Bewitching the Tempter

Chapter 26: Escape

Hours after I woke up, I still couldn't absorb what I just witnessed. Nakatulala lang ako't nanginginig habang pinapanood ang mga tao sa harapan ko...running, talking, shouting, cursing, and even wanting to hurt me.

Hindi ko alam kung anong nangyari. The last thing I remember was me...losing my consciousness.

Rachel's there, I heard her voice. But now, she's already dead...and they said I was the one who killed her.

But no, hindi ko iyon magagawa kahit gaano ako kagalit sa kanila. Pero paano? Paano ko iyon sasabihin sa kanila kung lahat ng ebidensya ay nakaturo sa akin?

I was there lying beside her and the murder weapon was in my hand...while my fingerprints were all over her body.

Kaya hindi ko rin sila masisi no'ng makalipas ang ilang oras ay natagpuan ko na ang sarili kong nasa loob ng bilangguan.

"You're a devil! Wala kang konsensya! You killed my daughter! You killed your sister! You deserve to die!" Racquel shouted as the police held her para hindi ako masugod.

Tears slowly fell from my eyes.

Hindi...hindi ko iyon magagawa. Hindi ako mamamatay tao. Hindi ko kayang pumatay!

I wanted to say that but I was also slowly losing my strength. And as I looked around, I saw how people looked at me like I'm the worst person living.

A criminal. Iyon na nga pala ako ngayon.

Mas lalo akong maiyak nang may maalala.

Si Alaric. Where is he now? Ano na ang nangyari sa kanya? Does he know already? Anong reaksyon niya? Does he hate me too?

Funny how yesterday I was so happy and excited to start a new life with the person I love and the baby that I'm carrying. But now, I've become a gruesome criminal who ruthlessly killed her sister.

What a fucking world is this?

Kung kailan akala ko ay makakawala na ako ay doon pa pala ako makukulong sa isa pang mas malalang reyalidad.

But still, there was a hope in me.

Inside the prison, I waited. I waited for AJ. I waited for my friends. I waited for him. But weeks have passed, no one came. And my family, ano pa ba ang aasahan ko na gagawin nila pagkatapos ng nangyari?

I'm not expecting any help at all, kasi bakit naman nila tutulungan ang taong pumatay sa anak nila?

Ever since that day ay wala rin akong naging balita mula sa labas.

My tears fell as I caressed my tummy. I felt like a failure. Ando'n na eh, ilang minuto nalang, pero hindi ko pa nagawa.

And now, do I still have a chance to see him again kung ganito na ang sitwasyon ko?

I'm sorry, anak. Hindi ko na alam...hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

It was a hellish week. Some people came to question me, lahat sila ay sinasabi na ako ang may kagagawan at wala na akong kawala, even the attorney who came to defend me didn't give me any hope.

Wala nang pag-asa, mabubulok na ako sa kulungan.

Paano na ang buhay ko? Paano na ang mga pangarap ko? Paano na ang batang nasa sinapupunan ko? Paano na si Alaric?

Araw-araw umiiyak ako, umaasang panaginip lang ang lahat, pero hindi e...

At minsan...kinukuwestyun ko na rin ang sarili ko. Paano kung ako nga pumatay? Paano kung hindi ko lang maalala dahil masyado akong galit at nandilim na ang paningin ko?