"Ano? Itatapon na ba 'yan?" I heard familiar voices.
"Buhay pa naman."
"Edi patayin."
Ang nanunuyong labi ko ay nanginig sa narinig. I'm scared, I want to get out of here. I want to see my mommy and daddy.
"Aly, look at our cute little kitten." That voice echoed all over the place. "She looks so small and scared."
"P-please, get me out of here."
"She wants to get out, Slyvia." Tawa pa ng isang babae. She's Alysia, my bestfriend.
"I can't do that my little sister." Slyvia touvhed my head. I can't understand, bakit pa nila ako piniringan kung kilalang kilala ko naman sila. "Our dad will for sure kill me." She laughed like a mad person. It scared me.
After the loud gunshot banged, I fainted.
Nagising ako at walang maalala.
"Pauline!" Naalimpungatan ako malakas na pagyugyog sa akin. "Aba tanghali na! Bawal ang tatamad tamad rito!" Isang babae ang nagbuhos ng malamig na tubig sa akin.
Bago pa man ako makabawi ay lumabas na ang babae. Nilalamig akong napaupo ngunit agad napainda sa sakit.
Nagtatakang tinignan ko ang mga sugat ko. Saan ito nanggaling? Ang pasa sa balikat ko, ang sugat sa labi ko, ang sakit ng katawan ko. Kahit pa nga ang marka sa dalawang palapulsuhan ko. Kumikirot ang katawan ko.
Hindi ko maalala ang nangyari sa akin at... sino ako.
"Please, clean my office later." I said to him.
"Copy madam!" Nagtaka ako sa energy niya, I mean it's past lunch, ang init kaya magtrabaho sa ganitong oras at nakakaantok. Ganoon kasi ako noon sa kumpanya niya. "Kumain ka na ba?" Napalingon ako sa tanong niya.
"Why do you care?" Tumaas ang kilay ko sa tanong niya.
He shrugged. "Nagtatanong lang."
"Hindi pa." Mahinang sagot ko at gusto kong sabunutan ang sarili ko. Why would I answer him.
"Come again?" He playfully asked, and damn it I know he's just messing up.
"Hindi pa ako kumain." I still talked.
"Sabay tayo?"
I rolled my eyes at him. "No."
"Sungit." Guess what? He pouted, as if he's cute.
Kinabukasan ay naroon na naman siya sa harap ng office ko, hindi panglinis ang hawak niya kung hindi ay mamahaling lunch bag, how do I know it's expensive? It is a freaking Chanel. "I bought you food." He casually handed me the lunch bag.
"I don't like it." I looked at him straight in the eyes.
He smiled, probably trying his luck. Gusto kong tanggapin kasi sayang naman pero kasi... "At least taste it?"
"I don't see any reason to take that, kaya kong bumili ng pagkain ko."
"I know. I just thought you would like this."
"Then, you're wrong." His expression were soft, mamuntik na akong bumigay, pero totoo naman I don't see any reason for me to accept the food.
I felt bad still.
The next morning the lunch bag is on my table and you don't have to be intelligent to know who was behind this.
"I know you can buy your own food but I cooked this for you. I hope you'll give it a try.
-V"
I crumpled the paper and threw it.
Gusto kong umiyak, the pain... it's coming back again.
Bakit ba napakasakit pa rin? Ilang taon na ang lumipas, malayo ka na sa dating ikaw, Pauline, you're Aurelia now.
Siya lang ang minahal ko, hindi nagbago yon, and I don't think I will ever move on from him.
I went out from my office. Gusto kong magpakalayo layo, gusto kong kalimutan ang lahat.
"Did it taste good?" Halos madulas naman ako nang magsalita siya sa likod ko. Sabi ko lalabas ako at mag iisip isip, bakit naman sumusulpot nalang siya bigla?
Instead of answering him, "I want to see my son."
"He'll be here, permanently."
I was out of words, will I really take care of my son again? "T-totoo?"
"Yes." He raised his hand wanting to touch but refused. "And I am sorry for taking this so long."
I am about to answer when his phone rang and I saw who's the caller... it's Vienna.
Is it still Vienna?
Without saying anything, I turned my back.
Bakit ba napakasakit? Ang sakit sakit pa rin? Ilang taon na ba ang lumipas bakit nandito pa rin?
My mind was clouded when my phone beeped and I saw a notification from my email.
Nangunot ang noo ko.
Agad akong napatayo sa gulat.
My... my son.
Nasapo ko ang bibig ko sa nakikita ko. Why...
He's... he's being beaten up.
My Xyphere.
Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko at hindi matigil ang luha ko.
Lumakas ang hagulhol ko nang tawagin niya ako, a-ang Xyphere ko. Puro pasa ang katawan at halos hindi na makamulat.
A-ang anak ko...
Hindi ko na kayang panoorin at padarag kong
ibinato ang cellphone ko. P-paano... sino ang gumawa nito sa kaniya.
Kaya ba hindi niya ako maalala? Ang daming pumapasok sa isip ko, iyak ako nang iyak.
My mind is clouded by manu scenarios. Bakit nila nagawa yon sa bata? He's just 5... how cruel can they be...
Nahihirapan akong huminga dahil sa lakas ng mga hikbi ko. I... I can't bare it, natutulala ako. Sa bawat minuto ay lumalakas ang hikbi ko.
Hindi ko na namalayan nawalan ako ng malay.
"Hey," Siya ang bumungad sa akin nang magising ako, wala ako ospital pero hindi pamilyar ang kwarto kung nasaan ako.
I slowly turned at him. "Why am I here Vince?"
"You passed out," Bumangon ako at agad naman siyang umalalay. "Hindi ko alam kung saan ka nakatira kaya dito kita sa bahay dinala."
I looked around, his scent were all over the place. Napailing ako.
Kumirot nanaman ang puso ko nang maalala bakit ako nawalan ng malay. Unti unti na namang lumalakas ang pagtangis ko, lumaki ang mga mata ni Vince at agad akong inalo.
"What's wrong? Nag aalang tanong niya.
Umiyak lang ako nang umiyak, matagal kaming ganoon. Umiiyak ako habang siyang hinahaplos haplos ang likod ko.
"G-gusto kong makita ang anak ko." Yakap niya ako kaya't bahagyang nilayo niya ako nang magsalita ako. "Vince, tell me, why... w-why did they do that to my son?" Malungkot siyang tumingin sa akin. "B-bakit nila sinaktan ang anak ko, p-please please tell me." Desperada akong kumapit sa kamay niya, nagbabakasakaling masagot niya ang katanungan ko.
"Xyphere... our son was abducted." Nanginginig ang kamay niya, parang siya mismo ay ayaw pang balikan ang pangyayaring 'yon. "He was b-beaten up." I saw how he was struggling to find his voice. "And then, he... he was sent to an auction where the child will be bought and... a-and his organs will be taken or he will be a ...sex s-slave." Labis ang panginginig niya, I held his hand, I know it was also painful for him. "F-fuck... fuck! He's just 5 years old. For fucks sake, he's just 5!"
Humagulhol ako sa narinig, b-bakit nila yon gagawin? B-bakit sa anak ko? Bakit... bakit?!
"H-how did you get him?"
"I spent billions." Mahinang aniya, pilit nagsasalita kahit na humahagulgol na siya. "I spent billions for him. I don't care if it means losing everything, my son never deserved anything like that."
"Where's is my son?"
"In the other room." Yumuko siya at pilit na pinapalis ang luha niya.
"I want to see him."
Iginiya niya ako sa kwarto kung nasaan ang anak ko.
Napaluha ako sa nakita, he was there playing, like... like it didn't happen, like he wasn't hurt at all. His bright smile was plastered on his lips. He's a sunshine, I will never ever let out of my sight.
Lumingon siya sa akin, agad na nawala ang ngiti niya. Tinagilid niya ang ulo niya, tila kinikilala ako.
So that's why he doesn't remember me. He shouldn't remember, sana wag na siyang makaalala pa habangbuhay. I want him to forget everything in his past, kahit pa kasali ako sa nakaraang yon.