✓ | The Borrowed Identity (Fate's Transgression Series, #4)

TBI 06: Rage

[ Chapter 6: Rage ]

Selene | Selvy

Marahas akong tinulak ng lalaki para pwersahan akong sumunod sa gusto niya. The sheer strength of his grasp made it unbearable, as if my very bones were being crushed under the pressure. His grip on my arm was relentless, causing excruciating pain that made my eyes instinctively squint.

"Lakad," utos nito bago siya pumalikod sa akin. He was whispering it to my ear to avoid people from knowing I was being abducted in broad daylight. "Kapag sumigaw ka, hindi lang ikaw ang mapapahamak, pati na rin lahat ng nandito, naiintindihan mo ba?"

Agad napaikot ang aking mga mata dahil sa sinabi niya. He should have known that I couldn't care less about these people. They meant nothing to me, and I had no connection to any of them. So, he was free to take them if he pleased, but he should leave me be. I had no interest in being dragged into their affairs, but here I am, following his orders.

"Manong, hindi ba uso sa inyo ang ligo?" Hindi ko mapigilan itanong. His scent was overpowering, as if he hadn't taken a shower in months. The pungent odor filled the air, assaulting my senses and making it hard to breathe. It was a combination of sweat, dirt, and something indescribable. The stench clung to him, creating an invisible barrier that repelled anyone who dared to come near. I couldn't help but crinkle my nose in disgust, desperately wishing to escape from the suffocating smell that surrounded him.

However, it felt as if I had dug my own grave with the words I uttered. Regret washed over me like a tidal wave, consuming my every thought and emotion when I saw how his face darkened, a shadow of displeasure crossing his features. In that moment, the weight of my thoughtless words became painfully evident. Parang hindi na niya ako dudukotin, mukhang dito pa lang mawawalan na ako ng ulo.

Hindi siya nagsalita bagkus marahas na naman akong tinulak. Mukhang mababali pa ang balikat ko sa lakas ng tulak niya. Wala pa naman ako sa mood makipag-bardagulan ngayon dahil hinahanap ko ang kausap ko kanina. Bakit ba kasi ang bilis niyang makalakad paalis?

"May preference ba kayo sa mga kinukuha niyo, manong?" inosenteng tanong ko para itago ang totoo kong nararamdaman. I am consumed by nervousness, my heart racing as if it were attempting to break free from my chest. Each beat reverberates through my body, a constant reminder of my heightened state of anxiety.

"Tumahimik ka na lang at sundin ang utos ko," mariin niyang sabi na parang sinasabi na isang beses pa akong magsasalita ay malalagutan na niya ako ng hininga. From his voice, I know he was that armored man from before. Mukhang seryoso talaga ang transaksyon nila dahil kailangan limampung ulo dapat ang ipapadala sa kung saan man ang tinutukoy ng mga ito.

Isa lang naman ang tanong ko. Sa dami ng tao dito, bakit ako pa?

"Manong, bakit ako?" I asked, despite his warning earlier. Thoughts swirl in my mind, a whirlwind of worries and uncertainties, fueling the rapid tempo of my heartbeat. It's as if a thousand butterflies have taken flight within me, their delicate wings fluttering with a restless energy. With every passing moment, my apprehension grows, leaving me with a sense of vulnerability and anticipation for what lies ahead.

"Mukha kasing hindi ka tagarito," sagot niya. "Tingnan mo sila, lahat ng mga tao ay magaspang ang mga balat dahil sa tubig na siyang pangunahing pinagkukunan ng kabuhayan."

"How bold of you to think that way, manong. Baka naman hindi lang talaga ako lumalabas ng bahay-"

"Kaya nga rin ikaw ang pinili ko, dahil kung mawawala ka, walang maghahanap. Lakad, bilisan mo," putol niya sa akma ko sanang sasabihin. Nababanas na ako sa sakit ng pagtulak niya.