Him, The Fruitcake

Chapter 3 : He's coming

*****

“Connecting a thread with somebody
is a sin, and will yield thee
no good,
but merely led affliction,
and torment in
thy soul.” —
grim_achlys

*****

WHEN I was in my younger days, I could still remember how I was always bullied by my peers. I can't do anything at all, but let them do anything they want to do to me. I was a weakling little girl at that time, I must say. I'd go home repeatedly with deep wounds and bruises all over my body. Ginagawa ‘ko lahat ng paraan upang hindi malaman ng mga magulang ko ang nangyayari sa akin sa eskwelahan. I was always making up excuses, such as I fell on the stairs, bumping into someone, and other lies I could think of. Tumagal halos ng limang buwan na walang nakakaalam sa sitwasyon ‘ko at pakiramdam ko’y nalulunod ako sa pinakamalalim ng dako ng karagatan. All I could see was red, blood.

Hanggang sa dumating sa punto na nais ko na lamang mawala na parang bula. Na para bang ang gusto kong gawin na lamang ay tumakbo nang kilometro na sobrang kalayo-layo at makarating sa isang lugar kung saan walang nakakakilala sa akin. Kung saan ay malaya at maligaya ako.

And, I felt like I was in the pit of the dark, alone.

I was alone.

All alone.

I don't know how to speak and stand up for myself, either. I was merely voiceless and deaf at all times.

Subalit, sumapit ang isang maaliwalas na araw kung saan ang mga bughaw na kalangitan ay mas lalong naging maaliwalas at malinaw sa aking mga mata, at ang mga mayayabong na puno ay mas lalong tumingkad ang luntian ng kanilang mga dahon, sunod naman ang paghuni ng mga nagliliparang ibon sa himpapawid na malayang ipanag-pagpag ang kanilang mga pakpak.

“Get your filthy hands off her,” rinig ko mula sa aking likuran ang kalmado ngunit may diin sa boses ng isang babae. I turned my head and a ray of light warmed through my face as I squinted my eyes to look at her figure, ngunit dala ng mga pasa at malalalim na sugat sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng aking katawan, ay tila lumabo ang aking paningin at nagsimulang nakaramdam ng pagkahilo, dahilan upang hindi ko makita ang kanyang kabuuan. But, I'm probably sure, she's pretty.

“Look who's here, bitch.” A cunning smirk suddenly curved on Elise's lips when she saw the lady.

“Are you deaf? Didn't you just hear what I said? Stupid whore.” Elise insanely chuckled and put her hands on her mouth when she heard those words the woman threw at her.

“What? What are you going to do? Spank our ass? Report us to your homeroom teacher?” She gave her a mocking smile when she said those. “Go get her,” pagpapatuloy niya at tumumba ang aking katawan sa matigas na semento nang binitawan ako nang dalawang babae. Those are Elise's troops.

Hindi ko na nalaman ang sumunod na nangyari sapagkat mas lalong lumabo ang aking mga paningin, ngunit ramdam ko ang init at agresibong mga presensya sa paligid at ang madugo, matindi nilang pag-aaway. Kalabog, paghabol nang hininga, hiyaw, paghikbi, at pagmamakaawa, ang mga sunod-sunod kong narinig sa aking kapaligiran.

Lumipas ang ilang minuto at tumahimik ang buong paligid. “Mind to grab my hand?” marahan kong iniangat ang aking ulo at napako ang aking mga mata nang makita ang nakaguhit na ngisi sa kanyang mala-kulay rosas na mga labi, humahabol rin ito nang paghinga. Unanticipatedly, her crew neck sweatshirt was soaked-in-blood, and even her chin has a stain on it. Yeah, I'm not mistaken, she's pretty, indeed.

•~~~•

“Ella. Ella nga pala ang pangalan ko,” inihayag niya ang kanyang palad sa akin.