Chasing The Summer Hearts

CHAPTER 19

FOR A GLIMPSE of a second, Roscoe was being tortured by unknown group of people. Pain scathed his body and blood continually drips down him. He was now lying on the floor, weak and smelly. He was exhausted because he kept shouting and screaming a while ago when he was lashed 50 times. And a veiny-thorned chain kept hitting the back of his body.

Some of it actually pierced his skin so deep that he would feel his bones crack. Several punches and uppercuts from large hands he received from multiple men and would send him flying, coughing large amount of blood and then hitting his head on a hard object.

He would lose consciousness and then wake up--now gagging for air because of being forcefully drowned in a basin of water. All of those he endured. But they say that every courage and strength has its own downfall.

And yes, he was here--being f****d by several men. They actually abused his s****l powers and origin. Ngayon ay nararamdaman niyang iba na ang kanyang pakiramdam. Naghahalong sakit mula sa mga sugat na natamo niya mula sa latigo, kutsilyo at iba pang mga matutulis na bagay, ang mga suntok na nagpapasakit sa kanyang tiyan, ang kanyang pagsakit ng kanyang dibdib at ang pagsasakit ng kanyang butas at ang kanyang loob.

Only the light of the room that situated just above him was only the one that is bright. Its brightness is hitting on his eyes. He wanted to cover his face but his hands won't work. It was just suffering from pain and chronic fatigue.

He can't even move his feet. Its as if he's on a verge of being petrified.

Sinubukan niyang huwag tingnan ito at iniwas ang mukha pero nang bumukas ang mga mata niya sa ay nakakita siya ng tubig--pool of water. Malansa ang amoy nito at talagang mabaho kaya wala siyang magawa kundi tiisin ang lahat na ito.

His sight is not clear because of a large wound that is present on his upper right eye, making his eyelid clutch down, causing it to cover a half of his sight on his right.

He tried to talk by opening his mouth but the moment he said a word, an excruciating pain suddenly took over. He just realized that by exploring his mouth through his tongue, he felt a rough--multiple rough feeling on the soft palate of his mouth lining and inside of his mouth.

And he immediately knew what this is.

And its a mouth ulcer.

Maybe because this was caused by nearly biting his lip due to what he is undergoing right now. He just sighed at it and gulped down his saliva. After some moments, he heard multiple footsteps coming towards him.

He wanted to shout for help but he can't. His mouth is prohibiting him to do so.

So he was forced to stay still and let the people do whatever they want to do with him.

Nang tumigil ang mga paa sa kanya, alam niyang pinapalibutan siya ng mga tao kaya nakasarado lang ang kanyang mga mata na ani mo'y natutulog. But instead of waking him up, a hard and painful kick that landed at the center of his stomach, made him open his eyes and an amount of blood suddenly came out of his mouth, emitted through a cough.

Then when he was clutching his self because of the intense pain, a laugh escaped from their mouth (Luther's subordinates).

"f*****g faggot can't even save his own self. Kailangan pang manglandi ng lalaki." One of the men said before violently picking a handful of Roscoe's hair and forcefully let him look at him. And the way how the man picked his hair feels like all his follicles would be detached from his body anytime.

"You won't be able to ask for help, b***h!" Sigaw niya.

And the man forcefully grasp his hair and pulled him to a chair and pushed him down, "Tie this one up." He ordered his men. Then his men obliged and immediately tied his two hands at the back of the chair with a combination of a masking and packing tape put together.

His legs were chained and the chains does have an origin but Roscoe doesn't have the strength to look back because his head is in pain and moving would immediately emit intense discomfort.

"W-Why a-are you doing t-this to m-me?" Roscoe tried to talk but some words only became a whisper. But the people seemed to hear nothing and just do what is tasked of them to do.

Then the man who grabbed his hair suddenly let go of it and slammed a chair in front of him, just centimeteres away from him. "Don't ask such imbecile question, you f*****g bitch."

Huh? What could that question be considered as a stupid one?

But he didn't glared at him, he might receive even great torment from him.

So he kept his face without any emotion at all.

"Paparating na siya. Umalis na tayong lahat!" Sigaw ng lalaki at saka naglakad patungo sa pintuang nakikita ni Roscoe na nasa pinakaliwang bahagi ng kwarto. Sumunod naman ang mga tauhan dito, at sa isang iglap ay tanging katahimikan nalang ang namumukod-tawing naririnig sa bawat sulok ng kwarto.

Just how silent it is came a conscious stress that embraces his body.

He became conscious about his breathing and was confused because he felt that anytime, this breathing circulation would stop, hearing some tinnitus because of the underlying silence that envelops the whole room, the heartbeat of his heart, the rise and fall of his chest and the sound of his breath.

Everything came onto consciousness.

But Roscoe was just sitting still---not moving at all---like he's not alive, afterall.

His mind was wandering through the vast hopes of fun, hopes of a better tomorrow, hopes of the sweetest yesterday and the like.

And after a few moments, he then realized himself that he was already tearing up and tears welled down his eyes and he was already sobbing.

For he has gone into the place of hell, was the time that he longed for heaven. He just cried and cried there until the door of the room suddenly opened. There entered a man. But he didn't had the glimpse of seeing him clearly because of the dark that surrounds him.

The sounds of the shoes echoed the place and the sound came forward to him.

When the man was revealed because of the light that's pointing the ground. He was shocked to see his father---smiling so plastically---like he's not wanting to see him today at all.

He then walked towards him---circulating him counterclockwisely.

Then a chuckle escaped from his throat.

"Might as well consider my greetings for you, my son." He said coldly. Those words sharply pierced his heart like a sharp dagger that enters and leaves his heart---bleeding uncontrollably---damaged severely.

Nanatiling walang imik ang binata.

"You're awfully quiet now?" He said, acting like he was very confused about the situation. Roscoe saw from his peripheral eyesight how his father rested his elbow on his other arm and placing the tip of his hands---basically the thumb and the finger to his jaw.

"Should I, at least threaten you so that you could just talk?" He said.

Fear immediately wrought Roscoe's body. But he was reluctant if he should say anything or not. But because of this sentiment that his father said made him gather his immediate courage and had the audacity to speak.

"I-I can s-speak." He replied stutterly, it was barely loud and could be considered as a whisper but is enough for Luther to understand.

"Masunurin ka pala namang bata ka eh. At least hindi mo nakalimutan ang lahat ng mga itinuro ko sa'yo. Akala ko pa naman matalino ka, you could've fall for a woman but what did you do? You actually fell for a man! How embarrasing that is to our name! There were many people who discriminate me for having such a f*****g faggot son!" SIgaw niya at ang kanyang kamao ay tumama sa pisngi ng kanyang anak.

Dahil sa lakas no'n ay natanggal ang isang ngipin niya.

Kung tutuusin, apat na ngipin na ang natanggal sa kanyang bibig at talagang mahirap na ito ibabalik. Pwera nalang kung ipaayos niya ito sa dentista---lalagyan ng acid resin at paste, okay na. Pero sa puntung ito, mukhang hindi na ito maibabalik pa.

Blood drips went of his mouth and drips down, staining his shirt.

"Alam mo kung gaano ako naghirap ng tatlong taon mula sa mga taong ito?! And what's more irritating is that, they kept telling me stories that they have seen you and that f*****g man of yours in the sight of their eyes! And they keep telling me to discipline such stupid and disgusting son! Binigyan lang kita ng tatlong taon para magbago at layuan ang lalaking iyon pero hindi mo ginawa 'yon." May galit sa tono niya.

"And so, this is the way of how I will treat you. You are a disgrace in this family. Kayo ng mama mo. Buti nalang nakapag-asawa ako ng isang magandang babae at nagkaroon kami ng dalawang anak na lalaki na masasabi kong proud talaga ako. They're really straight compared to you. And unlike you, they're really wanting to have a relationship with a girl."

Natahimik ang binata.

He didn't say anything and just listen to his sentiment.

Those words really pierced his heart, that made his tears form around his eyes and drop in an unprecedented manner. He was now sobbing in front of his father. Nararamdaman niyang tiningnan siya ng kanyang ama kaya sinubukan niyang itigil ang kanyang pag-iyak pero talagang napakasakit ng mga pinagsasalita niya.

Humugot ng hininga si Roscoe.

"B-Bakit niyo p-pa ako pinananganak k-kung ganoon ka tindi ang ga-galit niyo s-saakin? B-Bakit k-kayo nag papa-apekto sa ka-kanila? K-Kayo mis-mismo ang nakakaalam na-na anak n-niyo ako. D-Dapat a-ako ang pinoprotektahan n-niyo. H-Hindi ang p-pangalan ng p-pamilya natin," Mangiyak-ngiyak niyang saad.

Kahit na natatakot siya sa mga oras na 'yon kung ano ang maaring sabihin ng ama niya ay wala siyang pakialam. Patayin man siya kung gusto ng ama niya pero naipalabas na niya ang gusto niyang sabihin mula sa kanyang puso.

Those statement were real and heartfelt.

He hoped that the message behind this sentiment would already touch his heart.

But instead of a hug, a sound of a gun could be heard echoing the room and the bullet piereced his foot. That made him shout and wince in pain---crying and wailing so hard now because of the impact. His hearing was also impacted.

Then a hand forcefully touched his jaw and immediately pulled it on the right side of his view and made him look at his father straight from the eye,

"Don't you ever dare correct me like you're the one who's an innocent angel, Roscoe." He said very coldly. And there it was then, his first time hearing his own biological father to ever call him in his real name.

First time in 21 years.

Noon kasi, kahit na magalit ang ama nito ay talagang hindi niya ito tatawagin sa kanyang tunay na pangalan. Ngayon lang na nakita sila ulit.

At ang pagbanggit niya ng pangalan ng yumao niyang anak ang nagpawasak sa kanyang puso.

Dahil isa lang ang ibig sabihin no'n...

Luther Alastair is about to disown him for real.

"Because you do not know everything I have been through. And you deserved to be killed! But then, you won't be experiencing any suffering. Mas mabuti naring nakaranas ka ng ganito kaysa naman patayin kita. Of course, it would be a one-time experience getting shot and then going dead, but you won't be undergoing some hardships. That would be unfair on my part." Luther said.

Mas nakaramdam ng takot si Roscoe nang naglabas ng baril si Luther at itinitutok sa kanya.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Sigaw niya na ni mo'y naglalabas ng magiging tunog ng baril kapag hihilahin na ang gatilyo nito. Mas lalong kumabog ng malala ang puso niya at natakot na siya sa mga panahong iyon.

Tama na.

Hindi na niya kaya ang mga pinagagagawa nila sa kanya.

Its been almost 2 weeks.

Almost 2 weeks had passed. Feels like 100 years.

He was enslaved and mistreated and thought like an animal. With a painful frustration, Roscoe gritted his teeth and looked at him eye to eye. "I-If you w-want to pull the trigger, j-just to it!" He said. He was sick of this and his hopes are already crumbling.

Take courage you pompous ass!

Take courage for the sake of the ones you love!

His conscience is scolding him! Sa bawat pagkagusto niya sa pagsuko ay siyang paglakas ng damdamin ng kanyang konsensya. Kahit na pagod na pagod ay tinatawag parin siya ng kanyang damdamin. Pinagsasabihan na huwag sumuko.

Kapagka may mahal ka talaga sa buhay na gusto mo pang makita at makasama ng matagal ay talagang pagagalitan ka ng konsensya mo.

At naramdaman 'yon ni Roscoe.

But going back towards reality, a laugh escaped from his father's mouth that echoed across all parts of the room. "You have the audacity young man," Aniya habang sinasampal ang kanyang mukha ng marahan.

"But I bet you wouldn't like it if I pulled the trigger and shot your heart so fast and sure?" A smirk left out Luther's lips. And swearly, he looked very terrified and dangerous in Roscoe's eyes. But for some reason, that feeling of a goodness hidden in his heart that he may woke up in reality and look at his son wasn't faltering him at all.

"Oh don't look at me like that b***h," Luther hissed.

In just a matter of seconds, his father's legs shove up and the pointy part of his shoe that covered his feet immediately connected with his jaw and it literally made him elevate a little---his neck is like being ripped apart.

He was sent flying including with the chair and he landed just a few meteres away from him.

A sheathing pain immediately surround him.

Then he saw his father walking towards him. Then when he stopped in front of him, his father picked up a handful of his hair and forcefully made him look at his father's eyes.

"You have inflicted me great problem, and now, I will turn it all back to you," He hissed.

Then he forcefully brought him up and made him walk to where he will be taken by his father. Hindi niya magawang maglakad ng maayos dahil sa sakit na nararamdaman niya sa kanyang nga paa pero parang walang pakialam ang lalaking nasa harapan niya ngayon.

Makalipas ang halos dalawang minuto ay nakakita siya ng isang mahabang kahoy. Matibay ito at matigas at may sanga sa tuktuk at may lupid na nakatali at nakakonekta ito sa katawan ng kahoy hanggang sa baba.

And when it dawned him, he became very helpless.

He could see a smile form in his father's lips.

Oh how he wished he could be saved.

But he know he wouldn't.