The Trouble with the Twins

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

A Mother's Love and Sacrifice Part II

Humahanap ng tiyempo si Lorie na mapuntahan muli ang ina sa selda nito para makausap at madalhan din ito ng pagkain. Ngunit hindi siya makabwelo at makaalis dahil bantay sarado ang mga galaw nila. Wala rin siyang maibigay na excuse sa mga ito kung bakit siya lalabas. Nagtitiis at naghihintay lang siya ng pagkakataon na makaalis na hindi namamalayan nila Romano.

She pressed her body against the brick wall and took a second to catch her breath. Her head hurt from eagerness, and she felt sick to her stomach.

After thinking, she was able to come up with a plan. Gusto niyang iligtas ang ina. Her plan was only to save her, no exact blueprint basta ba kahit anong mangyari ay ilalabas niya ang kaniyang ina.

Hindi niya ito bibiguin.

"Where are you going?" Natigilan si Lorie sa narinig na boses at nang lingunin niya ito ay handa na niya sana itong saktan lalo na kung pipigilan siya nito na maisakatuparan ang kaniyang plano.

Ngunit nagulat siya nang makitang prenteng nakasandal sa isang gilid si Aliyah na nakatingin sa kaniya na para bang may ginagawa siyang hindi dapat.

And that's true.

"It's dangerous for you to do this Lorie." Mariing sambit nito na kinakuyom ng kamay ni Lorie.

Sino ba siya para pagsabihan siya?

Kahit ano gagawin niya para sa kaniyang ina. Kahit pa buhay niya ang itaya niya.

"Will you stop me Aliyah?" Lorie hissed and held the dagger tighter on her right hand.

Hinihintay ang pag-atake nang posibleng kalaban na nasa harapan niya.

"Do you think your dagger can help you?" Walang emosyon na pahayag nito at sa gulat niya ay bigla na lamang may itinapon ito sa gawi niya kaya agad na nasalo iyon ni Lorie.

Gulat naman na napatingin muli si Lorie kay Aliyah na ngayon ay akmang maglalakad na paalis.

"Why are you helping me?" Hindi niya alam kung iniinsulto ba siya nito.

Thinking na kahit bigyan siya nito ng baril ay hindi pa rin siya makakaalis sa lugar na ito

Pero bakit pakiramdam niya ay hindi lang 'yun gano'n?

Bakit may mas malalim pa.

"Just do it Lorie, but I just hope you are doing the right thing. Please stay alive and I will wait for you." Napatangang napatingin na lamang si Lorie sa papalayong bulto ni Aliyah.

Bago napahigpit ang kaniyang hawak sa binigay nito.

A gun will help her, and she won't let failure embrace her.

Not when her mother’s life is on stake.

She knew nothing would ever be the same again if she takes responsibility. Mahirap man pero kailangan niya gawin ito.

She made her way along a darkened hallway habang dala-dala ang tapang na matagal niyang binuo sa kalooban niya.

Ngunit kailangan niya maging handa.

But she didn't expect that her heart hammers from within when she heard a feminine scream. She paused, fear gripping her with its claws.

“Get off me!”

No! It can't be...

Parang binuhusan si Lorie ng malamig na tubig at mabilis ang kaniyang naging kilos.

Walang pag-iisip at pag-iingat. Her masked is itching and damn she wanted to scream and she wanted to kill.

“That p***y is mine. All f*****g mine. I want it. I want it.” Rounding the side of the wall, she saw a man held her mother by the throat.

His hand going to his pants, trying to pull out his d*ck. Lying near the wall was a pile of discarded rebar. Without thinking, she picked one up and slammed it against the man’s head. That was all it took for him to go out cold.

Pero hindi pa iyon sapat, kinuha niya ang baril nito na nasa tagiliran nito and use it to kill him.

Nagdidilim ang kaniyang paningin, how can he do that? How can he hurt her?

Agad na naramdaman niya ang panlalabo ng kaniyang mga mata at bilis ng tahip ng kaniyang puso.

Her mother underneath him scrambled out. Lorie dropped the gun and stepped away, glancing down at her empty hand.

“L-Lorie,” Her mother said, rushing to her side. Without a second thought she embrace her tightly.

Gusto niyang magalit sa sarili dahil iniisip pa lamang ni Lorie na baka nahuli siya ay may mangyayari na sa kaniyang ina.

Hindi niya kakayanin iyon.

She can't let that happen.

"Y-You killed him, it won't take long and they will come to see what happen. The noise alerted them so please escape—"

"I won't escape without you. So come with me!" Agad na hinila ni Lorie ang ina upang magsimulang humakbang pero hindi ito gumalaw at nagmatigas.

Kaya napakagat na lamang si Lorie sa kaniyang labi at napalingon muli rito.

"I l-love you, and I love your sister..." Agad na dumaloy ang luha mula sa mga mata ni Lorie dahil sa tindi ng pagkurot ng sakit mula sa kaniyang puso.

Bakit ganito ito magsalita? Makakaalis pa sila!

Maitatakas niya pa ito.

Hindi niya kayang hayaan ang ina na maiwan rito.

But looking at her mother ay gusto niya suntukin ang sarili.

She is filled with bruises and wounds. 'Yung sakit no'n ay tila ba sinasabi sa kaniya na nagkulang siya na hindi niya nagawa ang kaniyang tungkulin bilang anak, na hindi niya ito nagawang protektahan.

And her eyes...

They are filled with acceptance.

Ano ba ang tinatanggap nito? Tanggap na ba ng ina niya ang mangyayari sa kaniya? Tanggap na ba nito na—No!

She won't let that happen!

"Listen, we can escape here mom. Rovie is waiting for us, she will be happy to see you. We will sleep together, and make new memories together..." Pinilit niyang pakiusapan ito pero ngumiti lamang ito ng puno ng pait.

"But your father—" Hindi na ni Lorie pinatapos magsalita ang kaniyang ina at agad na niya itong niyakap.

Hindi dapat ito panghinaan.

Andito pa naman sila magkakapatid, bakit ba ang bilis na lang para rito na tanggapin ang pagkabigo?

Bakit hindi man lang nito magawang lumaban para sa kanila?

Kung kailan andito na ito ay saka naman ito pinanghihinaan.

"We need you mom, don't give up please. Please I am begging you." Kung kailangan ni Lorie magmakaawa ay gagawin niya. Hindi niya gustong ibalita sa kapatid na kung kailan abot kamay na niya ang ina ay saka naman ito babawin mula sa kaniya.

Lorie won't accept the fact that her family is falling apart.

"God knows I wanted to be with you both..." Napatulala lamang si Lorie sa ina and something broke the silence.

Narinig niya ang mga mabibilis na yapak na papalapit sa kanila.

Mga yapak ng mga taong umagaw sa kaniyang pamilya.

"But we can't escape Lorie... it's to late."

In all my imaginings in this dark dungeon, I’d never allowed myself to think of this moment—never allowed myself to dream that outrageously.

But I’d made it—I’d brought myself close to my mother. I squeezed her hand as we gazed at each other,

Bakit gano'n?

Naitanong na lamang ni Lorie sa sarili.

Bakit nga ba gano'n kadali na sumuko ang mga tao?

She wanted to scream at her mother to see that she should have strength for her and for her sister.

Hindi matanggap ni Lorie na huli na. Hindi niya matanggap na hindi niya mailigtas ang sariling ina.

Hindi niya matanggap na mabubuwag ang lahat-lahat.

She dreamed that one day she and her family would have a picnic in the garden, with two sets of childish laughter—true, free laughter—coming from somewhere inside its grounds.

"Escape now Lorie, if you bring me with you, we won't be able to go far—"

"You are selfish! How could you accept it! How can you let me and my sister go? How can we live without you? You left us and we suffered for how many years without you and now that I found you, you wanted me to leave you alone? Let you suffer alone? If you can accept that then I can't! I love you mother to the point I can let myself drown in pain rather see you suffer. I am willing to exchange my life over yours! Because you are my family, I can't abandon you! I really can't...even I forced myself to hate you right now for being weak and coward I can't because I love you. I love you so much. I wanted to be with you, I want you to see the same smile on your face." Nakita ni Lorie kung paano yumuko ang ina at nasasaktan siya. Seeing her mother filled with pain is killing her from within.

Ang sakit no'n!

Sobrang sakit na ngayon ay gusto niyang magwala.

Ano ba ang ginawa nila sa ina ko?

Ano ba ang ginawa nila para mawala ang tapang nito?

Ano ba ang ginawa nila para mawala ang ngiti nito?

Ano ba ang ginawa nila para masira ang lahat ng meron ang pamilya ko?

Lorie just thought about all the questions running inside her head.

Pero lahat ng iyon ay walang kasagutan.

"Yes I am selfish! But I am just being a mother to you. And I am sorry if I am giving up, I just don't know if I can still be a mother after everything. I just want to protect you both. I want you to live Lorie. I want you to live even... even if I won't be with you. Please protect yourself, protect your sister. It's the only thing I can wish for." Halos maubusan ng hininga si Lorie sa mga narinig.

Halos manghina siya.

At nakakatawa na marinig iyon mula rito.

Her mother taught her to be strong pero bakit hindi nito magawang maging malakas gaya ng turo nito sa kaniya?

"Who's there? What happen?" Narinig ni Lorie at nakita niya lumaki ang mga mata ng kaniyang ina at saka napatingin sa kaniya.

Nang akmang lilingunin ni Lorie ang mga taong kakarating at binunot ang kaniyang baril para lumaban ay saka naman may humila ng kaniyang kamay.

Lorie was shocked to see her mother smiling holding her hand.

Nakangiti ito gaya ng ngiti nito noon, ngunit hawak nito ang kamay ni Lorie na may hawak ng baril and suddely she heard a loud bang.

Her smile made her realize how her mother love her so much.

Parang nabingi at napipi si Lorie lalo na nang makitang dumaloy ang pulang likido mula sa labi ng kaniyang niya.

But her mother’s smile was still there.

Hindi nabubura iyon at patuloy itong tumititig sa kaniya na para bang nagawa na nito ang misyon nito.

"Hey! What the hell!" Rinig ni Lorie pero nakatulala pa rin siya at ni hindi makagalaw.

Bumagsak ang kaniyang ina at binitiwan na nito ang kaniyang kamay.

She felt cold without her mother's hand.

And why? Why does it hurt?

Nabitiwan ni Lorie ang baril at napaatras habang nakita naman niyang may mga lalaking lumapit sa kaniyang ina.

But she saw her mother mouthed the words that made her hate herself.

'I love you'

No...

Tulayang napaatras siya muli but suddenly someone held her from her back.

"L-Lorie.." It's Aliyah, ang boses nito ay may gustong sabihin sa kaniya pero walang magawa si Lorie kundi paanoorin kung paano barilin ulit ng isang lalaki ang kaniyang ina para masigurado, Masigurong patay na ito.

And she didn't flinch. Pinanood niya kung paano umagos ang dugo sa katawan ng kaniyang ina.

Pinanood niya iyon hanggang sa tuluyan namanhid ang kaniyang buong mundo.

"What happened? The prisoner should be killed tomorrow but you came down here to kill her instead!" Sigaw ng isang lalaki but Lorie felt Aliyah move in front of her.

"You saw that dead man over there? My bodyguard heard the noise and came to checked it for you! And you saw what happen! The prisoner tried to take her gun away. So she made the reasonable act when she's in danger. And don't test me! I am still your superior." The man gulp and sigh.

"I'm sorry I will just explain this to the emperor. Now move the body and throw them." Aliyah felt bad about everything. She hated herself for not stopping Lorie.

Lorie on the other hand stared at her hands, nanginginig ang mga iyon.

And her head buzzed, ang daming mga tanong ang tumatakbo roon.

How can she do that?

How can she kill her mother?

How can she let her do that?

Bakit kinailangan na mangyari ang lahat ng ito? They were about to escape! Pero imbes na maligtas ang ina ay kabaliktaran ang nangyari.

Bakit iba ang nangyari?

"I love you Lorie... remeber that me and your father will protect you and your sister with all our life."

And her mother did, nagawa nga nito iligtas siya kapalit ng buhay nito. At ang sakit no'n. Sobrang sakit na imbes siya ang maligtas rito ay kabaliktaran ang nangyari.

Sobrang sakit kasi mahal niya ito.

The noises are gone. In its absence, she could feel the barking pain echo through her heary, and the ache reflect inside blazing into something, and the dull stinging her whole soul rubbed raw by snakes coiling around her heart.

And she could feel the endless hole where her mother and father had once been.

She was going to hate it but something is telling her that she's turning numb—

Hatered, ravenous and cold, dragged her under.

And she is willing to drown herself to them.

Kuyom ang kamaong napangisi siya. She would kill them all. She would make them bleed, she would watched them scream hell and she would make them feel the pain of losing everything that they value most.

Huling pagkakataon ay napatingin si Lorie sa kaniyang ina. Her eyes reflect the fire of hatred within her.

She would tuck her parents into her heart, a bright light for her to take out whenever things were darkest. And then she would remember how it had felt to be loved, when the world had held nothing but possibility. No matter what they did to her, they could never take that away.

She would not break.

And someday … someday, even if it took her until her last breath, she’d find out who had done this to her and make them pay. To her parents. Lorie wiped away her tears this would be the last time she'll cry.

She squared her shoulders.

Straightened her spine.

“I'll have their heads on stake,” she whispered inside her head, “and I will not be afraid.”