[Phraea's POV]
"You woke up in an island. Who took you there?" Tanong ng therapist ko sa isang malambing na tono.
"I-i don't know," I lied.
"Alam kong magulo pa ang isip mo dahil sa mga nangyari. You're traumatized and I understand." Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya.
"I'm not traumatized. I really don't know." Giit ko.
"Hindi mo na kailangang pilitin. I know you'll remember eventually." Matamis siyang ngumiti sa akin at nagsulat nang kung ano sa notebook niya.
May katandaan na ito dahil ilang hibla ng kanyang buhok ay nagkukulay puti na. Elegante ito tingnan dahil sa perlas niyang hikaw at gintong kwintas.
"It was just me, Paige, and Rowena in a mansion na nasa gitna ng isla." Tumingin siya muli sa akin at tumango nang hindi inaalis ang ngiti sa kanyang labi. I don't think she believes me na ikinakaba ko.
"Can I go see Paige now?"
"Sure, you may." Tumayo na rin siya at sabay kaming lumabas ng kwarto.
Isang maliit at maliwanag na hallway ang bumati sa akin pagkalabas ko. Maraming tao ang naroroon at karamihan ay mga bata na nakasuot din ng hospital gown gaya ko.
I went inside the room next to mine. Agad akong nabuhayan nung makita si Paige.
"Ate!" Umiiyak na sigaw niya at tumakbo papalapit sa akin.
"Paige, what's wrong?" Nag-aalala ko siyang binuhat at pinunasan ang mga luha niya.
"I don't like it here! Please, let's leave!" Humahagulgol na pagmamakaawa niya. My heart is aching to see her crying like this.
"Tahan na, tahan na. Makakaalis din tayo rito. We just need time, okay?" Tumingin ako sa mga mata niya at nasasaktan ako nung makita ang takot at pangungulila.
"Can I speak to her alone, please?" Paghingi ko ng pabor sa dalawang nurse na nasa loob ng kwarto ni Paige. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa bago lumabas ng kwarto.
"Did I they asked you what happened?"
"Y-yes, but I told them that I don't know anything." Sagot niya at panay singhot. Hinawakan ko siya sa magkabilang pisngi niya. "I know that lying is bad but we need to keep your Dad safe, okay?" Kumalma ito at unti-unting tumango.
"Next time, you'll tell them that there is no one else in the island. It's just me, you, and Rowena. Tell them that there were crops and fruits in the forest which we use to sustain our needs. There were also foods inside the refrigerator which we don't know where it came from." I know this is wrong, but i also know that Garen would understand.
"Nung nasusunog ang bahay, nakita mo ba ang Daddy mo?"
"I was sleeping and then Tito Verdant came, he brought me out of the house and told me that people would rescue me and that I should pretend to be a victim. He also said to say that I don't know anything." Napaluha ako sa kanyang kwento.
"I-i'm sorry that you have to go through this, Paige. I'm sorry that you're not living a normal life."
"Ate Phraea, I only want a Mom. I don't care about anything." Inosente niyang sagot na nakapagpaiyak sa akin. I embraced her so tightly and brushed her hair.
I don't want her to see me crying. I should be tough.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Phraea. It was my fault. N-naging busy ako sa dancefloor at hindi na kita namalayan–"
"Shh, it's okay now, Madison. I'm here and everything's fine. Hindi ikaw ang may kasalanan and the good thing is, i'm not hurt." Pinunasan ko ang mga luha niya at napaawang ang labi ko nung yakapin niya ako nang sobrang higpit.
"We were so worried!" Hagulgol niya. Tipid lang akong ngumiti at hinihimas ang likuran niya.
"We don't know what to do when we realized na wala ka na sa bar."
"That night, halos magwala ang dalawang 'to." Josefa chuckled as she pointed at Seian and Red. Agad na umiwas ang dalawa at napanguso.
"Aw, you guys love me so much."
"Of course! We are all friends since fifth grade!" Malapad ang ngiting lumapit sa akin si Florence at tumabi ng higa sa akin. Hindi rin nagpatalo si Cattie at Louise, lumapit din sila sa akin para mayakap ako.
"I'm glad that you're fine. Akala namin ay ginawa ka nang prostitute." Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ba ako pero wala sa kanila ang tumawa sa sinabi ni Louise. Masyado itong seryoso nung magsalita.
"Nah, I still don't get it why we were brought there. Though, that place was a paradise... in my five months there, I learned a lot of things."
"Are you disappointed that you were rescued?" Tanong ni Seian nang nakahalukipkip bago unti-unting naglakad papalapit sa kama ko. Seryoso ang tingin nito sa akin dahilan para mapaiwas ako ng tingin.
"I-i'm sorry. I know that all of you exerted a great effort just to find me and I am grateful for that, but to be honest, something inside me feels so empty. Like something was left in that island."
"We understand, and we're happy that you're telling us things now. I guess you are not the same person we use to scold all the time five months ago." I chuckled because of Red's response. One of the things that my friends hate about me is I like to keep secrets from them. A dark and a shameful secret that could ruin our friendship.
"Can you tell me more about this island? Sa totoo lang kasi, gusto naming sumama sa pagligtas sayo kaso pinagbawalan kami ng otoridad."
"It's a paradise, like I said. Mayaman ang lupain nito dahil sa prutas at iilang gulay na inaani namin. Naging vegetarian ako noong nandoon ako pero kumakain naman kami ng mga manok at baboy kung minsan nga lang."
"Sino nagbibigay ng mga meats?"
"N-nasa refrigerator. Hindi namin alam kung paano at kung sino ang naglagay." The part about Garen is something that I couldn't tell anyone.
"So what's the purpose of being brought there? Not to mention na may kasama rin kayong bata."
"Wala rin akong alam."
Natigil ang pagkukwentuhan namin nung biglang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok ang isang nurse kasama si Almer na natataranta.
BINABASA MO ANG
Island of Insanity
Mystery / Thriller[COMPLETED] Phraea Chelsey Bautista has always been the top in her class and every professors' favorite. She has both beauty and brains, and everything a girl would dream to possess but her life is not entirely perfect. No one deeply cares for her...
