FALSE GOD Series: Phillip Warren (COMPLETE) Series #1

Chapter Three

After I talked with my manager, I went back to the group. I didn't want to ruin people's mood so I decided to keep what just happened a secret. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko. An exclusive? It's not that easy to find an exclusive, dude. Kahit na makahanap ako ng magandang storya ngayon, I didn't bring my own car and tulad ng sabi ko, ayaw kong sirain ang mood ng lahat. I don't want to ask anyone to give me a ride back to the city. Eto ang unang beses na magkasama kaming lahat matapos ang ilang taon. Hays! Ewan. I doubt I'd find a scoop anyway.

Andito ako ngayon sa tabing dagat. Nasa loob ng bahay ang mga kaibigan ko at naghahanda. They wanted to go night swimming. Wala ako sa mood, obviously, so sila na munang bahala sa snacks or whatever.

Habang naglalakad, nasilayan ko si Phillip na palabas ng vacation house nina Tiff. Mukhang pabalik na ito sa sarili niyang bahay. Sinusundan ko lang siya ng tingin. Sa totoo lang, dumaan sa isip ko na interviewhin siya about his personal life and his life as a racer and as a vlogger. I mean, that's enough scoop to wow my manager but how would I do that? We've met twice now but I'm pretty sure he doesn't remember me from last time. He might be a friend of Tita and tito but I don't think he'd agree to be interviewed. Saka, tingin ko napaka-weird lang kung bigla na lang akong hihingi ng pabor sa kanya gayung di namin kilala ang isa't isa. Ni hindi kami magkaibigan.

"Hey."

Natigil ako sa pag-iisip ko nang marinig ko ang boses ni Phillip. Nagulat ako nang mapansing nasa harapan ko na siya.

"Are you alright?" He asked like he's worried.

I tried to smile. "Y-yeah." Naiilang kong sagot. Biglaan naman kasi siyang nag-appear sa harap ko. Akala ko dumiretso na siya sa bahay niya. "Do you need anything?" Tanong ko nang di pa siya umalis.

Umiling siya. "Nakita kitang mag-isa lang dito so I thought there might be a problem. I mean, your friends are all inside. I'm just trying to make sure you're okey."

Well, that's so sweet of him. Noong unang beses ko siyang nakilala, I thought he's like those other famous people who doesn't really care about others. Wow. Napaka-perfect naman yata niya. He isn't only attractive physically, but he's also attractive on the inside. Hindi ko toh sinasabi dahil lang kinamusta niya ako kahit di kami magkakilala. The whole time we were together, I can tell he is a sweet guy. And base sa mga kwento ni tita at tito, napakabait at matulungin rin niya.

"Uhm... Is it alright if I ask you something?" Bigla kong sabi. Alam kong di dapat pero wala akong choice. Susubukan ko lang naman. Malay niyo naman kung pumayag siya, diba? Kung hindi, okey, I'll respect that. I just have to try.

"Sure. Go ahead." Sagot niya.

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga. Magtatanong na sana ako sa kanya nang marinig ko ang malakas at matinis na sigaw ng mga kaibigan ko di kalayuan dahilan kaya napabaling kami roon. Napakagandang timing nga naman. It took me all my strength just to have the courage to even ask him a question and... And they really have to show right at that moment.

"Akala ko nasa loob ka pa. Hindi mo sinabing nauna ka na pala." Ani Torre.

"I'm sorry. Hindi ko lang napigilan ang sarili ko kaya nauna na ako."

"I knew it. You just can't resist the beach."

I laughed. "Yeah."

Bumaling si Tiff kay Phillip. "You're here too. Akala ko pauwi ka na?"

"Yeah. I was supposed to go home but I saw your friend alone. This area is safe but I needed to make sure she's alright, just in case."

Joey looked at him na para bang bilib na bilib siya sa sinabi nito. "How nice of you. No wonder why everyone likes you. It must be nice to have someone like you as a boyfriend."

Napansin kong kinurot ni Torre si Joey sa tagiliran. Mukha kasing hulong na hulog na siya kay Phillip. And we're all probably thinking the same thing. Dude, everytime Joey likes someone he always seems like he's in a trance. Yung tipong pag di mo siya pipigilan siguradong tatalunan niya ng yakap yung taong gusto niya. Torre's just tryna wake him up from a possible mistake.

Tumikhim si Phillip. "Anyway, I should leave you guys alone."

Mukhang pipigilan pa yata siya ni Joey pero mabilis kaming tumalon palapit sa kanya para tikomin ang bibig niya. Phillip just looked at us funnily saka tuluyan na siyang nagpaalam.

"What is wrong with you guys??" Inis na wika ki Joey nang mawala na sa paningin namin si Phillip.

"Masyado kang halata, girl." Anang si Tiffany.

"So? Malay niyo naman lalaki din ang hanap niya."

"Kahit lalaki pa ang type niya, madyado kang creepy tuwing kaharap mo ang mga naguustuyan mo to the point na tinatakot mo sila palayo."

"I'm not creepy! Inggit lang kayo!"

Napaling ako. He continued talking habang tumatawa lang kami patakbo sa tubig. For awhile, I forgot about my problem. This is why I love being around them. I just enjoy their company kahit nasaan kami o ano man ang ginagawa namin. I just hope all my concerns will get resolved before the week ends.

I HAVE been facing back in forth for ours in my room arguing about what to do. Look, may isang araw na lang ako and kailangan ko ng maipe-present next week and wala akong ibang maisip na topic kundi si Phillip Warren. Nothing else will shook the whole company but him. If I get an exclusive interview with him they will forget my mistake. So, ngayon nag-iisip ako kung paano ko siya kakausapin tungkol doon. He seemed like a nice guy so maybe he'll agree if I explain my situation to him?

Ugh! I don't know. All I know is I'm desperate. Wala na akong pakialam kahit na ipahiya ko pa ang sarili ko. That's better than losing my job. So yes, I have made my decision. I'll talk to him!

Mabilis akong lumabas ng kwarto ko. Maaga pa lang kaya wala pang tao sa labas maliban sa mga kasambahay. Madaling araw na kami natapos kagabi so I'm sure everyone's still fast asleep. They need that dahil ngayong gabi na ang house party nina tita and I heard they invited a lot of guests.

Pagdating ko sa labas ng bahay pabalik balik na naman ako ng lakad. One second, desidido na akong mag-doorbell sa gate niya, then the next second, nagdadalawang-isip na naman ako. Is this really okey? Am I doing the right thing? I just feel weird asking him a favor. But I really have to make up my mind now before everyone wakes up and blow away my chance again.

Kaya mo toh, Shantal. You can't afford to lose your job! Bulong ko sa sarili. But just when I decided to finally do it, nakita ko ang pagbukas ng maliit na pinto sa gate ni Phillip kaya dali dali akong nagtago sa maliit na punong malapit sa akin.

Agad na kumunot ang noo ko nang masilayan ang taong lumabas mula roon. Hindi ko nakita ang mukha nito dahil nakatalikod siya sa akin at nakasuot siya ng sumbrero. Sandali siyang nakatayo lang sa labas habang tila may tinitignan siya sa phone niya bago siya naglakad papunta sa kabilang direksyon. I noticed he threw something on the ground before he completely left.

At first, I thought nothing of it. It's not weird to invite friends in your house. But I just feel weird. I don't know. Something about that guy is so sketchy. He's wearing all black and I didn't notice it earlier but he was wearing a mask. Nakita kong may tela na black sa likod ng tenga niya so I assumed it's a mask. May dala din siyang backpack and mula doon sa bag, tila may natapon na liquid sa loob dahil may maliliit na tulo na nagmumula roon. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung ano yun.

Plano ko na dapat na bumalik na lamang sa loob at mamaya ko na lang siya kakausapin pero nasilayan ko na bukas yung maliit na pinto nung gate. Mukhang nakalimutan isara nung tao kanina.

Hindi ako chismosa or anything. Pero naalala ko bigla yung kagabi. He approached me just to make sure I was fine. I don't like feeling indebted to someone so I decided to walk over his house. Isasara ko lang yung gate. Mukhang safe naman tong neighborhood pero para makasigurado lang na... You know, safe yung bahay niya coz you never know what might happen. Baka may pumasok biglang magnanakaw. Napaka-halang pa naman ng kaluluwa ng mga kriminal ngayon. Dati, nanakawan ka lang. Ngayon, para lang makasiguradong di sila mahuhuli, pati buhay mo puputulin na rin nila. Mga walanghiya. Tsk.

Isasara ko na dapat yung pinto nang mapansin ko yung tulo na nagmula sa bag nung lalaki kanina. It's dark red. Ayaw kong mag-isip ng masama pero nang tanggalin ko ang kamay ko mula doon sa pinto ng gate, halos matumba ako sa kinatatayuan nang makitang napuno ng kulay pulang likido ang palad ko.

I'm a journalist, okey, and I'm really familiar to situations like this. I am very familiar with this scent too. It's a smell of iron and I'm pretty sure it's not coming from his rusty gate coz his gate isn't rusty in the first place. This is f*****g blood.

So, I stitched what I have witnessed earlier and I came to a conclusion that maybe, Phillip's life is in danger. Kaya hindi na ako kumatok pa o nag-doorbell. Walang pasintabi akong tumakbo papasok sa loob ng bahay niya. Thankfully, iniwan din nung lalaki ang pinto ng bahay na nakabukas kaya hindi ako nahirapang pumasok sa loob.

The house is big. It's as big as Tiffany's parents' vacation house. But with everything I can and as fast as I possibly could, I searched for him. I traced the blood on the floor and it lead me upstairs. Para akong nasa karera sa bilis ng takbo ko. I am not thinking straight anymore. Basta ang alam ko lang, kailangan kong mailigtas ang buhay niya.

Huminto ako sa harap ng isang kwarto kung saan patungo ang mga dugo sa sahig. Agad akong napatakip ng bibig ko nang makita ko si Phillip na nakahiga sa sahig habang naliligo sa sarili nitong dugo.

I checked if he's conscious and he's not. I checked his pulse. He's alive. Kinuha ko ang phone ko mula sa bulsa at dali-daling tinawagan ang 911.

"Hello??... Please bring a ambulance! My neighbor was stabbed and... And I think he's losing a lot of blood." I said frantically.

"Please calm down, ma'am. What is your location?"

I gave them my location. They asked me my name and the victim's name as well and I answered them. Halos sumigaw na ako. His life will be in more danger kung di makakarating sa tamang oras ang ambulansya dito. He is losing blood.

"Did you check his pulse?" The operator continued asking.

"Y-yes. H-he's alive."

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"I-I don't know. I'm not sure. Can you please tell them to come here as fast as possible? I... I-I'm scared, okey?" Nanginginig na ang boses ko. I'm legit scared, dude. I have written and investigated articles about crime to the point that I could tell how long someone's been dead by the condition of their body. I have seen a lot of crime scenes but... This is different. He is alive and he might die and... And I just don't know what to do.

"The ambulance are coming your way, Ms. Shantal." Anang operator. Sinusubukan nitong pakalmahin ako habang binibigyan niya ako ng instructions kung anong gagawin ko to make sure Phillip is alright.

Matapos ang ilang minuto, finally, narinig ko ang malakas na sirena ng ambulansya mula sa labas. Sandali kong iniwan si Phillip at tumakbo sa labas para salubungin ang medic. I kind of feel relieve now that they're here.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanila habang nilalagay nila siya sa stretcher. My whole body is still shaking but at least now he's safe. I'm sure they'll save his life.

"Are you his guardian?" Tanong ng isa sa mga medic.

Hindi ko alam ang isasagot. Pero bago pa man ako magsalita naunahan na nila ako. "Kailangan niyo pong sumama sa amin."

Wala na akong nagawa. Hindi na ako nag-isip at pumasok na lamang sa ambulansya. Hindi ko tinanggal ang tingin ko kay Phillip habang sinusubukan siyang iligtas ng medic.

I'm still shaking but I tried to call my friends. Dude, I can't be alone. My brain's still freaking out.

"Shantal? Why are you calling?" It's Joey. Mukhang kakagising lang nito.

"Uhm... I don't know how to explain it but wake everyone up and meet me in the hospital--"

"Wait.... What? What hospital? What happened? Are you sick? I heard an ambulance outside but I'm not sure what happened... Are you okey?"

"I-I'm okey. It's not me. It's Phillip. I... I think someone tried to kill him. I-I seriously don't know but he's... He's unconscious right now. I'm kinda scared. So please, just meet me at the hospital."

Binaba ko na ang tawag. Thankfully, malapit lang ang hospital kaya ilang minuto lang ay naroon na kami. Agad nilang dinala si Phillip sa operating room habang nakaupo lang ako sa labas ng pinto at hinihintay na lumabas ang doktor. I was so frantic I didn't even see I'm all bloodied. But that doesn't really matter. I just hope he makes it through.