Soaked to Death

PROLOGUE

With my eyes still locked at hers, I couldn't help but blink, which was followed by a deep, disappointed sigh.

We got nothing that could help us.

Parang nagsayang lang kami ng oras. Nabalewala lahat ng pagod namin at ang isang buong araw na pagbuntot sa taong 'to ay pawang malaking katangahan lamang sa parte naming dalawa.

"Maraming salamat. Mauna na kami." I stood up and so did my companion. Marahan kong pinagpag ang nalukot kong damit dulot ng mahigit dalawang oras na pag-upo sa gutay-gutay niyang sofa.

"You can spend the night here if you want," she kindly offered. "It's already dark outside. You might get in trouble roaming around alone in this area."

I felt an inch of fear, but I pushed it off. I don't know, there was just something about what she said that made my spine chill. Parang may nakakubling sikreto sa mga pangungusap nito.

Isa pa, masyado na namin siyang naaabala kaya nakakahiya nang magpalipas pa ng gabi sa tahanan niya. Bukod pa ro'n, I doubt if we would even fit in this tiny space. "I appreciate that offer, but I'm gonna have to refuse. Hinahanap na rin kasi ako sa amin,” pagsisinungaling ko pa.

She silently arose from her seat, yet the sofa still made a creak. "If you say so," dismayadong saad nito habang diretso ang matatalim niyang mga titig sa akin. "Just be careful on the road."

I nodded, didn't really have anything more to say. Nais ko na lamang makaalis sa lugar na 'to dahil ayokong inaaksaya ang nalalabing mga oras habang patuloy kaming nilalamon ng gabi at ng kadilimang dala nito.

Tumalikod na kami ng aking kasama at naglakad na palabas ng pintuan, ngunit natigil ako nang bigla akong hawakan ng malaming na kamay ng ginang.

Out of fear, I looked at her. "M-miss..."

"Mag-iingat kayo. Hindi biro itong gulong pinasok ninyo. You still have time. You can back out and just forget everything that you know and live a normal life, Marina."

I stared at her, trying to squeeze out any information that she might know but hasn't told us. But I just shook my head later on after realizing how hard she was to read. "I wouldn't be able to live a normal life knowing that I could have done something to justify Nadia's death, yet I didn't."

A smile suddenly appeared on her cracked lips. It was eerie. Pinakawalan niya ang aking kamay at marahan niyang tinapik ang aking ulo. "I admire your fearlessness. Go on, now. It's getting dark."

I nodded, and she opened the door of her tiny apartment for us.

Nang makalabas na kami ay madilim na nga ang paligid. Mabuti na lang at naglipana ang mga nagtitinda ng kung anu-ano sa daan kaya kahit papaano'y may nagsisilbi kaming ilaw palabas sa eskinitang ito.

We took a step outside and started walking. Hindi pa man kami nakalalayo'y muli ko na namang narinig ang boses ng ginang sa aming likuran.

Ngunit sa pagkakataong ito'y batid kong hindi na ako ang kausap niya.

"Take care of that girl. She's our only weapon." After saying that, I heard the door shut behind us, and her shadow completely disappeared from the street.

Kahit pa nagtataka ay hinayaan ko na lamang ang binitawan nitong mga salita.

Ngunit sa isang iglap ay biglang hindi na ako makagalaw sa aking napagtanto.

Tila may kung anong preno akong naramdaman sa aking kalamnan dahilan upang matigil din ang aking kasama.

"What's the matter?" he asked in woe.

I stared at him. "P-paano niya nala—"

"Ship!" a woman suddenly yelled behind us, making my knees weak and my body freeze from where it was standing.

Napapikit ako't napahawak bigla sa aking kasama nang dahil sa nakaririndi nitong mga sigaw. May kung anong tono ang nilalabas ng kaniyang mga labi na tila gumuguhit ng sakit sa aking lalamunan.

My colleague embraced me with his arms to prevent me from falling on this muddy street. "It's fine. Nandito ako. Let's just get moving."

Pinakinggan ko ang tinuran niya't nais nang lisanin ang lugar na iyon, ngunit bago pa kami makalayo mula sa nagsisisigaw na ginang sa kalsada ay napansin kong nilagpasan na niya kami.

"Ship!" bulyaw niyang muli dahilan para mas mapahigpit ang kapit ko kay Aki.

"Ship!"

"Ship!"

"Shut up!" I screamed out of fear, but she never stopped yelling that single word that is making no sense. Marungis kung siya'y titingnan, ngunit hindi maikakailang nangungusap ang kaniyang makikinang na mga mata.

Hindi, hindi sila basta makinang lang.

Lumuluha siya.

"Ship!"

Hindi na kami ngayon makapaglakad dahil nasa harapan na namin siya. Mariin lang na nakapikit ang aking mga mata dahil natatakot ako sa kung anong kaya niyang gawin kapag nagtagpo ang mga tingin namin.

"Ship!" she screamed, and I can now hear the people around us chatter. Naramdaman ko rin ang pagtalsik ng kaniyang laway sa aking mukha na ngayo'y nagsisimula nang magpawis dahil sa takot na idinulot niya.

"Do you want me to carry you?" nag-aalalang tanong ng aking kasama.

But before I could even answer him, my feet were suddenly frozen again as my ears were banged by a new word that she just muttered.

This time, my eyes abruptly bulged open to glance at her. It has been months since I've seen her, yet she was only screaming the same exact word with the same intonation and stress in her voice.

But today, she yelled a new word.

The light from one of the vendors' stall was reflecting on her dirty face. Gutgutin din ang kaniyang suot at nakabuhaghag ang kaniyang mahabang buhok.

Ngunit sa kabila no'n ay mulat ang mga mata akong nakatitig sa kaniyang basag na mga labi. Tuluyang lumipad paalis ang isang langaw mula rito nang muli niya itong buksan upang magsisisigaw ulit.

What did she just say?

She opened her mouth, and I made sure to lock my eyes at her dirty teeth.

And the next new words that she said shattered my soul.

Especially because she was directly staring at me.