Winter Heat

Chapter 6 - Cries We Don't Hear at Night

Chapter 6 - Cries We Don't Hear at Night

I never really had a good sleep in Camp Mitesco but that night, I couldn't even force myself to close my eyes. Ewan. Parang may mali.

Bumangon ako at bumaba ng kama. Nakadapa pang matulog ang roommate ko at pinigilan ko lang ang sarili ko na tadyakan siya.

Dumiretso ako sa coffee table para tignan ang oras sa wristwatch ni Heat na doon niya palaging ipinapatong. Medyo natigilan ako nang makitang saktong 12:00 AM ang naka-display. Binuksan ko muna ang ilaw bago bumalik ulit sa coffee table at umupo.

I sighed as I thought about my papa. I was so sure he's not yet sleeping. He's always working his ass off to be able to pay his debt and provide my needs. And there I was, stuck in that shithole, unable to help him.

Does he even know that I'm here? Am I causing him more stress by making him worry?

Halos iuntog ko ang noo ko sa lamesa. Nanatili akong nakasubsob. Ayokong mag-isip. Nai-stress lang ako, wala rin naman akong magagawa.

Kung hindi sana nila kinuha ang cellphone ko, may ginagawa ako ngayon. Tsk.

The universe must have heard my bored cries that it quickly sent someone to make me... annoyed. Napaayos ako ng upo at lumingon sa pinto. Tangina, hatinggabi may kumakatok?

"What the fuck?" was how I greeted Avery again, the same as when she first appeared outside our door. What the hell is she doing out this late? Not that I care about her, pero sana kasi iba ang ginagambala niya.

Hindi niya rin itinago ang pagkainis at pagkadismaya dahil ako ang nagbukas ng pinto. "I thought Heat's still up. Nevermind."

Paalis na sana siya nang biglang lumagpas ang tingin niya sa 'kin. I also looked behind me and rolled my eyes. Nice fucking timing. Prince Charming is awake.

"Winter..."

Avery and I unconsciously looked at each other, in slight shock, when Heat spoke my name with his sleepy voice. That sounded so... different.

"Hi, Heat!" Bumalik lang ang diwa ko dahil sa lakas ng boses ni Avery.

"A-Avery!" halata ang gulat na sigaw din ni Heat. Mabilis siyang lumapit sa 'min. "Bakit gising ka pa?"

Eh, ano naman kung gising pa siya?

"I-I..." Avery suddenly looked scared which made my right eyebrow rise up. What's with the sudden character shift? What in the world of teleserye is this? "I'm scared."

Heat looked at me in confusion but I just raised an eyebrow at him as well. He turned back to her. "Huh?"

"Since our first night here in Camp Mitesco, we've been hearing someone crying every night in our room." Lalong napataas ang kilay ko dahil sa kwento ni Avery. Ano namang nakakatakot do'n? "My friends are also in the Grand Cabin right now. I just saw your light open kaya I went here—"

"Si Precious?" I asked when I remembered that they're roommates.

"What?"

Don't tell me they just left her? "'Yong b-in-ully mo!" inis kong sabi.

"Oy, oy," pabulong na pag-awat kaagad ni Heat. Wala pa nga akong ginagawa.