Limit Thirty Three: One Man Lives And One Man Falls
(9th Force – Skylar)
Tinignan ko lang ang lalaking nahuli ko noong nakaraang linggo. I mean what the hell? One moment sasabihan niya akong manloloko then now sasabihin niyang kailangan niya ng tulong ko?
Seryoso. Ginagago niya ba’ko? -___-++
“Oh anong kapalit neto?” naka-cross arms ako sa harapan niya, yung mata ko nakapaningkit. “Tsaka bakit biglang nagbago ‘yang isip mo?”
“Ano kasi… napanood ko ‘yung interview ni—”
“Ah Rey Ashton. Again. Are you a fan?” =____=
Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. “Hindi. Natutuwa lang ako sa mga ginagawa niya para sa mga bata. It’s not always so easy squeezing time to hang out with kids. I admire him for that and for the rest that he does.”
Kpayn. -___-a
“Oh so? He cleared me, he defended my good name, you were aware now that I’m the victim, and so? What do you want?”
Tumingin siya sa akin ng seryoso. Nakita ko ang takot sa mga mata niya nang mga oras na iyon. “Kapag nagsalita ako, ipangako mo sa aking magiging ligtas ang mag-ina ko. Ipangako mo sa akin na hindi sila magagalaw.”
Tss. Dami-dami pang paliguy-ligoy tas sa ganito rin pala ang tuloy. Kung anu-ano pang itinawag niya sa’kin eh sa akin rin pala siya hihingi ng katakut-takot na tulong para maligtas siya. Tsk. Tao nga naman.
“Yes, Chief. Now as in now. Thank you, Chief. Lablab. (♥♥,) Wahahahaha! Juk lang. XD Chege na, may ii-interrogate pa’ko.”
I hung up the phone at nilapitan ng mas maigi si lalaki. “Now your part of the deal. Talk. What is the chemical about?”
“Nabanggit ko si Dagger, hindi ba? Sa kanya nag-originate ang substance na ‘yan. Sa pagkakatanda ko, minsang tinawag ‘yan ng Doom na shutter.”
Umarko ang kilay ko. “Dagger you say? And Doom?” hindi ba kasama sa Doom sina Amber at Eric?
“Sila ang gumawa ng gamot.”
“Then bakit n’yo ibinebenta? Tsaka paano nakuha yung formula? May tuta ba sila sa loob ng Mafia? May kakampi sa loob ng Full Force?”
“Sa maniwala ka’t sa hindi wala akong alam sa transaksyon. Ang alam ko lang, inililipat nila ang gamot sa bullet customized container at ginagawang pambala ng baril.”
Wow. Being that marami yung chemical makes sense with it being transfered to a bullet customized container. Syempre bala nga naman iyon. Pero ang tanong… “Sinong paggagamitan nila nu’n?”
“Hindi ko alam. Wala akong alam. Taga-deliver lang rin ako. Kinukuha ko ang pera at aalis na.”
“Saan nanggagaling ang mga idini-deliver mo? Saan o kanino mo ibinibigay ang perang pinagbebentahan mo ng shutter?”
“Usually ide-deposit ko lang yung pera sa isang account. Yung dine-deliver ko namang gamot eh may supplier na mismo. Ibinibigay niya sa akin ang amount ng briefcase, pangalan ng client, kung saan magtatagpo.”
Kumuha ako ng ballpen at papel sa may dulo ng mesa at inihagis sa kanya. “Isulat mo ang huling account informations na naaalala mo pati na ang pangalan, cell phone number o kung ano pang necessarry na details ng supplier na sinasabi mo.”
He started scribbling on the paper while I dial Amber’s phone. “Hey, Skies. Wassup?”
“Asan ka?”
“Bahay lang, bakit?”
“Puntahan kita d’yan. May idi-discuss ako with you.”
“Oh sure. I won’t be going anywhere.”
I hung up the phone nang matapos siyang magsulat ng kung anu-ano. Walang paalam na lumabas ako ng interoggation room, senyales that I’m done with it. Diretso ako sa parking area para kunin ang kotse ko at paharurutin iyon papunta sa mansyon ng mga Velasco. Hay, Lord. Makakakita na naman ako ng tigre. -____-
“AW! AW! AW-AW!” – aso po ‘yan ni Grey, baka akala n’yo si Gino. XD
“First! Si Cerberus woh.” TT0TT
Tinignan lang niya si Cerberus tas retreat na kaagad ng bongga yung aso. Imba ‘tong si Amber may sademonyo. Pati labrador napapa-amo. XDD
Pumasok kami sa loob pagkarating ko ng mansyon nila. Tulog raw sina Grey at Ash sa kwarto. Akalain mo ‘yun? Natutulog pala ang dalawang abo? Kung bakit kasi pinangatawanang abo ang pangalan ng anak eh. Mga timang.
“Want anything? Juice? Coffee?”
“No uhm… may gusto lang sana akong itanong.” I waited for her nod, she did. I smiled. “Myembro ka ng Doom dati, hindi ba? Are you familiar with a drug called shutter?”
Nag-iba ang facial expression. From a neutral one to a serious state. “Shutter? All Mafia chemical and drug induced substances are now banned and ended when we allied to ZAFT. Now why are you asking about shutter?”
“Napagsalita ko siya, Amber. And he told me na shutter nga ang gamot na ‘yon na itina-transfer nila sa bullet container so they can use it with guns. What I can’t understand is why?”
“Nagawa ko na ‘yan dati. I used the shutter with the gun. Shutter is a chemical na nakakapag-paralyze ng tatamaan nito, it just takes ten seconds to effect. Mabilis kumalat sa brain, affecting the cerebellum that controls the ability to talk and move. That way… you’re dead but you’re not literally dead—if you get me at that.”
Parang naiintindihan ko na kung bakit nila trip ang shutter. Pero kung may gusto silang patahimikin, who would it be? Paano napunta sa kanila ang formula ng shutter? Sino yung ‘sila’ na tinutukoy namin dito?
♪Fall back, take a look at me and you’ll see I’m for real.
I feel what only I can feel and if that don’t—♪
Jin calling…
o.O?
“Hello, Jin?”
“Sky!” he hissed, I can sense the tension in his system right now. “Pwede ka bang pumunta dito? N-Nandito si Zone eh. M-Medyo… medyo may hindi nangyayaring maganda. He’s mad.”
Oh man. “Papunta na’ko. Kalma lang, Jin. Don’t do anything horrible.”
“Yep. Christian is kind of… handling the matter a little bit.”
Christian. Paking teyp makikita ko si Christian. TT0TT
“Amber, kailangan kong pumunta sa mansyon nina Jin. Nando’n daw si Zone eh. Tingin ko alam na niya.”
“Ha? Eh teka sasama ako. Tara.”
Nakiangkas siya sa’kin. Tamad magmaneho. = . = But anyway since nasa area na nga kami ng District Three, medyo may kabilisan rin ang pagkaabot namin sa mansyon ng dalawang Harcourt. Nakita ko na kaagad sa labas ang dalawang kotse. Mukhang andito rin sina Carmi at Nigel Ashton.
Trouble ‘to.
“Calm down, son.”
“Calm down? How can you ask me to calm down, Dad?”
> 0>
“Your Dad is right, Zone. You should calm down.” Hanep na entrance ‘to. Ako na bongga, ako na!
Tinginan silang lahat sa amin lalo na sa akin. Priceless ang mukha ni Zone nang makita niya ako. And hey bongga, andu’n si Cris. Feeling ko sila na. Feeling ko talaga sila na. >__<
Paulit-ulit? Pajuju? XD
“Sky?”
“Listen, Zone. Hindi mo dapat dinadaan sa ganito. Lalo lang gugulo ang sitwasyon kung sisigawan mo silang lahat. Can’t they explain first before you yell at them? Calm down okay?”
“And you know about this?”
“Dude, of course I know. I’m a goddamn Harcourt, of course I will know.”
“Ba’t di mo sinabi sa’kin? For all the years I’ve breathed the air of being an Ashton I didn’t even thought for one second na isang araw, may bigla na lang lalabas na isang lalaking nag-trabaho para kay Kuya at sasabihin ng mga magulang ko na kapatid namin siya! That’s unfair, Sky! You are my best friend, you’re supposed to tell me this! What’s wrong with you?”
Magsasalita sana ako nang agawin ni Christian ang eksena ko. =____=
“Don’t blame Sky, it’s not her fault. Misyon niya ang ipakilala si Jin sa mga magulang mo. Wala siyang kasalanan kung hindi niya nagampanan ang pagiging matalik niyang kaibigan sa’yo at ilaglag ang sarili niyang misyon just for the sake of that.”
“I’m sorry but what are you—I mean who the hell are you?”
Salbahe ka, Zone. -____-++
“Christian Harcourt. I’m the adopted brother of Jin’s wife’s father.”
“So you’re the Uncle?” @.@a maang na tanong ni Cris.
“Technically I guess?”
Ang sangsang lang ng term. Uncle tas hinalikan ako. Eeeeeewww! Bakit ganu’n? Ang unfair naman ih. TT0TT
I sighed. “How did you know about this, Zone?”
“Cris said she’s been seeing Mom and Dad going on and off in this area so I followed them. Common sense, Ashton’s doesn’t have anything to do with Harcourt’s. So what’s the catch?”
“And then?”
“And then I heard this dork calling my parents as Mom and Dad so I jump into conclusion. And I was right. Mother fvckin’ freakin’ right.”
H’wag ka magmura, nakakataranta ‘yan eh. -____- “And… you’re mad?”
“Sinong hindi magagalit? Hanggang kailan nila itatago ‘to? Hanggang kailan sila magsisinungaling sa amin tungkol dito? Wala ba kaming karapatang malaman ang eksplanasyon kung bakit nangyayari ang ganitong bagay? We don’t even know who’s this Jin Kurenai is!”
“Zone, he’s your brother. Anata no ototo ni warui hanashi o yameru.” Anla nag-alien na. Ano raw ‘yun?
“I’m not talking bad to him, I’m saying the truth! We do not know him!”
“I’ve worked with you, under you, talked to you, accompanied you. That was just six months ago, Zone, and now you’re saying you do not know me. Wow. How long it might have been.”
“Stop throwing sarcasms at me, dork!”
“I’m not throwing sarcasms, I’m saying the truth!”
“WILL YOU STOP!” hindi ko na napigilang sumigaw. “How low the both of you can get? Why do you yell like you never knew each other? Do you not have any respect left to your bones that you do this things in front of your parents! Grow up!”
Natahimik sila. Nakita ko sa peripheral vision ko na pumalakpak si Amber habang nakangisi. Nakakainsulto lang. Ang ginagamit niyang pampalakpak eh yung pointing fingers niya. -____-++
“I want a DNA test.” Zone stated between gritted teeth.
“Let’s do it then.” Jin naman eh. =____=
“Guys, guys, calm down.” Sumingit na si Amber. “In Zone’s favor, he’ll pick the hospital or the doctor to do the test. Usually, one week is the least date na naglalabas sila ng resulta. No more, no less. One week. We will go now and have yourselves tested so Zone here can calm down. But boy, I need you to promise us one thing.”
Tinignan lang ni Zone si Amber na parang itinatanong kung ano ‘yon. Yun nga lang, sa maangas na paraan.
“You will try and work things out with Jin if the test is positive and it goes to turn out that you’re indeed siblings. You guys are family. Blood is always thicker than water.”
“And what about Rey and Erinne?”
“Anak…” I saw Nigel Ashton swallowed the lump in his throat before Zone turned to look at him. “H’wag mo na muna sanang ipaalam ‘to sa mga kapatid mo lalo na kay Rey. Kami na ang bahalang magsabi sa tamang panahon. Maaari ba?”
Okay. Nacu-curious na talaga ako. Grr. -___-
After ma-settle ng fight, we proceeded to go to Hernandez Medical which is to Zone’s advantage. Para lang hindi siya magduda. Sa akin sumabay si Jin at Christian. Si Jin katabi ko, si Christian katabi ni Amber sa backseat.
Nakita kong makailang ulit lumulunok si Jin. “Oy. H’wag kang kabahan.”
“Can’t help it, Sky. Ayokong ma-disappoint kung negative ang lumabas sa result.”
“When Rosegrace tried four DNA tests with you, it went positive.” Sabi ni Christian na medyo iritado ang tinig. “May test ka na galing kay Zone, positive ‘yon. Hindi naman magbabago ang dugo mo sa ilang buwan lang ang lumipas, Jin. You’re a true Ashton. He’s just making sure that you are.”
“P-Pasensya na, kinakabahan lang talaga ako.”
Napailing ako saka binilisan ang pagmamaneho. Nang makarating ng HMH, ilang minuto pa kaming naghintay sa labas bago dumating sina Zone at yung parents niya. Zone talked to some doctors inside. One of them even smiled at me so I smiled back. Then maya-maya eh nagpasukan sila sa loob ng isang laboratory. Amber excused herself. Sina Nigel at Carmi naman ay sumunod sa mga anak nila. So ang natira lang eh ako, si Christian at si Cris.
Utang na loob, Cris. H’wag kang aalis. =____=
“Nakaka-tensyon.” Cris whispered to herself.
“Chill. Maaayos rin ‘yan.”
“Gaano mo na katagal alam ‘to, Sky? I mean, nawalan kami ng koneksyon ni Zone sa’yo bigla tapos in one snap, sangkot ka pala sa major problem ng family niya. No pun intended, Sky, pero… why do you always appear around the Ashton’s?”
Oo nga noh. Well I didn’t originally plan to distance myself away from them pero kung iisipin nga namang mabuti, lagi akong involved sa pamilya ni Rey. I don’t even know if it’s healthy or not.
Hay nako, destiny. Minsan nakakaasar ka na. -___-++
“I don’t know. I don’t intend that to happen but I guess I don’t plan to distance myself with them anyway.”
She simply smiled and nodded. “Sundan ko na lang muna si Zone sa loob.”
“Wha…” 0_____0a
Pumasok na siya sa loob. Patay kang dyosa ka. Ang ganda mo neng!
“Iniiwasan mo’ko di ba? So why don’t you just go and excuse yourself?” ang bitter mo tsong. -___-
“Hindi kita iniiwasan.”
“Dumping my calls, not responding to any of my texts, not coming to the mansion unless it’s Jin who calls you. Wow, Sky. What’s the definition of ‘avoiding’ is to you? Cause certainly, we have the different view to it.”
=____="
“Just to be clear, Christian. I just don’t want to take your mind off of the gutter. I don’t want you worrying sickly about the kiss. I don’t want you—”
“It’s always about the kiss that’s why you’re avoiding me. What did I ever done so wrong? I just kissed you!”
“Too bad you can’t see the mistake of kissing me but I do. Wherever you look at it, east, west, north, south, left or right, Christian, it’s wrong!”
“Why?”
“Because it’s wrong! I don’t know why but it’s wrong!”
Magwo-walk out na sana ako para sundan si Amber sa labas when he grabbed my arm at pinabalik ako. I was greeted by his fiery eyes that screams explanation. I can sense he’s enraged by the fact na wala akong sense ngayon. He was asking for an explanation, I blew him off.
“You know what’s the problem with you, Sky? You’re keeping your eyes shut from people who might love you more than you know they do. You’re keeping a deaf ear from a loud heartbeat you know you hear. You’re keeping a numb heart from me because you know very well that you’re safe gutter is in jeopardy once you let your guard down! You think I couldn’t sense it? You think I couldn’t see it? You think I don’t know that you’re a coward hiding from the shadows of fear and waiting for self-destruction? Fair enough, I do! I do know and I do read what’s written in your eyes right now!”
“Shut up.”
“Am I hitting a nerve here?”
“Shut up!”
But instead, he held both of my arms and shook me briefly before his lips crash against mine. Sinamantala niya ang pagiging tuliro ko nang humiwalay siya at tumingin sa akin ng mata sa mata.
“You have to listen, Sky. Hindi lahat ng lalaking makikilala mo ay pwede mong ikumpara sa kanya. There’s more to it than one glance. In this day, not all men lives. Not all men goes up. Sometimes they fall. I was supposed to live like that. Like I do not know any women who can take me down. But I did. I fall. One man lives and one man falls, Sky. Rey Ashton might be living his life right now without you. But I… if you prefer comparing me to him, then you might think I fall rather than live. Because I fall for you and I was hoping you can save my poor ass here and take my hand before I flopped to the hard ground.”
Sht. Is he right about that? Does he deserve this chance? Am I even ready for it? Am I ready for pain again? Am I ready to be betrayed? Am I ready to take chances? Am I ready to give the pieces of my heart and let someone glue it altogether?
Dear Sasame,
Help me. I don’t know what else to do anymore.
In jeopardy,
Fallen
***
Kung dati Team Zone-Sky vs Team Sk-Rey, ngayon Team Sky-tian na vs Team Sk-Rey. Ang manalo sa second round ay mag-aadvance sa third round para sa jackpot. LOLOL XDDDDD So sino ang bet ng madlang utaw? Grabe na si Christian, tumoda na ituuuuuuu. XD
Anyhow.. anong say nyo? Magkaron naman kayo ng say, pakonti na ng pakonti ang nagco-comment eh. XD By the way, kidding aside. Let us pray po for the Typhoon Yolanda victims. Let us all speak blessing, strength, miracle, and prosperity to come their way. Kawawa naman yung mga nasalanta lalo na sa Visayas part. If there's anyone here from the Visayan part and you guys are miraculously unaffected, sikapin po nating makatulong doon po sa mga kababayan nating na-devastate talaga at walang shelter, clothes and foods d'yan. I'm sure we can all spare some old clothes and leftover foods or a couple of canned goods.
Yun lang naman. :D Vote and Comment na mga, sweetlings! :D
-HR <3