PROLOGUE
Lakad takbo ang ginagawa ni Kendrick habang hawak ang sugatan niyang tiyan.
"Fuck!" Sambit niya at kinapa ang cellphone niya sa suot na coat niya "damn! where's my fucking phone!"  Inis na sabi pa nito ng hindi nito makita ang hinahanap.
Galing si Kendrick sa sementeryo kung saan nakalibing ang best friend niyang si Darius. Ika-tatlong taon na ngayon simula ng mamatay ito. Taon taon dumadalaw siyang mag isa sa puntod nito at nagkukwento ng kung ano ano.
"Hindi pa iyon nakakalayo hanapin niyo siya!" Sigaw ng pamilyar na boses. Hindi siya pwedeng magkamali si Anton ito. Si Anton na binihisan at pinakain niya sa kanyang palad.
He was getting weak because of the amount of blood he was losing. Hindi ang katulad ni Kendrick ang basta nalang umuurong sa laban kahit gaano pa sila karami. But this time he had to hide, he knew he was not safe with so many people chasing him.
Nang malagpasan siya ng mga tauhan ni Anton ay siya naman ang labas niya sa pinagtataguan nito. Naririnig parin niya ang mga tauhan ni Anton kaya naman maingat parin ang pagkilos niya. Muli siyang pumasok sa isang madilim na eskenita at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.
Habol ang kanyang hininga at iniinda ang mga sugat niya ay napaupo nalang siya. "Fuck, am I gonna die this way?" Sabi pa nito habang nag uulap na ang paningin niya. Bago pa siya mawalan ng malay ay may nakita siyang maliit na ilaw na papalapit sa kanya.
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Kendrick's POV
I looked around the room I was in. It was small but neat and clean, it seems that Anton's men did not catch me. I stood up and looked out the window. I saw a woman sweeping outside, she had long hair, too bad I couldn't see her face.
I returned to the bed and looked at my wounds.
May benda ang tiyan at likod ko. I was alert when I heard the door open. Tumayo ako and prepared myself, iba na ang handa.
When the room opend, nakita ko yung babaeng nagwawalis kanina sa labas. Her face is so small that my palm just fits her whole face. Her eyes were moon-shaped and she had a small nose that matched her cute red lips. She looks like an angel who came down from heaven in my eyes.
"Gising ka na pala" she said and came to me "gusto mo bang sa kusina kumain o dalhan nalang kita dito?" She asked looking at me
"Who are you?" words came out of my mouth while looking at her
"Ah! Ako si Ma. Dianna Isabelle Joy S. Dionisio pero Isay nalang ang itawag mo sa'kin" she answered with an ear-to-ear smile.
If she looked like an angel in my eyes earlier, now she looks like a weirdo. I sat on the bed again, making sure I had nothing to worry.
"Nga pala pasensiya na kung hindi kita nadala sa hospital kagabi wala kasi akong kapera pera. Ang layo din ng government hospital dito kaya dinala nalang kita dito sa bahay ko. Mabuti nalang nandito pa mga gamit ko nung nag aaral ako ng nursing kung hindi baka nasa morgue kana ngayon! Hindi ko kasi alam na malala yung tama mo kaya inuwi kita. Sa susunod kasi huwag ka ng manlaban at ibigay mo nalang gamit mo sa kanila. Tignan mo tuloy nangyari sa'yo tsk tsk". Mabilis na sabi nito. Hindi nga ata siya nag abalang huminga
"Where is your phone? Let me borrow". I asked her and held out my hand
She grabbed her phone from her shorts pocket and handed it to me.
"Oops! Teka lang pala!" I raised my eyebrows and looked at her "ano ba network tatawagan mo? Kung smart go lang naka unli tawag ako pero kung globe wag ka na magtangka kakainin kasi niya yung regular load ko" she said.
I don't understand what she is saying. Ang weird talaga niya. I dialed my home number and called. Sa unang ring pa lang ay may sumagot na.
"Ikaw ba iyan boss?!" I took my ear away from the cellphone I was holding
"Are you yelling at me?" I asked calmly. I understand sa tono kasi ng boses niya he seems worried.
"Bossing naman syempre nag aalala lang kami kagabi ka pa namin hinahanap" he said
"Where are the others? Tell them that I'm fine". I said while talking to Harold. Yeah I know it's Harold siya lang kasi ang may ganoong boses. Parang babae na matinis ang boses.
"Nasaan ka ba boss? Wasak na ang kotse mo ng makita namin sa sementeryo pero nakuha namin yung dashcam at nakita ang nangyari"
"I'm in a good place. who are you with now?" I asked.
"Kasama ko si Sandro, Terrence, Jaime, Francis at Camilla ngayon boss"
"Boss ako to si Sandro nasaan ka susunduin kita!" Nilayo ko ulit ang tenga sa phone. If I was next to Sandro nabatukan ko na siya sigurado.
"You don't have to shout I hear you" I said calmly while massaging my forehead.
"Sorry boss" he said "pero boss ayos ka lang ba?"
"I got stabbed but I'm fine now. I just need to rest and regain my strength." I answered and looked at my stomach.
"Tanginang Anton na yan! Huwag lang siyang magpapahuli sa'kin babalatan ko siya ng buhay!" I grinned, I can feel the anger at Sandro's voice pero hindi ako papayag na galawin nila si Anton.
"Huwag kayong kikilos hanggat wala akong sinasabi. I will take care of Anton." I told him in a serious voice
"Sige boss masusunod"
"Listen to me, we are not sure who else are traitors in the organization. Gather those in ranks 2-5 and say that there is no news about me yet. Kayong nasa rank 1 lang ang maaring makaalam sa kung ano ang lagay ko ngayon" I ordered them until the call was disconnected.
I looked at the phone and tried to call again. I heard the operator's voice saying that wala na daw akong load. "Fuck! I'm not done speaking" Hindi ko na nasabi ang ibang iuutos ko sa kanila.
"Okay na? Anong sabi ng pamilya mo? Susundin ka daw ba nila?" I looked at the woman named Isay who had just entered the room carrying a tray with food.
"I'll stay here for a week, don't worry I'll pay for what you spend on me" I answered and threw her phone in my pillow
She put the tray down on the small table and folded his arms. I raised an eyebrow and stared at her.
"Woy! For your information lang ah! Yung pagtulong ko sa'yo kusang loob ko iyon. Hindi ako nagpapabayad at hindi ako maniningil. Imbes na magpasalamat ka dahil tinulungan ka ipapamukha mo sa'kin na may pera ka?!. May pera ka naman pala e edi dun ka sa hotel! Atsaka hindi kana pwede dito sa'kin kaya umalis kana!" She said with a red face. Imbes na mainis pigil akong natatawa at nacutan pa sa naiinis na mukha niya.
Nah hindi ako pwedeng umalis dito sa bahay niya. I have to make an excuse for her not to send me away.
"Don't you feel sorry for me?" Pangongonsensiya ko "I'm still weak and can't move. You said you are a nursing student, I would feel more at ease if I had someone with me who knows how to clean wounds. Kung kaya ko lang alagaan ang sarili ko ngayon I won't bother you either." I could leave now and stay in a hotel but something is stopping me. Sabi nga nila trust your guts.
"Bakit parang ako pa ang masama ngayon? Oo nga sinabi ko nursing student ako noon as in noon po. Hindi ko nga natapos yung first year ko e. Alam mo kasi kahit gusto kong tulungan ka, alagaan ka hindi na pwede, hanggang dito lang ang kaya ko. Ano nalang sasabihin ng mga tao sa'kin kedalaga kong tao may pinapatuloy akong lalaki dito sa bahay ko at hindi ko pa kilala. Dapat magpasundo ka na sa pamilya mo para sila mag alaga sa'yo" she said
"I have been an orphan for a long time, I have no family" I said directly into her eyes. She fell silent and I saw a sympathy on her face.
"I'm sorry pareho pala tayo na ulila na" she said softly
"It's okay, it's been a long time already, nakalimutan ko na nga mga itsura nila. I'm also sorry you remembered them because of me." I sincerely said.
"Tanggap ko naman at naka moved on na ako. Pero huwag natin ibahin ang usapan hindi ka talaga pwede dito. May tinawagan ka diba? Edi dun ka nalang sa kanila muna. Sa itsura mong yan mukhang may pera ka talaga. Umuwi ka nalang sa inyo at kumuha ng mag aalaga sayo, mapapanatag pa ang loob mo dahil nasa sariling bahay mo ikaw"
"I called them pero hindi daw ako pwede sa kanila, Harold wife is pregnant and the other one said is his in-laws are at his house" pagsisinungaling ko.
"Edi dun ka nga sa bahay mo! Ang kulit mo tsong!"
"I don't have a house here, I just arrived from Canada and all my things were stolen last night. Tapos iniligtas mo'ko you saved me from death. I owe you my life" patuloy ko sa pagsisinungaling sa kanya. She thought I was robbed, gagamitin ko ang akala niya para maging dahilan ko para hindi niya paalisin. I don't want to lie but I have to.
"Naaawa ako sa'yo pero paano naman ako? Kung gusto mo ilapit nalang natin kay Kapitan ang problema mo. Malay natin may alam siyang pwede mong tirhan"
"Can't I really be here?" Paawang tanong ko "I don't know anyone here except you. Maybe I'll wander off rather than bother y'all. Thank you for helping me last night. I should go. Sorry for the trouble." I said and pretended to be in pain habang hawak ang tiyan ko at pilit na tumatayo. Hindi pa tapos ang pagbibilang ko ng hanggang sampu ay pinigilan na niya ako.
"Teka teka sandali huwag kang tumayo" the corner of my lips curved but I can't show it. I continued pretending. "Ganito nalang, pwede ka dito sa'kin pero bawal kang lumabas ng bahay. Hindi pwedeng malaman ng mga kapitbahay na may ibang tao dito sa bahay ko naiintindihan mo?" I nodded and hid my smile on my lips.
"Thank you" I said seriously looking straight into her eyes
She sighed deeply. I wanted to laugh but I held it back. She's so cute and easy to fooled.
"Bago ang lahat ano nga pala ang pangalan mo? Sabihin mo sa'kin address mo, edad mo, contact number mo at contact number ng kaibigan mo na pwede kong tawagan para malaman pagkakakilanlan mo talaga. Baka magulat nalang ako nagpapatuloy pala ako ng criminal sa bahay ko" I looked away. I'm not worried about what she might know. I just need a temporary place to stay that my enemy won't think na maari kong tuluyan.
"I am Kendrick Osmeña, 29 from Saskatchewan Canada. You can call my friend ask about me his name is Sandro Ledesma" and I gave Sandro's private number.
"T-teka huwag mong sabihin tinawagan mo'to kanina?" She said in horror and quickly grab her phone to my pillow and checked the call history. "Hala ka! Anong ginawa mo! Inubos mo ang load ko paano na ako makakapag register sa unli call nito!" She looks so annoyed
"Para yan lang nagagalit kana? I'll pay you back ten times" Sabi ko
"Sige nga bayaran mo'ko! Bayaran mo'ko ngayon!"
" Wala akong pera ngayon, let me pay everything when I get home"
"Huwag mo na akong bayaran umuwi ka nalang sa inyo!" Sigaw pa niya. I winced when she slammed the door shut.
I took a long breath and looked at the food she brought earlier. I took the cold coffee and sipped it. it's a far cry from the brewed coffee I drink but I like the sweet taste on it.. I also took a pandesal and bit it. I know Pandesal, I sometimes buy it kapag napapadaan ako sa mga local bakeries. I felt very full when I finished the two pandesals and coffee in just three minutes.
After I ate my breakfast I lay on the bed and started to think of a plan. I will not ignore what Anton did to me. People like him should be taught a lesson. Tipong bibigyan siya ng isang palo lang but he will remember the pain for the rest of his life.
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