Taste of Hell

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"May nangyari ba para makaranas siya ng panic attack, Mr. Gustaf?"

I heard voices.

"Yes. She saw something she didn't have to see..."

"That must be the cause of her panic attack. Please in the future avoid triggering her trauma especially she's not taking any medication. I also don't think her body is ready for that until then take good care of her. It could be worst the next time. "

Tuluyan na akong nagmulat ng mga mata.

"Nevaeh,"

"Nikov?"

"Hey," he looked at me worriedly. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel a bit tired. What happened?" tanong ko.

"You collapsed right after telling me your chest hurt." He told me.

Napatango ako at saka napasinghap ng may maalala.

"Nikov!" nanlaki ang mata ko.

"He's alive." aniya.

Iniwan ako saglit ni Nikov sa silid namin para kausapin at ihatid ang doctor paalis.

Ilang saglit pa ay bumalik na siya sa silid.

"Nevaeh..."

"Nikov, is he telling the truth?" Bumaling ako sa kaniya. "Are you really part of an organization called Majestic Five. You guys run illegal business?"

Umupo siya sa gilid ng kama ko. "Yes."

"My mother was killed 13 years ago. She was shot dead on the spot, 3 bullets where found on her body. At first we thought maybe it is one of those people that might have resent ISPS. But we found out it wasn't something like that. My mom is one of those casualty of that man." pagkukuwento niya. " Ginawa namin ang lahat para mahuli at mapakulong ang taong iyon pero kahit na nasa kulungan na siya hindi nun maibabalik ang buhay na kinuha niya sa amin. But we continue our life, dad looks like coping up he continue running the ISPS until 5 years later he committed suicide. It turns out he couldn't bear it anymore, the lost of my mother. I was left with my sister and the obligation in ISPS. That's where I finally took Majestic Five seriously."

"What Majestic Five really is, Nikov?"

"It's an organization in Italy that runs by us. It was Fox who built it. And I have no plans to join that organization so I only back it up but later on I became one of the bosses."

"Y-you killed people." napapalunok na saad ko.

Nag-aalangan siyang tumingin sa akin at sa huli ay napabuntong hininga. "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because that's how it works in that world, Nevaeh." he answered. "We have legal business to back it up our illegal deeds. The authorities couldn't find something on us that's why up to now we're still free."

"What will you do to him? W-Will you kill him?"

Hindi siya sumagot. And I know what that means.

"I was five." panimula ko. Kumunot ang noo niya pero nanatili siyang nakatitig sa akin. "I was five when I finally understood what the world I live in, it was cruel and painful. My father wouldn't stop beating my mother and sometimes he would hit me too." I smiled painfully.

"And as times goes by he would beat us both. If we bled a lot he will bring us to the nearest hospital or he will perform the means to heal us just by himself then after we healed he will start to beat us again. It never stop, as if it was a cycle of every day living that I wish I was dead instead of living. T-That's why, Nikov I know what death feels like it was scary and lonely so please d-don't kill him." hinawakan ko ang kamay niya.

"Nevaeh..."

"I want to stay with you."

He was stunned to heard that.

"I want to stay with you even after knowing the truth about you, Nikov. I want to be with you. I promise I won't tell anyone about it. So please...let him go."

"You know Devon's wife didn't know at first what kind of a person Devon is. And this is the exact thing happened to them. She learned the truth about Devon and fear him. Fox warned me about that." He took a deep breath. "Just take a rest, Nevaeh." tumayo na siya pero pinigilan ko siya.

"Nikov, I love you."

Mahina siyang napamura saka tumango. "Okay. I get it. I won't kill him. I love you too." at hinalikan niya ako. "So please take a rest so tomorrow we can go outside."

"Okay."

I stayed the whole day in our hotel suite even though I regained my strength. I stayed in our room to think.

Hindi ko pa naproproseso ang lahat ng nangyari ngayon. My past is trying to resurface again even though how bad I tried to buried it it looks like I can never hide it forever.

Pumaling ang ulo ko sa may pinto ng may magdoorbell doon. Nikov have the spare key kaya siguradong hindi ang lalaki ang nasa labas ng pintuan.

Then who could it be?

Tumayo ako at akmang pupunta na sana sa pintuan ng kusang bumukas iyon.

"Ni——"

Nawala ang ngiti sa labi ko at napalitan ng takot ang reaction ko ng makilala ko kung sino ang taong nasa harap ko ngayon.

Takot, galit at sari-saring emosyon ang namayani sa kaibuturan ko. Hindi agad ako nakagalaw. My phone is just in the bedside table I could call Nikov to ask for help but I doubt if I can make it to the bedside table.

He is way faster because he was once a military officer, mom told me that he got the high ranking position. 

"Long time no see..." sumilay ang nakakakilabot na ngiti sa labi niya. "Nevaeh. "

Umatras ako ng humakbang siya papalapit sa akin.

"It's been 13 years since I last saw your face up close." bawat banggit niya sa mga salita ay hindi ko mapigilan na kilabutan at panindigan ng balahibo.

"You're so scared." mahina siyang tumawa at agad ding huminto at sumeryoso ang mukha. "Halika rito, hindi mo ba yayakapin ang ama mo?" nakangising tanong niya sa akin.

"W-Wala akong amang katulad mo! H-Halimaw ka!" puno ng pagkadisgustong sinabi ko.

Hindi naman niya iyon inintindi at lumapit sa akin hanggang sa wala na akong maaatrasan.

"You're mother might be telling the truth all these years."

Natigilan ako ng makita ko ang expression ng mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa akin, kahit kailan hindi ko pa nakita ang ganoong expression sa kaniya.

"W-Wag mong mabanggit-banggit si mama! Wala kang karapatan! Pagkatapos mong pata——"

"She killed me first!" pagalit niyang putol sa sasabihin ko.

Natigilan ako. "A-Ano?"

"She killed me first too! When I was suffering she's all I think about!" He gritted his teeth as if he's remembering something he don't want to remember anymore." Habang sumasabak kami sa giyera at nakikipagpatayan para sa bansa...ang asawa ko iba na ang pinagsisilbihan." he smiled creepily.

Huminto siya sa harapan ko, ilang pulgada na lang ang layo sa akin. Iniangat niya ang kaliwang kamay niya at buong akala ko ay sasaktan niya ako pero iba sa inaasahan ko ang ginawa niya, marahan niyang hinaplos ang pisngi ko.

"You're really are my daughter."