Identical Plot (Wicked Writer Series #7)

Chapter 4

She whined after she saw me. I showed to her the plastic bag of groceries I purchased for her that eventually made her jump and growl out of joy. By the look of her poor-teary eyes, there’s no doubt she’s famished.

“Hi there, Bitch. Did you guard our home well?” tanong ko sa kan’ya sabay himas sa ulo n’ya nang tuluyan s’yang makalapit sa ‘kin.

I bent on my knees to receive her answer by allowing her to lick my face. I somehow miss her. It’s been two weeks since I last visited her. Nitong nakaraang mga linggo ay naging okupado ako masyado sa bago kong career. I’m making a name in writing industry after all.

Matapos ko s’yang lambingin ay nilabas ko na ang sariwang karne ng baboy. Tumutulo pa ang mga dugo rito. Dahilan para mapadila s’ya sa kasabikan.

“Gutom na gutom?” nakangisi kong wika sa kan’ya. Pumungay lang naman ang mga mata n’ya bilang sagot.

I stood and walked towards the door to watch her while eating.
Bitch is a wolf which I found years ago when I first came here in this forest. At first, I thought she’s just a domestic dog. Since it’s so impossible to see an exotic wild animal in this forest. I haven’t heard any reports yet that there’s a wolf found here in Philippines. I guess Bitch is the first one.

Napailing na lang ako habang pinagmamasdan s’yang mangalahati sa pagkain ng sampung kilo ng karne. Maya-maya ay gumawi ang tingin ko sa kanang kamay ko. There’s a visible scar on it. A scar which I got from Bitch’s scratch when I first tried to hold her.

Umuulan noong una ko s’yang natagpuan na sumisilong sa ilalim nang malaking puno ng Acacia. She’s still a cub back then whining in hunger and cold. And because I thought she’s just a domestic dog, I unconsciously grabbed her immediately which shocked her and made her use her claws to defend herself.

Because she’s a wild one, I had a hard time in petting her. But after few several hours, and after I handed her a burger steak, I then successfully gained her trust. She’s frightening when you choose to look at the kind of animal she is. I even thought at the beginning that it’s impossible for me to make her my pet, but I eventually got her. So I made this cabin for her. Dahil hindi ko naman s’ya pwedeng i-uwi. Siguradong tatawagin lang akong baliw nila daddy. And I have no remorse in making a home for her, since she’s the best of all the best.
Nang gabing ‘yon ay hindi ako umuwi sa bahay. Natulog lang ako katabi ni Bitch habang pinagmamasdan ang buwan. She growled for a moment while feeling the moon’s light bathing her, but she eventually settled down and slept in my lap after a couple of hours.

Minsan, iniisip ko kung paano kung ako si Elly? Will mom and dad love me like how they love Elly now? Will my mom call me pretty too? Will they treat me like a baby like how they treat Elly? Probably yes. But the thing here is that, I am not Elly and will never be.

Kailanman ay hindi magbabago ang paningin nila mommy sa ‘kin. I will always be the stubborn and unlovable daughter. Well, I don’t give a damn about that tho. I don’t give a damn about me, being an unlovable daughter. Dahil kahit sila daddy ay hindi rin naman kamahal-mahal bilang mga magulang.

***
“Hi,” I turned my gaze to the girl standing before me. And her lenient eyes welcomed mine.

Bago sumagot ay ibinalik ko sa cellphone ang paningin ko. I don’t like staring at her eyes. It reminds me of Elly, giving me the urge to just pluck her eyes out.

“What do you need?” bruskong tanong ko sa kan’ya.

“Quit staring at me. I’m not a show,” pabalang na dagdag ko nang mapansin ko ang mga mata n’ya na nakapako sa ‘kin.

“U-hmm...I’m Loua I-”

“I didn’t ask your name. I asked what do you need,” pagputol ko sa tangkang pagpapakilala n’ya. My voice was stressing the every word I uttered.
Nang dumako ang tingin ko sa suot n’yang ID ay awtomatikong kumuyom ang mga kamao ko. Loua Alvarez...Elly’s so-called-bestfriend.

“If it’s about Elly, I’m out,” agad kong wika bago pa man s’ya
makapagsalitang muli. I slid the gore book I’m reading inside my bag and was about to leave the bench when she held my wrist.

“Are you not worried of your twin sister?” she asked with her voice obviously trying to sound not nervous.

“You’re not in the position to ask,” prangka kong sagot habang pilit hinahabaan ang pasensya ko sa kan’ya. Mahirap na at baka masakal ko s’ya ng wala sa oras.

“Pero dalawang araw na s’yang nawawala!” Marahas kong tinanggal ang kamay n’ya mula sa pagkakahawak sa pulsuhan ko. Liningon ko ang lokasyon ng mga mata n’ya saka ito binigyan ng isang nakakasindak na tingin. She immediately gasped and unconsciously took a step backwards. I grinned at what happened. She’s just like Elly. Stupid.

“M-mag..tatanong lang sana ako...kung may balita na ba tungkol sa p-pagkawala n’ya,” she stammered as she tried to elude her eyes from my sharp stare.

“Wala,” I answered in a concise manner and immediately left the mini forest of the campus.

Hindi na ako pumasok pa sa tatlong minor subjects ko at diretso akong umuwi sa bahay. At gaya nang inaasahan ko, sinalubong ako ni dad ng sermon.

“Where have you been, Melly? For christ’s sake! Hindi ka umuwi kagabi and your line is unreachable! Nawawala na nga ang kakambal mo at heto ka pa at gumagawa ng gulo,” sunod-sunod na wika ni dad habang ang mga laway n’ya ay tumatalsik sa mukha ko. Disgusting old hag.

“Gumagawa ng gulo? What are you talking about, Dad? I slept peacefully last night,” pangangatwiran ko na may halong sarkasmo. I slept peacefully with the lullaby of her groans.

“And you really have the guts of talking back?” he uttered back in a raging voice.

“You’re grounded!” sigaw n’ya pa. Hindi na ako nabigla pa o nabahala. I just walked away from him while leaving him with a smirk.

Sa halip na dumiretso ako sa kwarto ko ay tinunton ko ang daan papunta sa kwarto ni Elly. Pagkabukas ko ng pinto ay sumalubong sa 'kin ang nakakasukang kulay na pink na bumabalot sa kwarto n’ya. What a kid.

When my eyes landed in a smiling picture of her together with mom and dad placed in her bedside table, I felt my blood boiling in fury.

“I hate you!” malakas kong sigaw matapos basagin ang larawan nila. Hindi pa ako nakuntento roon at buong lakas kong inapa-apakan ang basag nitong mga bahagi.

Loua's eyes and the worry in her voice while asking about her, the whole campus’ hand in finding her, everyone in the university’s interrogation to me about her and mom and dad’s desperation in finding her just showed how much loved she is by many.

Habang ako ay ni hindi magawang mahalin ng sariling magulang. She took all the glory. She took everything and everyone that’s supposed to be mine. I’m unlovable. And that is her fault.

May you never be found, Elly, And if will, may you be found cold beside the Norville’s road. Like what happened to Gella...

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