Montergo Series II: No Way Home

KABANATA 4

Halos mag-iisang oras na kaming palakad-lakad sa walang katapusang daan at wala man lang ni isang sasakyang napa-daan o bahay na puwede naming mahingan nang tulong. Puro puno at matataas lahaman lang ang aming nakikita.

I checked my phone for the nth time and there still no signal. And it's already 4:00 P. M. I still have 30 minutes to catch my flight but it seems like I have to accept that I'm gonna missed it.

I take a glance at Zechariah.

I wonder what is he thinking, he's so silent. He must feel hopeless or sad too. He just lost his favorite car and his daughter is missing.

I shivers when the wind hit me.

“May I... borrow your leather jacket? I'm cold.”

The evening was cold and misty. Med’yo basa na rin ako dahil sa mahinang pagpatak ng ulan. The droplets of the rain were like a size of my tear.

“I’m also cold, you know.” Zechariah hug himself with the leather jacket. The leather jacket was waterproof so I bet he wasn't cold as I am right now.

I sigh. What a gentleman.

If only I'm with Thaddeus right now, he would probably give me his jacket so I won't feel cold. I'm starting to think that he was right. His presence would literally a big help for me, and thing like this isn't suppose to happen if I'm only with him but If I let him come with me, who will gonna handle their resort?

I let out a long sigh in despair and hug myself. Few seconds later I feel a warm thing hug my upper body, Zechariah placed his leather jacket on my upper body.

I hug it through hugging myself.

“Salamat po,” magalang kong sabi na may halong panunuya.

His smirk. “You’re welcome but there's no such thing such as free launch. You have to pay for that.”

I furrowed my brow. “Ano ’yon? Parang renta lang? Isang daan, isang oras?”

“Tss, as if you're just wearing a cheap leather jacket. Excuse me, that's a Burberry limited edition black leather jacket...” His dark brow arched. “Ten-thousand per hours.”

I grimace and I was about to take it off when he stopped me. “Chill. I'm just joking,” he chuckled. “But not in the part where I say it's Burberry limited edition, so take cared of it.”

He is indeed wealthy.

“Hmm,” I nodded.

I wonder why some elite people would just waste thousands for a one piece of branded clothe, when you could literally buy tons of clothes for only one thousand. The only difference is it's not branded but they are still clothes. Siguro dahil ang dami na nilang pera at namomoblema na sila sa dami ng pera nila kaya kong ano-ano nalang pinagbibili nila. Ang ganda naman ng problema nila kong gano’n.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question?” There was a hint of hesitation on his voice.

I simply nodded.

Zechariah sigh. “What do you mean by finding your parents? Are you... perhaps lost?”

I can't help to laugh by his word of choice. What am I a kid to get lost? But... somehow he's right. I am lost. I've no way home or do I even have a home?

“Yes... I am. All my life I feel like I'm lost. No way home.” pahina nang pahina ang aking boses habang sina-sabi iyon.

“I’m sorry. What?”

I turn my head to his direction. Confusion is written on Zechariah's face.

I awkwardly laugh. “My apologies. I mean, I'm an orphan. And yes, I'm finding my parents.”