Chained Destiny

Prologue

I started slurping the spaghetti right after I sat down on the table while my mom, dad, uncles and aunties busily chatting with each other. Being a sixteen-year-old boy was not so easy, I had a growth spurt and suddenly I was taller than my mom who’s five-one. Typical height of Filipinas. My appetite became so large that my dad needs to buy our groceries for five people instead of three! Yes, I grew taller but I didn’t gain any fats, I still saw myself as a walking stick. My cousins were playing outside, I just need to get some food because I am starving!

It was my grandmother’s sixtieth birthday and all the family members gathered our home town, Mindoro, for celebration s***h summer vacation. A two-storey ancestral house with five rooms, creaky floors made of wood, a huge back yard, was considered a prized possession of our family. My grandpa said that this house was built during the Spanish colonization and he’s too proud to tell us about the ghosts lurking in the house. 

According to my trusted brain and memory, we were eleven hours away from Manila. It’s a long journey from my house to here. My parents will leave me here for two-month summer vacation with my cousins and they will do their usual stuff back in Manila—work.

Seated beside me was my Uncle Arnel with a bottle of beer in his hand. My grandpa was on his usual seat, the head of the table, on his left was my grandma, the lady of the day. And my other uncles and aunties, including my parents were scattered between the dining area the kitchen.

“Have you heard the news about the businessman’s daughter that was kidnapped in Manila?” My Auntie Alona asked while serving the best Filipino noodles her ever tasted, pansit bihon. A stir-fry glass noodles with a ton of vegetable and meat, Filipino birthdays will not be complete without this this. I will definitely have some of that after finishing this spaghetti. “That poor girl is still missing.”

“Ilang taon na?” My sixty-year-old grandpa asked in Filipino, meaning how old is the girl.

“Fourteen,” my mom answered and gave me a plate of pansit bihon, she read my mind. I saw a glimpse of that news on the TV the other day. The daughter of a multi-billionaire business tycoon was kidnapped and the family offered a large sum of money as a reward for anyone who can tell or find the whereabouts of the girl. I heard millions of money. 

“I hope that the authorities will find the girl immediately, it’s been four months. Imagine all that trauma she’s going to have!” My teary-eyed mother clearly fears for the girl’s life.

“It’s not easy to have money, your life will always be at risk.” Uncle Arnel commented and drank his beer.

“Kuya Siggy!” My younger cousin, Gabe, came running at me with his sweaty face, he took a glass of Coca-cola and had it in one gulp. I’m two years older than Gabe, he’s fourteen, hence he calls me Kuya or older brother as a sign of respect. He’s full of baby fats, but still cute. He caught his breath before talking. “Are you not done yet? They are waiting for us!” He’s referring to our cousins outside.

“Where are you kids going?” Gabe’s father was Uncle Arnel.

“To the river nearby.” Gabe’s referring to the river that they consider as a hang out place whenever they’re here. He finished his food quickly, washed it with water, and walked with Gabe outside. Found all my four cousins preparing for bike ride, each bike with a driver and a passenger at the back. Gabe took our bike parked from the sidesteps of the house and gave it to me.

“You’re driving,” he announced with a smirk on his face. “I don’t know how to ride a bike.” I bit my tongue to keep myself from cursing out loud. Meaning to say that he will be my passenger for a thirty-minute bike ride! God guide me and give me all the strength! I hope thin arms and legs survive deal ordeal.

Fifteen minutes later, I stopped and asked Gabe to step down, I need to rest. I need to gain my strength because we are going up a hill! I found a shade under a big tree, I think that’s an Acacia tree, and took a seat on a huge rock. I need water! My mouth is too dry! Luckily, Gabe managed to snitch one bottled water from home. My other cousins went straight ahead, I can even barely see them from here.

I stopped drinking when I heard something from the bushy area, this place seems so creepy at night, but thank God it’s daytime. Tall grasses everywhere, the road was not fully paved, and the nearest house was almost two kilometres from where I am standing.

“Did you hear that?” I turned to Gabe who’s busy fanning himself with his hands.

“What?” He looked around. “Don’t tease me like that!”

“Shhh! I’m hearing something!” I prepared my ears, I definitely heard that scrunching and moaning sound somewhere! I took light steps going to the bushy area, moved the grass out of my way and I saw a figure on the dirty ground… a girl?