The Other 'I'

29 : Traitor

"You'll do whatever I ask you to, twin brother?"

"Anything..."

"Eunice! Eunice, are you here?!"

Panandalian akong nanigas sa kinauupuan nang marinig ang boses ni Cali mula sa taas. Sinundan ito ng sigaw ni Dina at Mike sa 'di kalayuan.

They're alive. Oh thank, God.

"Do you know there are four of them here?" Muli itong humagikgik na para bang may kakatwang naiisip. "Your friends are here for you. Isn't that funny? Maybe they want you dead so why don't you kill them first?"

Natigilan sandali si Terrence bago muling nagsalita. His jaw clenched.

"I sent Uncle Gil to fetch your doctor. But your wound need to be tended to right now and if we leave we could meet them along the wa—"

"You think I'm a joke, aren't you? Tingin mo maniniwala ako sa mga pinagsasabi mo pagkatapos mo akong pabayaan dito ng ilang taon? We didn't share the same genes for nothing. Don't look down on me just because I happen to be caged here forever, twin brother. I'm not stupid like this girl."

Bahagya akong napatingala nang hinigit niya ang buhok ko.

"Anong gusto mong gawin ko?"

"I already told you. If you wanted me to believe your bluff then kill your friends. Unless you want Eunice to die here instead. Your choice."

"He's not like you," I heard myself say after a long while of being silent. "He might have high tendencies to be a psychopath but he doesn't want to be like you!"

"Ah... I thought you'd gone mute. Turns out you still have the energy to talk even when no one wanted to hear your bull. Kailangan pa bang may magsabi sa 'yong hawak ko ang buhay mo?!"

"I'll do it."

Mula sa muling pagdiin nito ng balisong sa leeg ko'y bahagya iyong kumalma matapos makuha ni Terrence ang atensyon naming dalawa.

I looked at him in horror.

"No..." What the hell is he saying? Papatayin niya sina Mike? No, he wouldn't! "Rence, no!"

Hinigit akong pabalik ng kakambal niya mula sa buhok nang sumubok akong umahon mula sa pagkakaupo.

Sa pulang mata at matigas na ekspresyon ay binalingan ako ni Terrence at tinitigan nang mabuti. "I'll take care of them but you need to promise me to leave her alone. Aalis tayo pagkatapos kong gawin ang gusto mo."

"That would be lovely, twin brother."

Wala nang natirang kahit anong bakas ng emosyon ang mukha niya nang nagbalik ng tingin sa kakambal. "But before that... I want you to let her go."

"Why would I?"

"You're losing so much blood... let me tend to your wound first... please."

Mahina itong natawa. "If that's an underhanded tactic then I must applaud you. But sad to say, I'm not falling for it."

"I can't let them go down here."

"Then get the fuck up there. Right. Now. I won't repeat myself."

I could see the tension on Terrence's jaw as he gave his twin a hard stare. He wouldn't do it. I knew he wouldn't.

"Rence, don't..." Sinubukan ko muling umiling.

"Hey bitch, are you down here?!" Sinundan ng ilang mabibigat at mabibilis na yabag ang sigaw na ito ni Dina. Nakuha nito ang atensyon naming tatlo.