Mirage

thirty eight

Sam was walking back and forth at the parking lot with the other girls. They were currently at Aliyah's workplace parking lot

They had just gone to all the places Aliyah could have been which weren't a lot. Sam was panicking and was already thinking of calling the police but they can't since it hasn't been 24 hours yet.

But it is getting dark already and there's still no sign of Aliyah.

Mira was quiet the whole time and was just holding Aliyah's phone tight.

"Sam nakakahilo ka tignan, pumirmi ka muna." Joanne said as she tried calming down the girl.

"No hindi niyo alam kung ano pwedeng mangyari kay ate Liyah."

"Bat hindi na lang natin tawagan tatay mo kung nakita niya si Aliyah?" Cielo asked.

"Oo nga malay mo magkasama pala sila." Mayu said.

"Hindi pwede yon. Tatawagan ko na lang si Kuya James." Sam said and quickly got her phone.

"Si kuya James? Ano matutulong non?" Mira finally talked as she frowned at Sam.

"Baka alam niya kung nasan-"

"Malamang alam niya, anak siya ng tatay nyo diba?"

Sam slowly put her hands to the side as she gripped her phone tight. The tension in the air rising.

"Mira..."

"Bakit ung pamilya niyo lagi na lang nanggugulo?" Mira said in spite. Sam couldn't talk, she doesn't know what to say.

"Tatawagan mo si Kuya James tas ano? May gagawin ba siya? Ano magagawa niya?"

Mira started backing away while shaking her head. "Pag may nangyari kay Aliyah, wala akong mapapatawad."

"Mira, wait sabay na tayo!" Stella tried calling the girl but Mira didn't look back.

They watched as the girl went away.

"Ano nangyari?" Joanne asked as she went closer to Sam. "Sam okay ka lang?" She asked when she saw the girl tearing up.

Sam shook her head. "No."

"Sam..." Mayu also walked towards her and rubbed her back.

The girls are conflicted. Aliyah was missing, they don't know if they should run after Mira or leave her alone, and now Sam was crying.

"Ano ba nangyari?" Guia softly asked.

Joanne was now hugging Sam and comforting her. While the other patiently waited for Sam.

A few more tears shed and Sam decided to let it go. "Pinatay ng tatay ko pamilya ni Mira."

"Huh?!"

"Ano?!?!?"

She let it out and told them what happened, her feelings, how she's feeling guilty and responsible because she's a part of that family, that blood.

At the apartment

Mira was already in the compound. She was in front of her unit when she felt that something was wrong.

Why was her door opened? It wasn't supposed to be.

There's noise inside?

Anxiously, she grabbed the door knob and went in carefully. Her place was dark and chilly.

She looked around as she cupped the wall for the light switch.

And when she opened the lights, a man was sitting on her couch at the living room looking at her with a creepy smile.

Mira almost jumped in shock; her skin was tingling as her posture stiffened. It was her uncle.

"Good evening, Mira. Nice to see you again." Emmanuel crossed his legs and comfortably sat on the couch.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Hindi mo ba igregreet tito mo?"

She clenched her fists. "Nasan si Aliyah?"

Emmanuel chuckled. "How ever did you think that I have her?"

"Come on, niece. Ang tagal natin hindi nagkita, wala man lang hi? Hello? Kamusta ka tito?"

"Why do you think na ang tagal natin hindi nagkita? Huh? Sino ba nagpakulong sakin?" Mira suddenly got that brave urge to get angry at him.

"Woah, woah. I didn't know that you were the aggressive type? Always thought you're passive just like James." He laughed.

Then he stood up. "Mira, hindi ako nagpakulong sayo." He smirked, "Kinulong mo sarili mo. Guess who started the fire?"

Mira glared at him. Is he accusing that she's the one who started the fire when it was him? She had always known at the back of her mind that it was him the moment he jailed her.

"Ikaw! Ikaw nagpasunog ng bahay! Ano tinging mo sakin? Tanga?!"

"Aren't you? Umiiyak ka pa nga sa police station nag sosorry." Emmanuel shook his head at the memory, amused.

"Little Mira really thought it was all her fault."

"Pinadali mo buhay ko non. I have to thank you for that."

She felt the coldness to her core. What he said was true, she was foolish enough to set herself up without knowing she would harm herself. Without knowing her uncle would take advantage of her vulnerability.

"Now, would you continue being a dear and make my life easier again?" He started walking towards her.

Unconsciously, she took a step back.

"Mawala ka na ulit." His expression transformed. His eyes darken and his face hardened. "I don't care what you have to do, kill yourself or jail yourself again."

"Or I'll do it myself."

Mira's feet were nailed on the floor. She couldn't move as she felt a shiver up her spine.

"You're face remind me so much of my brother," He glared at her. "I hate it."

"Tsk."

He walked past her and said, "Aliyah, was it? She's a feisty one. Pity, she met someone like you." Emmanuel shrugged his shoulders and went out.

Her knees gave out on her, she fell to the floor. Her lips trembled.

Emmanuel went inside his car and ordered his driver where to go.

They went to an abandoned building. He walked out of the and went inside, to the top floor. Where Aliyah was, her hands and feet tied.

"Hello there, kakagaling ko lang sa apartment niyo."

"Mira looked well and tensed." He smirked and sat on a wooden chair he saw around.

"Leave her alone." Aliyah said weakly but with conviction.

Emmanuel scratched his chin. "Hmm let me think, what about no?"

"Let's wait kung magagawa niya ung sinabi ko sakanya and then I'll let you go."

"Simple right?"

"Go to hell." Aliyah grumbled.

He laughed. "Oh, I will, but I'll take all of you with me."