EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART

CHAPTER 11: Own Life

Flashback 10 years ago.

"Ano ba tong lugar na to?" Gian couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. The empty building was eerie. Silence pressed on him and all he could hear was the beating of his own heart and scuffing noise of his feet.

"Sagutin mo na! Tang-ina naman! Ano naman ba tong pinasok mong gulo Drake?" Masama ang kutob niya, hindi sinasagot ni Drake ang tawag niya. Malamang ay nasangkot na naman to sa gulo.

Gian was about to retreat outside when from the distance, he heard someone walking. A group of people who carry guns, high caliber guns. He immediately hide to observe where they are going. But the sound grew louder, then softer, then louder again. At first, it appeared to come from in front, then from behind. He became more frantic when the noise was coming from every direction, getting closer and louder.

"Shit! Asan ka ba Drake?" Gian ran as fast as he could. Someone is following him. He didn't know if they were still behind him or not. He didn't want to find out.

"Shit!" He saw a droplets of blood trail on the ground.

At first Gian didn't notice it, but as he lowered his head in suspicion, he staggered back at the sight of the red liquid on the floor. The blood swirled in his mind, making him feel light-headed.

"Drake!"

The blood trail led from the basement of the building. It wasn't a few careless drops but splashes on the wall made Gian trembled in fear. He remember how weak Drake's voice over the phone. All he thought was, Drake was just drunk, but seeing those blood on the floor delivers terrifying thoughts.

"Drake! No! You can't be dead." He tried to calm himself as he follow the trail of the blood.

The blood flowed thickly from Drake's body. He raised his blanched hand calling Gian in a very weak voice before falling to his knees. Before Gian could reach him, he was slumped to the ground, pulse thready and weakening.

"Gian, iuwi mo ako sa bahay." He hold him briefly before his breathing became a noisy rattle.

"Anong nangyari?" Drake was sitting in a pool of warm blood.

"Who did this to you?" Gian staring him, unable to move as blood gushes from his wounds.

"Huwag ka ng magtanong! Basta iuwi mo na lang ako! Aaaagh!" Drake forcefully pulled the blade from his torso. The blood didn't gush in a constant flow, but as the sharp edge left his flesh, it came thick and strong, flowing through his fingers as he clasped the ripped flesh. He felt the blood move over his hand, the red thick fluid from his own skin.

"Tara na! Huwag kang tatawag ng pulis. Ikaw lang at ako ang dapat makaalam nito." Drake had held his hand to the slash, but no matter the pressure he applied, the blood had still gushed between his fingers and oozed under his hand. It had spread into Drake's t-shirt.

"Ano bang sinasabi mo Drake! Anong wag akong tatawag ng pulis!" Gian was terrified.

He saw a deep wound that sliced the flesh of his upper right arm. It's heavily oozing with blood and there's a bluish-purple bruise forming around it.

"Tara na Gian!" Nanghihina man ay pinilit niyang tumayo.

"What kind of game did you do again? Did you bet your life again? Ano ka ba Drake! Kelan ka ba titigil sa mga kalokohan mo? Hindi ka talaga titigil sa underground fight na yan? Ano bang nakukuha mo diyan? Nagpapakamatay ka ba talaga?" Sermon ang inabot ni Drake mula sa kaibigan nang makasakay sila sa kotse.

"Chill ka lang. Buhay naman ako. Matagal pa akong mamamatay." Nanghihina man at halata sa mukha nito ang sakit na dinadaing ng buong katawan niya mula sa mga sugat na tinamo niya, nakuha pa din niyang tumawa.