Since Nine Book 3: Shattered

Phantom

CHAPTER 20

VICTORIA

When Victoria woke up, everything was dark. She couldn’t see anything. She could only feel the cold floor. “Where am I?” She was confused. Paano sya napunta rito? Then she remembered her wife. Anong oras na? Her wristwatch was gone. She’s supposed to board the plane going to Norway.

Naalala nyang nasa parking lot na sya nang may lumapit sa kanyang lalaki. Sino ang lalaki yun? Ito ba ang nagdala sa kanya rito? Anong kailangan nito sa kanya? Kagagawan ba ito ng mga kalaban ng Dad nya sa pulitika?

Pinakiramdaman muna nya ang sarili. Other than still feeling hazy, she wasn’t hurt. She needed to get out of there. She had to get to her wife. Dahan-dahan syang tumayo. Muntik pa syang matumba pero napasandal sya sa sementadong pader.

Dahan-dahan din syang naglakad with her hands stretch infront of her. Hanggang sa may mahawakan syang bakal. Wait ano to? Rehas!? She was imprisoned? Sinubukan nyang buksan pero walang nangyari. She rattled the metal gate but it didn’t budge.

She started to panic. “Pakawalan nyo ko!” She kept shaking the metal bars until her hands were sore but it remained locked. Wala rin syang naririnig na kahit ano kundi ang sigaw nya. Hindi nya alam kung may nakakarinig sa kanya o binabalewala lang sya.

She kept shouting and pleading to let her go for how long until Victoria felt exhausted. Wala na syang nagawa kundi umupo sa sahig at umiyak nang umiyak.

Parusa ba ito sa kanya for hurting Ramcel? Sinisingil na ba sya for breaking her wife’s heart? Kabayaran ba ito dahil nagkaroon sya ng pagtingin sa iba?

She didn’t know how long she sat in the dark until she fell asleep. Nagising sya nang marinig nyang bumukas ang metal gate.

“Sino yan? Pakawalan mo ko dito.” Agad na tumayo si Victoria para lapitan kung sinuman ito. Hindi na nya naisip na baka saktan sya o may mangyari sa kanyang masama. Gusto lang nyang mkaalis dito.

Ngunit bago pa sya makalapit, narinig nyang sumara na ang gate. Narinig rin nya ang papalayong yabag. “Sandali. Bumalik ka rito! Pakawalan mo ko! Anong kailangan mo sakin?!” Wala syang nakuhang sagot mula rito hanggang sa unti-unting nawala ang tunog ng hakbang nito.

Kahit alam nyang walang mangyayari, sinubukang kalampagin at sirain ni Victoria ang pinto. Sumigaw sya nang sumigaw na pakawalan sya ngunit tila walang nakakarinig sa kanya kundi ang kadiliman.

Babalik na sana sya sa sulok kung saan sya nakapwesto nang may maapakan syang bagay na dahilan para mawalan sya ng balanse. Naramdaman nyang tumama ang ulo nya sa pader hanggang sa mawalan ng malay.

May masakit sa gilid ng ulo nya nang muling magising. Nang hawakan nya ang parte ng masakit, she felt blood. She was lying face down. She was so dizzy and didn’t move to stand up. Everything went black again if the darkness couldn’t be anymore darker.

She kept waking up then losing conciousness. Maybe she had a concussion. Hindi nya namalayan kung gaano na sya katagal sa madilim na lugar na iyon. She couldn’t be there for days or weeks, right? Ni hindi sya nakakaramdam ng gutom but she was no longer sure.

Dito na ba sya mamamatay? Hindi pwede. Gusto pa ulit nyang makita si Ramcel. She wanted to see her wife’s cold and sometimes soulful grayish eyes. She wanted to make it up to her everyday. She wanted to love her until her last breath. Kailangan nyang bumawi rito. Hindi ito pwedeng ipagkait sa kanya ng pagkakataon.

“Victoria…Baby…wake up,” she heard Ramcel said softly.

“Ram?” Victoria opened her eyes. Sumalubong sa kanya ang napakagandang ngiti ng asawa. “You’re here.” Umupo sya mula sa pagkakahiga sa malamig na sahig. Mabilis syang yumakap kay Ramcel, na noo’y naka-indian seat sa tabi nya. Madilim pa rin ang paligid pero malinaw nyang nakikita ang asawa. Nakasuot ito ng usual nitong puting button down na pinatungan ng soft leather jacket, tight jeans and boots. “We need to get out of here.” Baka makita rin si Ramcel nang kung sinumang kumuha sa kanya.