Murmurs after murmurs. Nagising ako nang dahil doon. But still, I remained unmoved and my eyes were still closed. And I felt like I'm having a hard time opening it. Or even my muscles, my whole body. Argh. Teka, ano bang nangyare at ganito ang nararamdaman ko?

"I can't believe you! You almost got killed by that freak pero siya pa ang kakampihan mo?!" Someone shrieks from somewhere. Palagay ko ay di kalayuan sa akin. Mas lalo tuloy akong nagising.

Wait! Asaan ba ko? Pinakiramdamam ko ang paligid at napansing nakahiga ako sa isang malabot na kama. Parang gusto ko tuloy bumalik sa pagkakatulog.

"Ssh. Tone down your voice. You're going to wake her." Saad ng isa na pawang mas malapit sa kinahihigahan ko dahil dinig ko ang boses niya kahit hininaan niya lamang ito. It's a guy and really sounds familiar, anyway. Maya-maya ay may naramdaman akong umupo sa gilid ng kama. Sino ba 'tong mga 'to at dito pa nila naisipang mag-away?

"Eh kasi naman! Bakit ako pa ang pinapagalitan mo?! It's just low a watchedfrom my toy!" Giit pa niya uli. Boses babae. At hindi ko masundan ang pinag-uusapan nila. On the second thought, wala pala talaga akong balak intindihin ito.

Basta alam kong may mga nagsasalita, mga boses. Pero walang tumatatak sa isip ko. It's like my mind is a little awake but my body isn't. But I really feel like I'm awake. Wala lang akong lakas para gumalaw.

Another hushing sound before someone spoke, "I said keep quiet. And what do you mean low blow? You hit her with that damn thing on her head for fuck's sake." Ramdam ang pagtitimpi sa kalamado nitong boses. Sinubukan ko namang bumalik sa pagkakatulog. I felt really tired.

"Excuse me! You asked for help. Ako na nga tumulong, ako pa masama? Look at your face. I've never seen you like that, almost battered. Noong nga, hindi ka lang madaplisan ni Ashton sa mga laban niyo. But her! What if hindi ako dumating? You'll be dead by now by that bitch!"

"Don't call her like that." Seryosong wika nong lalaki.

"And what should I call her? Psychopath?" The girl said sarcastically. Isang katahimikan bago siya muling magsalita. "Hey, stop glaring at me! You can't blame me 'cause I heard lots of rumors about her. And now, I witnessed it with my own eyes. She's a monster, a dangerous killer. Plano ka niyang patayin. If I were you, I would kill her before she--"

"Shut the fuck up, Aspen." Kontoroladong saad ng kausap nong babae. Aspen? Kinda familiar. Saan ko na ba narinig iyon? "You know nothing. The bottom line here is you hit her with that. What if you hit something sensitive on her head. Paano kung magkaroon ng komplekasyon sa utak niya. What if--"

"You're just paranoid."

"Yes, of course. I'm always paranoid when it comes to her." Mahinang saad nong lalaki na halos 'di ko na marinig. "I've been protecting her with my life since the very first time I saw her. And you just hit her with that fucking baseball bat." Dagdag nito. Sunod akong nakaramdam ng bagay na humaplos sa aking pisngi.

Nagkaroon ng katahimikan. Sawakas! I can now go back to sleep peacefully.

Halos makamit ko na ang inaasam kong pagbalik sa pagkakatulog ay bigla akong nahila muli palayo rito. First I heard were small, girly chuckles. But then, it eventually turned into vicious laughs.

"So, it's true. Hanggang ngayon pala ay siya pa rin.You're smitten...really bad." Ani nong babae na pawang 'di makapaniwala sa nalaman. "Pero ang pinagkakataka ko ay paano? How? How can you fall for that creature? I... I mean she's a monster. Pinapatay niya kahit na sino based on her records that I saw. She's dangerous. Too dangerous. I-I can't believe the org. created something like her." Mahina at kalmado nang saad niya.

"No, you're wrong. Walang kinalaman ang mafia sa kaya niyang gawin. They can't train her properly before 'cause she won't take orders, mostly. At hindi niya iyon kailangan. She knows how to kill already at a very young age."

"What do you mean?"

Why can't they just shut up? I can't go back to sleep anymore.

"Her killing ability," Rinig ko ang pagbungtong-hininga nito bago nagpatuloy, "she's born with it...live with it." He said. "Hindi ito malabong mangyare. Both of her parents were a pro. It runs on her blood."

Pinakiramdaman kong muli ang aking katawan. I think I need to fully wake up now to teach these motherfucking morons a lesson for depriving me of my sleep.

Sinubukan kong i-galaw ang aking mga daliri. Sunod ang unti-unting pagmulat ng akig mga mata. Noong una ay nahirapan ako. I only saw a fraction of small light. But then I open my eyes forcefully to see a gloomy white ceiling.

"S-She's awake, Devon."

Nalipat ang tingin ko sa nagsalita. She's standing in front of the bed I'm laying on. And she has this bothering white hair color, holding a baseball bat.

"Aurora," My eyes shifted to the guy sitting beside me. It was Demon...with bandages on his face? "How do you feel?" He continued. Why is he asking me how I feel? Ano bang nangayare at---

Oh, hell! Memories rush rapidly on my mind. From how close I can kill him to this girl called Aspen hitting my head with her baseball bat. Nagsalubog ang aking mga kilay at unti-unting nanglilisik ang aking paningin.

"Aurora, how do you feel?" Devon asked again. Concern was evident on his voice. But for me, rage is building up. At isa lang ang tumatakbo sa isip ko ngayon. Isa lang ang nais kong gawin.

"I feel like..." My voice is hoarse and dry. I look at the girl named Aspen and gritted my teeth. "I feel like I'm... GOING TO KILL SOMEONE!" I said furiously and lunged to her.

But I stopped in the midair as I was pulled back abruptly to bed. I saw Aspen slightly shocked face before shifting it to blankness.

"Damn." I murmured when a certain part of my head aches like hell. And when I noticed that both of my wrists were tied up from the metallic headboard using the handcuff. Huh? Masamang kong tinignan si Devon na prenteng nakaupo malapit sa tabi ko. He's not connected to me anymore. "You fucking liar!" I exclaimed to him with death glares. And sabi niya ay naiwan sa apartment ang susi!

Tinaasan niya lamang ako ng kilay. "I'm not lying. Nakita mo namang tinapon ko ang susi sa apartment niyo." Depensa nito.

"Tsk. Never heard of spare keys?" Sarkastikong dagdag pa nong Aspen. Pinaglalaruan na nito ang hawak nitong baseball bat.

"No," Sagot ko, "but have you heard death? It screams your name. You'll surely feel it any minute now." I stared at her like I'm already slaying her head off her body. Ramdam kong naapektuhan ito at pinilit na pinatapang ang sarili. I smirked.

"Tell that to the poor girl laying and trapped helplessly on a bed." She countered.

"Well, then, you should take advantage of the situation. Run. Run away from that poor girl as far as you can. 'Cause that 'poor girl laying and trapped helplessly on a bed' will be the cause of your death." I smiled playfully at her. Gustong-gusto ko ng makawala sa kinalalagyan ko at ng mapaslang ko na siya. This bitch... Kung 'di siya dumating ay sana naliligo na ng sarili niyang dugo si Devon ngayon. Wala na sana akong iisiping problema, tsk.

Magsasalita pa sanang muli si Aspen pero natigil na siya ng demonyong asa tabi ko, "Stop it, you two." Sabay napabaling ang tingin naming dalawa kay Devon. Well, in my case, kailangan kong tumingala. "Bakit ka pala napadpad dito, Aspen?" Tanong nito sa kanya.

"Well, mayroon kasing nakarating saming balita. They said you brought the legendary assassin here. I got curious and so I came here to check. Hindi ko naman naisip na dadatnan ko kayo sa ganoong sitwasyon." Umirap siya bago muling magsalita. "By the way, I think legendary psychopath suits her more." Tumingin siya sakin ng may panunuya. "Hindi nababagay ang titulong binigay sa kanya sa underground society. She doesn't hold any principles of an assassin. Ni hindi ito marunong sumunod sa patakaran ng organisasyon, lalong-lalo na sa pinuno nito." Dagdag niya at tinaasan pa ako ng kilay.

I smirk menacingly at her, "Fuck that title and your stupid principles." I said slowly, making sure that my words were clear just to make it sink in to her empty head. "I'm only the boss of myself. Perhaps I'm not to be considered as an assassin, I don't care. I only took lives away, benefited or not. And sure thing I can prove it to you."

"Prove it, then." Hamon nito.

"Remove the shackles and I'll show you." Nagsukatan kami ng tingin.

"No." Devon interfered authoritatively. "Aurora's just compelling you, Aspen. Mas mabuti kong bumalik ka muna sa headquarters." Saad nito sa kanya. Right, make her leave this place before I'll get loose.

"I will. It's past midnight. Hinihintay ko lang si Ashton." Sagot nito at humikab. Wait, so it's already past midnight? Ilang oras ba akong nawalan ng malay?

"Ashton?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Devon. "He's coming here? Why?"

"Like me, he heard the news. May tatapusin lang daw itong misyon bago pumunta dito."

Tinuon ko na lang ang aking pansin sa malamig na bagay na dumidikit sa leeg ko. It's a cold compress. It fell when I rose up a while ago.

"He doesn't have to come." Matabang na saad ni Devon. "Tell him we already left."

"Why—" A buzzer rang, interrupting their conversation. "Well, speaking of the devil."

"'Wag mo siyang papasukin." Utos ng demonyo. Sino ba yang Ashton na yan at parang ayaw niya makita? Kahit ang babaeng puti ang buhok ay naguguluhan sa inuutos ni Devon.

"But you know him. He'll probably just break the door any minute now." Her statement was true. 'Cause after a few buzzes, the person behind the door is knocking furiously. Devon tsk'ed the situation. Wala na ring nagawa si Aspen kundi umalis sa kwartong ito upang pagbuksan ang nagwawala sa labas ng unit.

Naiwan kaming dalawa. Devon suddenly lifted the cold compress and placed it back on my head. "Masakit pa ba?" Marahan nitong tanong. I can't keep myself but to roll my eyes at him. Of course it does, but not like the extreme pain I felt a while ago.

"I almost killed you, Demon." I said instead and stared at the bandages on his face. His features are still striking even at this angle. Those little bruises on the side of his lips didn't even damage his looks.

"Yeah. I didn't see that coming. You really have different ways to trick me." Naalala ko tuloy ang muntikan ring katapusan niya sa kusina ng mansyon niya. Everything was almost. Bakit ba 'di ito matuloy-tuloy?

Sabay kaming napalingon sa mga pumasok. Aspen is now with the guy, probably Ashton. At pareho sila ng kulay ng buhok. Seriously? What's with hair dyes?

They're arguing. "You could wait, Sis." Saad nito kay Aspen bago tuluyang mapatingin sa kinaroroonan namin.

"But I'm already sleepy, Ashton." Giit naman nito. Siguro ay gumagawa ito ng paraan para umalis itong si Ashton gaya ng pinag-uutos ni Devon.

Pero di niya ito pinansin. Sa halip ay sumilay ang ngisi sa kanyang mga labi habang nakatingin samin ni Devon. "What happen to your face?" Tanong nito sa katabi ko.

"None of your business." Malamig na sagot ni Devon. Ito ay ikinatawa naman nong isa.

"Ashton!" Saway naman ni Aspen. She then murmured something to him.

"C'mon! He's our cousin. I don't need to address him like a--"

"Ssh!" Aspen cut him off. "Still!" She exclaimed. Tila wala namang narinig ang lalaking kausap nito. Ashton is now staring at me.

"I saw you again, Babe." He said and wink at me. The spotlight turned to me abruptly. I just remain emotionless. Mukhang nagkita na kami ng isang 'to. Pero wala akong matandaan. Isa lang ang naalala ko sa pahayag nito. He called me Babe, I just remembered Jake.

"What do you mean you saw her again?" Tanong ni Devon. Pati si Aspen ay naghihintay ng sagot.

"Years ago, she had a mission. It's a solo-mission, but I was sent for backup 'cause Monteverdi is not available. The least I remember is that she burned the building to kill the targets. Naalala mo ba?" He asked me. Hindi ako sumagot pero naalala ko ang ihinayag nito. "Hindi? I talked to you. I told you that I was sent to help you. But you said your going to kill me if I won't leave the place in a minute." Saad nito at humalakhak sa sariling kwento. Pinanood lang naming siyang matapos.

"So it seems you did what I have told you since your standing in front of me now." Kung ganong ay isa din siyang assassin. Marahil ay kapatid niya itong si Aspen dahil tinawag niya itong 'Sis', magkamukha din silang dalawa. At pinsan nila si Devon? Pero parang di sila magkasundo.

"Not really. I just hid and watched you kill them. I even saw you slashing the former underboss of Dark Clan, Christian Lewis. Ring a bell?"

"No." Bored kong sagot.

"How about James Montague?" Tanong nitong muli. I just remained silent and my silence means no. "So you don't remembered any of your past targets?"

"I only remember the names of those to be killed in the near future. And the girl beside you is included." Binalingan ko ng tingin si Aspen na nananahimik sa tabi nito. Sumama ang tingin nito sa akin. Napatingin din si Ashton sa kanya. Maybe not now but when we'll see each other again and I'm not shackled like this, I'll smash her with her own baseball bat.

"Hey, why is my twin sister included?" Nagtatakang tanog nito. Oh, so they are twins. The explain the huge resemblance.

"That's enough. The both of you are done. Pwede na kayong umalis." Devon interrupted dismissively. Walang gumalaw sa kanilang dalawa. But then Ashton seems don't want to dismiss the conversation yet.

"By the way, what's with shackles? Why is she chained?" Walang sumagot sa tanong nito. Tumikhim si Aspen at nagsalita.

"Kailangan na nating umalis, Ashton. Mom's waiting." She told him. Tumango naman ito bago bumaling sa akin.

"I'll just see you tomorrow then, Babe." Wika nito sa akin.

"We're leaving later morning." Devon informed. Napatingin naman ako sa kanya. Ha, mabuti naman kung ganon.

"Really, Babe?" Tanong nito sakin na pawang kailangan ko pang segundahan ang pahayag ni Devon. Napatingin naman silang lahat sakin at naghihintay ng sagot.

"You really sounds like Jake when your calling me Babe." Komento ko na lamang.

"Who's Jake?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Devon. His look directly at me. Hindi niya kilala ang empleyado niya? Sabagay wala lang sa kanya ang restawran na iyon.

"Her boyfriend, perhaps." Ngisi ni Ashton. Tumalim naman ang tingin ni Devon.

"She doesn't have a boyfriend." Depensa nito bago pa ako makapagsalita. He sounds really sure.

"How did you know?" Kaya nga. Paano niya alam.

"Yeah. How did you now?" I asked too. Not that I have one. Bago pa makuha ni Ashton ang sagot ay tinulak na siya ni Aspen palabas sa kwarto.

"We need to go." Saad nito at tuluyan niya ng nailabas ni Ashton. Next thing we heard is the closing of another door. Then, silence. Mukhang nakaalis na nga sila.

Gumalaw si Devon at may kinuha sa bulsa nito. I stared at it. And it's a key! He then bend down to reach the handcuff. He's going to remove it?

"The area had beed cleared. I-babalik na kita sa apartment niyo. I guess there is no reason now for you to run away from me." Mahinang wika nito. I just tsk'ed him, waiting for him to finally unlock the chain. Hindi niya na rin sinagot ang tanong namin.

Nang sawakas ay matanggal ito ay agad akong napaupo sa kama. I stared at my wrists. Red marks are showing. Though I now feel free. I spread my arms and stretched. Sunod kung kinapa ang natamaan sa ulo ko. Nakaramdam ako ng bahagyang bukol at masakit pa rin ito.

Tumingin ako kay Devon na pinagmamasdan lang ang mga galaw ko. Dahan-dahan niyang kinuha ang aking mga kamay at pinagtapat ito. He trace the red lines on my wrist, "Dapat ay di na lang kita dinala dito." Saad nito na pinagtataka ko.

"Buti naiisip mo." Sarkastikong sagot ko na lamang sakanya, "Kaya umalis na tayo ngayon din."

"Mamaya na, pagsikat ng araw. For now, let's rest."