The water is way too deep for her,
A place she can't escape, not even stir.
If not only for the drive for revenge,
She will not resurface again.
The forest is an endless maze for him,
A place he knows he must not miss.
He will hunt for as long as it...
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Chapter Seventeen
ILYA
Alam ko na nanunood si Killian ngayon.
At hindi ko akalain na pagbibigyan niya akong patayin si Darren. Sabi nga niya, a killer doesn't share its victims. We are possessive to our targets, and our fixation to them never goes away until we could get what we want from them.
Their lives.
Ikinaway ko yung aking mga daliri sa camera; yung pulang tuldok ay makikitang nakailaw at nagmamasid. Killian's voice echoes in my mind, a reminder of the deadly game we're playing. A game where the stakes are life and death, and the rules are written in blood. I can feel his presence, his scrutiny, as if he's right there with me in the room.
Nakayuko ngayon si Darren; sarado ang mga mata at mukhang hindi naririnig o nararamdaman ang aking pagdating.
Is he dead already?
I hope not, dahil iilang oras palang siyang nandito. Pero base sa mga dugo tumutulo ngayon sa sahig—he might be anytime soon.
Pinagmasdan ko yung buong kwarto ng kill room ni Killian. Just a square room with floor to ceiling PVC walls, with a few exposed beams above, at walang bintana dahil nasa basement ito. May iilang stainless steel na shelving sa isang dinging na para bang nasa ospital ka. Sinilip ko yung mga nakalagay roon: vials, syringes, mayroon ring mga scalpel at forceps.
"Huh," bulong ko.
Yung kwarto ay bahagyang nangangamoy bleach rin. At sa gitna nang kwarto ay makikita ang isang metal na higaan, na parang makikita mo lang sa mga morgue. Hindi ako pumunta roon at kinuha yung aking kutsilyo na nakatago sa aking sapatos, at ginamit para tapikin yung pisngi ni Darren.
Hindi siya nagising kaya inilagay ko ang aking daliri sa kanyang leeg para kapain ang kanyang pulso. There's still a pulse—but it's faint.
"Darren," sabi ko at sinampal siya ng malakas. He jolted awake, and I was met again with the eyes of one of my abusers.
Nanlaki yung kanyang mga mata nang makita ako. "Hey...help me, please," pagmamakaawa niya. "'Di ba nasa party ka? T-tulungan mo ako...tanggalin mo ako rito sa lubid."
Pero umiling ako. "Ayoko nga."
Kumunot ang kanyang noo, nagtataka siya kung bakit hindi ko siya sinusunod. Itinaas ko muli yung kutsilyo at idinikit iyon sa hiwa na makikita sa kanyang tiyan. Killian must have planned to drain all of his blood and dispose his body after, but I have other plans for Darren.
The weight of the blade in my hand is a constant reminder of the life-and-death power I hold. I can't help but wonder what made Killian accept my offer. Is this a test of trust, a twisted way of asserting dominance, or something more sinister? But one thing is clear–I must do this act, for my revenge.
