Palmyra: Evan Vinter

Chapter 2: Getting Away

*Anissa's POV*

Everything is set. The bicycle I will ride to get to the place where my new (old though) car is waiting, a new phone, personal things, and others that I need.

Madilim na pero tanaw ko pa rin ang mga bodyguards sa paligid. Gladly walang nakabantay sa likod ng mausoleum. Ang likod ng mausoleum is a vast space of land. Sa dilim ay hindi na gaanong maaninag ang lugar. It will lead you to a road na hindi gaano daanan ng tao, which is a very good place para hindi nila ako mahanap.

Ilang oras na lang ay maisasagawa ko na ang mga plano ko.

~~

Lumabas ako ng mausoleum at nilapitan ang isang bodyguard. Nagkukunwari pa itong hindi ako nakikita at nakikilala.

"Excuse me," I said, trying to get their attention. 

Nakita ko itog bahagyang napalunok. Huh, must've been because I blew their cover.

"You don't have to stalk me, mister. I know my father hired you. I'm here to tell you that you can leave now. I'll be fine here."

"Pasensya na po, Miss Annie, pero hindi maaari. Kami ang malalagot sa Papa ninyo," Sabi nito.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Whatever you say. Just please keep quiet at huwag niyo akong guluhin."

Tumango ito at parang nagwhisper ng kung ako sa may sleeve.

Mag-ingay man kayo o umuwi, malalagot pa rin kayo kay Papa once malaman ninyong umalis ako.

~~

It's already 10:05 pm.

The whole place is quiet. Every bodyguard can be seen around the premises near in front of the mausoleum. No one dares to check the other vicinity.

Good.

I don't know kung dito lang sa amin, pero ang mga sementeryo rito ay ginagawang tamabayan ng mga gangster kuno na mga bata at dito isinasagawa ang mga initiation nila.

Gladly, tonight walang ganoong pangyayari. Pero hindi pa rin makakaligtas ang mga lasing na tao sa pagpasok sa sementeryo. Hindi ko alam saan sila pumapasok bakit hindi sila nakikita ng guards. Not far from the cemetery is a squatter's area.

Nakarinig ako ng ingay sa labas. I think the guards are also alarmed by the sound of those drunk people wandering around the cemetery that night.

It seems like they are two groups na naghahamon ng away. And boy, they are close in our place. So close that the bodyguards are all in front of the mausoleum, protecting it para hindi makapasok o magambala sa loob.

I smirked. What a great timing.

"What's happening there?" Tanong ko. Binuksan ko ang ilaw at binatana.

I purposely asked that para alam nilang nasa loob pa rin ako.

"Ayos lang po ang lahat, Miss Annie. Bumalik na po kayo sa pagpapahinga." Sabi ng pinuno nila.

As the commotion goes on and the bodyguards are preoccupied, I took this chance to escape.

Dahan dahan akong bumababa sa bintana ng second floor. I landed with a soft thud. Naghintay ako ng kaunti para pakiramdaman kung may nakarinig saakin.

Nang masigurado kong wala at busy sila sa pagtataboy at paghihinto sa mga lasing ay tumakbo ako ng walang ingay palayo doon.

Not far away, I saw the bike. I rode it and went away from it.

Sa daan na sinabi ko kanina, I saw a small nipa hut. Doon ko iniwan ang bike. Malamang ay magugulat ang taong nakatira rito paggising niya.

Tumakbo ako papalayo doon at tinahak ang lugar kung saan naka-park ang kotse nagagamitin ko.

As I saw it, I immediately put inside the car all of my things and drove as fast as a can away from that place.

Mission success. I'm on my own now.

~~

I've been driving for hours now. Bumaba lang ako sa isang local store para bumili ng kape.

I wonder what's happening back there now? Alam na kaya nila na wala na ako? Or they are still clueless?

I shrugged the thought.

I can't wait to be in Sangria City already.

I chose Sangria City dahil ayaw ni Papa rito. It is the last place he wants to go. Natalo siya ng mga businessman doon. He keeps on repeating that he hates that city, that he is not going back to that city. He despise that place, and that's where I'm about to go. The last place he'll think I'll go. 

~~

Alas otso na nang gabi ng marating ko ang Sangria City.

Welcome to Sangria City

Basa ko sa sinage nila. Sa wakas! Ngayon ay kailangan ko na lang makahanap ng matutuluyan.

Matagal na akong nag-research about this City. The City is surrounded by four other vast of lands. Magkakalayo man sila dahil sa laki ng sakop ng bawat land ay may pagkakaisa pa rin ang mga ito. Together their land is called "Sector Rubrum."

Sector Rubrum is larger than I thought. Ayon sa na-search ko, each place inside the Sector Rubrum is as big as the city. Sangria City is their city, but the other lands are as successful and big as Sangria City. It just happened that Sangria City is the oldest. The other four places are called Carthage; Palmyra; Mesa Verde; and Hatra.

I'm thinking about a small apartment, but right now I don't think I have the strength to find an apartment. I think I'll settle for a cheap hotel here in the City.

Bukas ay magsisimula na ang araw ko na mag-isa sa buhay.

Let's see what destiny has for me.