Stranger Next Door

CHAPTER 28

"Sus, anong ginagaya. Ganyan ka talaga! Idadamay mo pa ako." wala pa ring tigil sa pang-aasar si Marlo, "Alam mo, kung may gusto ka sa'kin, pasensiya na ha, kasi mahal ko si Herlyn. Hindi pa ako handang magmahal ulit at kahit maging handa ako, hindi kita magugustuhan."

"Ang kapal talaga ng mukha mo, no?" inis na sabi ni Yani saka binatukan si Marlo.

"Aray! Ano ba?! Inaano ba kita?" inis naman na sabi ni Marlo matapos siyang mabatukan.

Natatawa na lang ako sa pinaggagagawa nila.

"Ang kapal kasi ng mukha mo, excuse me! Wala akong gusto sayo no! Kahit ikaw na lang ang nag iisang lalaki dito, hinding hinding hindi kita magugustuhan!" sigaw ni Yani.

I just watch them shout at each other. They are like cats and dogs. Ang cute nila tingnan. Bangayan ng bangayan.

Gusto ko silang sawayin but they're too cute to watch. Bagay rin naman sila. Malay natin sa tagal ng stay namin dito, magkadevelopan 'yang dalawang 'yan.

Mabait naman si Herlyn kaya sigurado naman ako na gugustuhin niyang maging masaya ulit si Marlo.

Suddenly, someone knock on the door. The two stopped from shouting.

"Sino 'yon?" takang tanong ni Yani, "Si Keifer na ba 'yon? Ako na ang mabubukas—"

"No. Don't open the door." pagkontra ni Marlo, "Hindi si 'yan si Keifer."

"Ano bang pinagsasasabi mo? Usog na diyan." Yani's not listening to him.

"Hindi nga sabi' yan si Keifer!" matigas niyang sambit, "Kung siya 'yan, hindi niya na kailangang kumatok. Nakalimutan mo bang may susi tayo sa pinto? Tig-iisa tayo."

Bigla akong kinabahan sa sinabi niya. Yani stopped from talking. Mukhang kumbinsido na siya sa sinabi ni Marlo.

"Kung gano'n, what are we going to do?" Yani is starting to panic, "What if, natunton na tayo ni Keith? Paano kung siya 'yan?"

"Manahimik ka nga!" inis naman na sabi ni Marlo.

Nagpapanic na rin ako. I'm trying to calm myself but as the knock gets louder and louder, the more I'm panicking.

"Dito lang kayo. Sisilipin ko lang kung sino ang nasa labas." dahan dahang naglakad si Marlo saka sumilip sa may bintana.

"Ano? Sinong nandyan?" tanong ni Yani.

"Hindi ko maaninag, kainis." I can see the nervousness in Marlo's voice, "Wala tayong choice. Kailangan nating buksan ang pinto."

"Sure ka ba?" Yani is also scared.

She even walk near me. Kumapit pa siya sa braso ko.

"May choice pa ba tayo? Kapag hindi natin 'yan binuksan, sapilitan niyang sisirain ang pinto. Basta kapag nakita niyong si Keith 'yon, tumakbo na kayo." paninigurado ni Marlo, "Huwag niyo akong isipin. Iligtas niyo ang sarili niyo."

Even I'm scared, I manage to agree at Marlo's words.

"Tawagan niyo na si Keifer para makahingi kayo ng saklolo, bilis!" muling sabi niya bago tuluyang lumapit sa pinto.

He slowly opened the door. Yani simply dialed Keifer's number but he's not answering it.

"Sht naman, Keifer baby. Sagutin mo na." Yani tried to dial his number again, "Sagutin mo please, kung gusto mo pa kaming maabutan ng buhay dito."

"Text him instead." sabi ko naman, "Kung hindi niya man nakita ngayon, mamaya makikita niya yang message."

I glanced at Marlo who's currently standing at the door. Nakahinga ako ng maluwag ng makitang wala namang tao.

"See? I told you not to get worried—"

"MARLO!" napasigaw na lang kami ng makita naming pinutol ni Keith ang ulo niya gamit ang itak.

Agad na bumulagta si Marlo sa sahig. Everything just turned blank. All I can see is Marlo lying on the floor, lifeless.

I'm really sorry for not saving you, Marlo.

"Ano pang ginagawa mo, Bella? Tara na!" Yani grabbed my arms to escape.

We tried to run into the exit. I finally go back to my senses and now, it pains me.

"Mamaya na tayo magluksa, Bella. Remember what Marlo told us? Kailangan nating iligtas ang sarili natin. Kailangan natin ng hustisya." Yani is shaking right now, pero patuloy pa rin kami sa pagtakbo.

Hindi ko na nga alam kung nakasunod pa ba sa amin si Keith. Basta ang alam ko lang tumatakbo kami hangga't kaya namin.

"Hindi ko na kaya. Sumuko na tayo." my tears are like faucet.

I can't help it.

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo?" Yani seems frustrated seeing me in pain, "Bella, ang haba na ng nilakbay natin. Malapit na nating makamit ang hustisya. Ngayon ka pa ba susuko? Tara na!"

She grabbed me to hide in the bushes. She covered my mouth para hindi marinig ang mga hikbi ko.

I wish that Keifer is here to save us.

"Lagot, mukhang nakita tayo. Tara!" Yani heard some footsteps that's why she grab my arms and we both run again.

May nabangga ako na akala ko matigas na pader. When I look what is it, I almost frost.

"Keith?" gulat kong tanong.

He grinned, "Did you miss me, My Lady?"

Yani tried to grab my arms but I can't move.

"Run and find Keifer." that's the last thing I said before I passed out.

I woke up alone. I scanned the surroundings and I realized that Keith caught me.

Nakabalik na naman ako sa kwartong 'to.

"Youre finally awake."

I look for the voice and there I saw Keith. Nakadekwatro siya sa may couch ng kwarto at nakangiti sa'kin.

"I can't believe that you deceived me, Bella." he stand up walk towards me.

I'm trying to free myself but this rope is tightly tied.

"That's not even my fault, Keith." mapang-insulto kong sabi, "uto-uto ka lang talaga."

"Shut up, btch!" he slapped me.

Sa sobrang lakas ng sampal niya, pumutok ang labi ko pero kahit na gano'n, hindi na ako natatakot sa kanya.

"If you wouldn't stop insulting me, I swear. I'll kill you." he's acting like a different person now, but he can't threatened me.

"Go on," nakipagsukatan pa ako ng tingin sa kanya habang nakangiti ng mapang-insulto, "I don't care if you kill me right now. Actually, it's a privilege for me."

Inis niya akong binitawan and he came back on the couch. Naupo siya do'n na akala mo hari.

"Privilege, huh?" he sarcastically said, "Parang kanina lang, takot na takot kang mahuli kita at ngayon, privilege pa sa'yo na patayin kita? How funny."

I smiled.

"Of course it's a privilege for me!" I excitingly said, "Imagine if you kill me, I would have my freedom back."

"Freedom? Right, you can have your freedom back." he retorted, "Sa impyerno nga lang."

"What's the difference? Impyerno rin naman ang kinalalagyan ko ngayon. Iba nga lang ang demonyo. Si Satanas sa ilalim ng lupa, ikaw naman sa ibabaw." I smiled but before I could speak again, he slapped me.

The slap was a bit harder than before.

"I told you to shut up!" he angrily said, "Kahit ano pang sabihin mo, hindi ka makakatakas dito. Don't be too confident, Bella. You're only mine."

"I will never be yours, Psycho!"

"I said, shut up!" this time he punched me.

The sight becomes blurry. I suddenly feel dizziness.

"Hindi lang 'yan ang aabutin mo sa sunod." that was the last time I heard before everything turns black.