Pawfriend

Chapter 5

warning: abuse

Third person's POV

Lucas was anxious while waiting for Janice. Nakaramdam siya ng hindi maganda mula nung umuwi si Janice galing sa Graduation pictorial nila. Na amoy niya sa amo ang kakaiba at hindi pamilyar na amoy. Naamoy niya rin ito nang maglakad sila patungong park. Lucas can sense a danger from the stranger.

He starts noticing things in their apartment. Napansin niya ang kakaibang amoy mula sa likod ng closet ni Janice. Minsan naman ay nararamdaman niyang may pumasok sa silid nila.

Simula nang ampunin siya ng mommy ni Janice ay naging malapit na siya dito. Sinunod niya rin ang huling habilin ng ina nito bago ito pumanaw. He protected Janice in any ways he can do. He was always with her. He likes her and he'll do everything to protect her from any danger

'Yan ang dahilan kung bakit ayaw niyang papasukin si Janice sa apartment nila. Malakas ang kutob niyang may mangyayaring masama. His was always on guard in his surroundings. Pinapakiramdaman niya ang kilos sa paligid. He became more anxious when Janice left nanay Helen's apartment. Sinubukan niyang sumunod dito pero agad siyang pinigilan nito. Nasa tapat lang siya nga pinto at inaabangan ang pagbalik ni Janice.

Minutes passed pero hindi parin ito bumabalik.

"Hindi pa ba bumabalik si Janice, Lucas?" tanong ng matanda ng makita ang aso sa harap ng pinto. Hindi naman siya pinansin ni Lucas pero agad tumayo ng may marinig siya.

I was a faint noice pero alam niyang kay Janice 'yon. He start scratching the door trying to open it. Nagtataka namang lumapit ang matanda kay Lucas. Ngunit pilit pa rin nitong binubuksan ang pinto. Tumatahol din ito. Atat na atat na siyang makalabas. Kahit nagtataka ay binuksan ng matanda ang pinto. Agad na tumakbo si Lucas papunta sa pinto ng apartment nila ni Janice. Tumahol siya habang kinakalmot ang pinto.

Tumingin ito sa matanda at binigyan ito ng clue sa nais niyang gawin. Mukhang nakuha naman iyon ni nanay Helen at agad a binuksan ang pinto ng apartment. Lucas sprinted to Janice's bedroom, following the familiar yet unfamiliar scent. He can smell it behind the closet. He tried pushing it pero hindi iyon gumalaw buhat sa bihat nito. Tumakbo siya palabas ng apartment at sinundan ang amoy. Napahinto siya sa tapat ng isang pinto. 'Yon ang apartment ng isa sa mga nangungupahan dito.

Muli niyang kinalmot 'yon. Nakasunod lamang sa kan'ya ang matanda. Nag aalala na rin ito ng mapagtantong nawawala si Janice. Hindi na siya nag atubiling buksan ang pinto at sabay silang pumasok ni Lucas. Napaawang ang bibig ni nanay Helen nang makita ang napakalaking butas sa pader. May nakarang na kung ano sa likod nito. Lucas was furious when he can't see Janice around. He bark loudly trying to find Janice. He stop when he remembered something before coming inside this room.

Lumabas siya at inamoy ang hagdan. Iba't-ibang amoy na naamoy niya pero hindi nakaligtas ang amoy ni Janice. Agad niya itong sinundan at nagtatakbong lumabas. Nanay Helen can't keep up with his speed so she tried to ask some help from the people inside the apartment.

Sinundan lang ni Lucas ang amoy hanggang sa mapadpad siya sa isang abandonadong bahay. He remembered what Missy told her.

"Lucas. If something happened, tanggalin mo 'yong collar mo at apakan mo. I'll immediately come to help you, okay?"

He immediately took off his collar, hindi siya nahirapang tanggalin 'yon dahil maluwag lang ang pagkakalagay nito sa leeg niya. He stomp on the pendant repeatedly before entering the house using the built-in pet door. He run upstairs at hinanap si Janice. Sira ang mga pinto rito kaya hindi siya nahirapang pumasok sa mga silid. He saw Janice lying on the ground with her hand tied at the bed post. Wala itong malay. Agad niya itong nilapitan, he lick her face trying to wake her up. Janice was still unconscious. Lucas look around trying to find something that can help them. He look at the window, bukas 'yon. He jump and bark loudly, hoping to attract someone's attention.

He did catch someone's attention, the man's attention. Lucas run in front of Janice waiting for the to enter the room. Pinakiramdaman niya ang bawat kilos nito. He position his self to a fighting position. Handang sunggaban ang lalaking nagtangka sa buhay ni Janice.

When the door opened he immediately attack the man. Dahil sa gulat ay hindi nakapalag ang lalaki, natumba ito at ininda ang kagat ng aso. Muli sanang aatake si Lucas ngunit agad siyang nasipa ng lalaki. Agad siyang tumayo at muling umatake ngunit nasipa na naman siya ng lalaki. Mas malakas ito kaysa sa unang sipa nito. Napadaing ito sa sakit.

Janice slowly wake up trying to remember anything, naguguluhan siya nang makita niyang nakahiga si Lucas malapit sa pader.

"L-Lucas?" kinabahang tawag niya rito. Gumalaw naman ito at pilit na bumangon. Lalapit sana ito sa kanya nang biglang itong sinipa ng lalaki.

"NO!" Janice cried while trying to untie the rope. Nakatingin lang siya kay Lucas na pilit na bumabangon. Muli itong sinipa ng lalaki. Dahil sa lakas ng pagkakasipa nito ay nawalan ito ng malay.

"Stop! Please! Don't hurt him. Let him go!" pagmamakaawa ng dalagita. Tumawa naman ang lalaking nagpakilalang ama niya.

"You're crying over a dog Janice? Gan'yan ba kababa ang tinuro ng mama mo sa iyo?" He mock. Janice look at him angrily.

"Don't you ever try to insult my mom!" Galit na galit siya sa lalaking nasa harapan niya. He look at Lucas again ng bigla itong gumalaw.

"No, Lucas! Don't move please," naiiyak na saad niya. Hindi siya nito pinakinggan at paika-ika itong lumapit sa dalagita. She heard the man laugh kaya binalingan niya ito ng masamang tingin.

"If I were you, you shouldn't be looking at me that way," he warn. Hindi niya maintindihan ang nais nang lalaking ito. Kung ama niya nga ito, bakit niya sinasaktan ang sariling anak niya?

"Ano ba talaga ang kailangan mo!?" matapang na tanong ko rito.

"Isn't it obvious? I am taking what's supposed to be mine. Unfortunately you're mom died, so I'm taking you instead," the man said. Janice scoffed in his statement.

"You don't own me! You're not even my father to begin with, you've never been," may diing saad ng dalagita. Hindi ito na gustuhan ng lalaki kaya lumapit ito upang sampalin ang dalaga ngunit agad na umatake si Lucas.

"Tang-inang aso ka!" the man shouted and he began beating Lucas with no mercy.

"No! Stop! Stop it!" sigaw ni Janice habang umiiyak.

Kabila ng sakit at pagod ay pinipilit pa rin nit Lucas na lumaban. He was taking time, enough time for the help to come. He bark loudly, sinabayan pa ito ng iyak ng Janice.

"Shut up!" Hindi na nakapagpigil ang lalaki at agad na sinampal si Janice ng ubod ng lakas. Dahil sa lakas ng sampal ay tumama ang ulo nito sa paanan ng kama. Lumabo ang lahat sa paligid niya.

That action made Lucas angry. He push himself to his limit and fight the man. Sinubukang depensahan ng lalaki ang kanyang sarili ngunit mapilit pa rin si Lucas sa pagkagat sa kaniyang braso. Nakita niya ang isang piraso ng kahoy malapit sa kan'ya at mabilis na inabot 'yon.

Hindi iyon napansin ni Lucas kaya walang awa itong pinaghahampas ng lalaki. Lucas cried in pain. Hanggang sa natamaan ang ulo nito. He heard Janice talking faintly.

"No."

"Lucas?"

"Baby?"

He heard the sob of the girl. He can't move his body. He was paralyzed. His head was throbbing in pain.

"Lucas, please..." mahinang sambit ng dalaga "..don't leave me."

He tried his best to keep his eyes open. He need to make sure Janice will be okay. He heard some noice outside. Lucas close his eyes briefly. The man cuss before running.

The police.

He tried to moved para lumapit kay Janice na umiiyak. Ngunit hindi na ito kaya ng katawan niya. He vision is also turning blurry.

"Lucas," Janice cried. "Baby please."

He heard someone entering the room. Pero nakatuon lang ang attention niya kay Janice.

You're gonna be fine.

"Lucas, no. Don't," nahihirapang sambit ng dalaga. "Leave me."

All he could her was her voice. Her crying voice. A tear slip from his eyes. He's trying to memorize her face even if vision was blurry. He tried to familiarize her voice even if he can only hear faint noice. He tried to remember her even if he's slowly dying. For the last time. He wants to remember him.

"Lucas," nanghihinang sambit ng dalaga. "Don't."

"Please."

I'm sorry

He close his eyes in relief. Relief that she's fine now

"Check the vitals."

"Sir?"

"He's opening his eyes."

He slowly open his eyes. Nasisilaw siya sa liwanag, kaya ipinikit niya muli ang mga mata. Sinubukan ulit nitong imulat ang mata. He blink multiple times to adjust his vision.

"Baby?" Agad niyang hinanap ng mga mata niya ang pinagmulan no'n. He's body is weak, he can't barely move a muscle. He saw a woman beside her. May ibang tao rin sa paligid. He closed his eyes again, he felt tired. He saw a an image when he closed his eyes. He muttered a name in a very small voice.

"Janice."