Finding Avie's body

Chapter 17

I was panthing… Takbo ang ako ng takbo habang yung tao nan aka mascara hinahabol ako.

“Sino ka ba?!”  I shouted trying to be brave.

Takbo ako ng takbo kasi may hawak hawak syang kutsilyo habang tumatawa.

“Sino ka ba?! Tigilan mo na ako!” Sigaw ko ulit.

Takbo pa din ako ng takbo. I suddenly saw a huge tree. I ran towards it trying to hide myself.

I was quietly panthing and crying when the person appeared in front of me.

“AHHHHHHHH!!! LAYUAN MO AKO!” I shouted again in my horror.

“Hindi ka na dapat mabuhay. Wala ka nang dahilan para mabuhay!” sigaw nya sakin sabay  saksak ng kutsilyo sa dibdib ko.

“MAMATAY KA NA! MAMATAY KA NA!” paulit ulit nyang sigaw habang pinag-sasaksak ako.

“KIESH!!! KIESHA WAKE UP!” I heard Drake then I suddenly woke up.

I was breathing heavily. What the hell is that?! Ano yon?

“What’s wrong? Bakit ka sumisigaw?” tanong ni Drake sakin habang naka tingin sya ng malalim.

I started crying. Takot na takot ako. Akala ko, akala ko talaga totoo lahat yun.

“Someone was following me, papatayin nya ako Drake! Sinaksak nya ako ng paulit ulit!” I cried horrifyingly.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nakapanaginip ng ganoon, that was the very first time in my life that I experience something like that. It was horrifying! Nakaka-takot!

“Nakita mo ba kung sino? Bakit ka naman nya gustong saktan?” Drake asked me.

I could really use some water right now, sadly hindi naman ako nakaka-inom ng tubig. Everytime I feel nervous or scared I usually drink water to calm myself and my nerves.

“I don’t know, tinatanong ko sya pero sabi lang sya ng sabi sa akin na dapat na daw akong mamatay, paulit ulit nyang sinasabi sa akin na mamatay na raw ako!” I said while crying.

I have never felt this terrified in my whole life!

“Hush now Kiesha, it’s okay you’re safe, please calm down,” pakiusap ni Drake he attempted to pat my back to help me feel at ease sadly, his hands felt like it just touched nothing.

And that made me cry even more.

“Drake what if, what if hindi  na ako umabot ng three months?! Pano kung papatayin na talaga ako?! Oh God!” I fearly exclaimed.

Hindi ko mapigilan mag-isip na baka wala na akong pag-asa. This is getting harder and harder for me, napaka-hirap mangapa. Ni hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang nangyayari na sa physical body ko kung pag nakita ba naming yung katawan ko buo pa ba o kumpleto pa ba.

O kung makikita paba talaga namin.

 “Kiesha, Kiesha please calm down!” Drake shouted at me and that made me turn back to my senses.

“Okay ka na ba?” tanong nya ulit sa akin.

I inhaled and exhaled deeply trying to calm myself.

“Kiesh listen okay? I want you to listen to me carefully,” Drake said seriously.

“Kiesha we will figure this out okay? I told you to trust me, kung ganyan ka mag-isip mahihirapan tayong gawin to. I want you to stay focus. We have to do this together. Ngayon ang libing ng bangkay na nakaburol ngayon sa mansion nyo. Mamayang hapon pagkaalis ng mga tao. Kikilos na tayo. Please Kiesh I need your trust in this. I need you to  stay focus.” Drake said trying knock some sense into.

I closed my eyes and focus.

Avrielle Akiesha this is not the time for you to become a coward. You have to fight for yourself! You have to find your body.

Your Nana Gina is waiting for you.

You still have to give Vanie a lot of things.

You still have to talk to your father and tell him that you forgive him.

You still have to talk to Drake and tell him so many things.

Get a grip of yourself. This is not you! You are strong and brave woman! You have faces so many things on your own! This will not stop you from getting your life back!

I told myself on the inside.

“I am okay, okay na ako. I am sorry for the way I acted. Sobrang natakot lang ako Drake but I’m okay now, im okay now. Thankyou,” I said as I calm down.

“ Always tell me whatever it is that’s bothering you okay? I got you.” He said and smiled.

Kahit papano now that I have Drake, I have someone I can trust and lean on. It makes  me feel safe and secured.

When Drake realize that I am already okay, he decided to cook breakfast. I sat down the kitchen table and watch him prepare some foods.

“Bakit parang ang dami ng niluluto mo?” Tanong ko kay Drake.

He havea serving good for  like eight people. Sobrang dami nyang niluluto as in.

“Do you have a visitor coming over?” I asked again.

“Wayne and Damon will come over.  Aalis tayo mamayang 4pm, nakaset ng 9 am yung libing. Pupunta tayo sa sementeryo ng 4 pm,” He said while chopping some onion and garlic.

“Bakit kailangan nating pumunta ng sementeryo?” nagtatakang tanong ko.

“Damon wants to make sure that the DNA testing was accurate. Gusto nyang magconduct ng bagong DNA test,” he said.

May punto naman si Damon, hindi naman pwedeng pang-hawakan lang nila yung salita ni Drake na buhay pa ako, I agree that they need concrete and tangible evidence for them to work. I am actually bothered with the thought that someone died instead of me. Sino yung bangkay na natagpuan sa sasakyan ko?

  “Damon was working his way with this case, pina-pull out na ni senator yung kaso nung nalaman nyang nagpositive yung DNA testing na ginawa ng polisya at ibang agency na kinuha nila. This case was also personal for Damon because of you, hindi man sya naniniwala na buhay ka. Gusto nyang malaman kung ano yung totoo,” sabi pa ni Drake habang nagluluto na sya.

“I totally agree, sa totoo lang gusto kong malaman kung bakit at kaninong katawan yung natagpuan na katawan sa sasakyan ko. Kasi kung hindi ko yon katawan ibig-sabihin ibang tao yon, sino yung tao na yon? At bakit sya yung nasa sasakyan ko,” sagot ko naman kay Drake.

Napahinto sya sa pag-luluto at napatingin sa akin.

I couldn’t stomach the idea that someoneelse had to die for me. Nanlulumo akong napatingin kay Drake. Bakit ba ngayon ko lang yung naisip?

Pano yung buhay ng babae na namatay imbis na ako?

Sino sya? May pamilya ba sya? Mga magulang? O anak? Na maari nyang maiwanan?

Nakaka-lungkot lang isipin na may taong nasakripisyo parang lang mag-mukhang patay na ako. Anong klase ng tao ang kayang sumira ng dalawang buhay ng sabay?

Nakakatulog pa kaya sya sa gabi? Pinapatahimik pa kaya sya ng konsensya nya?

“Drake I want to know kung kaninong bangkay yung nakita sa sasakyan, lahat ng information and I want to help her family, kung may pamilya man sya, mga magulang at kapatid na umaasa sa kanya o anak na ngangailangan ng pagmamahal at gabay ng nanay nya. I want to extend my help to them. May sarili akong bank account na pwede mong kuhanan ng pera, I can give you the details,” I said.

Drake look really angry right now. Kahit ako gusto kong magalit para sa sarili ko, kay Mang Ernesto at para sa walang kamalay malay na taong kinailangang masakripisyo dahil lang sa kagagawan ng isang taong walang konsensya.

“We will do as you please, talagang kailangan na hanapin natin kung sino yung babaeng  nasa sasakyan dahil paniguradong may koneksyon din sya sa taong may kagagawan ng lahat ng ito. Hindi tayo titigil kahit pa makita natin ang katawan mo Akiesha, I promise you we will have the justice that you guys deserve.” Seryosong sabi ni Drake habang mataman na nakatingin sa akin.

Yes, I want make sure that everybody will have their justice, hindi pwedeng ako lang kailangan mabigyan ko ng hustisya yung nangyari sa amin dahil sa totoo lang damay lang sila sa galit sa akin ng tao na gumawa nito.

“Drake I wonder kung ano ba talaga yung nagawa kong kasalanan para umabot sa ganitong sitwasyon, bakit kailangang may dalawang buhay na masakripisyo para lang maka ganti sa akin, I don’t really think that I have done something that evil for a person to do this. I really feel responsible for Mang Ernesto and for that woman,” malungkot na sabi ko kay Drake.

He also look sad and really hurt. Alam ko na alam nyang sinisisi ko talaga yung sarili ko sa mga nangyari.

Maybe if I was nice enough this wouldn’t happen right?

Or maybe if I was not to frank or too hot-tempered this wouldn’t have to happen right?

Ang sakit lang din talaga na alam ko sa sarili ko na may mga taong naapektohan ng galit sakin ng isang tao lang, bakit kailangang madamay ng mga inosenteng tao.

Nakatulala lang ako at nag-iisip ng biglang magsalita si Drake.

“Kiesha please know that it is not your fault, hindi mo kasalanan yon, I know that this is really hard for you alam ko na sinisisi mo yung sarili mo, pero hindi. Biktima ka rin dito, please remember that. I don’t want you to think that this is your fault coz’ this isn’t.” Drake said with so much emotions.

This guy really knows me. Kahit matagal kaming hindi nagkita sometimes things doesn’t really change through time. May mga bagay na kahit anong mangyari hindi magbabago.