The Search

Chapter 7

"Still up at this hour?"

The voice was familiar to me, so I was kinda nervous but not afraid. Halos ayaw kong lumingon, but it would be awkward if I would not turn around to see him. Huminga ako nang malalim bago hinarap ang lalaking iyon.

"Kye?" I said, pretending I didn't recognize him.

He was emotionless, as usual. He still looked good tho in his plain white sweater and black pajama. Pero kahit ano naman talagang isuot niya, hindi pa rin maitatago ang kakisigan niya. "Having a walk?" he asked.

I didn't respond right away because I couldn't believe he was talking to me. For all my life, I didn't see him talk first with any girl, unless if it was necessary. It was also the first time he talked to me face-to-face. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako kikilos nang maayos. Like damn, my crush that was cold like an ice was chatting with me, at talagang gabi pa. Wasn't it romantic?

"Uhm, y-yeah?" I stuttered. "I was bored a-at house, so I decided to go here. And you?"

"Nothing," he answered. "You better go home now 'cause it's no safety here." Tiningnan niya ako mata sa mata, saka umalis.

I was just left dumbfounded. I didn't know how to react to his last words. Was he trying to warn me? Or, was he just tryna show his care for me? Pero bakit naman? Paano magkakaroon ng pakialam ang isang Kye Vonnier sa akin?

I watched him walked away until I could no longer see him. Ngunit kahit naglaho na siya sa paningin ko ay hindi ko pa rin maiwasang mapaisip sa sinabi niya. If it was not safe outside, then how come na nasa labas din siya? Kasi wala lang? Impossible.

Bumuntong hininga ako saka nagpatuloy na lamang sa paglalakad hanggang sa makarating ako sa isawan. Maamoy pa lang ang usok ay naglalaway na ako. Matagal-tagal na rin kasi akong hindi nakakain ng isaw; siguro isang buwan na rin simula noong huli.

Habang inuubos ko ang pagkain ay isa-sa na ring nagsasara ang mga stall. Paunti na rin nang paunti ang mga taong naglalakad, kaya naisipan ko na ring bumalik sa aking sasakyan. Isa pa, baka totoo talaga ang sinabi ni Kye na delikado sa labas sa oras ng gabi. Iyon din ang lagging pinapaala sa akin noon ni Mommy.

Habang ako'y nasa isang madilim na parte at naglalakad papunta sa aking kotse ay biglang bumilos ang pagtibok ng aking puso dahil pakiramdam ko'y may sumusunod sa akin. Sandali akong tumigil at lumingon sa aking likuran, ngunit wala akong nakitang tao, pero may naaninag akong anino sa bandang gilid ng kalya kaya mas lalo pang lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Naisip kong tumakbo, pero kapag ginawa ko iyon ay baka mas lalo akong mapahamak, kaya pinilit ko na lang maglakad. Subalit, wala pang ilang segundo ay may humawak sa leeg ko.

"Huwag kang gagalaw," sambit nito.

Tinutukan ako ng lalaki ng kutsilyo, kaya hindi ko na rin nagawa pang kumilos. Hindi na rin ako makahinga nang maayos. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. I didn't know any self defense. Kung susubukan ko mang maglaban, hindi ko sigurado kung magtatagumpay ako. Gusto ko ring humingi ng tulong, ngunit wala ni isa mang naglalakad sa banda namin.

"Akin na ang selpon mo," pagdaka'y wika nito.

"I don't have a phone, kakasira lang kahapon," sagot ko.

"Huwag ka nang magpalusot, ibigay mo na lang sa'kin, pati na rin ang pera mo."

"Wala nga, eh. Saka bente lang ang dala kong pera, pinang-isaw ko pa."

"Aba, nakikipaglokohan ka pa, ha?" He placed the knife closer to my flank until it finally touched my skin. "Ilalabas mo ba o ibabaon ko 'to?" tanong nito.

"Ibaon mo na," sagot ko, "total wala na rin namang silbi ang buhay ko dahil wala na si Mommy. Kung hindi ka talaga naniniwalang wala akong pera at cellphone, saksakin mo na lang ako."

"Aba, sinusubukan mo talaga ako, ha!" Ibinuwelo na nito ang hawak nitong patalim. He had the plan to stab me, but he wasn't able to do it when someone interrupted.

"Itutuloy mo 'yan o ikaw ang tutuluyan ko?"

I turned around and there was Kye at my back. Kahit nag alit ang boses niya ay wala pa ring emosyon ang mukha niya. Nonetheless, nakahinga na rin ako nang medyo maluwag dahil nandiyan siya. I felt safer.

"At sino ka naman?" tanong ng lalaki na nakahawak pa rin sa akin.

"Wala kang pakialam kung sino ako. Mabuti pang bitawan mo na lang 'yang hawak mong kutsilyo kung ayaw mong mapahamak."

The man laughed. "Tangina mo," rinig kong bulong nito. After seconds, he ran towards Kye and tried to harm him with his knife. Paulit-ulit nitong hinampas ang kutsilyo, pero hindi nito magawang itama kay Kye.

Mayamaya pa'y nahuli ni Kye ang kamay ng lalaki. He held the man's hand tightly, hanggang sa umaray ito. "I told you to put down your knife, but you didn't listen."

"ARAY! TAMA NA! " the man cried. "BIBITAWAN KO NA! BIBITAWAN KO NA! BASTA BITAWAN MO RIN AKO!" tuloy-tuloy nitong sabi.

"Now, drop it."

Binitiwan nga ng lalaki ang hawak nitong kutsilyo, kaya binitawan din ito ni Kye. But as soon as his hand was released, he tried to punch him. Mabuti na lamang at hindi nito ito naitama. Sa halip, ito pa ang natumba sa suntok ni Kye na hindi nito napansin.

I covered my mouth with my hands and looked at the man who was already lying on the ground. "Oh, god," I whispered.

Kye held my hand and took me away from the place. "He's still alive, don't worry," sambit niya, nang sinubukan kong magpumigil.

"A-are you sure?" I asked. My heart was beating rapidly. I was scared he might have killed the man. Kapag natagpuang walang buhay ang lalaki at nalaman ng kapulisan na siya ang may gwa n'on, puwede niya iyong ikakulong.

He stopped walking and confronted me. "I said he's still alive. How many times would I tell you that?" he asked with his eyebrows puckered. "I told you it's not safe here, but you didn't listen."

"S-sorry, pauwi na rin naman talaga ako, eh."

"Do you have your car with you?"

"A-ah..."

"Do you have your car with you?" he repeated.

I bit my lip as I pointed out my car that was parked at the side of the road. My hands were shaking as he escorted me to go there. Nag-aalala pa rin talaga ako sa sinuntok niyang lalaki, maging sa kaniya. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung makakapagmaneho pa ako nang maayos.

"Go home," sambit niya nang makapasok na ako sa sasakyan. "Drive safely."

I was still about to thank him, but he walked away. Hinintay ko muna siyang mawala sa paningin ko bago ko pinaandar ang kotse. An while on the way, I couldn't help myself but think of Kye. What was he really doing there? I thought umuwi na siya, but then he came back. He was there to save me, and I was really glad. I was hoping when I come back to school, I would be able to say my gratitude to him.

It took me less than ten minutes to arrive at home. Uminom muna ako ng kape bago umakyat sa kuwarto para makalma ako. Kung sa iba, pampakaba ang kape, pero sa akin ay kabaliktaran iyon. Nang matapos ako ay umakyat na rin ako sa kuwarto para matulog dahil binalak ko pang bisitahin ang criminal na pumatay sa ina ko. I wasn't done with him yet.

When the sun came up, kumain na ako at nag-ayos na rin, bago ako pumunta sa kulungan. Dala-dala ko pa rin ang kabigatan ng loob habang papasok sa loob ng presinto "Can I talk to... what's his name by the way?" I asked the cops when I arrived there.

"Good morning, Ms. Sarbien," bati ng isa sa kanila. "Nasa loob si Marcus Draven. Ihatid ka na naming doon."

Hinatid nga nila ako sa mamamatay-taong iyon na nagngangalang Marcus Draven. As we were facing each other at the table, I was observing his eyes. Nothing had changed since day one; he was still a demon to me. I wanted to slap him a million times, but I was controlling myself-- my emotions.

"How's your life here?" I asked, and tried smiling at him sarcastically.

"Good," he answered. "It's like living in hell. Mas gusto ko pa nga 'to, eh."

I clenched my fist. "Mas gusto mo pa talaga 'to?" pagpepeke ko ng tawa, saka mabilis ding nagseryoso. "Mas gusto mo na may nasasaktan kang ibang tao, habang sa'yo ay okay lang?"

He bit his pale lip. "Yes, 'cause why not?" His eyes were telling me he was all fine, really.

"At your age, nagagawa mo talaga ang mga bagay na 'to?" My eyes were teary, but I was trying to hold them. The man I was talking to was just like my age, or perhaps older than me.

"Kailangan mong malaman na sa pagpatay, walang age requirement," he smirked.

"Gago ka, 'no? Ano bang ginawa naming masama sa'yo para gan'tuhin mo kami?" tanong ko. "Eh kung tutuusin, hindi ka naman naming kilala."

He stood up. "Hindi dapat ako ang tinatanong mo niyan," ngisi nito. "Tingin-tingin ka rin sa paligid at baka mahanap mo ang sagot." Tinalikuran ako nito at nagsimula nang maglakad pabalik sa kulungan nito.

"WAIT!" I shouted, "I'm not done yet!"

Napatigil ito at sandaling lumingon sa akin. Imbes na balikan ako sa upuan ay mayroon lamang siyang isang salitang ibinulong na siyang nagpataas sa balahibo ko. Pagkatapos ay binigyan ako nito ng mala-demonyong ngisi bago tuluyang umalis.

Hindi ako masyadong sigurado sa ibinulong nito, pero kung pareho man iyon sa pagkakaintindi ko, hindi maaari... Anong kinalaman niya rito?