VAMPIRE'S KISS

74

"Patay tayo ngayon kay Ma'am Lisha."


That phrase, strum like a drum. Hindi iyon matigil-tigil. I am buried with the thoughts.

Ano ba ang plano nya sa akin?

Ano bang gusto nya mula sa akin? Panalong-panalo na sya if that's what she thinks?! Heck, ilang araw nalang ay aalis na sila at ilang linggo ay magpapakasal na?! Why is she still after me?

I resist the temptation na lumabas sa malaking basurahan kahit ilang minuto na naman ang dumaan at wala na rin ang humahabol sa akin kanina. Kailangan kong makasiguro na wala na talaga sila kaya pakiramdam ko ay halos isang oras na akong nandoon.

Masyadong mabaho mula sa mga panis na leftovers ng restaurant. Mabuti na lamang at huling pagtapon na nila ng spoil foods at gabi na din naman, hindi 24/7 ang restaurant na nagmamay-ari ng pit na ito.

Baka masabuyan pa ako ng mabahong mga mikrobyo.

Halos masuka ako nang lumabas ng garbage pit saka napalinga-linga sa paligid.

Medyo malayo rin ang linakad ko papuntang residential namin. Medyo malayo na ito sa address namin. Kung may cab din namang dumadaan ay it's either may nakasakay na o pauwi na ang driver kaya hindi na lamang ako sumakay.

At isa pa, masyadong mabaho rin ako ngayon.

I doubted that a driver will let me enter his cab, knowing na ganito ako kabaho.

Hindi na rin ako nag-abalang kapain ang sarili at lifesaver itong amoy kong ito.

They can smell me all throughout the escape journey, huh?

I arrive home late.

My son is still awake.

Hindi na nya ako binati ng yakap at agad na tinakpan ang ilong nya ng makapasok ako.

"Mama, you're so smelly!" reklamo pa nito. Ancute habang nakanguso sya at tinakpan ang ilong.

Di ko mapigilang mapangiti kahit na ang laman noon ay pagkabahala. Someone is after me and for what. Hindi ko alam. In most cases, when someone is after you. He/She wants you dead.

Naalala ko pa nung sa opisina, Lisha bid 'byebye' to me. Ibig bang sabihin nun ay papatayin nya ako?

My thoughts shivered habang naliligo sa shower. Kahit naman wala kaming masyadong pera noon, the subdivision already provided the luxuries at home kaya may shower. Basta kapalit lamang ay magbayad.

Naalala ko tuloy iyong utang ni Daddy na babayaran ko next week.

Hindi ko na iyon mababayaran kapag kinuha ako ni Lisha at tinigok. Ang gaga nya! Walang puso.

And to my son, wala akong kilala bukod sa kapitbahay naming may sariling buhay at anak rin. Ayaw kong maging pabigat dito. Ayaw kong abusuhin ang kabaitan nito.

I slid on some bathroom robe and stepped out the shower room.

Nagluto na rin ako ng bacon para sa dinner namin. Naawa na ako sa anak ko at palagi na lamang masyadong late ang dinner nya. I snapped as I saw the fridge na halos wala na talagang laman bukod doon sa bacon na nailuto ko na.

My groceries? Lahat iyon nasa manong driver na.

Even some of the toy cars na bigay ko kay Tres.

I turned my head to my son na naghihintay sa akin sa lamesa. Nakatitig sya sa akin at parang may malalim na iniisip.

"Mama, is it overtime?" tanong pa nito.

"Huh?"

"Kaya ka late kasi nag overtime ka? What about this smelly laptop and folders that you brought home? Magtatrabaho ka rin ba even this time of the night, Mama?"

Sinulyapan ko ang sinabi nyang mabaho sa gilid. I sighed and nodded.

Inilapag ko na ang bacon sa pagitan namin.

"Mama, is your work so hard?"

Wala akong imik doon. Pawang katahimikan ang tinugon ko kay Tres. I don't know how to begin. I wanted to tell him what really happened but I don't want him to get triggered. Ayaw kong matakot sya.

Even though he's a smart kid. He is still my son, capable of this human emotion. Ayaw ko syang matakot at mag-aalala sa seguridad ko.

"Mama?"

"Every work is hard, baby."

"But this is too much, Mama. Do you get paid more by doing this?"

I nodded. Damn, he really sounded old or atleast more than a nasty teen on his age.

"Mama, about my birthday..."

Nag-angat ako ng tingin doon. Pansamantalang itinigil ang paggalaw sa mga utensils. Hindi nya pa rin ginagalaw ang pagkain nya.

"I don't like toy cars and gifts. A simple birthday is okay, Mama." I smiled as I listened to him.

"All I want for a present is seeing you happy and I also want Papa happy in...heaven." bulalas pa nito. Hindi ako makapaniwalang tinitigan syang mamumula-mula na ang mata at ilang saglit pa lamang ay may tumulong luha.

I thought, kids really don't care much about this incomplete family thingy at hindi pa naman talaga sila nakakaintindi. I almost forget that my baby is an exception. He's just different.

"Mama, my fangs are getting sharper every night." aniya bigla na nagpatigil sa akin. Mamula-mula ang mata nya at wala na rin ang luha kanina.

His eyes are full red! Fully red!

Kitang-kita rin ngayon ang pangil sa kanyang bibig.

"Mama, I am not a normal kid, right?" he asked plainly.

My son doesn't show any emotions at all. In a split second. Napasinghap ako doon. There is no way I will tell him that he is a normal kid. It's evident enough.

"Tres?"

"Mama..."

Napapikit ako doon. My son trust me so much with all his life. Kahit bata pa naman sya, iba sya sa normal na bata and hopefully, mas maiintindihan nya kung ano man ang sasabihin ko.

I swallowed hard and open my mouth.

I told him almost like a whisper. I narrate every struggles and questions that I have in my mind and even guesses.

Naubos ang halos isang oras sa masinsinan naming pag-uusap. My son is so eager to know my thoughts and he is very attentive with all my words.

Gulat, pagkamangha at iba pang di mapangalanang emosyon ang namutawi sa kanyang mukha. His fangs are still visible and his eyes is fully red pero hindi ako nakaramdam ng takot habang kinikwento sa kanya ang lahat.

Ewan ko ba.

At the back of my mind, shears a reminder that he is my son kaya hindi ako matatakot kung ano man sya.

I weaved the story perfectly. Iniiwasan kong banggitin na buhay ang Ama nya. All I told him is about my life and the memories and his grandmother and about my suspicious identity on him.

After I told him almost everything, I waited for his reaction ngunit wala instead he rose from his seat and came towards me.

Hindi ko inaasahan ang kanyang pagyakap sa akin.

"You are so brave, Mama..." he whispered.

His embrace is so delicate full of warmth. Di ko rin maiwasang mapangiti sa kanyang sinabi.

I am a brave, mother...

Hindi ko alam ngunit dulot ng papuring iyon ay nakaramdam ako ng emosyong bumubuhos. Ang pagmamahal ng anak sa kanyang Ina at ganun rin mula sa Ina sa anak.

Somehow, nakaramdam ako na tama nga lang na sabihin ko kay Tres iyon.

Tears flowing from my cheeks.

Ewan ko ba kung bakit. For a long time, I feel like someone understands me now. I have no close friends, only my mother who choose to leave this country because she feel threatened and move on to another foreign land.

All this time, I am burying things and problems on my back. Wala akong katuwang doon but now, my son understands it all now.

He learned so much at this very young age. Hindi ko maiwasang maawa sa kanya at naisilang syang ganito agad ang bungad sa kanya ng buhay.

I cannot blame anyone at this point that all I have is to be grateful.

"I love you, Mama..." that's his last word before I put him on the bed.

Nang isinara ko na ang pintuan ng bedroom ay saka ako napasinghap sa maraming gagawin na office works.

I paved my way downstairs at doon naabutan ang samo't-saring paper works.

Marahan akong umupo at tinitigan ang numero sa balance sheets nang mag-ring ang phone ko.

Mabilis ang ginawa kong pagpulot doon at pinasadahan ang pangalan na nasa screen.

It's from my Mama!

Dali-dali ay sinagot ko kaagad iyon! Hindi ko na sya natawagan ng ilang araw and now, finally... She called!

"Hello...." I blurt out, initiating the conversation. As much as I want to sound excited at finally tinawagan nya na ako, I reserved that emotion later.

Gusto kong malaman kung bakit sya napatawag then I'll proceed asking bakit ngayon lang sya napatawag at di nya sinasagot ang mga tawag ko.

I sit still, steady. Steadily waiting for the voice from the other line.

The background from the other line creates some inapproriate noises. Kumunot ang noo ko doon.

There is also a heavy breathing from...

"Coleen, it's Lisha!" bulalas ng boses na naghahabol ng hininga.

I have a hard time before I realize that it's my mother's voice!

"Mommy!?! "

"They are after me!"

"Mommy!"

"Coleen, it's Lisha. I have a hard time guessing who's after my grandson. Akala ko si Sergio, Coleen.. It's Lisha!"

Mabilis ang pintig ngayon ng aking puso.

What?

"They are after me-----"