A/N: Bukas na lang po yung isa :) May sakit po kasi ako kaya magpapahinga po muna ako saglit.
PS: I know po na alam naman ng lahat kung anong klaseng ending ang gusto ko. But let just refrain from spoiling it sa iba.
CHAPTER 31
CASSANDRA'S POV
A loud thud woke me up followed by the groan of someone in agony. The sound teared me up in pieces...because that voice is very familiar.
I tried to fight for conciousness when I felt myself succumbing to the darkness again. I need to help him...ako lang ang kailangan nila. Hindi siya dapat madamay dito. With all my might, I wish I was wrong...na wala naman siya talaga dito...that it's just my imagination.
Because when this ends badly...I know I have a better fighting chance on living than him. I'm the one who aggravate them. Ako ang dahilan kung bakit nagkaron sila ng problema...they won't kill me easily...they will torture me.
But if I'm right..kung nandito nga si Andreige. Hindi nila patatagalin ang buhay niya...he's nothing to them.
I wont let that happened. I would do anything
...
...
even if it kills me.
My chest heaved with exhaustion. Mukhang matagal narin akong nawalan ng malay..and I can still feel the pain on the right side of my face.
I let out a sigh of relief when I finally be able to open my eyes. Blurry pa ang paningin ko...but I saw movements. I just hope hindi muna nila mapansin na gising ako. I need to think...fast. I need to get him out of here.
I wanted everything to be right. But in every turn I make, I always found myself face to face with mistakes.
Pero sana...sana kahit ngayon lang may magawa naman akong tama. I can give up everything for him but I dont want to give up the thought of living. I cant let myself die...and I cant let him die. I want to have a future with him. A happy life with him and our child.
I need to finish what I started.
It's the only way for me to have a life.
Napatingin ako sa kinaroroonan ng mga galaw na nakita ko. I bit down a cry when I saw Andreige. Blood covered his face.
May tatlong lalaking nakapalibot sa kaniya. Nagtatawanan ang mga ito habang salit-salitan sila sa pagbugbog kay Andreige na halos hindi na maidilat ang mga mata niya.
Naramdaman ko ang pangingilid ng luha ko habang tinitignan ko si Andreige. Hindi dapat ito nangyayari sa kaniya. Hindi siya dapat nadamay. I dont know what to do...what to say to just change everything that's happening.
Kailangan kong gumawa ng paraan.
Bahagyang bumukas ang mga mata niya...tuluyan ng pumatak ang mga luha kong kanina ko pa pinipigilan. He mouthed something...
'I Love You'
...
...
"Stop! P-Please stop."
Umiling si Andreige. Bumadha ang panic sa mga mata niya ng lumapit sa akin ang isa sa mga lalaki. It's not a wise thing to do...I know that. But I cant just let them kill him.
"Gising na pala ang prinsesa natin. Mukhang kailangan na nating tawagin si Boss. Siguradong matutuwa yon at gising ka na."
Binigyan ko siya ng matalim na tingin dahilan para umangat ang kamay niya at sampalin ako. Pumiglas si Andreige mula sa pagkakatali niya ng makita niya ang ginawa ng lalaking nasa harapan ko.
"Pakawalan mo kami."-me
Tumawa lang ang lalaki ng malakas. "At bakit naman namin iyon gagawin? Anong palagay mo sa amin? Tanga?"
"Baka sakaling bumaba ang sentensya niyo kung pakakawalan mo kami. Dahil sa oras na makawala ako dito ng wala ang tulong mo...I promise you that you will regret every second of it."
Mukhang hindi man lang tinablan ang lalaki sa mga sinabi ko. He's confident...dahil nasa teritoryo nila kami ni Andreige.
They can kill us anytime.
"Hindi mangyayari iyon. Dahil hindi ka na makakaalis sa kinalalagyan mo. Sa tingin mo ba pakakawalan ka pa namin?"
Bumaling siya sa isang lalake at tinanguhan niya iyon. Lumabas ang dalawang lalaki na nasa harapan ni Andreige.
Mario Tarsitani.
They're calling him. Our lives depends on him. He have us to play with...to torture...to kill. That would certainly happen...
...
...
If I let it.
Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili ko. Nakatali ang mga kamay kong nakataas sa ibabaw ng ulo ko. Ang mga paa ko naman ay bahagyang nakaangat sa sahig ngunit walang tali. Namamanhid na ang mga kamay ko but I can still move them if I want to.
Base on obvious observation..siguradong wala na ang mga baril ko sa katawan ko. But I felt something on my wrist..sa loob ng suit na suot ko.,
"Cassie."
Napapitlag ako ng may marinig akong magsalita. Mukhang wala namang narinig ang lalaking nasa harapan ko at nakangising ineeksamin ang baril na hawak niya.
...
...
Listening Device.
Hindi nila nahanap ang listening device na suot ko. I can do this...we still have hope. I wish this is enough. It might be enough.
"This is Cloak. Rain is currently tracking your location kaya ako ang kausap mo ngayon. If you're awake, don't speak and if you're still unconcious...well..I'll just repeat this like I've been doing all this time. We're turning off the listening device frequently to find out some signs if you're listening. We can't leave it on since there's a possibility na masagap nila iyon. We cant risk it."
Narinig ko pa siyang bumuntong hininga na animo napapagod na siya. Siya lang siguro ang free para kausapin ako at mukhang kanina niya pa inuulit ang sinasabi niya. Tumingin ako sa lalaki sa harapan ko. Imposibleng hindi niya marinig kapag nagsalita ako. Mukhang hindi din narinig ni Cloak ang pakikipag-usap ko sa lalaki nato dahil pinapatay nila ang listening device kapag sa tingin nila ay hindi pa ako gising.
Sunodd-sunod na umubo ako hoping that he can take it as a sign.
"Hmmm..."-cloak
Umubo ako ulit.
".....?"
"Damn it!" Napatingin sakin ang lalaki sa harapan ko. Agad na bumawi ako para hindi siya makahalata. "Pakawalan mo kami!"
Ngumisi lang siya ng nakakaloko at binalik niya na lang ang tingin sa baril na hawak niya. Good. I need to hear whatever Cloak will say.
"Yes. Definitely awake. Anyway, Craige is going out of his mind ng marinig niya na binubugbog ang kapatid niya. Then followed by Hullk Smash Bam Marveige and The Avenging dwarf, Paige. Kasalukuyan na silang papunta diyan so dont worry. But you need to move and find a safe place. That 'Incredible' you're wearing can keep the baby safe but it wont save you...or the baby in a bullet in your head."
Trust Cloak to be forward. I need that now. I dont need anyone to sugarcoat the danger we are in.
"My sweet angel had able to reach you ng inilagay kayo ng mga tauhan ni Tarsitani sa Van. Ironic isnt it? We finally got Vega and Cobain pero kayo naman ang nakuha nila. As I was saying..naabutan kayo ng sweet Angel ko. She's trying to help you ng magising si Andreige. Pinauna ka ni Andreige but someone spotted her kaya nilagyan ka na lang niya ng Pierce sa damit mo...your way to escape since she failed to help you."
She could have take Andreige with him....
Dapat iniwan na lang nila ako.
"She's hell bent on saving you pero pinilit siya ni Andreige na umalis kahit na pwede naman niyang isama si Andreige dahil may malay na ito. But you know us...men like us...We cant leave our woman in a situation like this. Andreige wont leave you because he cant."
That stupid.
"It's not a stupid reason. It's just the way it is."
-______-
Can he read minds?
"No I cant read minds. I'm just talented. Anyway use the Pierce and Escape. Take Andreige with you and if you cant, leave him."
-___- He said men like them cannot leave their women. Is it different to us that we can just leave them to save ourselves?
"Fine, dont leave him. It's not like you can anyway. Just dont get yourself killed."
I tried not to roll my eyes. Hindi ko inalis ang mga mata ko sa lalaking nasa harapan ko at kinapa ko ang Pierce na sinasabi ni Cloak. Madali ko lang naman nahanap iyon dahil magkadikit lang ang mga kamay ko.
I just hope that I wont graze my hands with it...or take my hand completely. Masyadong magkalapit ang mga kamay ko. It's impossible not to hurt myself.
"Now, click the tiny blue button to lower the heat. You wont want your hand to drop off. Besides you're getting married kaya mahirap ng walang malagyan ng sing-sing si Andreige."
Jeez.
Ginawa ko ang sinabi niya. Nanatili akong nakatingin sa lalaki para hindi siya makahalata. Saglit na tumingin ako sa kamay ko kung tama ba ang button na pinindot ko then ibinalik ko ulit ang tingin ko sa dati.
"You'll still gonna wound your hand so try not to shout, okay? I need to turn this thing off but I'll open it again after a few minutes."
I grited my teeth then I activated it.
A searing pain enveloped my hand. I move the hand that's holding the Pierce then move it in an angle that will reach the rope on my hands.
Napaatras sa gulat ang lalaki ng bigla na lang akong bumagsak. I bend my body to ready myself for the impact.
I pulled my body up when I fell on the floor. Kaagad na sinipa ko ang lalaki at inagaw ko ang baril sa kaniya. I grasp the collar of his shirt pagkatapos ay inuuntog ko siya sa pader. Hindi na ako nag-aksaya ng panahon at mabilis na lumapit ako kay Andreige.
"C-Cassandra..."
"Everything will be fine."
Hinawakan ko siya sa bewang ng tuluyan ko na siyang mapakawalan. He barely stand..nanghihina ang katawan niya.
"Leave me."-andreige
"No."
Lumapit ako sa pinto at bahagya ko iyong binuksan. Nang makita kong walang tao sa pasilyo ay inalalayan ko si Andreige palabas. I listened hard for any sign of movements pero malalayo ang naririnig ko.
"You need to l-leave...you can come back for me."-andreige
"Stop it."
"Save our baby, cassie."
Umiling ako habang patuloy ang pagluha ko. I almost shouted with relief ng makakita ako ng bukas na pinto papunta sa labas. Habang nakahawak kay Andreige ay naglakad ako papunta roon.
"I cant."-me
"Cassie-"
"I cant leave you. I cant save myself and the baby...I'm a selfish person. I told you that before. I dont think I can be a good mother without you. I dont think I will have enough soul in me to continue to live if something happen to you. If there's no hope...If this is the end...Andreige...
...
...
I will die with you."
Nakita ko ang pagtutol sa mga mata niya...then realization and understanding. Love have a different faces. And there are also a million ways how to love. Isa na kami ni Andreige doon...we cant livethout each other. Just living wont be enough.
I know it's wrong in the eyes of many. Alam ko iisipin nila na dapat ipinaglaban ko ang buhay ko..na dapat iniligtas ko ang magiging anak namin. I'm not planning on giving up but if there is no way at all for him to live with me...that's the moment that I will let everything fall.
I have a future..and that is to be with him and our baby.
But if it will end for him...then it will end for me too. Because he's connected in my future and without him...
It will all vanish.
...
...
Binalot ako ng pangamba ng mula sa kung saan ay may mga armadong lalaki ang bigla na lang sumulpot. Nakatutok ang mga baril nila sa amin at sa pinakasentro nila ay nandoon
...
...
Si Mario Tarsitani.
"Finally...nakita narin kita, Cassandra. I must say that I'm very impressed. Hindi narin nakakapagtaka na naiwasan mo lahat ng mga nagtatangka sa buhay mo. It's in your blood."
Humigpit ang pagkakakapit ko kay Andreige.
"So Cassandra...you evade us a lot of times pero sa mga kamay ko parin pala ang bagsak mo. Hindi kasing galing mo si Felix-"
"You have no right to talk about my father."
Tumawa lang si Tarsitani. "Okay since you wont talk about Felix then let's talk about your mother."
Pakiramdam ko binundol ng takot ang kaba ko at hindi iyon nakaligtas sa paningin niya. Ngumiti siya sa akin.
"Dont worry...hindi ko parin nakukuha ang ina mo. Ang daming nagbabantay sa kaniya and I dont want to waste my time with her. I just want to tell you a story about her-"
"I dont want to listen."
Hindi niya ako pinansin at nagpatuloy siya. "She really love Felix na kahit saan namin sila makita ay lagi silang magkadikit. It's a nuisance. felix always boast about her...na kesyo ang swerte niya. Na buti pa siya ay may asawang katulad ng mother mo. And because I grew tired of it I made sure na hindi na niya maipagmamalaki ang asawa niya. One night-"
"You raped her!"
Nanglaki ang mga mata ko. I want to scratch the smug grin on his lips. I want to kill him...to make him pay from what he did to my father...and my mother.
"Akala ko maghihiwalay na sila at matatahimik na ang lahat afterall...wala na siyang ipagmamayabang. But he's foolishly in love with her kaya nanatili parin siya sa tabi ng ina mo kahit na pinagsawaan ko na siya."
I step forward in anger pero naramdaman kong pinigilan ako ni Andreige. I bit my lower lip...fighting the urge to attack him.
"Then nagkaroon na naman ng bagong conflict. A bundle of joy...you. After all this years...imagine how surprise I am to find out na dalawa pala kayo."
"Fuck off!"-me
"You see...wala akong pakialam kahit na nagkapamilya si Felix. I dont want a family..it will complicate things. My money is mine alone. Women are disposable. It's a good thing that you look like your mother. It will be easy for me to kill you and your sister
...
...
My little daughter."
Nanlambot ang mga tuhod ko. Bumagsak ako at dahil sa nanghihina parin si Andreige ay kasama ko siya sa pagbagsak. Nakita ko ang pag-aalala sa mga mata niya. He held me in his arms with all the strenghth left on him when he saw the men around us putting their fingers on the trigger.
"No! You're not my father!"
"Dont worry, you wont be in just a couple of minutes. Kung may maipagpapasalamat man ako kay Felix ay iyon ay ng kupkupin niya kayo ng kapatid mo kahit na alam niyang hindi siya ang ama ninyo. Felix cant bear children. He must really love your pathetic mother. I'll take care of your sister afterwards...when I'm done killing you."
"Why? Why are you doing this? Nanahimik na kami...bago niyo pa kami hanapin at pagtangkaan patayin...nanahimik na kami. Why cant you just let us go."
Nagkibit siya ng balikat. "You and your sister still have my blood. And I dont like it."
He's not my father. Maybe it's the truth...maybe he's really my biological father. But he is not my father.
It will always be Felix Lane. He gave us home and his name. He gave us love. Kahit kailan hindi ko naramdaman na hindi niya kami minahal. He even risk his life for us...to give us a happy life.
Pwede naman niyang hayaan kaming mamatay ni Alex ng malaman niyang buntis ang nanay namin. But he didnt gave us up...
He run with us.
"You're a coward and my father is not a coward. He's the most brave man I ever met. Felix Lane is my father and nothing will change that."
Nakita ko ang pagtiim ng bagang niya. Sinenyasan niya ang mga tauhan niya at tinatamad na naglakad ng palayo.
Tumingin ako kay Andreige at nakita ko ang pag-unawa sa mga mata niya.
"I love you...I'm sorry Cassie."
"It's not your fault...this is just the way it supposed to happened. I love you Andreige...Let's find each other again, okay? Promise me that you'll find me again..."
Pinunasan niya ang mga luhang naglalandas sa mga mata ko. Nagdaop ang mga palad namin at magaang hinalikan niya ang mga labi ko.
"I will...I will always find you."-andreige
I felt the heat then followed by the pain. I felt Andreige's body bucked with the impact when the bullet penetrate his body. I know mine did too.
I lost count...two...three..or four. I cant hear anything anymore..I can barely see Andreige, but I can still feel his arms on mine.
This might be the end for us...
But for sure
...
...
We will meet again.