His Bride

9| Missing Person

CHAPTER NINE
 

My heart pounded inside my chest painfully. It felt tight, suffocating. Clawing my throat, I dig my fingers to my skin as I desperately gasped for air, for support.

There was a buzz in my head, my vision blurred and become unfocused as I sprinted down the dark alley, a deep grave laugh following behind me. It sounded inhuman, the hair on the back of my neck stood despite my furious sweating. Then it stopped. I halted, panting, gasping. Everything was spinning around me.

"Everiss!"

Marahas akong lumingon nang marinig ang pangalan ko. Drake was running towards me, he was desperate and scared and...there was a big hole in his chest. His mouth was leaking with blood as they open and close like a fish out of the water. He wanted to say something but more blood gushed out like a broken faucet.

I screamed as he knelt on the ground and behind him was a dark and faceless man holding a gun, its muzzle was breathing smoke. Sa kabila ng dilim, nakita ko ang pag-galaw ng mga labi niya kasabay ng nakakakilabot na ngisi.

"Run."

Screaming, I jerked from the bed gasping for breath. Dito bukas ang pintuan at niluwa si Sally, bakas ng pag-aalala ang mukha.

"Evy!" Nilapag niya ang baso ng tubig sa bedside table at naupo sa tabi ko. Tinabi niya ang mga buhok na humarang sa mukha ko. "Ayos ka lang? Just breathe girl. In and out, slowly," she instructed.

Sinundan ko ang ginagawa niya. In and out, slowly. Nang mabawasan ang bigat sa dibdib ay saka ko lang napagtanto na nasa kwarto ako. I looked around confused.

"A-anong ginagawa mo dito?" Hindi ko nakilala ang sariling boses dahil sa pamamalat nito. My throat burns, clawing it I remembered my dream. Panic surged through me like a lightning bolt. Napansin ito ni Sally kaya pinatong niya ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang balikat ko para pakalmahin.

"You texted me last night, remember?"

"What?"

"Sabi mo gusto mong pag-usapan ang tungkol sa adjustment ng mating ng mga Lion dahil ang alaga ng kaibigan mo ay kakagaling lang ng surgery niya sa paa. You said he needed more time to recover."

Pakiramdam ko Chinese ang kausap ko at may language barrier sa pagitan namin. Hindi ko ma-proseso ang mga sinabi niya.

"Look," Kinuha niya ang cellphone sa bulsa at binuksan sa message. Pinakita niya sa akin ang message daw na galing sa akin. It was indeed my number, my composition, but I didn't do it. I don't remember texting her when I was on the bridge of dying. "You must be really tired. Mabuti nalang nakita kita sa labas ng bahay niyo, or else the bloodsucking leeches will feast on you."

"Labas ng bahay?" Ulit ko sa narinig habang hinahalukay ang memorya ko ang ganoong tagpo.

"Yes. Nakabulagta ka sa labas ng bahay niyo, Everiss. Anong nangyari sa'yo? Are you okay? Do we need to go to the Hospital?" sunod-sunod ang tanong niya, nag-aalala ito.

Umiling ako at sinapo ang noo na tila sasabog na sa mga nalaman. Anong ginagawa ko sa labas ng bahay?

"W-where's Drake? Nahanap ba nila ang Killer?" Hinakawan ko ang mga kamay ni Sally at siguradong naramdaman niya ang lamig dito at pagnginginig.

Her face marred with confusion as she stared at me like I was speaking Chinese.

"Killer?"

"Yes. He was killed last night in front of the Clinic, Sally! Someone shoot him last night!"

Hinawakan ako ni Sally sa braso nang magsimula ulit akong magpanic. "Uhm, are you sure?"

Tumango ako, sunod-sunod halos manakit ang leeg ko. I remember the gunshots, the blood, the pain in Drake's eyes, and the armed men. Hinabol nila ako, marami sila. Gusto nila akong kunin. Sinabi ko ang mga ito kay Sally.