Yohan's first thought while looking at Apple Pie's pale face and obviously starved body was that he could kill right now. Pagkabukas na pagkabukas niya sa tagong pintuan na iyon ay ang nanghihinang katawan ni Apple Pie na nakabulagta sa sahig ang una niyang nadatnan. He quickly rushed over while he heard her call-out to him for the last time before losing consciousness.
Agad naman siyang lumuhod sa tabi nito at tinapik-tapik ang pisngi ng babae. "Langga? Langga, wake up," he whispered while calling her but there was no response. It was like waking up a corpse.
Bubuhatin na sana niya ang babae nang bigla niyang maramdaman ang isang matalim na bagay sa kaniyang leegan. "Anong sa tingin mo ang ginagawa mo?" It was a familiar calm, collected, aristocratic voice. Even without looking back, he already knew who it was.
"Tang-ina mo, de Castro!" galit niyang sigaw bago unti-unting tinaas ang mga kamay papalayo kay Apple Pie. Dahan-dahan siyang tumayo bago ito hinarap. Agad namang bumungad sa kaniya ang malademonyong ngisi nito.
"Mukhang binibiyayaan ako ng Panginoon ngayon, hindi na kita kailangang hanapin. Ikaw na mismo ang lumapit sa akin," nakangiti nitong ani na para bang nag-uusap lamang sila tungkol sa panahon.
"Anong ginawa mo kay Christina?!" sigaw niyang muli dito. Apple Pie looked like she was only skin and bones now, when in fact, she was only missing for two weeks. "Tang-inang may balak ka bang patayin siya?!"
"Patayin?" he theatrically asked as if he was hurt by the accusation. "Hinding-hindi ko kayang patayin ang babaeng pinakamamahal ko. Akin lamang siyang pinaparusahan sa mga naging kasalanan niya sa akin. Unang-una ay ang pagtakas at pagtago niya sa akin, pangalawa ay ang pakikiapid niya sa iyo at panghuli ay ang pagtanggi niya sa kasal naming dalawa na nararapat lamang na mangyari. Ang mga babaeng katulad niya ay marampat lamang na bigyan ng parusa upang matandaan niya kung sino ang nasa taas sa aming dalawa."
"Fucking lunatic!" hindi na niya napigilan ang sarili at sinugod ito. Wala na siyang takot kahit alam niyang may hawak itong kutsilyo. All he could see was red. "Tang-ina ka! Laging kumpleto kain niyan pati na snacks noong kami pa tapos gugutumin mo lang ngayon!" He was a little bit taller and muscular than the general so his sudden outburst might have overwhelmed him. Agad itong natumba dahil sa pagsunggab niya dito. Hindi na niya hinayaan itong makabawi at agad itong inambangan ng suntok. "Putang-ina mo! Hindi ko hinahayaang magutom yan tapos iyan lang gagawin mo sa kaniya?!" Sinuntok niya itong muli ng malakas sa mukha.
Dahil sa tindi ng galit niya ay hindi na makalaban pa ang heneral. Ang mukha nito ay duguan dahil na rin sa paulit-ulit niyang pagsuntok dito. Maybe it wasn't just this situation that triggered his anger. Maybe the multiple times that Apple Pie would often tell him that she would go on a diet made him react like this. Back when they were in college, she would often have these sad moments where she would question her worth because of the beauty standards that were set by these skinny-ass bitches that have nothing but insecurity in their lives. Those times became his reason why it became his goal that she would eat whatever she wanted when she was with him. Seeing her starved like that triggered him so much.
"Yohan! Yohan!" he heard someone shouting his name behind his back but he doesn't care. He wanted to kill this man. Akma na niya sanang pupulutin ang kutsilyong nahulog ng heneral ngunit may biglang pumigil sa kaniya. His bloodshot eyes filled with murder looked back at that person and saw his older brother, Kuya Zy. "Fucking stop it, Yohan! I already called the authorities!" Hindi niya ito pinansin at nilabanan ito upang makuha muli ang kutsilyo ngunit ang sunod nitong sinabi ang naging dahilan ng biglaan niyang pagtigil. "Apple Pie needs you! Her pulse is already weak. She needs medical assistance now!"
Agad niyang nabitawan ang hawak-hawak na kutsilyo at nilingon ang babae. True enough, she was laying their so still like a corpse. Agad na nawala ang galit sa ulo niya at walang pakialam na umalis sa pagkakadagan sa duguang heneral. "Langga . . ." he called out to her while running back towards her, almost tripping while doing so. "Langga," tawag niyang muli dito nang makalapit. Agad siyang lumuhod katabi nito at tiningnan kung may pulso pa ito. Lumuwag naman ang kaniyang dibdib nang maramdaman ang patuloy na pagtibok ng puso nito. It was faint but it was still there. Wala na siyang sinayang na oras at mabilis itong binuhat. Hindi na niya binigyan ni isang tingin ang lalakeng nasa sahig bagkus ay mabilis siyang naglakad papalabas habang karga-karga si Apple Pie.
Agad siyang nakababa mula sa pangalawang palapag kung saan naabutan niya si Xav kasama ang tiya ni Christina na mukhang gulat na gulat na makita ang inaanak na ilang linggong nawawala. Must be a shock to realize that her niece was just inside the general's house all along. Narinig niya ang nagpa-panic nitong mga salita ngunit hindi niya ito pinansin bagkus ay mabilis na pinahiga si Apple Pie sa may sofa. Mahigpit niyang hinawakan ang braso ng nakababatang kapatid at nag-ika, "Please . . . help her." He felt like he was about to cry. He felt like a kid caught in a bad situation without any alternatives to help himself. "Please . . . Please . . ." he muttered before falling down to his knees.
"Get a grip, Yohan," galit na bulong sa kaniya ni Xav habang pabalik-balik ang tingin sa kaniya at sa tiya ni Christina. Mukhang nag-aalala ito na may matuklasan ang ginang tungkol sa kanila. Wala na siyang pakialam at binaon na lamang ang mukha sa mga palad at umiyak.
"You know I can't lose her, Xav . . . not again . . . Hindi ko na kakayanin." He broke down while Xav was busy examining Apple Pie. Mukhang nag-aalala rin ito sa kaniyang kalagayan dahil pabalik-balik ang tingin nito sa kaniya at sa babae. "Do everything, please . . . 'cause I'm gonna fucking kill myself if she dies."
A/N: Ang tatahimik niyo na naman. :(
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My Everything In His Past (2nd Book of 'In His Past' Series)
Historical Fiction"I wish I realized much sooner how important you are, my wife, my president, my everything."
