Needy got a ride with Thomas. It's a perfect day of journey. The dawn is breaking and the light began to surround all the places.
It's another morning of game.
Needy was headed East but when they got to leave Devil's Kettle - Minnesota, she decided to get out.
"Akala ko ba sa Madison ka tutungo?"
Tanong ni Thomas sa kanya.
"Uhm - just thought to stay here first before I'll go to Madison." Sagot ni Needy.
"Alright. Alam mo bang magandang lugar itong Devil's Kettle?"
"Oo naman."
"I've never seen a nice waterfall than what the Devil's Kettle has."
Needy nodded.
"I-I think I'm starving" She said.
"Oh, bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi?"
Needy looked at his brownish eyes and replied.
"Nahihiya ako. Pero wag kang mag-alala okay lang 'to."
"I have sandwiches here."
Thomas was about to get the sandwiches in his bag behind him.
"Naku wag nalang po, para po sa inyo yan." Wika ni Needy.
"C'mon Needy."
"Wag nalang kasi. Naku malayo pa yung Madison saka gugutumin ka sa daan. Sa'yo nalang kasi yan."
"Ayaw mong tanggapin? Sige ganito nalang, may restaurant ba dito sa Devil's Kettle?"
"Y-yes, and why?"
"Okay, since you're not going to accept the sadwiches that I offered, I merely gonna give you 20 bucks. Is it enough?"
"What??"
"Just give me a sec."
Dinukot ni Thomas sa kanyang bulsa ang kanyang wallet. Nang makita siya ni Needy, alam na agad niya ang ibig nitong gawin para sa kanya.
When he had the wallet on his hand, he opened it and Needy saw the picture inside.
"Is that Colin?" She asked.
"Oo. Kilala mo pala siya?"
"Yeah. He's my-batchmate. Colin Gray right?"
"Tama ka nga. Mabuti naman at nagkakilala din tayo."
"Oo nga. By the way, kaano-ano mo pala siya?"
"Si Colin -- siya ang nag-iisa kong apo. Pero pagkatapos nang nangyari sa kanya . . ."
Thomas didn't continue his statement and sighed.
"I'm so sorry." Needy said.
But the truth is, Jennifer killed him.
"It's okay. Well, let's forget about that."
Nakita ni Needy sa kanyang mga mata ang lungkot na kanyang nadama sa pagkawala nang kanyang apo. Naalala niya agad ang gabing muntik niyang masagasaan si Jennifer sa daan - bloodied and didn't look like human. She was so sure na may biktima na naman siya sa mga oras na iyon . . .
"Needy--"
Thomas wanted to catch her attention. His voice that was calling Needy jarred her back to the present.
"You're a million miles away. What are you thinking, Needy?"
"Uhm--"
She looked at him.
"Nothing. Ano nga pala 'yun?"
"Gusto kong tanggapin mo 'tong pera." Wika ni Thomas sa kanya.
"Pero--"
"Oop! Take it. This is just 20 dollars."
"Hindi ko yan talaga tatanggapin. That is a big amount. Look, you had a wife and I'm pretty sure na kakailanganin niya 'yan."
"But I don't have a wife."
Thomas stared at Needy's eyes.
"Okay lang po talaga ako." Wika ni Needy sa kanya.
"At saan ka kukuha ng pambili nang pagkain?"
Needy sighed.
"I'm a big girl, note that! You don't have to mind about me because I can handle myself. I'm SEVENTEEN!"
Needy turned and ready to open the door of the car on the right side, while Thomas watching her, smiling widely.
"Rock you little girl."
"Pero bago ako bababa, nais ko munang magpasalamat nang maraming marami dahil sa ride and dropping me here in Devil's Kettle."
"Walang anuman miss Anita. What a nice name."
"But I prefer to be call as Needy."
"Okay Needy."
"Thanks. Alright, I'll go."
Needy opened the door and she got out of the car. She closed it and began to step back.
The car started and Thomas yelled at her.
"TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, NEEDY!"
She nodded at him, smiled and the car ran off.
Lumakad si Needy habang nag-iisip.
"Meron pa palang mabait na tao dito sa mundo. Akala ko nung una masamang tao si Thomas. Well, I think they must be good to me 'coz if they don't, they'll gonna taste how bad girl I am!"
Habang siya'y naglalakad, dahan-dahan ring sumisikat ang araw mula sa Silangan.
Nararamdaman na niya na may parang kumakatok sa loob ng kanyang tiyan.
"Siguro kailangan ko nang kumain sa ngayon . . . "
She walked straightly.
" . . . Bakit hindi ko pa kasi tinanggap ang sandwich na binigay ni Thomas. Hindi naman ako nahihiya saka, may tiwala din naman ako sa kanya. Siguro iba lang ang gusto nang lalamunan ko. O -- ano ba talaga?"
Sa bandang dulo, nakita ni Needy ang lugar kung saan puwede siyang pumasok. Dito, nagsasama-sama at nagtitipon-tipon ang mga tao para kumain -- ang isang Pizza Joint ng Devil's Kettle. Ito lamang ang lugar na pwedeng kainan sa Devil's Kettle, kaya naman halos lahat ng tao ay dito na nagpapalipas ng oras upang kumain hindi lamang para sa magpamilya kundi maging sa mga nagmamahalan din.
"I wish Chip is with me right now as the sun rises. I miss him."
Needy stepped and began crossing the street toward the target area.
Hindi pa masyadong marami ang mga tao at sasakyan sa paligid kaya panatag pa ang loob ni Needy na manatili muna sa lugar na iyon.
Nakarating na siya sa pinto at nakita niya ang nakakabit na post sa ibabaw nito na mababasang " COME IN, WE'RE OPEN! "
Pumasok si Needy sa loob at nasalubong niya ang amoy na nalanghap niya sa kanyang matangos na ilong, na tila ito'y magpapabusog sa kanya. She stopped for a moment and looked around inside. The place was not really small but just suited for 15 tables. She walked toward the 14th table in the corner where there was a thing of number above it.
She sat on a chair and watched the server walked toward her.
"Good morning ma'am, what can I do for you? Anything?" The man in his early twenties whose name is Andrei, asked her.
"Uhm--"
Tumingin si Needy sa mga posters nang ibat'-ibang pizza na nasa dulo.
"I want that!" She said.
"Which of 'em?"
"The one which is topped with lots of meat and cheese and vegetables."
"The big one? It's a special pizza." Said Andrei.
"Y-yeah."
"Got it. Siguro gutom na gutom po kayo ano?"
"Oo. Siguro nga."
"Oh, and by the way it cost 400 dollars!"
Pero wala akong perang dala. Bulong ni Needy sa kanyang sarili.
"Uhm, additional ma'am?
"Wala na, yung lang."
Nakita ni Needy na may sinusulat ang lalaki sa dala dala niyang maliit na papel sa kanyang kamay.
"Number fourteen! Five minutes lang po ma'am." Pangiting wika ni Andrei at tumalikod.
Tumingin-tingin si Needy sa loob.
"Uhm, by the way where is Amanda?"
Lumingon ang server sa kanya.
"Kilala niyo po ba si Miss Amanda?"
"Yeah, she's my friend."
"Great. Welcome to the Pizza Joint!"
"Thanks. S'an nga ba siya?"
"Umalis sila kasama nang boyfriend niyang si sir White. Nagbakasyon sila sa San Francisco. Pero babalik naman sila siguro, baka ngayon nga pauwi na sila eh. Magkakakilala pala kayo ni miss Amanda?"
"Yes 'coz my mom was her godmother. We're close."
"Ahuh. Alam mo ba, napakabait niyang si miss Amanda. Swerte nga si sir White sa kanya eh, at syempre, mas swerte din kami dahil nagkaroon kami nang amo na kasingbait niya."
Napangiti si Needy.
"Kamusta na kaya ang kaibigan ko . . . "
Maya-maya, may biglang lumabas na babae mula sa cooking area na tila nagpa-panic at lumuluha. Ang telepono ay nasa kanyang tainga. Agad na tumakbo si Andrei papunta sa kanya.
"Ano bang nangyari?"
Hinahawakan niya ang mga balikat nito.
"Anong nangyari? May sunog ba sa loob?! Tawagan natin ang firemen!"
"H-hindi! SINA MISS AMANDA! . . . "
Natulala si Needy sa kanilang dalawa habang tahimik itong nakikinig.
"Anong nangyari kay miss Amanda?"
" . . . sina miss Amanda, NAAKSIDENTE!"
"Ano!?"
Kinabahan si Andrei sa kanyang narinig kay Melinda, maging si Needy ay kinabahan rin at nag-alala sa kaibigan.
"Tumawag sa ating numero ang nakapulot sa phone ni miss Amanda. Grabe ang nangyari sa kanila, drei! KAWAWA SINA MISS AMANDA!" Iyak ni Melinda habang ito'y nakayakap kay Andrei.
"Eh, papa'no si miss Amanda?" Tanong ng lalaki sa kanya.
Needy took a deep breath as she was silently listening to them.
"Wala na si miss Amanda. Patay na silang dalawa ni sir White! Hindi na sila nakaabot sa ospital, at binawian na nang buhay!"
"Ano?" Mukhang iiyak na rin si Andrei.
Nalungkot si Needy sa kanyang narinig.
Nakakaawa naman sina Amanda. Bakit kaya kung ikaw pa yung matino at mabuting tao, ikaw pa yung maagang binabawian ng buhay. Ba't hindi pa yung may mga masasamang ugali, tulad ng Nikolai na 'yun! Ganito ba talaga ka-unfair ang life? Well in fact, hindi naman talaga natin maiiwasan ang kamatayan.
After a couple of minutes, Melinda got calm. She was in her late forties and she was about to attack by the hypertension, so Andrei let her rest.
They stayed waiting for the updates of the news regarding to the death of White Bullock and Amanda Morgan in a car wreck.
Five minutes after, Needy received the pizza.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, miss--??"
"Needy."
"I'm--Andrei. Nice meeting you."
Needy cleared her throat.
"Uhm, is there an update of Amanda?"
"The police will probably call us very soon, Needy."
"Okay."
Pagkatapos nun, kinain na ni Needy ang pizza. Talagang nabusog siya sa isang malaking pizza, ni hindi man lang nito pino-problema ang pambayad niya.
After it, Andrei and Melinda didn't see her inside the eatery anymore. Nagtaka nga sila at hindi makapaniwala kung bakit siya nakalabas nang biglaan. They were watching at her but then, just a blink of their eye, she immediately disappeared. It's impossible how she could get out of there very quickly. The door was closed and they didn't hear any noise if she moved or walked or ran through the glass door. Even though Melinda and Andrei looked after her outside, they would never see Needy again.
A/N: Hey guys! Chapter 2 is done. Thanks for the reads, hope you like my story ;)
Please be with me to the end of this.
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