Trigger warning: contains reference of sexual abuse and panic attack

Chapter 15: Whiplash

Natulala ako ng ilang segundo sa tanong niya before I gathered the courage to stare away. Serve a master... but I own myself now... Zackary said I didn't have to go back.

"I should have asked for you to be mine the first time you came here." His low chuckle filled my ears. "Don't you want it? You'll be serving the next beta."

Umiling ako, pilit tinago ang panginginig ng aking mga kamay. Ang  ngiti niya sa labi, tila natutuwa siyang paglaruan ang takot ko. Pinagmasdan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa.

"I'll be a good master." He placed one of his palm on my leg and smiled at my trembling state. "I'll teach you a lot of things... things you would also enjoy."

Tuluyan akong tumayo. "S-Stay away from me," I voiced out.

Napatitig siya sa'kin, hindi inaasahan ang mga salitang lumabas sa bibig ko. Pero sa halip na magalit, tumaas ang kilay niya at mas lumapad ang ngiti sa kanyang labi.

Tumayo siya mula sa bench. Umatras ako palayo sa pagaakalang lalapit siya. But he walked away, smiling. Bago siya nakalayo muli siyang nagsalita.

"Consider my proposition."

Bumagsak ako sa panghihina nang muling umupo sa bench. Like a whiplash, bumabalik ang takot sa buo kong katawan. Kung siya ang susunod na beta... could he really make me serve him?

Nang bahagya akong kumalma, isang boses ang narinig ko. "Elya! Elya!"

Little Vincent approached me with a large cookie in his little palm. Sinubukan kong ibalik ang ngiti ko. "Hello, Vincent." Pinakita niya sa'kin ang hawak na pagkain na pinutol niya sa dalawa saka niya binigay ang kalahati sa'kin.

"For me? Ang bait mo naman..." Bigla siyang humawak sa'kin, ang kamay niya hila ang isa kong daliri habang naglalakad. "Saan tayo pupunta?"

Napansin ko ang isang sasakyan sa driveway na kadarating lang. Lumabas si Zackary, donning a familiar respectable aura. Even with casual clothes of dark pants and white button down shirt folded at the elbows, his tall physique and refined movement stood out among the guests greeting him.

"Zacky!" Vincent let go of my hand to run to him.

"Hey there, kiddo." Zackary lifted him up with ease, letting him sit on one of his arms. People gushed upon seeing them. Vincent might be the luckiest kid in this town, surrounded by powerful people at such young age.

Binigay ni Vincent kay Zack ang hawak na kalahating cookies. "I'm sharing."

"Thanks, kid." Inabot ni Zack ang ulo ng bata, messing with his ringlets of hair.

"Elya, too. I gave her."

Bumaling sa'kin si Zackary, while I try to avert my gaze from him. I wanted to tell him about Callahan, about my fear, pero hindi ko ito pwedeng gawin.

Anabeth came back after a while, nagrereklamo sa kinahinatnan ng pagbati niya. Nagpaalam ako kay Vincent bago pinuntahan ang nakasimangot na si Anabeth.

"Ano'ng problema?"

"Naaasar lang," she muttered, hands folded in front of her chest. "Kung makapag-compare sila, anong akala nila-" Natigilan siya nang mapatingin sa likuran ko. "Ano'ng meron?"

Nagtaka ako sa tanong niya. "Meron saan?"

"Nakatingin si Sir Zackary dito. What's with all this strange tension between you two? Noon ko pa ito napapansin mula noong nanggaling tayo sa village."

"Ano'ng ibig mong sabihin?"

Bigla siyang lumapit sa'kin, nudging me by the rib with a silly smile. "Have you noticed how he stared at you?"

I blinked. "Did I do something wrong?"

Natunaw ang ngiti sa labi ni Anabeth. She gave me a pointed look before sighing. "Kawawa ang magkakagusto sa'yo no? You wouldn't recognize someone's feelings for you even if it smack you right in the face," she muttered. "Tara na nga, ikain nalang natin 'to."

Sumunod ako sa kanya papunta sa table ng pagkain. Habang nasa party tinulungan din namin si Ms. Venise sa paghahanda ng pagkain at pagaasikaso sa mga bisita. I helped served the food while Anabeth entertained the kids with her made-up monster stories. Even Vincent was attentively listening habang nakaupo sila sa blanket sa damuhan.

"There's no muffins left," bulong ni Ms. Venise nang makita ang empty tray sa table. She was about to go to the house to refill it nang bigla siyang tawagin ng mga bagong dating na bisita.

"I'll do it," I offered.

Bumaling siya sa'kin, a visible smile on her face. "Thank you, Eleanor. They're at the kitchen counter, the door at the left side of the living room."

Pinuntahan niya ang mga bisita para batiin while I walked with the empty tray back to the house. Pumasok ako sa loob ng bahay mula sa nakabukas na pinto sa patio kung nasaan ang mga elders kanina. The house was incredibly homey from the inside, with colorful sofas and velvet settees, embroidered curtains in tall windows, walls covered in floral wallpaper and several landscape paintings.

Napalingon sa'kin ang ilang matatanda na nakaupo sa living room, having conversation, while they sip their drinks in colorful teacups. Bahagya akong yumuko bilang paggalang.

"She's the girl?"

Nakarating sa pandinig ko ang kanilang bulungan.

"The stray... the one who used to serve owners..."

Napansin ko ang kanilang pag-iling habang naguusap. Kinagat ko ang labi ko, roaming my eyes, searching for the kitchen. I saw the door Ms. Venise was referring to, with the smell of pastries coming from the  room.

Bago pumasok sa kusina, muli ko silang narinig.

"What are they even thinking, letting her in our town?"

Once inside the kitchen, pinatong ko ang tray at kumapit sa table. Ilang beses akong huminga nang malalim para kumalma. It's okay... I could stay here...

Pumunta ako sa mga bagong bake na muffins sa cooling rock sa tabi ng oven. Habang maingat na nilalagay isa-isa ang mga ito sa tray, biglang may pumasok sa kusina. Pagharap ko, Callahan was in front of me.

"I see..." His voice... he's so close his breath was fanning my face. "So your impulse to serve didn't fade."

May inabot siya sa likod ko, forcing contact with our bodies. I had one hand on the tray and the other one behind me, holding tight to the counter.

"I heard the elders talked about you..." He leaned next to my ear, whispering the next words. "They won't think of such if you agree to serve me, just like your old job."

Umiling ako habang nakatitig sa kanya. "I... I won't."

Napangiti siya, napapailing. "You're only here for two months and you gained the guts to disagree with people higher than you. That's remarkable."

With only the tray between us, he reached out for my face, gently brushing my skin with his palm. I whimpered, staring at him, eyes wide with fear.

"Serve me and I'll teach you everything you have to know to please your master."

Natulala ako sa sinabi niya, tila binuhusan ako ng nagyeyelong tubig. Bumagsak ang tray ng muffin sa sahig, habang nakatitig sa kanya, shaking.

Inabot niya ang braso ko para hawakan. "So what do you say?"

A punch hit him in the jaw. Callahan stumbled back. Natumba siya sa mga cooling rock and the remaining pastries fell on the floor. I gazed at the person in the cramped kitchen with us.

Zackary...

Callahan wiped the blood off the corner of his lips, smiling. "How  strange, Zackary, for you to lose control like this."

Tumayo siya nang maayos, straightening his shirt as if nothing happened. "Why don't you give me this slave instead? She will be of greater use... or are you keeping her for yourself?"

"Fuck off!" The growl from Zackary resonated in the whole kitchen.

Napaupo ako sa sahig, hands clasped against my ear. Zackary gripped Callahan's collar pero hindi ko na gustong makita o marinig ang mga nangyayari.

I shake my head. Pumikit ako at nanginginig na tinakpan nang mabuti ang tenga ko, pero naririnig ko parin sila. Narinig ko ang mga yapak sa pintuan ng kusina, ang mga boses ng mga taong nagtatanong.

"Good heavens, what's happening here?"

Nanatili ako sa sahig, trying to make myself small as much as possible, trying to not exist.

"Eleanor..."

I opened my eyes to see Zackary in front of me, his knees against the floor, staring at my panic-stricken face habang hawak ang dalawa kong palad na tinatakpan ang tenga ko.

"Sshh... calm down."

Nanatili akong nakatitig sa kanya. Alam kong kinakausap niya ako, madaming mga matang nakatingin sa'min, pero wala akong marinig, walang maramdaman. Sunod-sunod ang pagbagsak ng luha sa mga mata ko.

Bumalot sa'kin ang braso ni Zack, pulling me close to his chest in an embrace.

"No one can hurt you. You're safe now..."

***