Apollo's Crib: A Sinister Fate

EP.30

Apollo has been restless for days, he keep worrying about the cheeky person that is playing mind games over him. He couldn't accept that someone could pull something like that on him. He is the great Apollo Cheng, the most influential businessman around Taiwan. And he couldn't accept that he is being shaken by an unidentified person.

"Did you find out who is it? It's been months and nothing happened?" tanong niya kay Eddie.

"Please forgive me, Mr. Cheng. It was really hard to identified the person since they are using fake names." sagot ni Eddie.

"How about the person who's responsible for sticking notes at my crib?"

"The cctv has been attacked by a bug and it's not working well. The I.T team has been resolving the issues as we speak."

"This won't do, I need results. Not excuses, Eddie." ubos na ang pasensiyang sambit ni Apollo sa tauhan. Kailangan nang matuldukan ang ginagawa nito sa kanya sa lalong madaling panahon.

"I'll do my best to end this, Mr. Cheng." pangako nito.

"Should have been sooner, Eddie. I'd be jumping with joy if you did."

Yumukod ang driver bilang paghingi ng paumanhin sa kanya.

"Do what you have to do, don't mind me. I can go home alone, give me my car keys." aniya.

Dali-dali naman nitong iniabot sa kanya ang susi sa kanya bago umalis sa harapan niya. Sinamantala niya ang pag-iisa upang tawagan ang kaisa-isang tao na nagpapakalma sa naghuhurumentado niyang mundo.

"Been in bad shape for weeks after weeks, can we meet tonight?" aniya.

"You don't need to ask, I'm always free for you anytime, Apollo..." sagot nito.

"Great! See you, later!" masiglang sambit niya.

"Yeah, just text me the address and I'll be there soon. I'm hanging up, okay?" sagot nito na tila nagmamadali. Marahil ay nasabik ito sa kanilang muling pagkikita kaya panandaliang nakaramdam ng kilig si Apollo.

"Hey, Crystal. Can I come over at your house tonight?" pabulong na wika ni Austin sa tutor habang busy si Audrey sa lesson nito.

Magkatabi sila ni Crystal kaya may oras siya para kulitin ito ng palihim.

"Not sure, though. My brother lives with me, right?" sagot nito.

"Then, let him go somewhere tonight. Or maybe, we can have a movie night later,"

"Austin, you should focus at your lesson, stop bugging me right now." sita sa kanya ng dalaga.

"I'll stop if you promise me you'll gonna meet me after class."

"Austin!"

"Just say, yes." matigas ang ulong sagot ng binata. Wala nang nagawa pa si Crystal kung hindi umoo rito kesa naman hindi siya tigilan nito sa pangungulit.

"By the way, what's with Audrey? Her mind is everywhere and keep messing up," usisa ng dalaga.

"I don't know much, but I've heard, both of her friends died a year apart."

"Oh! I'm sorry for asking but what happened to them?"

"The other one was drowned while being electrocuted at Neihu Park and the other one was still missing."

"How can you say it's dead when it's just missing?"

"According to the police, they are having a hard time finding her body. And she cannot be seen elsewhere, and yes we cannot say its dead when there is no corpse. However, the police told us to do so, they don't want to give false hope to her family."

"That was the most depressing story I've ever heard. I'm sorry for asking."

"It's okay, she'll be fine. It's just hard at first, she's not type of the person that prolongs her agony."

"Good for her,"

" I think so,"

"Do you know what's weird?" ani Austin.

"What?" tanong niya sabay baling ng tingin sa nobyo. Ngunit hindi na nagkwento pa si Austin tungkol sa mga namatay na kakilala na waring natigilan ito. Iniba na lang ng binata ang topic at hindi na rin nagpumilit pa si Crystal na alamin kung ano iyon.

"This place is heaven, Astrid. I hope we can stay here for a little bit longer." ani Agatha, habang nakayakap sa kasintahan. Parehas nilang pinapanood ang napakagandang paglubog ng araw.

"God knows, maybe one day it'll happen."

"I am wondering, when is that day?" malungkot na tanong ng dalaga.

"When you're ready to come out of your protective shell,"

"So. it's all on me?" ani Agatha.

"I am not pushing you to do it right now, I know how hard it is to show your true self in front of your family, let alone to the world. I can wait, whenever you are ready. I am always here beside you." malambing na wika ni Astrid.

"I am so blessed to have someone like you and yet I've been hiding you all along..."

"At least, we had our time together every once in a while. That is more than enough for me. As long as you promise me that you're all mine, I see no problem being your lover--- when we're alone." nakangiting ani Astrid.

Niyakap na lang ng mahigpit ni Agatha ang babaeng itinatangi ng kanyang puso. Ipinapangako niya na darating ang araw na maipapakilala rin niya ang sarili at ang kasintahan sa madla nang hindi siya nahihiya.

Sa sobrang lunod ng dalawa sa atensyon ng bawat isa ay hindi ng mga ito napansin ang kaibigan na nagtatago sa malagong halamanan habang abala sa pagvi-video sa dalawa.

"You're caught red-handed, Agatha. Let's see if your star will keep on shining once the world finds out that you're a lesbian. I wonder how your parents will react once I drop the bomb." nakangising wika ni Cyla.

Matapos nitong makuhanan ng video ang dalawa ay patalilis itong umalis at lumulan sa sasakyan nito. Bitbit ang kanyang camcorder na naglalaman ng sekreto ng kanyang mortal na kaaway.

Ilang kilometro pa lang ang itinatakbo ng sasakyan ni Cyla nang bigla itong harangin ng itim na van at mula roon ay umibis ang tatlong armadong lalaki at dire-diretsong nagtungo sa nakahimpil niyang kotse.

Napasigaw ang dalaga ng pinagbabasag ng mga ito ang windshield ng sasakyan niya at sapilitan siyang pinababa.

"Get down on your knees or I'll shoot you!" malakas na wika ng lalaki sa kanya.

"Walang nagawa ang dalaga kung hindi lumuhod. Halos maghalo na ang uhog at luha ng dalaga dahil sa matinding takot. Ayaw niya pang mamatay. Napakabata pa niya at marami pa siyang pangarap at hindi niya pa napapakulong ang pumatay sa ina.

"Please don't kill me. If you want money, I can give you all of my money in my savings account. If it was not enough you can ask my dad for more. I am his only daughter, he will give anything to save me!" ani ng dalaga.

"Do you think we need your stupid money?!" singhal sa kanya ng lalaki.

Hinalughog ng mga ito ang kotse niya, sa sulok ng kanyang mga mata ay nakita niya na kinuha ng isang lalaki ang camcorder niya at nagtungo iyon sa nakaparadang van at iniabot sa sinumang nakasakay roon.

Pagkatapos ay biglang nawalan ng ulirat ang dalaga nang maramdaman ang malakas na paghampas sa kanyang likuran. Ang huling natatandaan ng dalaga ay pinagtulungan ng mga ito na itulak ang sasakyan niya at inihulog sa matarik na bangin.