Snow White is a Gangster (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 5: Captured

Chapter 5: Captured

I felt him waking up as I put the food I brought on the table. It was seven in the morning and everyone outside this tree house was already busy.

"How did you manage to sneak in here without a sound?" Tanong niya nang makaupo sa kama. Ipinagpatuloy ko ang paglalagay ng iba pang mga pagkain sa cupboard. These food would be enough for three days.

"Your personal needs are in the bathroom," wika ko. It was a good thing that my tree house offered a small bathroom. I always thought that it would come in handy. I muffled a yawn before looking back at him. "You can have your breakfast now. You must be hungry," muli kong sabi. Hindi sya kumilos sa kanyang kinalalagyan. Tinapunan lang niya ng tingin ang mga pagkain bago ibinalik sa akin ang kanyang paningin.

"It's Christmas," wika niya.

"Yes, it is."

"Kailangan ko nang umuwi sa amin. Hinahanap na ako ng pamilya ko."

Malalim na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ko bago ko siya sinagot. "Hindi lang ang pamilya mo ang naghahanap sa'yo." I matched the seriousness of his tone. "You can't go home yet."

"You can't just put me in a cage." A controlled anger hinted at his voice subalit hindi ko pa rin binago ang reaction ko.

"This cage would make you alive for now. Everyone will be running for your neck once you're out in the open," seryoso kong sagot.

"Why are you keeping me alive then?"

I stared at him with blank emotion. He should have been dead yesterday. I was just prolonging his life. "Because there's something I need and I could use you. I borrowed you from death. It's up to me kung kailan kita isasauli." Fear and hopelessness crossed his face. He was still a traitor. I should always remember that.

Hindi na siya muling nagsalita kung kaya't ipinasya kong bumalik na lang sa mansion. There would be visitors coming and Dad—as usual—would introduce us to them proudly, like we were the most wonderful treasures he'd ever owned in his lifetime.

"So you didn't saved me," narinig kong muli ang tinig niya na dahilan upang muli akong tumingin sa kanya.

"You're not worth saving," sagot ko at saka tuluyang tumalikod at lumabas ng tree house. I locked it quickly and walked back to the mansion. It was cold and the view from that woody part of the mansion made it seem colder. It was December after all. It was both my favorite and most hated season.

At katulad ng iniisip ko, abala ang halos lahat ng mga tao sa mansion maliban kay Wycliffe na nakaupo sa sofa at nakatitig sa mga regalo sa ilalim ng Christmas Tree. I walked towards him at umupo sa tabi niya.

"Are you trying to burn all those gifts and the Christmas tree with your mind?" I asked. Hindi niya ako nilingon. Nanatili pa rin siya sa kanyang posisyon. I smiled and hugged him from behind. "Merry Christmas, little brother," I whispered. It felt so good being around him. I could just be my true self that I deny very often. I could wear my heart out when I was beside him.