"W-wait... What happened? I remembered that I am alone in the house, I am alone and I don't have anyone if I didn't call Reed. I am scared!" I shouted and looked at the whole place. I am not in my room. "Where am I? What is happening? I lost you yaya. I thought I don't have anyone anymore! All of you were gone! I don't know what to do, I don't know what to think. I am so, so scared yaya." I angrily added and she hugged me tight.
"I am so scared" I added and she shushed me while caressing my hair. "I felt so alone. I was calling you for so many times, until I realized that I am alone in the house. I don't know what to think that time. I felt like I lost everyone. I don't have anyone. I am s-so s-scared. Then... then... there are men who came inside t-the house. They're scary." I started panicking and my heart is beating so fast once again while thinking of what just happened. "They c-came inside m-my room yaya. I am so s-scared'
My face was wet because of my tears and sweat when my eyes started to drop and before I fell asleep, I heard yaya told me that she was sorry.
Why is she sorry?
Is it because she left me?
Or, did she do something?
I woke up and I frowned when I saw a man's shadow. I rubbed my eyes to clear my sight,
"W-Who are y-you?" I stuttered when I asked that question, still afraid that he might be one of those men who went to our house. "Who are you?" I repeated and he finally show his face to me.
"Dr. Antonio?" I whispered that question
I am so stunned to see him in my room. Is he visiting me? How did he find out that I am here?
Why is he here?
I have so many questions but yaya came inside my room and she sighed when she finally saw me.
"Yaya" I called her like I am still a kid asking for a candy.
She went to me and hugged me again. That's when I noticed that I have a bandage on my forehead.
"So, you really left?" I asked and she stopped caressing my hair when I asked that. "You really left the house You really left me behind. You promise that you won't, yaya. You broke your promise"
"Andito na 'ko ulit. Hinding-hindi na talaga ako aalis" sabi niya at umiling ako.
"You will surely break your promise again yaya" I said and I saw how hurt she is on the words I said but it's true.
I felt like at the end of the day, those promises they told me will be broken too.
At the end of the day, even if they told me that they will be with me and they won't leave me, they will end up doing the opposite thing on what they promised.
The doctors and nurses came and yaya stood up beside my bed.
Doctors started asking me questions and the nurses started checking me up.
"What was the last memory you can recall before you fell asleep?" the doctor asked and I frowned as I started to think of what was the last thing that happened before I went here.
"I... I was at my room, sleeping" I answered and I don't know why, but my heart started to beat fast when I am remembering what happened that night. "I w-woke up when I heard a l-loud noise. Then there's f-footsteps. I heard... I heard footsteps. I was so s-scared. There is n-no one in t-the house" my voice broke.
My hands started to tremble and yaya held it softly. She shook her head at me.
"Wag mo ng i-kwento, natatakot ka na" she said and told the doctor that what I answered is enough.
"I am really s-scared yaya. I was scared and until now I am still scared of what happened" I said and my tears fell unexpectedly. "There is no one in the house aside from me and I don't know where to h-hide. Io don't k-know what to d-do yaya" I sobbed. "I don't know w-what to do.... Where to hide... Who to ask for help? Because I am afraid to m-make any noise that w-will catch t-their attention. Until I went under the b-bed but..." my voice trembled on almost every word I said. "B-but they still c-caught me y-yaya. They're s-scary, t-they dragged me on t-the floor I hit the bed and f-fell asleep"
I still finished my answer but yaya don't want to let me go, so the doctor told her that they still need to ask me some questions.
"Masakit ba ang ulo mo?" they asked again and there are other follow up questions before they told me that it's already time or my lunch.
A man delivered a food for me and yaya prepared it.
I am just looking outside the window, it's sunny day. I remembered that it's still summer vacation.
Why do I feel like so many things happened during my vacation? It's not even finish yet, but there are so many things that were happening to me.
Kinalma ko ang sarili ko sa pag-iisip. Pinigilan kong isipin ang nangyari dahil natatakot pa rin ako.
"Lois, Lois"
I looked at yaya who's already in front of me, I am so immersed on my thoughts that I didn't noticed her.
"May masakit ba sayo? Okay ka lang?" nag-aalalang tanong niya at huminga ako ng malalim.
"Okay lang po ako" ssabi ko at tumango naman siya at tinuro ang pagkain ko
"Kain ka na para mas lumakas ka" sabi niya at sumunod na lang ako dahil nagugutom na rin naman ako.
Tahimik at mabilis kong natapos ang pagkain kahit ayaw ko ng lasa nun. Saging lang yata yung nagustuhan ko sa dinala nila sa'kin.
I was about to stand up when I felt something.
"What happened?" I asked as I looked at my legs. "What happened to my right leg yaya?"
My right leg has a bandage for I don't know the reason why.
"Yaya, what happened to my leg?" I asked and looked at her. She looked sad and her eyes were teary as well. "Hindi na po ba ako makakalakad? Bakit po kayo naiiyak? Ano pong naangyari sa paa ko yaya?"
"May... may sugat ka dyan kaya nilagyan ng bandage ng doctor" sagot niya at umiwas ng tingin sakin.
"Sugat? Wala po akong sugat sa binti at paa ko, yaya. Ano ang nangyari sa'kin?"
"Nung, binalak ko ng balikan ka ulit sa bahay. Nakita kong may kotse sa harap, nagtaka ako dahil hindi naman 'yun sa mama mo" pagsisimula niya ng kwento. "Nakita kong may lalaking buhat-buhat ka at may isang lalaki na nilalabanan siya. Magulo. Hindi ko maintindihan ang nangyayari, bukod sa may gustong kumuha sayo at may nagliligtas sayo. May hawak siyang kutsilyo" sabi pa niya an aparang natatakot pa haabang nagkukwento siya. "Nung binaril siya..."
"Nung binaril siya?" takot na tanong ko.
Everything is started to sink in on my mind. That I almost die.
Kung nagkataon na walang dumating, baka hindi na talaga ako nagising ngayon.
Yaya nodded and held my hand.
"Akala ko." sabi niya at tumingin sakin. "Akala ko ikaw ang tinamaan. Akala ko mawawala ka na sa amin. Natakot ako, sobra"
"Yaya"
"Natakot ako at nagsisi na umalis ako dahil 'yun ang sinabi ng mama mo, pra lang manatili ka sa bahay. Para lang hindi ka niya pilitin na sumama sa bahay nila dahil ayaw mo. Dahil alam kong hindi ka rin naman magiging masaya don kung kuhanin ka niya. Kaya ako na lang ang umalis."
I hugged her tightly. The same way she hugged me earlier.
"I'm so sorry Lois. Sorry dahil hindi ko tinupad ang pangako ko na hindi kita iiwan"
After that she asked me to rest. I nodded and she left the room.
It answered some questions on my mind right now. The reason why she left, the story behind the bandage on my leg and what happened after I fell asleep.
But I still have so many questions.
Where is mama? Did she really leave me alone again?
Where am I? am I still in Romblon?
Where is Dr. Antonio? Why is he inside my room?
What will happen now?
Days passed and yaya was the only one who's always with me while I am recovering.
I looked at yaya who's sleeping peacefully while I am still awake because I am still watching the TV. I heard someone knocked and I immediately looked at the door.
My heart is beating so fast awhile waiting for that person to open the door.
I want to call yaya, but she just fell asleep and I knew she's tired.
Baka kapag sobra siyang mapagod at makulitan sa'kin, iwan niya ulit ako. Kaya hindi ko na lang siya ginising.
Kahit natatakot ako.
The person slowly opened the door and my eyes widen when I saw him, then a sighed of relief escaped my mouth when I saw that it's Dr. Antonio.
W-wait.,.
Why is he here? What happened?
What is happening right now?
"Why? Why are you here po?" I asked after a few minutes of looking at him.
We were both shocked. He's shock to see me as he entered my room and I am shocked to see him entering it the room at the middle of the night.
He looked at different places. He looks like he don't know how to answer me.
"Is it a hard question po?" I asked because he's not really answering me.
"No. No. It's just, I was just shock" he said and walked towards me, he's wearing a doctor's robe. Is he working here as well?
"Why are you here po, Doc?" I asked again and he looked at yaya who's still sleeping peacefully. "Are you and yaya..."
I am not even done talking he immediately shook his head.
"How did you know that I am here po? Why did you go inside my room? What is your reason po? Why can't you answer my simple question?"
"You need to recover first, before I tell you everything" he said and left the room.
But that didn't happen.
One day mama just came inside my room and hurriedly command yaya to prepare the things and we will leave the hospital. I was supposed to oppose it but then I looked at yaya, so I just let mama do what she wants.
I don't want to feel scared anymore.
I don't want to feel like I am alone at the house. I am alone at this world.
So, I will just follow mama wherever she goes.
Yaya and mama were walking, half running in front of me so I did the same things and follow them wherever they go.
They're talking about the things I can't comprehend. Something about not safe, safehouse, kidnap and many other things I don't understand at all.
We were supposed to go at the exit door but Dr. Antonio is there and looking at mama. What? Are they just going to stare at each other?
I thought we will go somewhere.
"Where are you going? She still needs to recover" he said and looked at me.
"Were going hom—" mama cut me off and answered him.
"None of your business" mama said and immediately run. Yaya sighed and looked at me, then he held my wrist and we both run following mama.
Why are we running now? Why are even running after mama? Dr. Antonio was just asking her a question and yet, she started running, so yaya dragged me too, to chase my mama.
"Why are you running away?" I heard Dr. Antonio's question while running and chasing us.
I hit my face at yaya's back when they suddenly stopped and I don't know why. I peeked through yaya's back to see why did they stopped.
I saw there are three men wearing all black, they look like those in TV shows. Kulang na lang ng salamin.
"Why did we stop po?" I asked and yaya looked at me and told me to stay quiet while mama is talking to those men. "Why did we even run? And who are they?" I whispered it to yaya this time.
"Mamaya ka na magtanong sa kotse" she whispered and I just nodded.
But it looks like we won't get in the car, because when mama tried to run towards another way, Dr. Antonio is already there.
Why are we running? Why do you want to run away from Dr. Antonio mama?
"Stop running away this time" the doctor said and then I looked at mama. She rolled her eyes at him.
Looks like I knew where I got a little of my attitude now.
"I am not running; I am saving myself and my child"
Am I, her child now? I thought she don't want me.
Oh, maybe she's referring that I am her unwanted child.
Because I don't think that there will be a time that she can accept me as her daughter.
And what's happening right now?
"You are running" Yes, we are
And I don't know why until now.
"No, we are not" mama strongly answered.
"But we are, mama"
She glared at me after I interrupted them. "Adult's talking" she seriously said.
"Sorry" I whispered and hide behind yaya's back.
I don't want her to scold me in public, she left me and made me cry, the one thing I don't want to add is to be scolded in public.
I accidentally glanced at Dr. Antonio and I saw him looking at me. He smiled at looked at mama again.
"If you're not really running away, then let's go"
"To where?"
"You know where. And Lois should be included" he said and I frowned.
Why am I included?
"Why?" mom asked the same question I have in mind. "She don't need to be there" she added.
"Because this is all about her, right? You're running her away from me" doctor said. I frowned.
A lot of questions were in my mind but I don't get any answers.
"No, we can talk without her"
They're already talking without me.
Shut up, brain.
I sighed and just looked at yaya when she gave me a food.
"Aalis na tayo, wag kang maingay" she said and I nodded while eating the bread she gave me.
We started walking silently while I am walking in front of her.
"No one is leaving this hallway without my permission" Dr. Antonio's voice echoed to the whole hallway and that made me stopped walking.
I looked at them and he's looking at me seriously.
"If you don't want to get fired, obey" he coldly said to yaya and I held yaya's hand.
"Let's stay yaya, I don't want you to get fired" I whispered.
"Hindi po kayo ang boss ko, sir" matapang na sagot ni yaya at hindi ko alam kung bakit pa siya sumagot. Pero tama naman siya.
"I can buy your agency" he said and yaya didn't answer back to him anymore. We sit on the bleachers and I looked at mama.
"I think mama is nervous, yaya" I whispered to her while I am watching mama talked with the doctor silently,
"Nakakatakot naman kasi yang doctor na 'yan" sabi naman ni yaya at nagkibit-balikat na lang ako. Nakakatakot siya kapag seryoso, at parang nagagalit na.
"He's just looked like my classmate's daddy when he's scolding my classmate" I said and yaya looked at me because of what I said. "Well, I don't want to be scolded, I just thought of having a dad"
I woke up while we were already at the car.
Car? We were just in the hospital earlier.
"Where are we?" I asked, I am still sleepy and I rubbed my eyes to see clearly. "Who are you?" I asked the woman beside me and the two men in front.
They didn't answer me.
"Where are you taking me!? Who are you!? Where's yaya!? Yaya! Help!" I said and hit the door, looking so lost on what am I seeing outside.
So many buildings and cars and people.
Where am I?
"Help! Yaya! Who are you!? Where are we!? Are you kidnappers!?" I asked scared that something bad might happen to me and I can't fight back. "Help me!"
"Mama! Yaya! Help!" I kept on banging the window but no one from the outside noticed me.
"Sir, she's awake" I heard the woman beside me and I glared at her. "She's feisty and she's currently glaring at me" she informed whoever is on another line.
"Okay sir" she said and dropped the call. "We are going home, Miss Lois" she added and I frowned.
"My home is not in the city, Ma'am Whoever-you-are" I said and crossed my arms over my chest. "And this place has so many buildings, cars and people. My home is not like this. This is not my hometown!"
"Just stay quiet and wait, will you, Miss Lois?" she asked formally and that made me even frown.
"W-wait, who are you? I don't even know who you are and you asked me to obey you? No way" I said and she smirk.
"Yes way, Miss Lois" she said with a smirk and that annoyed me even more. "I am Anna, you're new nanny and I am your father's employee"
"What!?" I hysterically asked, because what in the world is happening right now.
Last time I remembered I was just alone in the house, then some bed men trying to do bad things, then I am here now, with my father's employee who's going to be my new yaya.
I am so confused!
"I don't understand all of this!" I angrily commented and she nodded. "First, I already have a yaya and I don't need a new one. Second, I don't have a father. So, bring me to my hometown now" I seriously said, "po" I added because they're still older than me.
"Just wait, Miss Lois. We will get there" she said and I sighed exaggeratedly because I am losing my patience here.
"To where exactly we are going Yaya Anna?"
"Just call me Aunt Anna, that's better" she said and I rolled my eyes. "And we are going to your new house. New home from now on"
I was about to said somethings when the driver told us that we're here. I looked outside and I saw a huge gate. Where am I?
The gate opened and I saw a huge garden, a fountain, set of tables and chairs, grass field, then I saw a huge house, still far from where we are. The car continues its way until we are in front of the house with a huge brown door.
"Where is this? What is this huge house?"
"This is your new house, Miss Lois" Yaya Anna said and I scoffed.
"This will never be my house. I don't need a big house. I want to be in Romblon. I want to be in my home. I want to go back" I said and she shook her head.
"According to your father, this will be your new house and that's final" she said and went out of the house. One of the men with us opened the door for me. '
"What? I am not a princess. I don't need to be in a huge house and with strangers like you. I don't need to live here. I want to go back in my house with yaya. Now!" I said but no one say anything. They just ignored me and led the way towards the door.
"Do you want them to carry you, Miss Lois?" Anna asked and pointed out at the men with us.
"What? I have my own mind. And why would I live in that house if I don't know anyone here. I am sure I will live this house alone, so bring me back to my yaya"
"No can do, Miss Lois. Your father is my boss and you're not your father" she said and stomped my feet that made her smirk in triumph.
The men opened the door and a bunch of maids in their uniform and even the chefs are on the line as well.
What is happening?
"I told you that I am not a princess" I seriously said and stopped walking to looked at Anna. "So, what is all of this? I don't know what's happening right now. If this is even real or this is just a dream. I don't know if this is a prank or whatever. I don't know what to think, I have so many questions in mind, then you will add this entourage. Everything is freaking me out. I need explanations and not this" I added and she nods at me.
"And your father will explain it to you" she said and I frowned.
Father.
I really don't know if I will believe what is happening right now. I don't have a father, I don't know anything about him. Is he a kind or some sort of a royalty? Because they welcomed me with this set up.
Then, there are so many things that is happening right now. There are so many things and I can't comprehend it all.
I just want my yaya, then we will eat some foods and we will go to our house and do whatever we wanted.
I don't want this kind of life. I don't want to be here.
Yaya. Help me, please.
We went upstairs while I am roaming around my eyes to the whole house.
There are paintings, flowers on the vases, historical looking furniture. We are even walking on a red carpet.
What is this?
My mouth went wide open upon seeing a huge chandelier, I think it's even longer than my height. Then I notice that there is a huge window with huge curtains.
This is not a house anymore; this is a palace.
But as I said, I am not a princess. I am not belonged here.
I felt like I am on a trip or something. I don't even think that I am still at the Philippines.
"Who are they?" I asked Anna who's walking silently while leading me the way towards nowhere.
"You will soon find out, Miss Lois. Just a little wait" she said and I rolled my eyes.
We continue walking and walking. It's a long way towards a white huge double door. What are we going to do here?
"So, to answer all of your questions, all you have to is to go inside this room and whoever the person you will meet, you can ask questions to him. He will answer many questions you want to ask him" Anna said and I am still frowning because of too much confusion.
"This is really confusing me. Please tell me that this is a dream" I said, pleading because I really don't want anything of this to happen in real life.
I just want to get back on what was my life back then. Before everything gets this messy.
"Unfortunately, Miss Lois. But this is not a dream" she said and opened the door. "You can go inside. I am pleased to meet a feisty young lady here, sir" she said to a man who's looking outside, so I just saw his back.
"I'm glad you like her. You will be with her until I said so" the unfamiliar man's voice echoed in the whole room. I step forward, but not in totally inside the room.
There are papers, books, a globe, paintings and many more.
This looks like a principal office, just remove the painting.
"You can leave us" he added and Anna carefully lead me the way and I don't have any choice but to go inside. There is no point in running away, if ever I did that.
"It is nice to meet you, Miss Lois" Anna said before she closed the door.
I was about to go out when the man didn't face me. But he talked.
"Don't" he said and his unfamiliar voice sounds scary for me.
"Who are you?" I fiercely asked him and if this is a dream, I am probably sure that I am fiercer when I wake up.
"Welcome home," he said and finally face me which made my eyes wide open. "my daughter" he added and that made me step backward.
Dr. Antonio?
_______________