Trigger and Bullets

bullet 19 - poison sip

"What are we waiting for?!" Halos pasigaw na tanong ng isa sa kanyang kasama.

"Walang pipirma, we need consent!"  

"Fvck your SOP's!" huli niyang wika bago pumasok ulit sa kwarto.

I couldn't speak and move. I should be running towards them showering them threats that I'll give them hell if they let him die. But I didn't---I couldn't. There were things that I can't do. And I was damn afraid. These were my entire fault. I made the first moves and what happened was an avalanche I couldn't have survived without Cole, Canary and Zeus. Now I was afraid to take another step. I felt like all I will hold will die. Maybe... maybe I was a poison in my own tale. Maybe I was the black apple in my personal version of fairy tale.

Ilang minuto na ang lumilipas at ganoon pa rin ang sitwasyon. Hindi pa rin nakakalma ang mga nakaputing tao na palabas at patungo sa emergency room. Time was ticking, what the hell were they waiting? Mga alagad sila ng medisina, trabaho nilang iligtas siya! Pati, ang kanilang mga tarantang mga galaw ay walang mintis na kumakain sa pag-asa ko. My hope hit the negative figures by then. I remained in my seat, my head against the white wall. Hindi ko alam kung nagagawa ko pa bang kumurap o tuluyan na akong naging istatwa na nakatingin lamang sa kabilang dingding.

Nakarinig ako ng mga yabag papalapit sa kinalalagyan ko. I managed to move my eyes to see who they were. It was him. Mushy as how it seemed but hey, I was just a girl, my face sluggishly lit up as I saw my father at the center of armed men. I realized I still wanted to be in his arms to feel security even after all he did to me and my mom. It was amazing how he could lighten up my dark state just by his presence. I stood up, ready to plunge myself into his embrace.

"Senior Fronda, your daughter." Isinatinig ng isa sa kanyang guwardya nang nasa tapat ko na sila. He was here for me! He was here!

But a funny thing happened. Nilampasan niya ako kahit na ang ibang guwardya niya ay tumigil upang magbigay galang sa akin. Caesar Fronda, my father, walked past me---her only daughter. Sinundan ko nang tingin ang kanyang patutunguhan. Right. He was here for his woman. Oh. How I dearly loved my life. Mangyaring ipaintindi sa akin kung bakit ko iniligatas si Margareth kung sa huli ay ito ang aking mararamdaman.

"Are you hurt, Miss Fronda?" tanong ng isa sa mga armadong lalaki. Tiningnan niya ako nang mabuti.

"Yes," I whispered as I watched my father entering the room.

In the corner of my eye nakita ko ang guwardya na naglabas ng cellphone, may mga sinabi siya sa kabilang linya na hindi ko na inatim na pakinggan.

 

I was damn hurt.

I snatched the phone he was about to put back in his pocket. Bahagyang nagpakita ng pag-angal ang kanyang mukha ngunit hindi ko ito pinansin at nagsimula na akong pindutin ang numerong aking naaalalang pagmamay-ari ng aking ina. I needed her. NOW.

Another funny thing happened. Sabi ng automatic receiver ay nasa main plant siya ng FDI. Don't joke around. Wala siya sa FDI. The familiar sinking feeling started... Bakit wala ang mga taong kailangan ko ngayon? Bakit nila ako iniiwan?