A Soul's Journey

Chapter Eighteen

Jim's piercing eyes turned on Mang Teban, a prelude to what would happen to him.

Jim pulled him by his collar, dragged outside and pinned against the SUV. The hapless old man couldn't resist and do anything against the muscular and bigger Jim.

"Who are you and what's your business with Kim?"

Mang Teban didn't know what to say. The ever impatient Jim couldn't wait for his answer. He struck Mang Teban's stomach with a vicious punch and he crumpled to the ground. "Now, what is your secret? Nobody's fooling around me about Kim."

His temper exploded once again. He held his head and kneed him, opening a cut over Mang Teban's left eye. Jim pulled him up.

"What do you know about Kim?"

"Still, Jim heard nothing from the old man. His silence wasn't a form of resistance but an outcome of the pain he received.

A hard blow rocked his face; blood oozed from his lips and nose and then everything went dark.

"That will teach you a lesson and the next time we meet, you'll be a dead meat."

Mang Teban heard Jim's parting words before he lost consciousness.

..............

Von saw the black SUV exiting the subdivision. He recognized it as Jim's and quickly boarded in. There was nobody but Jim inside. But he saw small amount of blood sprinkled on Jim's shirt and it made him worry more about his friend.

He went back to the subdivision in search of Mang Teban.

Finally, he found him lying on the grassy side of a road.

"Mang Teban, what happened to you?" Von kept on shaking his shoulder.

He had to blink several times to shake away the cobwebs in his eyes before realizing who was talking. "Why did you leave me?" His lips cried out in pain for every word he uttered.

"I went ahead to check Kim and when I came back you were gone. I'm sorry I got hooked by my yearning for Kim that for a while I stayed with her. Oh, I'm sorry, Mang Teban."

Mang Teban looked around. He sat on a grassy portion a few meters from where the mauling occurred. The heat of the sun prinked his tanned skin. Slowly he went on his feet. Von held his bicep as if it had an effect in propping up the old man.

"I was picked up by a man in black SUV." He dusted his arms and pants as soon as soon as he was up. "The driver told me he is a cousin of Kim and his name is... I forgot."

"Jim?"

"No." he tapped his forehead, recalling the name.

"His name is Jim; probably he gave you a different name. I saw the SUV exiting the subdivision and his shirt was sprinkled with small amount of blood."

Mang Teban tried to walk through small steps. The place seemed dancing around him. "He said that the next time he would see me, I'll be dead."

"Mang Teban, I'm sorry for this...I didn't like it to happen, too." There was regret in every word he uttered.

"Don't worry, Von. I will finish my mission. I'll bring Kim your message." He ran his fingers over his swollen nose and he moaned.

"I never thought you were a warrior in spirit. Oh, thank you Mang Teban."

"Not yet. Say it when we finish our mission. Come on, show me the way." He stretched his body, pressing the base of his spine.

"Follow me."

"Yes, and never leave me gain."

They chuckled.

Two motorcycles roared in their direction.

"It must be a help, Mang Teban. Put the incident in a blotter so Jim won't touch you again."

"I hope so, Von, but I doubt it."

The motorcycles stopped a step away from him. Their faces were serious and they mean business. One of them, the burlier one alighted and pulled a cane from his side.

Mang Teban just looked at them; he couldn't afford to stretch his lips for a smile and make a greeting. "I feel I'll be in trouble again, Von," he whispered.

"I think it would be better that you don't resist. For your own sake, I'll bring you out of the subdivision after questioning you."

"What have I done?" Mang Teban's eyes rounded and his lips trembled. They started to drip with blood again.

"You told us that you were looking for Miss Kimberly's house and someone saw you trying to climb the fence. But the informant pulled you down."

"Oh no...that's a lie. He dropped me here and beat me up."

"Yes he did and I can see it. You deserve it for hitting him first. Just ride with me, Mr. Old man and I don't want to hear anything from you for now." He grabbed Mang Teban's collar and forcefully led him to the motorcycle.