With all that had been happening Rhea was just there leaning on the wall doing nothing. She wasn’t even staring at us but she kept on saying “I am sorry” in a whispering tone. She couldn’t control the man.. she was so afraid. Then the man untied the rope from Christina’s feet, took her, and was about to bring her outside. We we’re all screaming for mercy from him. “NO.. NOOOOO.. LEAVE HER ALONE.. DON’T YOU EVER TOUCH A SINGLE STRAND FROM HER HAIR… I’M GONNA GET YOU NO MATTER WHAT!!!” Daniel was so heated up and trying so hard to get away from those ropes. Isabel and I were begging not to hurt her. We keep on pushing and pulling the rope just to get away from being tied up. “DON’T YOU WORRY DEARS.. JUST WAIT FOR YOUR TURNS!” The man replied making fun of us. He continued bringing Christina outside while pulling her hair and her arm. He got another gun from his backpack and left it to Rhea. “Watch THEM! He said. “NNNNNNNNO ! ! ! We all screamed. “HOLD ON THERE CHRISTINA WE ARE GONNA GET YOU.. HOLD ON..!!” Daniel exclaimed. The man locked us up from the outside and Christina with her. We had no idea where he was bringing her. Rhea was left with us with a gun on her right hand. Isabel turned to her and screamed, “HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING.. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH WHAT YOU ARE SEEING? YOU BECAME OUR FRIEND AND YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING?!! I REGRET THE MOMENT I KNEW YOU. YOU ARE NOT A FRIEND AND NEVER WERE!!” “I am so sorry. I can’t do anything.. Uncle Jerry is in charge and he is a GOOD father INSPITE OF. I have to follow him.” Rhea answered while crying. “But you’re uncle is a monster, you should be informing the police of what he’s been doing.” Daniel replied madly. All we can do that time was cry and hope that he would not hurt Christina. “Rhea.. you knew all the killings from the start? Is Gab a part of this?” I asked her. “Definitely he is, it’s his father.” Isabel answered. “I…I don’t know about the killings. He just showed up in front of our house long ago. My parents let him stay with open arms.” Rhea started sharing what she recalled. “The hearsay was that Gab was mistreated by his own sister. He had gathered so many feedbacks regarding the treatment given to his son. Most of them were negative and that’s what made him a monster. He loved his family so much and he would do everything for them. But after the sea mishap, he lived alone somewhere near where the ship sank. It might have affected his state of mind especially when he knew that his wife was brought to a mental facility, ran away and was never seen again. One night I just found my parents dead in our own house and he was there with Gab trying to comfort me. I didn’t understand what had been happening before. I was too young. And up to now, we are still living together in the house where I carry that nightmare on my shoulder, And about the killings of my parents, I never knew the real truth but I don’t care whatever it is. His words for me are the truth. The killings I knew he did were the killings in that remote area of the students you encountered. Gab told me he asked for his father’s assistance to save you no matter what.” She added while crying so hard. “It was him all along?” Daniel asked. I was so depressed. It was her parents that took care of Gab but reported being abusive. They were killed by Gab’s father but it wasn’t in the file. And Rhea didn’t know the truth. She was young then. While listening to her we were all sorry for her and were so terrified. And the killings of those students were unbelievable but if it was his doings I didn’t wonder anymore. It was already a closed case. “How about being Jessy?” I asked. “WHAT! GAB WAS PRETENDING TO BE JESSY?!!” Daniel asked in big surprise. “Yes, it was all his idea. I just knew he is making a monster out of Gab too. He did all the commands and Gab follows.. in some way. I know the plans but I didn’t witnessed any killings. I didn’t saw who killed who. But Gab has been brainwashed by his father. The anger of his father is mounted in Gab’s character. But I could sense that Gab couldn’t hurt anyone though and for that.. he would always reprimand Gab. In some dirty works GAB could help.. but not to the point that he could kill and that’s what added to his father’s anger against you. He felt you made his son a coward. He was there when you humiliated Gab in front so many people in the restaurant before. You remember that?” Rhea asked me. I just nodded. I felt the tension in her. “Second in school, he was watching Gab’s practice.. when he was late for your date ... he was there too watching from afar.. Not only once or twice had he seen you hurting his son and that made him feel so angry.” She added. I was so guilty that I couldn’t look at them all in the eye. “I had kept my mouth shut. I never told anyone. It wasn’t only that I was too afraid of him but also the fact that he has been a father figure. He was good to me. So if you want to punish me for what I’ve done.. go on.. but I couldn’t betray the man who did nothing against me since my parents died. Rhea shared but with so much questions maybe bothering her. “BUT WHAT HE IS DOING IS VERY WRONG. YOU CANNOT TOLERATE SUCH A DEMONIC ACT. DIDN’T YOU HEAR JUST A WHILE AGO HE CONFESSED KILLING YOUR PARENTS!!!” Isabel exclaimed. “You have been an accessory in all the murders.. don’t you realize that? Haven’t you also realized that he was just good to you because he was guilty of murdering your parents? Maybe it’s time for you to wake up and embrace the truth. Go to the authorities and make a statement, it’s not yet too late for remorse.” Daniel told Rhea. “WE ARE NOT SURE OF THAT! Even the police had no concrete evidence and they couldn’t even tell who killed my parents. I cannot just finger point anyone without evidences.” She answered. “ARE YOU DEAF? HE JUST CONFESSED IN FRONT OF YOU?” Isabel cried. “Rhea.. Rhea listen.. I know in your heart you want this all to end.. so please help us here.. we could help you too. You can untie us from this rope and GET THAT FIEND OUT OF THIS WORLD. Yes Rhea.. for once. You should do the right thing for once.” I begged her. She immediately POINTED HER GUN TO ME YELLING BUT SHAKING, “NO DARLING! ALL MY LIFE I’VE BEEN DOING THE RIGHT THING.. THIS IS ONE OF THEM. I AM JUST RETURNING THE FAVOR TO THE MAN WHO CARED FOR ME. I DON’T CARE WHAT HE’S DONE. WHAT I KNOW IS HE GAVE UP EVERYTHING TO BE WITH US.. HE MADE SURE THAT GAB AND I WON’T BE HURT AGAIN BY ANYBODY ELSE. HE NEVER LEFT OUR SIDE. HE TREATED ME AS HER OWN DAUGHTER SINCE I BECAME AN ORPHAN. YOUR PROBLEM IS YOURS TO SOLVE.. BECAUSE IT WAS THE RESULT OF YOUR DOINGS.” “Rhea PLEASE LISTEN, I KNOW YOU HAVE LEARNED TO LOVE AND RESPECT THE MAN BUT HE ALREADY KILLED A LOT. He has to ANSWER FROM ALL HIS ACTS. And THOSE ARE ANSWERABLE TO AUTHORITIES AND MOST OF ALL TO GOD. Rhea please listen.. PLEASE!!” Isabel pleaded. “CAN’T YOU GET IT? HE IS THE AUTHORITY! HE OWNS THE POLICE! HE HAS CONNECTIONS. THE CHIEF IS HIS BROTHER!!!” Rhea exclaimed. “WHAT??!!” DANIEL ASKED in great surprise. We were all surprised. It’s no wonder why the crimes had almost been forgotten and there were no solid leads. I thought. “DO YOU REALIZE NOT ONLY HIM WOULD ANSWER TO HIS ACTIONS, YOU WILL BE TOO, IF YOU ALLOW HIM TO HURT MORE PEOPLE INCLUDING CHRISTINA AND OUR MOTHERS? SO COME ON.. untie us and we will save Christina. Please..” Daniel added while still struggling to push and pull the ropes on him. I was getting excited on Daniel because I saw the rope on his hands was loosening. To my mind, we could get out of there! And God forbid, I didn’t know what was I gonna do WITH RHEA, AND IF I SAW GAB THERE, HOW WOULD I REACT AGAIN. Rhea has no longer responded to Daniel’s plea. There was a moment of calmness in the room while Isabel and I were watching Daniel loosen the rope. Rhea had no idea because she was busy staring at the gun she was holding. I could tell that it was her first time holding a gun. As Daniel continued pushing and pulling the knot, at last it gave in and his hands were freed. He hid it immediately so Rhea won’t see and I was so anxious on Rhea’s actions in case she would discover. He acted as if he was sleepy as he lied on the floor. Rhea saw him and asked. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” “I want to rest.. I am so tired.” Rhea didn’t oppose and let him be.. but I saw his hands were reaching for the rope on his feet. I intentionally blocked Rhea’s view on him as he was dramatizing his sleep and I felt so nervous that moment. Isabel saw him too and she also tried to get the attention of Rhea. She asked, “How old were you when your parents were killed?” “I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” Rhea answered. “If you believe that Gab’s father didn’t kill your parents, why didn’t you exert effort to know who the killers were? Isn’t that odd for someone letting the killers of their loved ones just go away and do nothing? Even though he has connections, there are still good policemen willing to help you and want to know the truth.” Isabel told. “None of your business.. (shaking while pointing the gun to Isabel) I know what you’re doing, you can’t fool me with those lousy thoughts.. my job here is to watch all of you.” She responded without any idea of what Daniel was doing. Just like me, I remember how I had no idea of Rhea being a good actor in every situation we were in. She became very visible after Gwen’s death and I had so much belief on her. She even called for help when Dad was found clothed with his own blood in the car and how she comforted me. I couldn’t believe what I’ve been witnessing that day.. but part of me was saying she didn’t want what she was doing. I realized that my real friends were taken away from me a long time ago. I began to miss them again.. Shawwie, Gwen & even Coach Jim. They were not relatives but they remained true and would be forever in my heart. She and Jessy were all lies.

“IS THAT MY DAD’S GUN YOU ARE POINTING TO US?!? You CRAZY PEOPLE you had my DAD’S GUN all this time?” Isabel cried. Rhea became uneasy looking at the gun she was holding. She never had an idea that it was indeed my Uncle Tim”s gun. We already forgot about it after his murder. “Calm down Rhea, Isabel was just curious why are you doing all of this.” I told. As I glanced at Daniel, I would also check whether Rhea had found out. But luckily for us, Rhea was so numb that time. Daniel had completely untied himself from the rope and just waiting for the perfect time to congest Rhea. Slowly but surely he stood up and grabbed Rhea on the arm and took her gun from her hand saying, “Give me my Dad’s gun. I am so sorry Rhea but you leave me no choice.. I have to tie you up to keep you safe here in this room.” Daniel told her. He tied up Rhea’s hand and feet and started to untie the rope from Isabel and I. “You are too late now.. Christina IS PROBABLY DEAD by now.. YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING ANYMORE!” She warned us. Isabel was pissed off. She saw Rhea’s handkerchief from her pocket, tore it apart and used it to cover both her mouth and eyes so she could no longer speak nor see anything. I was planning to do something against her but I felt compassion on her. I just looked at her in the eye and told, “I KNOW YOU DON’T WANT THIS RHEA.. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND, I AM JUST HERE WAITING AS A FRIEND!” We directly went to the door but it was locked. Daniel shot the door knob with the gun and there it opened and we went our way to look for Christina, Mom and Aunt Gracie. We never wasted our time and went through every door of the place. We looked everywhere but we couldn’t see them. Until we reached the door that we haven’t been before. We opened it and to our surprise there was stairs going down and we slowly crept into it as we reached down a hallway. We walked through it and saw another door. Daniel reached the door knob to open but it was already open. He slowly pushed it and to our surprise it was a room full of pictures of mine and Gab. It has also pictures of me and Jessy. “Oh my God, he was so in love with you but now it’s his father that’s so obsessed.. TO KILL YOU.” Isabel cried. I just looked at it and memories instantly coming out from my head. I was so amazed by how he had gathered all of those pictures but at the same time horrified by the reality that he OR HIS FATHER wanted to kill me. “But where’s Gab? Is he here?” I asked. “I don’t know...I just hope that HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ALL THE MURDERS BECAUSE IF HE HAS.. FORGIVE ME DARLING BUT I WOULD LOOK FOR HIM AND KILL HIM together with his Dad.” Daniel told me. “You don’t have to do that Danny, He will probably be over my dead body before he gets into you.” I replied to Daniel but I doubted what I said. How am I suppose to kill Gab if that happened.. that was my burden.

“This place is too wide and creepy, how on earth could we find them here?” Isabel asked anxiously. We kept on looking everywhere and we heard something from afar. “There’s someone.. there (pointing to a shadow not far.).” Isabel whispered. We instantly went to where it was and it led us to another hallway. Then suddenly I saw somebody was running away from us. We followed it. It looked like Gab. “Gab.. GAB..!” I was calling his name as we ran after him. “Are you sure it was him?” Isabel asked. “Yeah.. I think so.” I responded. He was running too fast until we no longer saw him. We stopped to the place where he disappeared from us and it was another door. It was open. He may had left it open and ran away. We pushed the door and we were astonished by what had appeared before us behind that door. It was dark but you could see a huge and elegant unfinished theater. “What a big and amazing place.” Isabel said being amazed. Lights were hanging everywhere on the ceiling especially on the stage and seats could accommodate a maximum of 5,000 to 7,000 people. “I could have performed in this theater together with Gab.” I told. It could have been a marvelous performance. I thought the place was huge and a perfect site for newbie performers if only it has been realized. Unfortunately it never made it through. There were debris falling and cements were scattered everywhere. You could tell that it has been abandoned for years.

A light was suddenly turned on up on stage and THERE WE SAW MOM AND AUNT GRACIE TIED UP AND THEY WERE CRYING. They were blindfolded and I felt so pity on how they had suffered from the hands of these wrongdoers. They were not youths anymore to suffer like this. “HELP.. HELLLP!” Aunt Gracie was losing her voice in an endless call for help. My mom was just there chilling and so afraid. “Help.. help us please.” She begged. “It’s okay now mom, it’s Darling.” I said to her. “DARLING? THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE!” She answered. We never wasted any time. We untied the ropes and guided them through the door. “We are so happy to see you all ALIVE…BUT WHERE’S CHRISTINA? Aunt Gracie asked with so much concern. “HE GOT HER, MOM.. THAT BASTARD GOT CHRISTINA.. BUT DON’T WORRY.. WE’RE GONNA FIND HER.” Daniel said. “OH NO NO NO .. He will hurt my daughter.. I know it .. he will hurt her.. PLEASE… PLEASE HELP HER.. FIND HER!!” Aunt Gracie was screaming and shouting. “MOM.. MOM.. CALM DOWN.. WE WILL FIND HER.. WE WILL NOT STOP UNTIL WE FIND HER.. CALM DOWN.” Isabel told her mom. But who can stop the fear of a mother that was about to lose a daughter. NO ONE. She became a widow because of the murder of her husband.. now it’s her daughter’s life in danger. She kept on screaming and begging us to find Christina. We couldn’t calm her down. We were so worried that the culprits gonna hear and catch us again. But we just kept walking fast just preparing ourselves for any circumstance. We left the theater hurrying and at last, we were on our way outside the building and we had to be vigilant.

But as for me I was still wondering about that man who ran away from us. Was it Gab? I wasn’t sure but it looked like him though. If it was him, what was he doing? Why did he run away and why would he leave the door open leading to the theater… for us to see mom and Aunt Gracie. Was he helping us?

We ran as fast as we could while supporting Mom and Aunt Gracie. I just thank God they weren’t hurt. We had to take them out of there first. “You and Isabel should assist Mom and Aunt Gracie out of here. Bring them in a safe place. I will stay and start looking for Christina.” I told Daniel. “No Darling.. COME WITH US, we will come back for Christina together.” He replied. “NO.. I insist, you should go and bring them in a safe place. GO.. GO.. GO.. HURRY UP.. They shouldn’t find out you’re still here.” I told them. “IT’S IMPOSSIBLE.. you should come with us.. WE CAN’T LEAVE YOU HERE ALONE?! Mom exclaimed. “NO MOM. GO GO.. PLEASE!” I was begging her. “OK OK BUT YOU SHOULD PROMISE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.” Mom told me. “I PROMISE.” I answered. “Come now Aunt Dayna.. DARLING TAKE CARE.. WE’LL TRY TO BE BACK AS FAST AS WE CAN!” Daniel said in a hurry. “TAKE CARE DARLING.” Isabel added. “YES.. OK NOW GO PLEASE!” I replied while pushing them away from me. Daniel left with me the gun and said, “This should save you now, my Dad’s with you.” I was looking at them while they were hurrying through the exit gate of the vicinity. I hope nobody’s gonna see them and they would all be safe. I was worrying about Christina’s whereabouts. The place was so dark and wide and I don’t know where that man brought her. But I would keep on searching.. Christina would be waiting. That has been my fate!