Red Strings of Fate (Haunted Series 2)

Strings 26: Little bit of Spice

I told him he shouldn't do these things to me. I can't control the way my heart loves it.

Putangina, he's a killer. I saw him kill people without a second thought, and I'm here blushing that he's taking care of me?

He also killed those men to protect you.

Pumasok ako sa isang kwarto para magpalit sa dilim, tanging ilaw lang ng buwan ang pumapasok sa bintana. Medyo gumaan ang loob ko nang nahubad ko na ang halo halong pawis, alak, dugo, at tubig dagat na uniform ko. He gave me a grey basketball shorts, and an oversized black t-shirt na nahuhulog na sa balikat ko.

Picking up my clothes and the boots he removed from a dead body, I went out.

Pagkalabas ng kwarto, naabutan kong nakatayo si TJ sa dulo ng dining table. May bote ng alak sa tabi, at tatlong malalaking kandila ang nagsisilbing liwanag niya habang nilalatag lahat ng kanyang mga armas.

He also changed clothes. Wearing a loose black shirt and denim pants, the blood stains on his hands are gone. His used clothes are hanging on a chair, and I stare at the coat I made for him. The rib area was ripped, but I'm glad it didn't reach TJ's body.

Mukha naman siyang okay.

The candle flickers as water droplets splatter on it when he picks up the bottle of beer on his table. He drinks from it while staring at me as I close the bedroom door.

Nilapag ko ang boots sa sahig at nilatag sa dining table ang kutsilyo na tinago sa sapatos ko.

Inilipat ko ang tingin sa kanya mula sa kutsilyo, habang nilingon niya ang kutsilyong nilapag ko at binalik sa ginagawa. Binibilang niya ang bala ng nag iisang baril na meron kami—dahil ang isang baril ay pinasipa ng lalake paalis kanina.

Bumuntong hininga ako, binigay niya ang baril na 'yan sa akin pero hindi ko man lang nagamit. Kinailangan niya pang kunin 'to sa akin para protektahan kaming dalawa.

"Sorry, hindi ko nagamit..."

Ramdam niya ang pangamba ko.

"Don't apologize. Lessons and real life are different." Binalik niya sa lalagyanan ang magazine. "To be honest, I don't want you to. Considering it would take a lot of psychological and mental toll to pull the trigger... I just had to make sure you had something to protect yourself."

Iginilid niya ang baril para titigan ako ng mariin.

"I won't forgive myself if you really had to pull the gun. It means I'm not there."

I was speechless.

"Keep the blade... just in case you'll need it." 

Ngayon naman ay sinimulan niyang linisin ang mga patalim na maayos na nakalatag sa lamesa. Ang bawat talim ay may iba't ibang pattern at laki.

I pulled out the chair to sit on it and unsheathed the blade in front of me. It's scarily sharp. I was fighting not to test it out by pricking my finger. Like the others, this one also has intricate patterns whirling all over as it shined beneath the candlelight.

It's beautiful.

How can something so beautiful be so deadly?

I stare at James as he looks at the knife intently and cleans it with a cloth. The veins on his arm protrude with the task on hand, his hair is slightly damp like mine, a trickle of sweat is evident on his forehead, his face is calm, but there's a slight furrow in his brow, his long eyelashes create shadows, and his lips are full with no smirk in place.

Beautiful and deadly.

Ang dami kong gustong malaman, ang dami kong tanong.

How and what happened? Was that a usual occurrence? Mark and Chance were also good at fighting, parte rin ba ang mga kaibigan at kambal niya sa kanilang kumpanya? Sino ang mga lalakeng 'yon? Bakit sila nandoon? Alam ba niya? Ano ang pakay nila?