Heart of Darkness

Kabanata 12

I nodded. Kinagat ko ang labi ko at napaisip bigla.

"Si...Si Warrion po?" I murmured and my Dad looked at me.

"He's investigating too, namumuno s'ya doon sa mga security at imbestigador. He has a connection with the intelligence so we can assure everything will be good again after."

"Is he hurt?" Nag-aalala kong sabi.

"He has a gunshot wound pero daplis lang," Ani Mommy. "Saglit lang na ginamot at ayos na s'ya."

"But...it hurts, right? Ayos lang bang gagalaw s'ya kaagad?"

My father chuckled, shaking his head and caressed my hair.

"Warrion's been to wars, hija." Aniya. "May mga mas malala pang naranasan iyon kaysa rito kaya wala lang sa kanya ang daplis, isa pa, doktor iyon kaya alam ang gagawin."

I nodded, biting my lip.

"You are already attached to him?" Gulat akong napaangat ng tingin kay Daddy at nakita ko ang pagsinghap n'ya at pag-iling sa akin.

"Don't be, Winter. Like your other bodyguards, his contract will end too. Isa pa, he said he'll quit after everyone involved in the incident was properly jailed and cleaned."

My heart ache, parang piniraso ang puso ko roon at napakurap pero pinili ko ang ngumisi at umiling, tila wala lang ang sinasabi ni Daddy.

"It's just that...he's a good friend." I murmured.

"Really?" My father smiled at me. "As long as I want Warrion to stay and guard you, I can't. I allowed him to quit despite the end of his contract after this. May buhay rin kasi bukod dito ang tao, swerte nalang tayo at nagkataong napakiusapan kong maging bodyguard dahil wala raw ginagawa."

"Isa pa, he's hands-on to your case, Winter." My mother smiled, staring at her phone. "He's fast, using every connection he has. In fact... I was informed that Arsenio was captured and is on the way for questioning."

Umalis ang mga magulang ko at naiwan akong mag-isa sa kwarto, walang pakiramdam ang braso kong naipit ang nagkasugat. I wasn't really that injured, tanging sugat at mga pasa lang ang nangyari but my parents are overprotective that they want me to stay in a hospital.

Days passed without any sight of Warrion, tanging ang mga balita lang mula kay Mommy at Daddy ang nalalaman ko.

In fact, Senator Arsenio was guilty, based on the investigations. Nahuli at nakulong ang kanyang mga kasabwat at tauhan.

Sa araw-araw ay sumasaya lang ako sa bawat pagbisita sa akin ng mga kaibigan, kasama na si Macarena at Max.

I actually can go and stay at home pero ayaw ng mga magulang ko, saying if anything happens ay maganda at narito ako para mabilis matignan.

I understand them so, I stayed here. Mas umigting ang mga guards sa akin. Sa labas ng pinto ay may tatlo, sa labas ng ospital ay may mga nagtatago rin.

Even the mansion has guards too, and of course, my parents who's going back and forth here to Manila.

My friends has guards too, galing sa kanilang mga pamilya para iwas sa mga panganib rin.

"Okay ka na, Winter?" Ngisi ni Macarena pagkarating, hawak ang isang basket ng prutas.

"Hmm," I smiled and showed her my hand. "I can move my hand now, I can actually go home too."

"At iyon ay kung papayagan ka," She chuckled. "Mas magandang dito ka na rin muna, Winter. Mas mababantayan ka pa."

I nodded, kagat ko ang labi ay muli akong sumulyap sa kaibigan at mahinang nagsalita.