Feather (Self-Published)

CH 2: Par Delictum

I woke up to the sound of gunshots. I was so surprised that I rolled over, fell off the bed, then landed on top of something hairy that happened to have claws, too.

"Shit!" I clambered away from the Persian cat which screeched then hissed at me after it made a scratching post out of my arm.

Ano ba 'yun, may nagbabarilan?! I quietly asked myself looking wildly around the unfamiliar bedroom.

Diyos ko, nasaan ako?! Anong nangyari?!

I was about to open my mouth to scream for help when I realized that the furball staring at me with utter disinterest was my boss' cat.

"Cherish!" I happily exclaimed but received nothing but a bored yawn from the ungrateful feline in reply.

Oo nga pala nandito ako sa bahay ni Mr. Satander...but, what am I doing inside his bedroom?

I gave my body a quick once-over and felt relieved that I was still wearing my clothes and nothing seemed amiss.

I rolled my eyes. "As if naman, Juris. Mr. Santander wouldn't touch you using a six-foot pole—"

A door opened then someone cooed. "Baby, come here..." a voice I knew so well issued and for the life of me, I didn't know why but I hastily crawled under the bed.

"Diyos ko, anong ginagawa ko rito sa ilalim ng kama?!" I murmured to myself as the sound of gunshots abruptly stopped.

It was only then that I realized that the sound was coming from a flat-screen television that was on the opposite side of the bed.

Hinding-hindi na talaga ako iinom...

"You do realize that I can see your feet, right?" I heard my boss say.

Fuck!

"What are you doing under my bed?"

Minsan din para ka talagang tanga, Juris!

I cleared my throat before I slowly crawled out. "Hi po, Sir..." I mumbled.

"Well, hello...bakit ka nand'yan?"

I gave him a sheepish smile. "'Yung earring ko po...hinahanap ko po," I said lying through my teeth.

"You weren't wearing one," he stated.

Ay, wow, kupal talaga 'to. Hindi na lang sinakyan 'yung sinabi ko para tapos na sana.

"Ahh..." I laughed self-consciously. "'Yun na nga po, ang akala ko po ay may suot po akong hikaw..."

"Hm..."

I slowly pushed to my feet. "Sige po, Sir..."

"Your arm is bleeding."

It was weird that I only felt the sting of the cat's handiwork after Mr. Satander had pointed it out.

"Ah, kinalmot po ni Cherish..."

"She doesn't like being pet."

"I didn't."

"Then why did she scratch you?"

"I fell on her."

"You did?" He sounded worried.

"Okay lang naman po—"

"Is my baby hurt?" he asked looking at his cat. "Tell Daddy where it hurts, Baby..."

Tarantadong 'to... I thought to myself watching him repeatedly kiss his cat.

"Okay lang naman po s'ya?" I asked.

"She seems fine," he replied.

"Mabuti naman. At least sa aming dalawa may isa pong hindi nasaktan," I sarcastically said.