Heartless Hannah (Completed)

3 Curiosity

...
Curiosity is one of the
many mask of love
~Gabriel Garcia Marquez
...

Hunter POV

I woke up with a start. My eyes focused on the crooked wooden ceiling which is very different from my condo's clean white ceiling. That's when I finally realized where I am. Then I remembered the woman I saved and quickly glance at my side only to find the right side of the bed empty. I looked around the whole room but I found myself all alone.

I checked the chair where I hang the clothes of the woman I saved, but found it empty. I jumped out of bed and walked straight towards the front door then opened it with haste. My eyes searching for the woman outside my cabin but found no trace of her. The woman left without saying thanks, not even a goodbye.

Napapapalatak na lang ako habang nagtitimpla ng kape sa kusina ng cabin ko. My mind kept replaying to the longest night of my life as I stayed awake because of that woman. It was torturous watching a beautiful and sexy woman in bed, lying next to me and do nothing but just hug her. Pinuyat ako ng babae at halos dalawang oras lang ang itinulog ko. 'Yun pala ay iiwan lang niya akong basta. Wala man lang akong nakuhang pasasalamat mula sa dalaga. Naiinis na sumalampak ako sa kama at humigop sa ginawa kong kape.

I hope I'll never see that ungrateful woman again!

I don't know why I felt uneasy after being back at my office. My thoughts kept coming back to the woman I saved last night. I'm worried about her. Hindi ko alam kung bakit nag-aalala ako sa babaeng hindi ko naman kilala o kaano-ano. But still, there is this nagging feeling in my gut that tells me I'm not okay not knowing if she's okay. Maybe because I saved her, and I don't want my efforts to go to waste? Or maybe because I just want to know her? I just want to know the woman who can easily make my blood boil by just being asleep. My thoughts were halted when my secretary and a good friend of mine entered my office.

"Boss, here is yesterday's inventory. The monthly report is also there from our Palawan and Boracay branch." Ani Vinz habang nilalapag ang mga papel sa harap ko.
Vinz has always been the smartest person I know. I met him in College, he's a scholar in our University and we have been great friends eversince.

"Thanks man. Ahhh... Vinz, may tanong ako." Aniko habang naupo naman si Vinz sa aking receiving chair.

"Shoot." Seryosong ani Vinz.

"What does Mementomori means?" Buong kuryosidad na tanong ko sa kanya.

"I thought it's business-related..." nakakunot ang noong ani Vinz.

"It's not. What man? Alam mo ba o hindi?" Pangungulit ko naman.

"It's latin. Why?" Anito na ikinakunot ng noo ko.

"Ah...latin pala iyon. Hmm... I was just curious, I read it somewhere." Aniko na lang.

"Memento Mori literally means 'Remember to Die', mostly resembled by skulls or bones. In arts, it means a reminder of mortality of men. We all will die sooner or later. It is related to the literature ars moriendi which means The Art of Dying. Why the curiosity?" Mahabang pahayag ni Vinz. Napatango na lang ako sa mga sinabi niya kahit 'yung meaning lang ang naintidihan ko.

'Remember to die' pala 'yun.

Nakatitig lang sa akin si Vinz waring naguguluhan sa itinanong ko sa kanya.

"Ehem... Wala naman Vinz. Nabasa ko lang. Tsk... Vinz you are too smart to work for me. You can be a professor or something! Sayang ka dito." Pag-iiba ko ng usapan. Matagal ko na kasi siyang sinasabihang magpalit ng karera dahil sayang lang ang talino niya sa pagma-manage lang ng bars ko.

"Masaya na ako dito Boss. Isa pa, ang laki ng pasweldo mo kaya okay na ako." Nagtatawang sagot niya kaya napatawa na din ako.

"Well, you've been a exemplary employee kaya naman sahod boss ka na din." Tukso ko kay Vinz na nagkibit-balikat.

"I deserve it. Kung wala ka ng tanong, I'll go back to work." Mayabang naman nitong sagot sabay kindat.

Weird. I find it weird that the girl who I almost ran over has a tattoo that imply death. 'Remember to die', is she wishing for death? Is that why she just stand in the middle of the road on a suicide mission. Tsk... that girl is crazy!

"Wait Vinz! One more question." Habol ko bago pa tuluyang makalabas ng pinto si Vinz. Nagkakamot ng ulong bumalik naman ito sabay upo muli.

"Shoot." Muli lang nitong sagot. Napatingin ako sa kisame. Nagdadalawang-isip kung sasabihin ko kay Vinz ang nangyari kagabi.

"Ah, ganito kasi iyon... halimbawa, m-may nasagip kang babae na gustong magpakamatay. Pero kinabukasan pag-gising mo, wala na siya sa tabi mo. Ano ba ang dapat mong gawin sa sitwasyong iyon? Kailangan bang tumawag sa pulis or something?" Buong kaseryosohan na tanong ko.

"Tsk! Ayan na nga bang sinasabi ko sa pambabae mo gabi-gabi. Sabi ko sa'yo bawas-bawasan mo dahil pa-wirdo ng pa-wirdo ang mga nagiging babae mo." Parang tatay na pagalit nito.

"Ulol! Hindi ganon! Ahh... forget it! Lumabas ka ng ulupong ka!" Inis na aniko na ikinatawa naman ng malakas ni Vinz.

"Lalabas na ba ako? Okay lang na hindi ko sagutin ang tanong mo?" Tonong nang-aasar ang lalaki at akmang hahakbang na palabas ng tawagin ko siyang muli.

"Ano nga?" Di rin nakatiis na tanong ko kay Vinz.

"Baka naman foreplay niyo lang 'yan ng babae mo?" Nakangisi pa ring ani Vinz.

"Gago! Muntik ko na siyang madanas, foreplay ka dyan!" Inabot ko siya para batukan pero magaling itong nakaiwas. Nagseryoso bigla ang mukha ni Vinz.

"So, talagang nagpapakamatay siya?" Napatango ako na ikinaayos ni Vinz sa pagkakaupo niya.

"And this happened last night? In Batangas? Sa cabin mo?" Pakumpirmang ani Vinz na ikinatango kong muli.

"Do you know her?" Seryosong tanong niya.

"No. Wala man lang siyang id sa damit niya. She's unconcious and soaking wet. And I just took her in my cabin to change her clothes. And the next thing I know she's gone. Dapat pala inalam ko man lang ang pangalan niya. I should have woke her up and talked to her or something..." Naiiling na sagot ko. Malalim na nag-isip si Vinz.

"You rescued her. I think that's the best that you can do given the situation. It's useless to call the police, we don't even know her name." Vinz said. Kahit papaano ay lumuwag ang dibdib ko sa sinabi niya.

"Tama! I did what I can. Inalagaan ko siya magdamag! Kagabi lang ako may nakatabing babae na hindi ko ginalaw! Damn! I did more self-control than I never thought possible with her." Nagtatawa ng aniko pero seryoso pa din si Vinz.

"Not unless..." pabitin na anito na ikinamatay ng ngiti sa labi ko.

"Not unless?" Ulit ko sa sinabi niya.

"Not unless she drown herself in the beach. She's suicidal afterall." Kibit-balikat na ani Vinz na ikinabalik ng kaba sa dibdib ko.

"Lumayas ka na nga lang! Hindi ka din pala makakatulong." Inis na sagot ko sabay hilot ng aking ulo. Nakangisi naman si Vinz na nag-jog pa palabas ng opisina ko.

Did she drown herself like what Vinz said? Should I look for her? Shoud I go back there?! Arrgh!

Napasabunot ako ng buhok ko sa inis. Wala na sa tabi ko ang dalaga pero siya pa rin ang laman ng utak ko. At may iniwan pa siyang alalahanin sa isip ko.