EPISODE 16
1592 Words
CHAPTER 16 - ENEMIES INSIDE THE TERRITORY
Samantha's POV*
Nagmamadali akong makapunta kina Tito Grey because I know how busy he is. Parang pabigat pa si Math sa akin, tsk. He's so slow and he says I have to calm down. I can't just be calm like him!
"Slow down!" sigaw niya. Hindi ko siya nilingon. I did not hear footsteps running towards me kaya naging kampante ako and slowed down a little.
Kumunot ako nang wala na akong narinig na mga yapak so I stopped walking. Nilingon ko siya to check if he's still behind me pero nasurpresa ako nang makitang walang tao sa likod ko. Nasa daan kasi ako papunta sa subdivision namin kaya walang masyadong tao.
"Math? Where are you?" sigaw ko. But I heard nothing except the echoes answering me with my own question.
Biglang nanindig ang mga balahibo sa likod ko when I felt like someone is watching me. Ilang beses akong napalunok. Hindi ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko. I always get this strange feeling of being watched secretly and it scares me.
"M-Math?" I asked once again but the strange feeling gets me more nervous.
"Whoever you are, sino ka?!" lakas-loob kong sigaw but no one answered me. I really look so stupid right now.
"Show yourself, fvcking show yourself!" sigaw ko. I'm scared and this made me furious.
"Are you a coward, eh? Show yourself and face me! Whoever you are please stop watching me!" galit na sigaw ko. Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko dahil sa magkahalu-halong emosyon pero nangingibabaw ang galit at takot.
"M-Math, w-where are you? Math!" sigaw ko. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng presensiya na papalapit sa akin so I turned around expecting a person pero wala.
"M-Math," I was in the verge of crying when someone held my shoulder from the back. Ilang beses akong napalunok, afraid to see who the person is.
"S-Sino yan?" I asked. Nakapikit ang mga mata ko at halatang nanginginig ako sa takot.
"It's me," sagot ng boses ng isang lalaki. Doon na nawala ang takot ko and turned around and saw him at nakumpirma kong siya 'yon.
"Math! Where have you been?!" inis na tanong ko sa kanya. He just stared at me with those mesmerizing pair of orbs. Ang gandang titigan ng mga mata niya.
"How long did you observe this?" seryosong tanong niya habang nakatitig sa akin.
"Ang alin?" pagpapatay-malisya ko. I tried not to break the eye contact but I have this unexplainable feeling whenever I look at him. Nakakailang.
"Someone's stalking you Sam," sagot niya as if the answer is too obvious.
"Oh, that?" natatawang tanong ko. "I don't know. Maybe one of my admirers who watches me from afar and waited for the perfect time to kill me on the spot."
"I know you have an idea," sagot niya. He looked at me annoyingly. "And that's not a good joke."
"I don't have one," sagot ko. I shrugged my shoulders. "I thought that was humorous. I'll think of something better next time."
"You know your life is in danger," sabi niya. I glared at him.
"Teka nga! Iniiba mo usapan eh, where were you? Ba't bigla kang nawala kanina?" I asked. He smirked at me.
"I just concealed my presence," nakangising sagot niya. Kumunot ang noo ko.
"Yeah, I believed that kind of crap seriously believe me," I replied sarcastically. Paano niya ba tinatago ang presensiya niya? Is he some kind of an assassin or a ninja or what?
"I got suspicious and had a hunch that someone's stalking you. Lately I noticed na hindi ka mapakali, like you always watch your back, and sometimes you suddenly seem so pale," sabi niya. Hindi ako sumagot and listened to him. Ganyan ba talaga ako kadaling basahin?
"Hide your body presence but make the person feel your presence. That's what I did, and it worked. You are screaming in fear and in rage awhile ago," sagot niya. I glared at him.
"You think that was cool? That was creepy! Stop playing with me!" inis na sigaw ko. Umiling naman siya.
"I did it to prove my hunch, I'm not some kind of an immature kid playing pranks around weaklings," sagot niya. I glared at him.
"I'm not weak!" I shouted. Hindi niya iyon pinansin.
"So, what are we waiting for?" tanong niya. Muntik ko nang makalimutan na pupuntahan pala namin si Tito Grey. Pabigat talaga 'tong si Math!
"Oo nga pala, tayo na!" sabi ko at naunang maglakad. Ramdam ko namang sumunod siya kaya lumuwag ang pakiramdam ko.
"Wag mo akong pagtaguan ha, yari ka talaga," I warned him. I was talking to the wind so I expected no answer. Hangin nga diba? Mag-isa lang talaga ako dito kasi ang tahimik ng isa diyan.
Narating na namin ang building kung saan naroon ang condominium unit ni Tito Grey which is outside our subdivision. Medyo maingay na dito kasi maraming tao compared sa daan kanina. Our subdivision is very quiet kaya naninibago ako sa environment.
Math led the way and I followed him as he walked upstairs. Hanggang sa tumigil kami sa isang pinto na nasa 5th floor at ito rin ang pinakaunang room na makikita mo pag-akyat mo.
"Wala bang elevator dito or escalator?" hinihingal na tanong ko kay Math. Hindi man lang siya lumingon sa akin.
"There is," sagot niya. My eyes widen.
"Edi sana nag-elevator nalang tayo! Ang engot mo!" inis na sabi ko.
"You should've asked me the moment we took a step inside," sagot niya. I rolled my eyes.
"So kasalanan ko pa talaga?" I asked unbelievably. He looked at me.
"Why are you acting like a real girl? Stop whining. Nakakapanibago," he answered. Napaawang naman ang bibig ko.
"Babae naman talaga ako, ah? Nang- iinsulto ka ba?" inis na tanong ko. He dropped his shoulder.
"Annoying," walang ganang sabi niya at pumasok na sa kwarto. I glared at him ngunit sumunod naman ako. He is seriously annoying!
Ngayon ko lang napansin na may susi pala si Math. Kaya pala hindi na siya nag-effort na kumatok. The living room is very neat at mahihiya ka pang itapak ang sapatos mo sa napakalinis na sahig. The room is white kaya maaliwalas sa mata.
"Where's tito?" I asked as my eyes wandered around the room. Doon ako na-amaze sa isang corner kung saan napakaraming iba't ibang klase ng gadgets and iPad. May computer station and a set of portable nintendo. Seriously?
"He's sleeping," sagot ni Math. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.
"How did you know?" takang tanong ko. I never noticed him checking out Tito Grey's bedroom.
"The window," sagot niya. Napalingon naman ako sa window and I'm surprised to see Tito Grey sleeping with earphones on his ears. He is topless and only wearing boxers with a messy hair. Ang laki kasi ng window eh kasya nga siguro ako at maluwag-luwag pa. I can see the busy people down there.
"O-kay," I answered. How can we wake him up? Ayaw kong madisturbo siyadahil halatang pagod na pagod siya eh.
"Shout Petmalu Lodi," sabi ni Math. Kumunot naman ang noo ko.
"Why?"
"Just do it, shout it aloud," he said and he seem very serious. I sighed saka ginawa ang sinabi niya.
"Petmalu lodi!" I shouted. Automatic namang napabangon si tito mula sa pagkakatulog.
"Damn, those words hurt my ears," inis na sabi niya. Nagulat naman ako doon.
"You are wearing earphones tito, how did you hear?" takang tanong ko.
"Not playing the music," sagot niya. Bakit naman siya mag-eearphones kung walang music?
"What are you kids doing here?" tanong niya. Napalunok naman ako. His voice was too intimidating at sa tono pa lang ng pananalita niya nakakatakot na.
"A-Ah, we need your help tito. There's someone who messaged me--"
"Oh that, Math explained to me already via phone call," sagot niya. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko.
"R-Really?" di-makapaniwalang tanong ko habang nakatingin kay Math na hindi man lang magawang tumingin sa akin.
"The message seem so serious. Hindi siya basta-basta," Tito explained. Nangangati na akong tanungin kung ano ang mensahe but I chose to remain silent.
"I traced the email, and I got an interesting location," sagot niya. Doon na ako napalunok. Ba't bigla akong kinabahan?
"Where?" tanong ni Math na naging interesado na rin.
"Your subdivision," sagot ni Tito. My eyes widen.
"Specifically which house?" tanong ko. He shrugged his shoulders off.
"The one who mailed you is fast in taking care of his traces. Nang nalaman niyang someone is tracking him down, he shutted down his system. But the person is too late since I got the location," sagot niya. Bigla naman akong napalunok.
So the culprit is near me? How can I be safe when sa tinitirahan ko palang mismo ay may kaaway?
"Thank you tito, sorry kung nadisturbo namin kayo," I apologized.
"No, may duty ako 7 p.m. Thanks for waking me up, though I'm not grateful that you shouted those painful words," sabi niya. Walang kaemo-emosyon ang kaniyang mga mata and I'm not so sure if he's trying to be humorous or nainis talaga siya sa akin.
"You kids should go home, it's already 6 p.m," sabi ni tito.
"Thanks tito, we'll come back!" I shouted as we went out from his unit. Isinara naman ni Math ang pinto.
Habang naglalakad kami pauwi, pareho kaming tahimik ni Math. Parang ina-absorb pa namin ang nalaman namin.
"Do not speak a word about this. You don't know who the enemy is. Be careful," sabi niya. Tumango nalang ako.
Who are the enemies?
(end of chapter)
- Writer
