#DAWIt'sHim
"She's breaking and hurting. What are your plans? No. We shouldn't tell her. Baka mas lalo lang siyang masaktan kapag nalaman niyang buhay si Lucas."
I felt my whole body shivered. Nabitawan ko yung hawak kong bag, nasa dapat sana ay paglalagyan ko ng mga damit. Sobrang sakit ng dibdib ko. I feel like cryig ang dying. Hirap akong huminga. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko dahil hindi ko na kinakaya yung sakit.
It felt like I'm having a heart attack.
"M-Mi--" Hindi ako makapagsalita hanggang sa natumba na lang ako.
My head was hurting and so was my heart.
"VENICE!" Sigaw niya nung makita niya ako. I was dying. "What happened?! Hey! Answer me!!! Huwag kang pipikit please!!!"
Sumisigaw siya and at the same time he's crying. Nanginginig siyang tumawag sa phone niya, habang ako ay nakahiga sa sahig at maghahabol ng hininga. My eye sight's slowly turning white.
"You'll be okay. I promise." He said as he carry me out of my room.
Hindi ko alam kung paanong naging ganito ang reaksyon ng katawan ko sa narinig ko. Pero sigurado akong hindi na kinaya ng puso't isipan ko lahat ng nangyayari. I wanted to ask questions but I don't think my body can take any more revelation.
--
I woke up with my body aching. Everything was white. Hindi na ako mag-exaggerate, at magtatanong kung patay na ba ako, kasi obviously I'm in a hospital.
Dahan dahan akong bumangon at dali daling lunapit sa akin si Mama.
"Venice, kamusta ang pakiramdam mo anak?" She asked.
Madiin kong ipinikit yung mga mata ko dahil medyo nahihilo pa ako, pero alam kong maayos na ang lagay ko.
"Okay na po ako Ma." I said.
"Kailangan talagang doon na ako tumira. Hindi ka naman madalas sa hospital noon ah? Pero bakit ngayon nagugulat na lang ako na tatawag sila saakin nandito ka na. Ano ba talaga ang nangyayari?" She worriedly asked.
"Ma, I'm fine. I know you're busy and all, hindi na kita aabalahin. Just take care of what you need to and come back when everything's fixed." I said. Ayoko kasing maging pabigat pa kay Mama at ayoko rin namang malaman pa niya lahat ng nangyayari ngayon. It's better this way, kasi baka kapag nalaman pa ni Mama ay makialam siya at mapahamak siya.
"Fine. But I promise, I'll be back as soon as possible." She kissed my forehead and hugged me before walking away.
But before she could get out, I called her, "Ma, where's Mickey?" I asked.
"I'll call him. Papupuntahin ko na lang siya dito." She said then went out.
Wala pang ilang minutong nakakaalis si Mama, biglang dumating si Henry. At first I was shocked pero naisip ko na baka nag-alala lang din siya.
"Hey." He said and sat beside the bed.
"Don't ask please. I'm obviously not okay." I said then looked away.
"I was worried Nice." He said.
"I know and I'm sorry for making you worry." Hindi pa rin ako humaharap sa kanya. Siguro kasi ayoko munang magkwento sa iba? Kay Mama nga hindi ko sinabi, kay Henry pa?
"I won't ask. Promise. Now please humarap ka naman sakin. Feeling ko tuloy galit ka." Natatawang sabi niya, "I brought cookies." He offered.
And me being weak when it comes to sweets, I faced him immediately.
"I knew I can do it." Masayang sabi niya.
Natawa naman ako ng kaunti habang kumukuha sa jar of cookies na dala dala niya. While I was eating, it felt really awkward dahil nakatingin lang siya sa akin. Hindi na ako kumportableng kumain kaya tumigil ako para humingin ng tubig.
"Can please get me some water?" I asked him.
"Oh. Sige wait." Then mabilis siyang tumayo para maglagay ng tubig sa baso at iniabot to sakin.
"Thanks." I said, "So what's up?" Tanong ko pagkatapos kong uminom.
But even before Henry could open his mouth, the door flew open. Mickey entered the room and immediately went near me.
"Thank goodness you're okay." He said with a sigh of relief.
Tumingin ako kay Henry and I think he got my message. Tumayo siya at lumabas. Kailangan kong kausapin si Mickey ng maayos. He knows things that I don't and that I should know, pero tinatago niya yun sakin. Gusto kong malaman kung ano yun at bakit niya tinago? Kung buhay si Lucas nasaan siya?
"Tell me." I said, "Where is he?"
"Venice..."
"Please, will you just tell me?" I begged.
He sighed. He knew he can't stop me from asking at hindi ako titigil hangga't hindi ko nalalaman lahat.
"Since that day, when Lucas went missing, I hired people to watch your every move. Binabatayan ka nila mula sa malayo Venice. It was fine at first. Pero biglang nagreport ang isa sa kanila na may bumubuntot sayong lalaki. He's wearing and all black outfit, hindi makita ang mukha niya dahil sa hood. So I asked them to work harder and try to see who it was."
He paused for a moment at naupo sa tabi ko.
"They sent me a CCTV footage, and it clearly caught his face... It was him Venice. He's been following you around for a month now. Hindi ko alam kung bakit or ano bang plano niya. Hindi ko siya macontact. I tried Venice, believe me, I tried approaching him... personally, pero... hindi niya ako kilala."
Naguguluhan ako, should I be glad? should I be angry? Hindi ko alam. But all I know now is that I am hurting so bad dahil hindi ko alam ang gagawin at kung ano ba ang dapat kong maramdaman.
"What do you mean hindi ka niya kilala?" I asked.
"He doesn't remember anything Venice. He doesn't know anyone. Not even himself."
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