Woven on Time (Student Series #3)

Chapter 35

TW: Sexual abuse. If you are uncomfortable, please skip the chapter.

Chapter 35

The drug had taken its toll on me. I felt weak, lightweight, and vulnerable as I stirred from the effect of the substance they injected into my body. My position upon waking up resulted in my neck aching. But what concerned me more was the fact I was still inside a car, a smaller one, and all the men I saw before I passed out were gone.

Instead of them, I found my unconscious cousin, Twyla, beside me with a black tape across her mouth. Her hands were taped together in her lap. Bukas ang ilaw at aircon sa loob ng sasakyan. Sumilip ako sa salamin at kadiliman lang ang bumugad sa akin.

Pumikit ako nang mariin at sinapo ang ulo. Akala ko ba ay ihahatid ako pauwi ng tauhan ni Daddy? Bakit nandito na si Twyla at ganiyan ang itsura niya? Nasaan kami? Ano'ng ginawa nila sa pinsan ko?

I fluttered my eyes open and cupped Twyla's face. Her head fell on my shoulder. "Twy... wake up..." nanghihina ang boses ko.

Hinawakan ko ang dulo ng tape sa bibig niya para tanggalin. I was successful, but she was still dead to the world. The door on my side opened, revealing a person wearing black slacks. Nilagay ko agad ang braso sa katawan ni Twyla at tinakpan siya.

"The little girl's finally awake," the man declared outside as though talking to someone in his thick accent.

Yumuko siya at tuluyang sumilip sa loob. Our gazes met. And even through the dim light inside the car, his emerald green eyes and light skin told me he wasn't a full-blooded Filipino. Tauhan pa rin ba siya ni Daddy? Inutusan ba siya... sila na kunin kami ng pinsan ko? Pero bakit sa ganitong paraan?

Isang boses pa sa labas ang nagsalita. "Ikaw na raw ang bahala diyan. Ako na sa isa."

"Come here," the foreign guy commanded as he claimed my arm, pulling me away from my cousin. "Get out of the car while I'm still being kind, kid."

"I don't know you. Please, let us go home!" Niyakap ko lalo si Twyla kaya mas marahas nang hinila ng lalaki ang braso ko.

"I said get your fucking ass out of the car!"

Tumili ako nang isang hila niya sa akin ay nakaladkad ako palabas. Naramdaman ko ang sakit sa braso pero mas inalala ko ang pinsang napahiga sa upuan nang biglaan dahil sa pagkaalis ko roon.

"Twyla!" Sinubukan kong lumapit ulit pero hinila pa lalo ang braso ko ng may hawak sa akin. "Sir! Please, let us go home! Ayaw po gumising ng pinsan ko! Baka po ano na ang nangyari sa kaniya! Please po! I-check ninyo po siya!"

"She was just sedated. She will wake up anytime soon. Just like you."

Sedated? Bumilog ang mata ko nang naalala ang ginawa nila kanina sa akin. They injected something in me! Ganoon din ang ginawa nila sa pinsan ko?

"Now, if you want her safe when she wakes up, pacify yourself and follow all my orders," he said coldly.

Tumigil ako sa pagkukumahog makawala dahil doon. Kinaladkad niya ako palayo sa sasakyan pero naroon pa rin ang tingin ko. Nagpakita ang isang lalaki sa tabi ng pinto at kinuha palabas ang pinsan ko. Parang sako niya itong inilagay sa balikat bago isinara ang pinto ng sasakyan.

The hair on my arms and nape crawled as we entered an eerie, seemingly abandoned building. The blinking bulb on the ceiling fueled the fright I felt as the guy dragged me upstairs, dust and cobwebs in every corner. A shriek erupted from me, jumping clumsily when something ran over my feet.

Napakapit ako bigla sa braso ng may hawak sa akin sa takot. What was that?

"It was just a rat."

Binitiwan ko siya at lumingon sa likod. Walang nakasunod sa amin.