Chase Pastor, Chase!

Chapter 18

When I open my eyes, I felt a touch behind me. I couldn't talk properly but I felt like someone was loosening the tie on my hands.

My hands were finally free and I removed the tape on my mouth. The room was dark so I couldn't see the person who did it. Soon, my legs were untied and I quickly stood up on the chair.

When I finally saw the person's face, I quickly hugged him.

"It's okay, baby" He brushed my hair and hugged me back. "Did he hurt you? May masakit ba? Are you bleeding?" Puno ng pagaalala ang boses niya.

He cupped my face and kissed me. "Don't worry, the place is surrounded by the police. I need you to follow my lead so that I can get you out of here safely, okay?"

My tears started to build up again and when it dropped, he quickly wiped it away. Hindi ko masabi kung gaano ako kasaya. Seeing his face can make me feel safe already.

I cried. "He's not my real Dad"

He crooked his head. His face was filled with confusion. "What do you mean?"

"The one who adopted you was my mom, she was raped, and when Dad found out, pinalayas niya si mama at nung nalaman ni Dad na nag adopt siya... he killed my mom" I sobbed.

I had trouble breathing and he wiped my tears away. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang mangyayare, kung may mamamatay ba sa amin. Madilim na ang gabi at nung lumabas kami sa kwarto, nagulat ako.

Malaki ang bahay at nasa ikalawang palapag kami. Maraming mga kwarto at ang buong paligid ay maalikabok. Ang sahig ay gawa sa kahoy habang may dalawang hagdanan naman patungo sa ibaba.

Zac was holding my hand while leading the way. We walked slowly until we reached the stairs, as I took a step forward, the floor made a noise. Hindi ako nakakasiguro na walang nakarinig pero nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad.

Nakarating kami sa unang palapag at ang tangi ko lang nakikita ay ang pintuan na nakabukas, ang liwanag sa labas ang nag sisilbing ilaw sa loob ng asyenda.

Dahan dahan kaming pumunta sa labasan at biglang tumigil ng makarinig ng ingay sa taas. Narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto sa itaas at alam kong sa kwarto ko iyon kaya hinila ako ng mabilis ni Zac palabas.

Ang paligid ay madilim at napapaligiran kami ng matataas na kahoy at matataas na damo. Ang tanging maririnig mo lang ay mga insekto sa gabi.

Nang nagsimula akong maglakad ulit, hindi ko na dala dala ang kamay ni Zac. Lumingon ako at nakitang may hawak na siyang baril sa kanyang kamay at nang sinubukan kong hilain siya ay parang pinigilan niya ako.

"Run as far as you can, there will be rescuers who'll get you" Utos niya habang hinahaplos ang mukha ko.

"No! We're getting out of here together!" I shouted but not too loud for anyone to hear. "Hindi ako papayag na ako lang ang makakatakas dito, hindi ako aalis hanggang di kita nakakasama"

We heard a bang upstairs and I flinched. Zac looked back and then at me.

"I promise, I will come back to you. Wait for me, okay? Now go, please" He pushed me and made me turn around.

I did what he said. I ran away from the house and when I turned to look back, he was gone... I couldn't stop worrying about him.

And I ran as fast as I can and just like he told me, some rescuers took me. My fear was gone but worry filled my mind. I shouldn't have left him there.

They let me sit in an ambulance car and gave me a blanket. Nang makaramdam ako ng yakap, alam ko na si Wena iyon. Umiiyak habang kayakap ang isa't isa.

Minutes passed when we heard gunshots from the house. I was worried about him, hindi ko mapigilang mag isip ng kung ano anong bagay. I tried to go back to the house but they stopped me.

Ilang sandali pa ay dumating ang mga pulis, dala dala ang isang bangkay. Tumayo ako sa aking kinaroroonan at hinanap si Zac. Ngunit dumating na ang lahat nilang kasama ay wala parin siya, tinanong ko ang mga pulis pero ang sabi nila ay wala na silang nakitang ibang bankay ng tao.

I ran back into the house, crying and the only thing inside my mind was Zac. They followed me but I didn't care, all I care was to find Zac alive.

I kept falling on the ground because there were a lot of rocks but I still kept moving forward. My toes were hurting since I was barefooted, my knee had a scar yet the only thing I care was him. Only him.

The house was dark but that didn't stop me. I ran upstairs and called his name but no one answered. I checked every room upstairs but all of them were empty, my weeping filled the entire house yet no Zac was there for me.

The floors had a blood stain and so are the stairs.

Hindi maaari. If his body is not found then he's not dead. Alam kong nandito lang siya sa loob ng asyenda kaya hindi ako aalis hangga't hindi ko nakikita ang katawan niya.

Bumalik ako pababa at tiningnan ang ibang parte ng bahay. Pero hindi ko parin makita si Zac, I tried calling his name again and again pero wala talaga, walang Zac na sumagot.

He's nowhere to be seen.

I cried loudly while kneeling on the floor, I screamed and called his name once again. I'm very afraid of dark places like this but I am more afraid of losing him....

The police arrived and searched the place, Wena came to comfort me, she was caressing my hair and kept patting my back.

"Cel, let's go, I know you're afraid of places like this" She pleaded.

"No... hindi ako aalis nang wala siya. Kung ayaw niyo siyang hanapin, ako ang hahanap sa kanya!" I wept.

After minutes of searching, they still haven't found him. They told me na baka tumakas siya at tumakbo papalayo but I didn't believe them. He would never do that, not to me...

Why on earth would he ran away?

The police left and it was only me and Wena in the house. I was still crying and she continued hugging and comforting me. I didn't hear a single complaint from her for us to go outside but instead, she cried with me.

Tumayo ako at naglakad para tingnan ulit ang paligid ay hanapin si Zac pero pinigilan ako ni Wena. I tried pulling my hand away from her but she's not letting me go.

"Please, wala na si Zac, Cle" She cried.

No. Until there's no dead body of him, I will continue searching for him. Maniniwala akong buhay parin siya, hindi ako titigil sa paghahanap.

"Wena let me go! I have to find him. Buhay pa siya! Wala kayong pruweba na patay na si Zac!"

"I won't give up looking for him. Maybe there's some secret basement here in this house, maybe he's just there laying down. They should check the underground of this freaking house, I know he's just fucking here..." I continued.