Since Nine Book 3: Shattered

Pretense

CHAPTER 9

VICTORIA

Even when she was young, Victoria never feared using a knife. She always thought of it as her friend. Her reliable ally. Her partner in concocting delicious meals. But as she sat there on the cold floor panting, she would never be able to use it without seeing blood. Without seeing a lifeless body lying on a pool of blood. A lot of blood.

She never thought of using it against someone. She never thought of using it to kill someone. But she had to do it. For revenge. For her freedom.

Malaya na sya di ba? Makakaalis na rin sya sa lugar na to right? She wondered as her eyes roamed around the spacious living room. Gaano na ba sya katagal sa lugar na to? One month? Three months?  A year perhaps? She lost track of time.

After her heart wrenching goodbye to Ramcel at her Dad’s house, gaano na bang katagal ang mga araw na lumipas? Does she still have the strength to get away from this terrible place when she could feel her eyes slowly closing succumbing to nothingness?

The flicker of hope she felt earlier disappeared when the lifeless body few meters away from her started to move and rise. Next thing she knew a gun was aimed at her heart. The trigger was pulled and she heard a loud bang.

2015

ZAMBALES

“Vi…Vi…” Then she heard Jenny’s worried voice. “Wake up.” Wake up? “Vi, gising.” Naramdaman nyang niyuyugyog nito ang balikat nya. Bumalikwas nang bangon si Vi. “It’s okay. It’s just a dream, Vi.” Mahigpit syang niyakap ni Jenny. “You’re safe now.”

Bigla syang kumalas kay Jenny nang pumasok sa kwarto nya ang naka-pajamang si Ramcel, na nakaguhit ang pag-aalala sa mukha nito. “I heard someone scream. Anong nangyayari rito?”

“Nothing…I was just dreaming.” Victoria tried to smile but her heart was still pounding in her chest. “Sorry…naistorbo ko ang tulog mo.”

“Vi…I think she needs to…”

“It’s fine, Jenny,” putol nya sa sasabihin ng kaibigan. “Panaginip lang to. I’m okay. Don’t worry.” She only had the dim light coming from the lampshade on her bedside table. She hoped Ramcel didn’t see she was sweating heavily despite the cold airconditioning. “Sorry. Nagising ko pa tuloy kayo. You can go back to sleep now, Jen.”

Kahit galit sa kanya si Ramcel, nakuha pa rin nitong magpakita nang pag-aalala sa kanya. Ngunit bumalik din ang pagiging cold nito sa kanya nang mapagtanto nitong Victoria was okay. Tumalikod na ito saka sila iniwan ni Jenny.

“Gusto mo bang dito na lang ako sa tabi mo matulog?” Alok ni Jenny.

“Ayos lang ba?”

Jenny smiled kindly. “Of course.”

Victoria fell into a dreamless sleep after that but she still woke up early. Madilim pa sa labas at himbing pa si Jenny sa tabi nya. She carefully got off the bed and washed her face. She tiptoed out of her room and went straight to the kitchen then started preparing breakfast.

She was deep frying her breaded shrimp when Ramcel sauntered on the kitchen. Natigilan ito nang makita sya. Marahil hindi nito in-expect na gising na sya nang ganung kaaga. It was only 5:30AM. Hindi nito alam kung tutuloy ba ito o aatras na lang. But Victoria didn’t miss the admiration that flashed in Ramcel’s eyes when she saw she was only wearing an apron over her flimsy lingerie.