SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX (Cleaning Up)

Truth starts with truth and ends with truth - Santosh Kalwar

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Elodie's POV 

            I knew Martin knew I was in trouble.

            I could see it his eyes. In his actions. He was agitated. He kept on shaking his head while looking at the clothes with full of blood stains. He picked up the gun that I used to shoot Pol and checked it. I heard him cursed and looked at me.

            "You used this gun? This is the one you used to shoot him?" Paniniguro niya.

            Tumango at lumakas ang pagmumura ni Martin.

            "I gave you this gun for self-defense. I didn't tell you to use this to kill someone randomly," ramdam ko ang gigil sa boses niya.

            "I-I don't have anything to use. I mean, ayoko na siyang barilin pero kinuha niya 'yong kamay ko tapos inilagay niya ang baril sa bibig niya. Yes, I wanted to kill him, but when I saw that he was in pain, I had second thoughts. Ang bilis ng pangyayari," kinakabahang katwiran ko.

            "Shit." Napakamot ng ulo si Martin at napahinga ng malalim. Dinukot nito ang telepono at iiling-iling na may tinawagan.

            Wala akong magawa kundi ang maupo lang habang nakatingin sa kanya. Halatang-halata na nagpipigil lang ng umaalsang inis. Nakagat-kagat ko ang mga daliri ko at talagang nagsisisi ako sa nagawa ko. Hindi talaga ako dapat nagpadala sa emosyon ko. Ngayon ito ang consequence ng ginawa ko.

            Nagsisisi ka? Ang mga taong bumaboy sa iyo, walang katiting na pagsisisi. Tama lang ang ginawa mo.

            Nahawakan ko ang ulo ko dahil iyon na naman ang tumatakbo sa isip ko.

            "Fucking Laxamana. Bakit ba ang hirap-hirap nitong ma-kontak?" Alam kong sarili lang nagsasalita si Martin pero ramdam kong ang inis niya ay para sa akin.

            "Come on! Pick up your phone!" Malakas na ang boses niya. Muli ay nag-dial ito sa hawak na telepono at maririin ang pagpipindot doon.

            Nakita ko ang relief sa mukha ni Martin nang siguro ay may sumagot na sa tinatawagan niya. Tinapunan niya ako ng tingin tapos ay napailing.

            "I need a favor."

            Nanatili akong nakatingin sa kanya habang seryoso siyang nakikipag-usap.

            "Siyempre sa'yo lang ako hihingi ng tulong. Kanino pa ba? You gave me this second chance and you're the only one I've got this time." Napahinga ng malalim si Martin at bahagyang kumalma. "She needed help and I'll help her in anyway I can. And if I need help, I run to you."

            Napapakit-pikit ako habang nanatiling nakatitig kay Martin. Pakiramdam ko ay nakahanap ako ng kakampi nang marinig ko ang sinabi niyang iyon.

            She needed help and I'll help her in anyway I can.

            Hindi ko namalayan na namuo na ang luha sa mga mata ko habang nakatitig sa kanya. No one ever did that to me. No one ever tried to help me during those times that I was trying to heal myself. And hearing those words from him, I felt I was special. Someone was going to help me.

            Well, someone did save me back then, but I didn't know who he or she was. But this time, someone was here. Someone will stay with me. Will help me.

            I knew Martin was good looking, but right now, mas lalong nag-iba ang tingin ko sa kanya. I felt something woke up in me and it was like I was seeing him for the first time. His well-trimmed hair, his bushy eyebrows, his deep-set brown eyes, his pointed nose. And those lips. I bit my lower lip while I was looking at him talking on the phone and I kept on looking at his red lips. I remembered I tasted those. When I pretended, I was drowning, and he gave me a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.