———
"The fuck!"
Agad tumakbo si Lyca papunta sa pinanggalingan ng boses habang ramdam ang presensiya ni Jeru na nakasunod lamang sa likod niya.
"Judge?" Jeru said amused, brows furrowed a bit upon drifting his eyes on Judge, who was laid flat on the ground, with garbage scattered around along with him.
Naglahad ng kamay si Lyca kay Judge. "Okay ka lang?"
Judge didn't reach her hand, leaving it hanging and Lyca embarrassed. Napakagat-labi si Lyca at minabuti niyang itago na lamang iyon. Judge got up on his own and wiped himself clean. There were a lot of chaff particles hanging on his shirt, he even have it on his hair too. Inabot iyon ni Lyca.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" Judge asked, grumpy and still busy wiping himself up.
"Just tissues... it stuck on your hair. Kinuha ko lang."
Judge glared at her. "I can do it myself." At pinagpagan nito ang ulo. "May roon pa?"
Umiling siya. "Wala na."
"What are you doing here?" Jeru asked, confused. Napaatras pa ito. "Damn you stink!"
Sinamaan ito ng tingin ni Judge at hinampas ng tissue. Nakailag naman kaagad si Jeru.
"Saan kayo?" Biglang tanong ni Judge.
"Papuntang Seven Eleven," si Lyca na ang sumagot dahil mukhang walang balak sagutin iyon ni Jeru.
Nagpalipat-lipat ang mga mata nito sa kanilang dalawa ni Jeru, kalaunan ay tuluyang huminto ito sa kaniya.
Sumingkit ang mga mata ni Judge. "Ba't kayo magkasama?"
Both puzzled, Lyca and Jeru looked at each other, brows creased and with mirroring confused eyes.
"Are you following us?" Jeru asked curiously.
Napaubo si Judge at agad napailing. "Why w-would I do that?"
"Maybe you're just..." Jeru shrugged. "A nosy dipshit."
"I was just roaming around." Giit pa ni Judge. "Hindi ko kayo sinusundan."
Napabuntong hininga si Lyca. "Pauwi ako. Sinundan ko si Jeru papuntang seven eleven para hindi ako maligaw," paliwanag niya rito.
Judge's brows creased. "Uuwi ka?"
She bit her lower lip, too guilty to utter sorry.
"Right, you snuck out. Ganyan ka ba magthank you?"
"Sorry but I really need to go—" Napapikit siya. Her head. It was pounding, bad and painful.
She felt like throwing up as her it throbbed even more. It worsen when her wrist watch started beeping again. It was dinning loud as it showed the familiar fleeting red lights, until flashes of scenarios came flooding before her eyes.
It was dreadful.
"Anong nangyayari sayo— Jesus! You're bleeding!"
She immediately held her nose to somehow stop its bleeding, but it didn't. Crimson blood started dripping uncontrollably. Judge was definitely startled but kind enough to lend his handkerchief.
"A-are you okay?" Judge asked, obviously stunned.
Lyca nodded. "Let's get out of here."
Judge was too flustered to even resist when she held his hand and tried to drag him, but when they heard a loud groan-- human voice to be exact, she knew, it won't gonna be good.
"What's happening?" Confused Judge was facing Jeru, who's standing before a gang of men, lined in front and armed with long wooden and metal rod, baseball bats, and with their smirks.
"Damn gangsters," Judge hissed.
Gasps escaped from Lyca's mouth when she realised those men weren't just in front, they're at the back too, trapping them, definitely no way out.
"Jeru we met again." It was one of the men, the tallest, probably the leader, based on how he order other men to come closer to them.
Mas lalo pa siyang napasinghap nang makita ang isang lalaking nakaluhod sa harapan nila. Pinatid ito nang isang lalaki sanhi ng pagkasalampak nito sa lupa.
"Oh you know this guy? Saw this douche roaming around."
Jeru stayed silent.
"Come on Jeru! Loosen up, para naman hindi tayo magkaibigan!"
Dalawang lalaki ang lumapit kay Jeru at sabay na umatake, ngunit agad din naman nitong napatumba. Jeru's punches and kicks were on point and firm. Hindi na kataka-takang ganoon nito kabilis napatumba ang dalawa.
"You didn't change a bit. Still flawless like yesterday."
Jeru's lips twisted, forming a smirk. "You didn't change too Jung. Still a coward hiding under the shadow of your crowd. But you improved somehow, ang dami niyo na."
"I see, still so full of yourself." Pagak na napatawa si Jung. "Right, bastards like you wouldn't understand company and brotherhood. The last time you tried, you fucked up... do you remember that?"
Nakita niya ang pagkuyom ng kamao ni Jeru, bahagyang nanginginig ngunit nagawa pa rin nitong magsalita.
"Why not stop this bullshit? Let's fight. Iyon naman talaga ang pinunta mo rito diba?"
Judge whispered, definitely uneasy. "Jeru are you fucking crazy? Ang dami nila."
Jung's lips curved, showing a full smirk, eventually turning it into a mocking laugh. Lowkey, showing off how much of a number Jung's troupe compared to them... the three of them; Jeru not a whimp and physically capable (atleast), Judge definitely scared not a chance he would fight and her a Grim Reaper. Well, she could use her scythe if needed.
Jeru glared at Jung. "A duel, drop the weapon, just the two of us."
Uneasy eyes, trembling hands, blob of sweat forming on his forhead was only implying one thing. Fear. It was visible on Jung's body. Lyca could feel how Jung hid his trembling hands inside his pocket just like how he hid his weakling heart under the shadows of his men. Inaasahan niyang aatras ito sa hamon ni Jeru. Surprisingly, Jung agreed. He stepped forward, dropping his baseball bat, the metals on his knuckles and knives on his pocket. He gave it to one of his men.
"Why not?"
Magkasabay na umatras ang mga lalaking nakapalibot. Giving both boys space for the duel. Jung was first to attack Jeru and hit him straight in the face. Losing his balance a bit, Jeru stepped back and tried to punch Jung but he was fast to dodge.
"That's a miss there. Mukhang kinakalawang ka na," ngisi ni Jung at umamba ng isang sapak. Tatama ito sa malayang bahagi ng mukha ni Jeru.
But it didn't.
Jeru's fist landed first and it hit Jung on his lower cheek. It must be very strong, to throw Jung on the ground after a single punch like that. Jeru didn't waste time, he went to Jung and showered him a lot of punches and kicks.
Nakita ni Lyca ang isang lalaking umambang makisali sa laban, ngunit tumigil din ito nang tumayo si Jung at tinulak niya si Jeru.
Jung was a lot taller and more masculine compared to Jeru's average height, quite muscular body features but not fully matured yet. Hindi na kataka-takang si Jeru na ngayon ang nakasalampak sa lupa habang nakapatong si Jung at pinapaulanan ng mga suntok.
But Jeru was determined... did she misses to mention how his burning eyes flickered valiant and bravery? He sure is a fighter. Tuluyang nakawala si Jeru. Isa, dalawa, tatlo ilang suntok ang pinakawalan nito bago natumba si Jung sa lupa. Eyes closed, blood over him and weak bod, that was Jung laid flat on the ground. Agad na dinaluhan ito ng mga kasamang lalaki.
For a second, she thought it was over that somehow the boys will accept defeat, but it didn't turn out that way. Sabay umatake ang lalaking kasama ni Jung. May isang nagtangkang hampasin ng baseball bat si Jeru.
"Watch out!" Malakas na sigaw ni Judge.
Agad na nakaiwas si Jeru at nasuntok ito bago tuluyang mahampas. Nakita niyang napilitang kinuha ni Judge ang nahulog na baseball bat para protektahan ang sarili.
"D-diyan ka lang," paalala ni Judge. Halatang takot ito. He's shaking, even holding the baseball bat upside down. Ngunit nagawa pa rin siya nitong hilahin sa likod.
That made her smile a bit. She snickered.
"Ba't ka t-tumatawa diyan?" He gave Lyca a sideway glance. "Shit! Goddamn it!" Hinampas ni Judge ang lalaking aatake sakanya. He failed. Muntik pa itong masubsub, kaya si Lyca na mismo ang humampas sa lalaki. Natumba ito agad.
"Don't worry about me. I can protect myself," Lyca said, ready to summoned her scythe any time.
"Damn... w-where did you even learn that? Oh shit!"
Everything went fast like a movie played in fast forward, she barely even got a hold of everything. It was chaotic. Baseball bat everywhere, blood on the ground, loud grunts and groans, the sound of the fist as it hits the flesh, the bone... it was dreadful.
Hindi nagtagal ang malakas na alingaw-ngaw ng sirena ang bumalot sa buong paligid. Nagkalat ang mga pulis para dakpin silang lahat. The last thing she knew, she's inside the police station. Wala siyang katabi habang nagsiksikan lahat ng mga lalaki sa kabilang banda. Nandoon sina Judge, Jeru, Jung and his gang.
"Can I atleast sit on that chair officer?" Pakiusap ni Judge habang nakaturo sa bakanteng upuang na sa tabi niya. "Come on, ang sakit ng pwet ko sa sahig!"
The police officer shook his head. It is unfair to give Judge the seat while others cannot. The chairs were limited. Masyadong marami sila, kaya minabuting paupuin sila sa sahig.
"Jon!" Lahat napatingin doon. It was a couple both dressed in their pajamas. Pinatungan lang ito ng coat at sweater, dahil siguro sa pagmamadali.
"Honey, are you okay? Are you hurt? May masakit ba sa'yo... Oh my god! Bakit may pasa ka!" Mabilis na dinaluhan nila ang anak na nakaupo sa sahig. Siya iyong lalaking nakasalampak sa lupa kanina. Nakuha siguro nito ang pasa dahil doon. Hindi nagtagal ay nagsidatingan ang iba pang mga magulang.
"My kid wouldn't do this! Tignan niyo ang mukha ng anak ko, ang daming pasa! Hindi pa kailanman siya nadawit sa ganitong kaguluhan, ngayon lang!"
"Ma, it's o-okay. Hindi naman ako masyadong n-nasaktan." Pigil ng lalaking mukhang nadawit lang din.
"Lala! Here!" Sigaw ni Judge. "Thank God you came. Akala ko matitiis mo kami nitong gagong to-- Aray! Lala naman!"
"Masakit? Pero pagsuntukan dinadayo niyo pa?" The lady in blue terno started scolding them and pinching their ears. They both flinched. Napapangiwi pa si Jeru at sigaw ng sigaw si Judge.
The parents were hysterical, frantical about their kid's welfare. Lalo pa't halos lahat ay minor de edad at hindi lang ito bastang away bata. May mga dalang balisong ang iba sa kanila. Hanggang nagiging emosiyonal na ang iba sa mga magulang. The parents were frustrated. Their child is innocent! They believed, their kids wouldn't do... This hideous act.
"Lala stop crying. Nakakahiya!" Pabulong na pagpapatahan ni Judge.
"Paano kung makulong kayo rito ngayon?!" Inis na tugon ng ginang.
Judge eyes widened as if he just realised something freakin' important. "Right Lala. Ang ibigsabihin ko galingan mo sa pag-iyak para maawa sila sayo-- Aray! Nakakadalawa ka na ah!"
"Lyca!" Napatingin siya roon. "Are you okay?" It was Doc Gab. Kasunod lamang nito si Lola Dhalia na pawang nakapambahay pa. Agad siyang niyakap nito.
"We're worried sick! Hindi namin alam kung saan ka hahanapin!"
Napakagat siya ng labi bago humingi ng tawad sakanila.
"Why are you apologizing?" Doc Gab sighed harshly. "We're aware that Sandra could be a brat sometimes but we weren't expecting this. I'm s-sorry," dismayadong iling ni Doc Gab. Maya-maya lang nilapitan ito ng mga pulis at nakipag-usap.
Hindi na bago ang ganitong rambulan sa mga kabataan. Another thing, Jung's gang are known to be delinquent, doing numerous juvenile act and even have ample of existing records. Robbery, illegal gambling, drugs, vandalizing, riots and everything.
"Jung where's your parents? Kailangan namin siya rito." Sabi ng isang pulis.
"They won't be here. Ikulong niyo na lang ako." Walang pakialam nitong sagot, halatang sanay na ito sa presensiya ng mga pulis.
"Boss! Paano kami?" Ugong ng isa sa kasamahan nito. "Puta ayaw kong makulong!"
For awhile Lyca thought everything was settled, but her breathing hitched. Nagpang-abot ang hininga kasabay ng mga pangitaang kanina pa nagpabalik-balik sa isipan niya.
BULLETS. JUDGE. MEN. BLOOD.
"Kid, listen. Put the gun down."
Lahat sila napatingin doon. Nahablot ng isa sa mga kasamahan ni Jung ang baril ng isang pulis.
Breathing harshly, knees weak, chest beating fast and heaving, hinanap ng mga mata ni Lyca si Judge. Malayo man ngunit kita niya ang dereksiyon ng baril.
Nakatutok ito kay Judge.
"Stop! Don't m-move!" Malakas na sigaw nito.
Isang putok ang narinig nila. Tumama ito sa kisame.
It echoed hard inside the four corners of the room and rendered everyone speechless, trembling; shocked about what would happen next and too scared to risk a move where everyone's lives at stake.
"No! Ayaw k-kong makulong!" He was fuming mad, hands shaking while his fingers ready to pull the trigger. Ilang pakiusap ang ginawa ng mga pulis doon, pati ng mga magulang. But he seemed like a deaf to all those words. Nakatulala lang ito habang nakatutok ang baril sa harapan.
The next thing happened was expected... she expected it, but it was one hell a perilous move! One of the cops was brave enough to come closer to the teen and fought with him to get the gun. They did that for minutes until... the cop failed.
A body fell on the cold surface.
Drowning in his own blood, staining the opal white tile, a bullet dug on his flesh. It was the teen's body. He was dead... not because the cop shoot him.
He shot himself.
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