My Sweet Little Monster

Chapter 5: Dealing With a Monster

I just stayed there frozen in shock, looking at the monster as he walked away from me. Slowly, I felt my legs falling and I dropped on the floor. My whole body was weak. My hands were still shivering.

'Monster,' my lips echoed my thoughts.

I turned around and spotted a white piece of cloth under my bed. I stretched my arm out and reached for it. Napansin kong pamilyar sa 'kin ang telang ito. Naalala ko na. Ito 'yong panyo kong hindi ko nadala sa school dahil hiniram sa 'kin ni Train. Bakit ganito na ang hitsura niya? Gutay-gutay na siya.

"Creepy!" Hinagis ko agad sa kung saan 'yong panyo dahil sa takot. Gano'n din ba ang mangyayari sa 'kin kapag kasama ko si Train? Matutulad din ba ako sa naging kapalaran ng panyong 'yon?

Gusto kong malaman ang mga sagot sa mga katanungan sa utak ko. Lumabas ako ng kuwarto at hinabol si Train. Paglabas ng pintuan ng bahay ay nakita ko siyang walang malay na nakahiga sa gilid ng aming hardin. Hindi siya gumagalaw.

"Train! Ayos ka lang ba?" Nag-aalalang tumakbo ako papunta sa puwesto niya.

"Raven..."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Train?" I looked at him and saw that his eyes were half open. Nanghihina pa rin siya.

"Raven... Can you come closer?"

Magtitiwala ba ko? Baka bigla niya ulit akong kagatin! But then again, look at the bright side, baka may continuation 'yong kiss.

"Raven..."

Naudlot bigla ang aking kalandian nang marinig ko ang boses ni Train.

"I'm losing my energy. I need you to come closer..."

Dahil nakahiga siya, inilapit ko na lang ang aking ulo sa kaniya. "O-Okay na ba 'to?" tanong ko habang pinagpapawisan at lihim na nananabik.

"No... I need you to lie down."

Ano raw, lie down? Ang bilis naman masyado nito!

"I'll explain everything to you, if you can just lie down..."

Sumunod naman ako at dahan-dahang humiga sa tabi niya.

"Thanks," mahinang wika niya.

OMG, bigla niya 'kong niyakap! My face is buried on his chest. Grabe, napakalawak ng dibdib niya. Feeling ko ay puwede akong maligaw rito.

"Raven... There's another side of me that you don't know," he explained and I nodded intently. "You see, you are now my master."

"Master?" I repeated.

"You could call me your 'pet' or something like that." Kahit nanghihina ay mabagal niyang ipinapaliwanag sa'kin ang aming situwasyon. "And when a 'pet' finds his master, he'll find it hard to leave that master's side."

I was listening carefully to his every word. "Hahanap-hanapin niya 'to. Particularly its master's scent. At kapag nagkaroon ng pagkukulang tulad ng masiyadong matagal na hindi niya kasama o naaamoy ang master niya..."

Tinignan niya ako nang diretso sa mga bata bago ituloy ang kaniyang sinasabi. "The pet would go berserk. Magwawala ito." Hinahaplos niya ulit ang buhok ko. "That's what happened earlier."

Nahirapan akong lumunok at tila may nagbara sa lalamunan ko dahil hindi ko agad matanggap ang kaniyang mga paliwanag.

"You know what? A master is like a drug to the pet. Hindi ito mapakali kapag hindi nito kasama ang master niya," he continued. "You're my drug, Raven."

"P-Puwedeng magtanong?" I raised my hand. "Kakainin ba ng pet ang master niya kapag sobrang nagutom ito?"

He laughed at my silly question. "That's what we are trying to control here. The 'hungry' pet who longs for its master's scent wouldn't be able to control itself when the master finally comes back."

Ako naman ang nagtuloy ng kaniyang paliwanag base sa pagkakaintindi ko. "So kanina, dahil sobrang nagkulang ako sa'yo... you were in a rage to meet all those needs?"

Tumango siya at tinapik ang ibabaw ng aking ulo bilang pagkomenda sa sagot ko. "Yes, isipin mo na lang na may isang tao na hindi pinakain nang ilang araw, tapos biglang may iniharap sa kaniya na isang mahabang lamesa na punong-puno ng pagkain."

Tinuloy ko ulit ang kaniyang halimbawa. "I can imagine that person, gulping down every food at wala siyang ititira kahit katiting na buto."

"Exactly, Raven. That's what happened earlier. Kaya muntik na kitang—"

"Muntik mo na 'kong kainin?" I asked.

"No. Hindi naman kami kumakain ng laman ng tao."

"Eh ano'ng hinahanap niyo sa master niyo?" I tilted my head in curiosity.

"Scent..." He traced his nose over the length of my neck. "Taste..." He pressed his lips softly against my ear. I felt the tip of his tongue for a second. "Touch..." The back of his finger brushed over my jawline. "Anything that can satisfy our five senses."

I licked my lip and gulped. I couldn't help but get turned on by what he just did. "Five senses? Tatlo lang ang sinabi mo."

"Well, the sight of you helps keep me sane. As for the sound..." He lightly nibbled on my exposed collarbone, making me moan. "There you have it."

Oh my god, hihimatayin yata ako. Hindi nga siya magugutom, pero tila ako naman ang manghihina!

"Raven..."

"Yes?" tugon ko sa pagtawag niya sa'kin.

"Raven, I'm still hungry..." Tumingin ulit siya nang diretso, pero ngayon, nakita kong medyo nawawalan na ng kulay ang kaniyang mga mata.

"A-Ano'ng gusto mong gawin ko?" My voice cracked.

"Feed me."

What? Feed him? Ano ako, nanay tapos may newborn child? "H-How?" tanong ko naman na gumugusto rin.

"Masters feed their pets by giving them affection," he stated.

"You want affection?" tanong ko sa dulo ng paglunok.

Tumango siya habang nakatingin sa'kin.

Oh gosh, is he asking me to kiss him? Wah! Wait—or is it me who is actually asking for it?

Hindi pa ako nakakapagdesisyon sa gagawin ay bigla niya nang kinuha ang kamay ko. He then started to lick it, finger by finger. Sometimes he even nibbles on them.

A master feeds her pet by giving him affection—or her body, I guess. We just stayed there lying on the grass. Slowly, his hunger started fading away by licking my fingers.

Tinitingnan ko kung pa'no niya dilaan isa-isa ang mga daliri ko. Sinubukan kong tikman 'yung isang daliri sa kabilang kamay ko. "Puweh! Ang pangit ng lasa!"

Train chuckled, "Nagbibiro ka ba? Ang sarap mo kaya." He smirked once again.

I curled my lips, trying to hide my blushing face and reddish ears.

"Raven, if you try to go away again for so long, you might encounter the beast in me again," paalala niya.

"Okay, I'll be careful." Naalala ko bigla 'yong hitsura ng panyo ko na gutay-gutay. "I'll be very very careful!"

"And in exchange, I'll protect you," he told me. Mas nagulat ako sa sunod niyang sinabi. "Especially from your mother. I just don't trust her scent."

Tatanungin ko pa sana siya ulit ngunit pagtingin ko sa kaniya, tulog na pala si Train. Napakapayapa niya kung matulog. Para bang wala siyang malay sa mundo. He's back to that innocent, child-like Train once again. How cute.

"Train..." It's my turn to stroke his hair.

From now on, I'll be dealing with this monster.