Alejandro's Hombre

Ch. 11: Gabriel's savior

it took a great effort for Rigor and his father to calm his mother and cousin down. naalarma na sya ng makitang tila nagha-hyperventilate na ang ina, kaya daglian nila itong pinainom ng gamot. they're assisted by the nursing staff of the ICU, and guided them to the watcher's lounge of the said facility. si Gift naman, humihikbi pa rin at ayaw magsalita. nakatanaw lang ito sa kawalan, tuliro.

Rigor crouch down on one bended knee and reach out to tuck the loose strands of hair behind his younger cousin's ear. he wipe her tears with the back of his hand.

"you need to eat, pumpkin. You haven't taken a bite since we came here." he said softly, feeling his eyes stinging again with tears. Gift looked so vulnerable and helpless, with her eyes puffy due to her crying all day. her nose and cheeks are crimson and she looks so tired. "do you want me to buy you something to eat at Jollibee? or perhaps a lasagna from Greenwich?"

Gift just shook her head and tear up again. Rigor sighed and stood up, looking at the people he is with now. His father sit closely next to his mother, whom, thank the heavens---is okay. The nurse check on her, and she's well. abot-langit ang kaba ni Rigor na baka atakehin ito ng highblood sa tensyon kanina. Luke sit beside Jiro, and the two of them stayed silent. but Rigor knows that between the two---it's Jiro who has the raging storm inside him. and he could relate to that. sya man din, matindi ang pag-kontrol sa sarili na hindi magwala sa galit. hindi pa ito ang tamang oras. pero hindi ibig sabihin na palalampasin nila ang nangyari.

"Hi, good day."

He turned around and saw someone, wearing an all dark blue outfit. he doesn't know what it's called, but he saw some people in the hospital wearing the same thing. the man is tall and fair, with lean built. His hair is neatly brushed up in a quiff style, just like how his hair is done. the only difference is that his hair has silver highlights and this one is jetblack.

Luke and Jiro look up, so is his father.

"good day. are you, perhaps--- a Doctor? are you the one taking charge of my cousin?" Rigor ask the man in the dark blue outfit.

"uh, n-no. but I'm Gift's boss and... I was the one who bought her brother here at the hospital." the man answered. "I was the one who... who saw him last night..."

upon hearing it, Gift look at the man and cried again. agad na niyakap nito ang pinsan at inalo.

"kung kayo po ang nakakita kay Gabe kagabi, ibig sabihin... nakita nyo rin kung sino ang mga gumawa nito sa kanya?"

Rigor asked. kumalas ito sa pagyakap kay Gift at umiling.

"no, I did not see who did it." he said. "ang naabutan ko lang, bagsak na ang katawan nya sa sahig, with blood all around him. his body is weak and he was unconscious when we rush him here."

nagsilapitan ang mga kaibigan nya at mataman namang nakikinig ang kanyang mga magulang.

"saan nyo po sya nakita, Doc?" tanong ni Jiro sa Doktor na amo ni Gift. "kasi hinanap sya nitong kaibigan namin pero wala sya sa paligid ng bar. at hinanap namin sya kung saan-saan that same night pero hindi namin sya natagpuan."

"he was at an abandoned building behind Calle Encantador, sa may Marqueza Road. I... I was at 7/11 that time and I wanted to buy food---when my car's headlights hit a desserted hallway of that building. it was there that I saw him, near death's door. s-so I called 911 for help. He was... b-brutally beaten, puno ang katawan nya ng mga pasa at galos, pati mukha nya."

the three of them cussed at the same moment, with Jiro kicking the feet of his chair furiously. Luke tried calming him down, fearing they'll be reprimanded and may damage hospital property.