Indigo (Revised Version)

While You Were Sleeping

Burnt orange sunrays peeked through the tiny window. Denise quietly sat in a corner, watching her shadow stretch against the sunlight. She's been trapped for hours and it feels like an eternity.

Beads of sweat trickle down her face despite the chilled bathroom tiles. She could hardly breath from exhaustion. Denise tried forcing the door open but to no avail. Calling for help didn't do good either. Nobody one can hear her from where she's at. The perks of living alone in a big house.

"Cha, you psycho. If I only knew sana hinayaan na lang kita sa kalsada," she muttered.  

Denise cursed under her breath. Hoping nothing worse will happen.

She was thirteen when her childhood home was burned. Young Denise was awakened by the scent of smoke in her room. She rushed to the door but fire had spread on the other side.

Her parents were lucky to escape the inferno but her father went back for her.

Denise found a window and jumped right out. A cold swimming pool broke her fall. The entire house was engulfed by fire in minutes. Denise lived. Her father never made it back alive.

Denise abhored confinement ever since. Literally and Figuratively.

For a time she thought she's outgrown the fear. She was fine until the restaurant fiasco happened. Then along came Cha -- her worst nightmare.

Denise rummaged through the bathroom shelves, looking for the bottle of whisky she hid weeks ago.

"Where the hell is it?.."

Denise raised her hands in frustration. She took another glimpse at the window. The sky was dark.

Just about then she heard the familiar sound of her Camaro on the drive way. 

Denise' heart skipped a beat but not for long. Her toes curled when she heard the screen door slam. Footsteps followed afferwards, echoing through the hall as it neared the bathroom. 

She heard the rake hit the floor. Denise' eyes lit up. Then the doorknob turned. She stood up, ready to pounce.

The door opened slowly.

Cha gloomily stood outside. Her hair was as wild as the jungle, tangled and unruly while the dark rings under her eyes matched it's charcoal hue. The woman looked bone-tired. Like she just crawled out from a brawl.

Her eyes softened the moment she saw Denise. Gazing embarrassingly before letting out a weak smile.

"May pintura na tayo. Sana magustuhan mo ang kulay," she looked down.

Denise crossed her arms. She wanted to lash out on Cha for locking her in the bathroom but she was too curious to do so. She opted not to reply. 

"Hayaan mo aayusin ko lahat bukas  Pag gising mo maganda na ulit ang bahay," continued Cha, weakly leaning against the door jamb. 

Denise kept her silence until Cha's clothes got her attention. There were blood like smudges on the woman's dirty shirt.

"Goodness, where have you been? Are those bloodstains?" she asked, leaning closer to check for wounds.

Cha blushed at the sweet gesture.

"May nadaanan akong aksidente.
Tinulungan ko," she replied, trying to sound casual.

"Talaga ba? Sa itsura mong yan? Hindi kaya ikaw ang nakaaksidente?" challenged Denise.

"Hindi no. I don't drink and drive gaya ng ibang tao diyan." 

"Excuse me, kasalanan mo yun dahil hindi ka po tumitingin sa dinadaanan mo!" the chef retorted.

"Pano kita makikita eh ang bilis-bilis mo? Nabitawan ko tuloy yung hawak kong basket."