Captive

Chapter 4

Rebel's POV

I'm staring at the man who claimed me as his wife. He's staring at me coldly, there's something on him that I don't understand. He looks scary to me, he's like a mysterious man.

Who am I?

I don't know my name, I don't remember anything... even him. He's my husband but why can't I remember him?

I can't remember anything.

"A-am I your wife?"

Tumaas ang kilay nito.

"You, you don't remember anything?"

Lumunok ako at tumango.

"W-what is my name? B-bakit wala akong maalala?"

I'm like a puzzle, para akong basag na baso na nag hiwa-hiwalay ang piraso. My head is empty, my heart is also empty. Hinawakan ko ang ulo ko na may benda. Wala sa sariling tumulo ang luha sa mga mata ko.

B-bakit pakiramdam ko ay may nawawala sa akin?

"Sage, what is the meaning of this?" Tanong nito sa lalaking nakasuot ng doctor's coat.

"Hmm, while checking her I can tell that she's telling the truth. I don't know if she has amnesia or is it because of the chip."

Chip?

I was about to ask when my proclaimed husband talked.

"Shut it, Sage. You can go now," malamig na utos nito sa lalaking may pangalan na Sage.

Tumango ito.

"Markus is looking for you, anyway." He said before going.

Humarap ako sa lalaking nasa harapan ko.

"Sage said that you can now go home,"

"W-wait, h-hindi mo pa sinabi sa akin ang p-pangalan ko."

He looks at me coldly.

"Rebel," he whispered.

R-rebel?

"Rebel is my name?"

Tumango ito.

"Rebel Montelevan and I'm Cairo Sin Montelevan. You are my wife,"

Cairo...

Manghang pinagmasdan ko ang kabuuan ng bahay ni Cairo, no, bahay namin? I don't understand, I feel shy about it. Hindi ako komportable sa presensya nito. Parang ito ang unang beses na nakita ko ito. His presence, it's made me scared.

Yumuko ang mga katulong.

"Welcome back, Master and Madam."

Tumango lang si Cairo at mabilis na naglakad paakyat. Nakatingin lamang ako sa papalayong bulto nito.

He seems... distant.

"Madam, halina po kayo. Tara na po sa kwarto n'yo." Wika ng isang babae na sa tingin ko ay nasa edad ko lamang.

"S-sino ka?"

Ngumiti ito.

"Ako po si, Selena. Ako po ang katulong na mag-aalaga sa inyo." Mabait na sabi nito.

Dahan-dahan akong ngumiti.

"A-ako si Rebel, masaya akong makilala ka."

"Nako, napakabait n'yo naman po! Tara na po, Madam!"

Sumunod lamang ako rito paakyat. Pumasok ito sa isang kwarto at namangha ako sa ganda at laki.

"Nagustuhan n'yo po ba? Nilinis po namin ito para lang sa inyo,"

Ngumiti ako.

"Selena?"

"Po?"

"A-asawa ko ba talaga ang lalaking 'yon? Asawa ko ba talaga si Sin?"

Nanlaki ang mata nito dahil sa tinanong ko.

"S-sin po?"

I nodded.

"Masyado kasing mahaba ang Cairo, Sin nalang para madali." Mahinang bulong ko.

Lumunok ito at saka tipid na ngumiti.

"O-opo, asawa n'yo nga si Master." She replied.

"Ganoon ba," malungkot na saad ko.

"N-ngunit bakit kayo malungkot? Ayaw n'yo po ka'y Master?" She asked.

Umiling ako.

"H-hindi sa ganoon ngunit wala akong maalala. I don't know what kind of man he is, he looks scary. I want to understand him if he's my husband. Nalulungkot ako dahil wala akong maalala. Sabi nila na-aksidente ako at nawalan ng ala-ala."

She sighed at hinawakan ang kamay ko.

"W-wag na po kayo mag-isip. M-magiging maayos din ang lahat."

She's right. Magiging maayos din ang lahat. Maybe I need to help myself too. I need to remember him, I need to remember our memories. On how we met, on how I fell in love with him. I need to help myself remember him. I need to.

"Tama ka, alam kong magiging maayos din ang lahat."

------

"Sign this,"

Tiningnan ko si Sin habang inaabot nito sa akin ang isang papel.

"A-ano ito?"

"Stop asking and sign," malamig na pahayag nito.

Lumunok ako.

He's scary. Nakakatakot ang awra nito. Para bang may itinatago itong galit sa akin.

Nanginginig na inabot ko ang papel at ball pen sa kamay nito. Hindi ko alam ang signature ko ngunit tila natural nalang sa akin ang pagpirma. I signed the paper without reading it. Dahil sa takot ay hindi na ko nagtanong.

He grins when he looks at the paper.

"From now on, I get to decide what to do in your useless life. From now on, I own you."

Hindi ko alam ngunit tila kumakabog ang dibdib ko sa takot. He's looking at me with coldness and anger in his eyes.

"Wear this," Utos nito at inabot sa akin ang isang singsing.

Wala sa sarili na inabot ko ito.

Tiningnan ko ang kamay nito at nakita ko ang kaparehas na singsing.

"You look so innocent yet I know that's not true. Interesting," he said.

Tumalikod na ito sa akin ngunit mabilis akong tumayo at niyakap ito mula sa likod. Naramdaman ko ang paninigas nito dahil sa ginawa ko.

"Sin," I whispered.

"W-what the heck are you doing woman?" Galit na sigaw nito.

"I-i just need a hug. C-can you tell me our story?"

Galit na tinanggal nito ang pagka kayakap ko sa kanya at marahas na tumingin sa akin.

"Story? It's tragic, little one. And I'm going to make sure that you will feel how tragic it was."

Lumabas na ito ng kwarto habang nanatili lamang akong nakatingin sa papalayong bulto nito.

Lumunok ako.

Why is he mad at me? I can feel it. He's saying that he's my husband but I can feel a thick barrier between the two of us. He's a stranger... I can feel it. But why? Why is my heart beating too fast?

Is it because of fear or is it because of him?

Marahang napaupo ako sa sulok ng kwarto. I hug myself and sob. Sino ba talaga ko? W-why I can't remember anything? Bakit pakiramdam ko ay hindi ako dapat narito? That man, I can feel that he's dangerous.

"Madam!"

Tiningnan ko si Selena na kapapasok lang. Mabilis ako nitong dinaluhan.

"S-selena," I whispered.

"A-ano po ang problema? Bakit po kayo umiiyak?"

"T-this is not my home, I can feel it. T-his is not my home," walang patid ang pagtulo ng mga luha sa mata ko.

My heart is empty, pakiramdam ko ay may kulang sa akin... and those are my memories.

Niyakap ako nito.

"M-madam,"

This place, these people... they're not familiar to me. I know something is wrong but should I trust them? Should I believe them? Hinawakan ko ang ulo ko ng bahagyang kumirot ito.

"A-ahh," daing ko.

Suminghap si Selena.

"D-dugo! May dugo po sa ulo n'yo, Madam!"

Before I react ay may tumulak na ka'y Selena palayo sa akin. Mabilis ako nitong binuhat papunta sa kama. Sin looks at me with rage.

"Stop acting up, woman! Stop being a pain in the ass, damn." He shouted.

Mabilis nitong kinuha ang bulak sa ibabaw ng drawer at pinunasan ang dugo sa noo ko. Hindi ako kumibo ngunit wala pa rin tigil ang pagluha ko. I feel so scared, I feel so alone. Nanatili lamang akong nakatingin sa kawalan habang inaayos nito ang sugat sa ulo ko.

I'm scared that he will shout at me again. I'm really scared.

"M-master," Selena called Sin.

"Leave, don't try to spoil her for crying. If she bleeds again you're the one to blame." Malamig nitong saad ka'y Selena.

Suminghap ito at tumango pagkatapos ay mabilis na lumabas.

"I-it's my fau-

"Shut up!"

Pumikit na lamang ako dahil sa muling pagsigaw nito.

Dahil sa takot ay hindi ko napansin na nanginginig na ako habang nakakapit sa t-shirt nito.

"Are you scared at me, huh, little one?" Tila nasisiyahan ito sa nakikita.

I slowly opened my eyes and met his green eyes.

"A-are you going to shout at me again?" Maingat na tanong ko rito.

He stops because of what I've asked. He cussed and glared at me.

"Stop acting like a weak woman! Stop acting like you're not a killer!"

K-killer?

"Hell!" Akmang aalis ito ng muli akong nagsalita.

A killer?

"M-mamatay tao? M-mamatay tao ako?"

He sighed at hinarap ako.

"Don't mind what I've said. You have to rest and stop crying. If you do, your head will bleed again." He said but this time, he's calm.

How can he say something and ask me to be okay?

Umiling ako.

"Answer me, a-am I a killer?" Nasasaktan na pahayag ko.

Hindi ito kumibo but for me, I already know the answer.

S-sino ba talaga ko? P-papaanong? Gulong-gulo na ko sa sarili ko.

Humikbi ako at tiningnan ang kamay ko.

D-did I kill someone? Using these hands?

What kind of person am I?

"B-bakit hindi ka sumagot? Tell me! Am I a killer?" Sigaw ko. Tumayo ako at pumunta sa harap nito. "Answer me!"

Tumalim ang mga mata nito at sinakal ako. He strangles me at idinikit ako sa wall.

He looks scary, he looks at me like he can really kill me.

"Yes, you're a killer woman. I freaking hate you, I will kill you with my bare hands." He dangerously said and that answer broke me.

Tears started to fall in my eyes. My head is hurting but compared to what I'm feeling in my heart, it's nothing. This man in front of me who claimed to be my husband... he wants to kill me.

I can feel it.

Humikbi ako dahil unti-unti na kong nawawalan ng hangin.

"Dang it!" He shouted at marahas na binitawan ako.

I am catching me breathe while crying. Napadausdos ako sa ibaba at saka pagod na sumandal sa wall.

"Montelevan!"

May tumawag sa pangalan ni Sin ngunit hindi ko magawang tingnan kung sino ito. I was busy hurting for what I've learned.

"Tsk,"

Napahagulgol ako nang lumabas ito ng kwarto.

"Damn that bastard," may umupo sa harap ko at tinawag ako. "Hey,"

Nanginginig na nag-angat ako ng tingin.

Ngumiti ito sa akin.

"Hi, are you okay?" He asked.

Suminghot ako at saka nagsumiksik sa pader.

"A-am I a killer, Mr.?" Umiiyak na tanong ko.

Please tell me the truth. I just want to know who I am.

"Damn that jerk." He hissed.

He smiled at inabot ang kamay sa akin.

"Tara, dumudugo ang ulo mo. I know how to apply the first aid so I can help."

He's warm and compared to Sin, he looks kind.

Dahan-dahan kong inabot ang kamay ko sa lalaking nasa harapan ko.

Tumango ito.

"That's right, Rebel. Come and I'll treat your head. By the way, I'm Rouxe." He said. "Nice to meet you,"

Rouxe?

Hindi ako sumagot at naupo sa kama. I looked at him.

"R-rouxe?"

"Hmm?"

"A-am I a killer? M-mamatay tao ba talaga ko?"

He sighed and shook his head.

"There's a motto that I'm always saying, you want to hear it?"

Tumango ako.

"Everything happens for a reason, may dahilan ang bagay-bagay. May rason ang lahat at gusto kong isipin mo na may rason ang mga nangyayari." He answered at pinalitan ang benda sa ulo ko.

Does everything happen for a reason? Then what is the reason for everything that happened to me? I lose my memories and what is the reason for that?

"T-then what is the reason?"

He chuckles.

"I don't know either, but can you find the answer?"

"I-i don't feel safe here, c-can I come with you?"

I'm afraid that Sin will come and hurt me, that man genuinely scared me. If looks could kill, I think I'm dead now.

He stops because of what I've asked.

"I'm sorry I can't do that, Rebel." Sagot nito. "But I can be your friend and visit you here,"

A friend?

Tumingin ako rito.

"R-really?"

He nodded.

"B-but what if that man strangles me again? W-what if that man shouted at me again? H-he said he will kill me,"

That man is my husband but I feel like we're not a couple.

Umupo ito sa harapan ko.

"Cairo won't do that again, just be good."

"He's my husband but why is he like that to me?"

Does he really?

"Don't mind him, just stay away from him and you'll be safe."

Stay away from him?

B-but how? How can I stay away from my husband? He's like a magnet, I can't help but hug him when I see him.