Twenty Hours Dead to See the Truth

The Past

ABIGAIL’S POV

I changed my shorts into pants and we already left the house. We are heading to the firing range as what Rylle said. We reached the place and there are there’s some people here, I guess they are the people who will be guiding us. 

“Are you ready? Wear all the gears so we can start” Rylle said. I just nodded. As if I can argue with him and besides that’s what I promise him, I will do as what he said. 

The man stares at me before helping me put the gears on. I know what she’s looking at, my face. I know that people wonder and wanted to ask what happened to my face but it was a long story to tell so I better keep quite than explain. 

“Thank you” I said the moment he’s finished helping me put the safety gears on. 

“I’m sorry if I made me feel conscious earlier, if I stare at you. I was just curious what happened to you” the man said. I just smiled and tell him that it was a long story and he understand it. 

Another guy started orienting us and after a while, we started. Sam and Rylle are doing the firing and while I are observing them, I can say that they’re so good and that they’re not new with it. 

“Good day ma’am, I am here to teach you the basics of doing the firing…” the guy explains to me everything that I needed to know like the proper way of holding a g*n, the parts of the g*n and anything related to it. That was everything that I did, nothing more. I thought I’ll be doing the firing too but even though learning the basics is what I did, I felt exhausted. The guns are heavier than I expected it weigh that’s why I’m kind of surprised but summing up this day, it was quite a great day. They will continue to teach me one at a time all the procedures I that I needed to learn before I will be able to undergo the on-hand process of firing. 

Weekends have past and I did nothing so as Rylle and Sam. I stayed at the house while Rylle visit the resort to check how it’s going. While during the weekdays, I used that still learning the necessary thing that I need to learn and I am taught how to aim and fire. So far, I can hold a g*n and manage the strong force it gives. 

“You still need more days to master aiming and hit the bull eyes” Rylle told me. 

I am firing but most of it are not within the aim. Now I realized that this wasn’t as easy I thought like what I’ve watched on tv. Resisting the force and at the same time keeping your aim straight was hard so it will really take me several days to learn this. I continued training with the help and guidance of the people in the firing range who patiently help me. 

One month have past, I am still learning and training every single day. 

“Whoa! Look at that!” I said in so much happiness. I was able to hit third circle, that is the closest circle I ever fired when I started firing.

“You’re improving, keep that up” Rylle said. 

“Impressive” Sam said. After how many days that she didn’t came with us because of being busy complying the demand of work, she didn’t come with us previously but now, she’s here. 

“Thank you” I said and offer them a smile. Few more practice and I can hit the second circle but I’ll take it slowly. 

We went back to the house and as usual, we never talk unless it’s about work or his business with me. I saw him outside on the same spot where I usually saw him. He’s drinking again. What the hell is his problem? It’s getting late and he’s still outside. Just don’t be lost again and get into someone’s room. I am about to leave when he stands and…

“What is he doing?” he’s walking towards the water and I don’t know what he’s going to do next. I fascinate my look at him when he continued walking and the water is on his waist. 

“RYLLE!” I called to stop him but he doesn’t bother to look. I ran towards him and call for his name. 

“RYLLE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? RYLLE!” Gosh he’s not stopping and just continued to walk. 

“GET UP HERE! RYLLE!” f*ck he’s stubborn! I immediately ran into the water towards him but he already sinks in so I decided to dive and search for him until my hand hit something so I tried to pull it up and it’s Rylle, unconscious. I swim out and carry him. He’s freaking heavy! 

“Rylle!” I started tapping his cheeks to wake him up but he’s not even responding. I placed my ears close to his chest to feel his heartbeat but instead of hearing his, I am hearing my own heartbeat.

“Wake up!” I keep on tapping his face. F*ck! It’s too cold! 

“Rylle! Come on wake up!” I decided to pump his chest but he’s not even responding what the hell! Should I give him a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Grr maybe I should… 

“Oh my gosh! What happened?” Sam came in and she panicked seeing Rylle lying on the sand. 

“He drowned his self in---” what the f*ck… did she just offer him a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? Like she did that without hesitations. I mean they’re friends and she’s worried but I never traces even a little hesitation on her. She looks anxious and she’s even crying. 

*cough* *cough* 

“Rylle… oh my gosh thank God you’re awake” Sam said while catching her breathe. She directly embraced him. We stand and carry him inside. When he’s already sleeping Sam called me outside. 

“Thank God you are there and you saw him” Sam told me when we are already outside. 

“Is he really like that when he’s drunk?” I asked her. There’s a sudden change in her reaction and it makes me wonder. She took something on her wallet and showed me a picture, it was the same picture in the room that I saw, the three of them. 

“He started being like that when Kiara died” Kiara? Is this the other girl on the picture? 

“That’s Kiara” she pointed out the girl with them in the picture. 

“What’s with her?” I asked Sam. She smiled bitterly before answering me. 

“She’s Rylle’s fiancée…” oh my gosh! His fiancée? That was kind of shocking!

“She passed away two years ago. Initially, Kiara and I are best friends, we are the island girl. Rylle’s family is our business partner and they decided to build a resort here and that’s what we manage. The three of us became good friends and unknowingly Rylle likes Kiara. As we grow older, they became together and most people tag them as “perfect couple” and that’s very evident. He proposes to Kiara on the spot where he often stands. Kiara is a professional surfer, that’s her living but one day while she’s in the middle of the ocean, surfing, she felt a sudden migraine, it was severe that caused her to fell into the water and it was too late before someone could save her” I saw tears falling down her eyes and her voice is shaking.

I move closer to her and embrace her. It must be very painful still and it’s way painful for Rylle. Two years is not that long, the pain and the memories might be as fresh as the day after it happened. 

“Where’s Rylle during that time?” I asked her.

“He has a work in Manila and the news almost killed him” she bitterly said. 

“What do you mean killed him?” I am curious about what she’s talking about.

“He opted to commit suicide, just like what happened earlier. It’s just that someone immediately ran to him though he’s barely alive, he was revived” she stated and I can feel the pain in her voice.

“Good thing someone saved him” I spoke. She looks at me and smiled.

“Yeah, I will not let anything bad happen to him” she responded. 

“You mean, you did save him?” oh god, she’s always been there when Rylle needs her, such a guardian Angel. She just nodded and we remained silent afterwards while feeling the cold breeze. 

“One month have passed and I think you’re good at firing already, we can move onto our next training” Sam breaks the ice. 

“Immediately tomorrow?” I asked in surprise. 

“I think no. We should rest and chill for tomorrow. I feel exhausted and I know you felt the same too” Sam said. I just smiled and we get back inside. 

…

“Good morning” my heart almost jump out when Sam suddenly greeted me. Her face is too close to me and she’s inside my room. I sit straight and she moved back. 

“Whoa! What are you doing here?” I asked. 

“Well, just as what I told you last night, today we will have a rest and chill!” she looks very excited though.

“What are we going to do?” I curiously asked. 

“Leave it to me, I’ll handle this day! Come on get up!” she pulls me out of the bed and I have no choice but to stand and follow her. After eating and all the stuff, she told me to change because we will be swimming. I wore rush guards and beach shorts. 

“Are you not used wearing bikinis?” Sam asked me. She’s wearing a two-piece and hell yeah! she really flaunts it!

“No, besides I am too insecure with my face though” I told her while frowning but after a moment, I changed it to smiles when I realize that I should accept this even if I like it or not, as if frowning can change something. 

“Hey, don’t be sad now. Come on let’s have a swim” I just smiled at her and we headed to the water and have a little swim. We are swimming straight in front of the house. There are some tourists in the resort and we don’t want to merge with them. The day goes well and we had fun swimming and Sam even taught me how to surf. Rylle woke up very late and he even have a hangover and he didn’t remember anything! 

“We will go at the bar later this evening. There’s a live band there, let’s have a sip of little beer and surely you will enjoy” she said. Beer? I never drink alcohol in my life because I am such a “house-school, school-house” person but that would be great to try. 

We headed at the resort’s bar and we had our dinner there. Rylle is with us and he’s been just quite the whole time. The lights are a bit blinding but it’s manageable. I am new with places like this, like I never entered into a bar to drink or to party because my evil aunt and uncle wont allow me. They were so overprotected that I really thought that they care about me but all they care about is money. I roam my eyes around to see the crowd and the place when someone caught my attention.

No... I must be mistaken...

Wait...

Sh*t!

..

Kent?