CHAPTER 23

"Gising! Gumising ka!"

A hand was slapping my face again as I curled my body closer to my chest. Pilit kong niyayakap ang katawan ko para protektahan ito sa taong gusto manakit sa akin.

"Napakawalanghiya mo talagang bata ka! Anong oras na, tatamad-tamad ka parin diyan sa kama!"

Kilala ko ang boses na iyon, it was my Auntie Judith. Mukhang kadarating lang nito mula sa trabaho kagabi. Sobrang sama ng pakiramdam ko. Para akong nilalagnat ngunit hindi ako makainom ng gamot dahil sa hindi ako makabangon para bumili.

Hinila niya ang buhok ko upang mapatayo ako ng tuluyan sa kama. Nagulat na lamang ako sa tubig na tumama sa mukha ko upang magising ako ng tuluyan.

"You killed her, didn't you?"

I was still catching my breath because of the bad dream I had. Bumungad saakin ang namumulang mukha ni Sabrina. Umubo ako ng pumasok ang iilan tubig sa ilong ko.

"I-I didn't kill her," nauutal kong sambit. I tried to move but my other hand was tied up on the bed headboard.

I looked around. I'm in an old hotel. Maybe Greg's? Ngunit sobrang nakasara ang mga bintana at napapalibutan ito ng mga newspaper. There was a huge wooden cabinet infront of this giant bed. Makaluma narin ang ceiling nito dahil sa mga sapot ng gagamba na nakadikit dito.

"Sinungaling!" mangiyak-ngiyak na bintang nito. "Hindi kita mapapatawad! Ang dami mo nang buhay na sinira, Ericka! Ang dami mong taong naapakan. You need to die, too! So you can burn in hell!"

Hinila ko muli ang kamay ko ngunit sobrang higpit ng pagkakatali. "And you as well," balik sagot ko sakanya. "May mga tao karin naapakan para marating ang buhay na mayroon ka ngayon. People like us don't play fair. We both know you play dirty, too. You kill people to get what you want. Bumabalik lang ngayon ang masasamang bagay na ginawa mo. What goes around, comes around, bitch!"

She slapped my face real hard. I smirked at her and only gave her a sharp stare. Inilapit lalo ni Sabrina ang mukha niya saakin. She held my chin.

"Gusto mo malaman ang totoo? Wala kang kakampi sa buhay na ito, Ericka. Everyone around you are fucking using you." Tumawa ito ng mapakla. "Masakit, hindi ba? Kapag nalaman mo na ginagamit kalang ng taong nasa paligid mo."

I licked my lower lip using my tongue. Mas lalo siyang inaasar. "Surprise that I'm not surprise at all," sagot ko. "And why do you think I'll believe you? When you're a freaking liar, too. Just like me."

Tumawa ng mapakla si Sabrina at binitawan ang pagkakahawak saakin. Naglakad ito sa kwarto at isinabunot ang kamay sa buhok. "You have an equal right the same with Greg in this organization."

Natahimik ako at pinanood siya sa paglalakad niya sa kwarto. I don't have the same rights. Isa lamang ako sa utusan niya. I became as powerful like his subordinate because I worked hard for it. Throughout the years, kinalimutan ko ang sarili ko just to earn that position.

"I don't."

Tumawa ulit ito. "Iyan ang inaakala mo. Gusto mo malamang ang dahilan?" Pumatong ito sa kama at gumapang papalapit sa pwesto ko. "Your evil father was once friends with Greg, Ericka. Three of them started the organization. Your father, Greg and Sonya."

Tila ako nabuhusan ulit ng malamig na tubig sa kinauupuan ko. My father? How come? And Sonya? Alam kong naging magkaibigan sila ng tatay ko pero hindi ko akalain na may koneksyon din siya kay Greg.

"It all went well nang magkagulo sila dahil sa pera," she continued. "Your father died. O sabihin na natin na pinapatay siya ni Greg para makuha niya ang posisyon na mayroon ang iyong ama."

I was slowly losing my breath again by her revelation. "You're fucking lying..." Hindi makapaniwalang saad ko.

"No, I'm not. Alam mo rin kung kailan ako nagsisinungaling," she told me proudly. "Sonya on the other hand move on with her life. She wanted to protect her son, kaya binigyan siya ni Greg ng magandang offer to sell her rights. She did. Well, look at her now and her son. They're wealthy people."

Napalunok ako. Hindi na ako mapakali sa kinauupuan ko. "If I find out you're lying---"

"I'm not the one lying here, you are," she cuts me off.

Sonya... Afterall, alam niya ang pangyayaring ito. Ngunit bakit hindi niya sinabi? And Rake... Bakit hindi sinasabi saakin ni Rake ito? Hindi sana kami dadating sa ganitong pangyayari kung may nagsabi lang saakin ng simula palang. Hindi na sana ako naging sunod-sunuran kay Greg.

I thought, growing up he only wanted to discipline me and work hard for what I want. Ngunit hindi. Ginawa niya rin ang salitang lagi niyang pinapaalala saakin. He made his enemies closer to him. And I am his greatest enemy.

"Alam mo rin ba kung bakit hindi nagsasalita si Sonya dito?" hinawakan niya ang magkabilang pisngi ko. "Dahil isa rin siyang mamamatay tao. She killed Rake's dad, Ericka. I guess that family will never be the same again after we spill this truth to Rake."

Bumitiw ito sa pagkakahawak saakin. I was left shocked. My face went white. I know, wala akong pakialam sa lahat ng bagay. But I'd changed. I cared for people I love now. No matter how much we have that love and hate relationship, ayokong masaktan si Rake ng ganito.

"At the end of the day, you are still fuck up, Ericka. Your story isn't going to end well," nilagay nito ang kamay sa likod. "So I better end you now and thank me later."

Bumunot ito ng baril mula sa likuran and she pointed it in my head. I stopped breathing. Hinihila ko parin ang tali mula sa kama. Inikot-ikot ko ang kamay ko kahit sobrang sakit na dahil sa higpit ng pagkakatali saakin. But I got this. I'd been in a situation like this multiple times before. I know the trick, I just needed to make it at the right time dahil kung hindi, mamamatay ako rito. I don't want to die.

"Who would have thought? Ako lang pala ang makakapatay sa'yo---"

Mabilis kong inagaw ang baril mula sa kamay niya nang tuluyan ko na matanggal ang tali sa namumula kong kamay. I pointed it on her forehead right away at dinaganan si Sabrina. I sitted on her both arms so she couldn't move.

Hindi ako nakakitaan ang kahit anong takot sa mukha niya. We were trained that way, to never show your emotions.

She just smirked at me. "Go on, kahit patayin mo ako. You can never escape here. Maraming tauhan si Greg sa labas ng pintuan na 'yan, Ericka."

I lowered my head to her and whispered to her ear. "I don't give a fuck, Sabrina. Pasalamat ka, I'm a changed person now. Hindi kita papatayin. That would be too good for your death, I'll make you suffer if ever we meet again, dear."

Hinila ko ang kamay niya at ibinaluktot iyon. She screamed because of pain. I covered her mouth at inabangan kung may taong papasok dahil sa pagsigaw niya. But I waited for a few minutes still no one open the door. Pinagpatuloy ko ang pagdikit sa dalawang kamay niya at itinali ito sa likuran niya. Sinigurado ko na sobrang higpit nito at hindi siya makakawala.

"Kahit anong gawin mo, hindi ka makakatakbo, Ericka. Alam mo kung saan lang din ang bagsak mo."

Hinawakan ko ang ulo niya at dinuldol iyon sa kama just to shut her freaking mouth. Nang matapos na ako ng tuluyan. Tinali ko ulit iyon sa headboard ng kama gaya ng ginawa nila saakin. Naglalaro na ang ngiti sa labi ko nang makatayo ako at pinagmamasdan siya na walang magawa.

Nilagay ko ang baril sa gilid ng suot ko. Tinaasan ko ng kilay si Sabrina. "Feel better now? Say thank you, master, for keeping me alive."

I winked at her at idinikit ang masking tape sa bibig niya upang hindi ito makapagsalita agad pag may nakahalata na wala na ako rito.

Tinalukbungan ko siya ng kumot at tinalikuran na siya upang lumabas. When I opened the door, I looked down. There were bloods spilling on the floor. Dahan-dahan ko sinundan ang direksyon kung saan iyon nagmumula. Napabalik ako papasok ng pintuan. There were lots of deadbodies, it was Greg's bodyguards. They were all dead and their head were all slashed out from their throat.

What made me more nervous was seeing the man who was wearing the mask walking towards my direction. Nanginginig tuhod akong pumasok sa cabinet at pinagkasya ang sarili. My whole body was shaking. I don't want to die that way. I needed to escape now.

Narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto at ang kanyang dahan-dahan na yapak. I covered my mouth to stop myself from making any noise. May maliit na butas ang cabinet kung saan kitang-kita ko kung paano hilahin ng lalaki ang kumot na tinalukbong ko kay Sabrina.

Her eyes widened in shock when she saw the man holding an axe. Sabrina was shaking her head and crying. I was waiting for him to talk to know who it was.

I needed to know him para malaman sino itong panibagong kaaway na sumulpot sa buhay ng mga taonv kaaway ko. Will he kill me too after her? Kaya ba siya andito? To finally end my life?

But he didn't last night. He already had the chance but did not. He only runaway. Anong kailangan ng lalaki saakin para buhayin ako?

A cold chill run my spine when the man's axe touched Sabrina's face. She was screaming inaudibly. He didn't tell her any word as I waited for his voice to talk.

I screamed silently when the man chopped her head over and over again as it rolled to the ground where I was hiding.

______

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