chasing the summer hearts

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

GASPING FOR air and losing consciousness, Roscoe tried his best to stay awake while his own father choke him to death using a thick rope that was hung across his neck. He was holding the thick rope to forcefully remove it from his throat because he's about to lose oxygen but he couldn't. His strength was very drained and even a movement of his body, he really couldn't do it. And he was crying so hard that his mouth literally opened.

He says something but he couldn't seem to verbalize it properly because of gagging so much. He tried acquiring oxygen from his nose but he couldn't. He was like forcefully drowned on a water. Looking down, he saw his father--smiling and laughing.

"Should I eliminate you? Because I vividly recalled that I don't have any homosexual child in my family? Yes, I remembered it. And why should I eliminate you? Because all this time, you're just squandering upon my friend's family. And I really hate that! Because of this, you have brought dread embarrassment on our family! And for that, you should be sentenced to death!" He said loudly. "And...oh, ako muna ang magiging Satanas ng buhay mo." He laughed. "And please, stop asking for help because no one will save you. Not even your most precious love."

At mas diniin pa ang pagkakahila sa lubid na nagpapasikip sa taling nakapulupot sa leeg ng kanyang yumaong anak.

"Ang dapat sa'yo. Mamatay!" Sigaw niya.

Kahit na masakit, kahit na ayaw na niya, kahit na gusto nang sumuko ng katawan niya ay nanatili parin siyang matatag. Hindi siya takot sa kamatayan pero buhat ng kanyang mga mahal sa buhay ay parang ayaw niya pang mamatay.

"S-S-St-Stop i-i-i-it...." Roscoe tried to voice it out but he knew it was just mere whisper. And he really knew that his father wasn't able to hear it translucently.

He was about to meet his fateful voyage when his phone suddenly rang. He saw him grit and forcefully let the rope escape from his hand, he fell from the ground and he was how coughing hardly while heaving for breath. He couldn't seem to find that amount of oxygen that will suffice his needs.

Napahiga siya sa sahig habang palaki ng palaki ang kanyang paghinga. Kahit na hindi na siya sinasakal ay pakiramdam niya ay parang sinasakal parin siya ngayon. Binu-bukas sarado niya ang mga mata niya para makakita ng maayos pero parang nawawala talaga ang sinaw ng paningin niya.

Bago siya nawalan ng malay ay nakita niya pang umuubo siya ng dugo.

Natakot naman siya.

Pa'no na ito, kung malaman kong buntis ako?

NAGISING NA lamang siya sa isang selda. Nakakabit ang mga kadena sa kanyang kamay at paa at nakaupo siya sa maruming sahig na may daga at ipis. Hindi naman siya natatakot sa mga ito pero ang malansang amoy ng selda ay nagpapalaki ng kanyang hirap.

May isang ipis na naglakad hanggang sa makaabot sima sa mga hita nito. Ngumiti siya at naguunahan na ang mga luha sa kanyang mata. Tumigil ang galaw ng ipis na ani mo'y tumitingin sa kanya at pinapakinggan ang kanyang mga sasabihin.

Kahit na iba ang amoy ng ipis ay masaya parin siya dahil may mga maliliit na hayop ang nakikinig sa kanya.

"Mabuti ka pa, pwedeng magtago sa mga gamit at mahirap mapatay. Samantalang ako, madaling mamatay dahil malaki at nakikita." Pagsisimula niya.

"Alam mo ba na sa lahat ng mga hayop na kilala ko, ang ipis ang pinakaswerte? Dahil mahirap siyang patayin at talagang hindi niya hahayaang makita siya ng mga tao upang hindi siya mapatay." Aniya.

Naging tahimik ulit ang paligid na ani mo'y sinabi iyon ni Roscoe upang pakinggan iyon ng ipis. Pero alam niyang hindi talaga magsasalita ang ipis kaya bumuntong hininga siya. Ang nakita niya lang mula sa ipis ay ang paggalaw ng kanyang maliit na ulo, kasabay ng kanyang dalawang anttenna.