Kasagsagan ng gabi kung kelan dapat ay naghahapunan na ang mga tao o di kaya nama'y naghahanda na sa kanilang mga pagtulog, sa Barangay Rojo ay ilang mga kalalakihan at kababaihan ang abala sa paghahanap kanila Veira, Lili at Lulu.
Kadalasan ay umuuwi ang mga ito galing sa pagtitinda ng mga alas kwatro hanggang alas singko ng hapon. Nang lumipas na ang mga oras na iyon, Nanay Onang began to panic. She was sure na hindi aabutin ng ganoon katagal ang mga ito sa pagtitinda sa hapon. She quickly asked Kapitan Tunio for help maging ang pamilya nila Aling Freida na sila namang kumalap ng iba pang mga tao upang maghanap.
Nang halos mag-aalas otso na ng gabi ay wala pa rin ang mga ito, samu't sari ng mga sitwasyon ang naiisip ng mga naghahanap sa tatlo. But no one wanted to say it out loud dahil na rin kitang kita naman nila ang pagpapanic ni Nanay Onang. Apparently, hindi lang sila ang nakakaisip ng mga posibleng nangyari sa mga ito.
Their expressions turned grave. Kahit naman nagkakaaway away silang magkakapitbahay but when it comes to this kind of situation, they still coordinate with each other as one. Veira's family, though relatively new, but has been part of their barangay for many months now. And so, despite their thoughts, they still continued looking for those three ladies.
Of course, Aling Wanda also heard about what happened. But unlike the other people who felt grave on behalf of Nanay Onang and the three ladies, she was celebrating instead.
Seemed like those boys had succeeded in getting rid of those vermins! Good... Good...
Then her face turned pensieve. Where was her son though? Were they still disposing the bodies of those three?
Anyway, uuwi na lang ang lalaking iyon kung kelan niya gusto. This wasn't the first time anyway.
And with that, she continued thinking of those ladies's misfortunes and slept happily on her bed.
***
Mag-aalas dies na nang makita nila ang pagbabalik ng ilan sa mga kalalakihan na nagprisinta para maghanap sa ibang barangay.
Aling Freida, upon seeing her son in front of those people, ran towards him to ask for news. Behind her were Nanay Onang and the other madams.
"Fernan, ano? Nahanap niyo ba sila Veira?"
When the lad shook his head, Nanay Onang had already fainted. Mabuti na lamang at nakalapit agad ang binata sa kanya at nasalo siya.
Then the clinic doctor of their barangay quickly massaged that space between her mouth and nose to make her conscious again.
Mabilis lang din naman at nahimasmasan na rin si Nanay Onang. She opened her eyes and looked at Fernan while tearing up.
"Nanay Onang, wag naman kayong mahimatay agad. Umiling pa lang ako eh. Hintayin niyo muna yung kasunod."
Aling Freida almost slapped the head of this idiot son of hers. Anong wag mahimatay agad?
But after hearing his last statement...
"Fernan, anong ibig mong sabihin?"
"I mean hindi namin sila natagpuan but they come back on their own." Then he scratched his head. "Well, actually not on their own kasi inescortan sila ng mga tagaLaw Enforcement Office."
Aling Freida was finally relieved upon hearing that. But she still thinks this idiot son was lacking a beating. Bakit kasi kailangan pang umiling hindi na lang sumagot ng diretsahan?
Nahimatay pa tuloy si Nanay Onang!
Anyway, Kapitan Tunio kept the order amongst them and let everyone waited sa may arko ng barangay. Hindi rin naman nagtagal ay dumating na rin ang tatlong magkasunod na horse carts atsaka tumigil sa harapan nila.
The cart in the middle was very familiar to everyone, of course. It was indeed Veira's family's food cart. But it was empty. Tanging yung mga pots lang ang naroroon.
"Nanay Onang!" Lulu quickly got off the carriage and rushed to the older lady right away. Then another feat of pitiful sobbing and crying happened there.
"Lulu... Lulu... Anong nangyari sainyo? Asan sila Veira at Lili?"
"We're here, Nanay Onang."
Everyone sighed in relief nang makita nilang bumaba mula sa isa pang cart ang dalawa.
It's good that they are alive.
Normally, dahil nakabalik na ang totoo, these neighbors shoukd be going home now to eat and then resr. However, they decided to stay upang malamang kung ano ba ang nangyari sa tatlo at bakit sila inescortan pa ng mga Law Enforcers pauwi.
"Waaaahhh... Nanay Onang! I am scared. I am very scared."
The little ancestor, once again, garnered pity as she produced big tears from her eyes.
Dang! Kaya ba malambot itong si Lulu ay dahil puro tubig ang laman niya? Ang dami na niyang iniluha kanina, ah! Tapos may iniiyak pa rin siya ngayon?
Veira marveled at the little ancestor's talent.
"Hush now, Lulu. We are home now. We are safe again." Lili was also sobbing silently beside Veira.
Aiyooo... Look at these to go! Their eyes were already too red!
Nangangamba pa siya kanina na baka di makaarte itong dalawa. All of her worries just ended up in naught.
"Anong ibig mong sabihin, Lili?" Kunot noong tanong ni Aling Freida. Her eyes landing from Lili to her.
She ended up asking dahil hindi na rin magkaisip ng ayos si Nanay Onang dahil sa awa at pag-aalo kay Lulu na panay pa rin ang hikbi.
"May humarang po sa aming tatalong lalaki na nakamaskara sa may talahiban nang kami ay pauwi na sana kaninang hapon, Aling Freida." Veira answered.
People around them gasped. They asked more questions and the trio answered them all, not forgetting to say repeatedly that the people blocked their way home were masked.
"Totoo ba yang tinuran ninyo, Veira?" Kapitan Tunio could even help but asking them. He didn't expect that it was that dangerous for these ladies. His eyes also confirmed it to the officers na nakatayo sa may mga cart. As expected, they nodded.
"About this matter... I need to talk to you about them, Kapitan Tunio."
The barangay captain heard the seriousness in the officer's voice so he quickly invited them in his house. Before following them inside, pinauwi na din muna niya ang mga nasasakupan niya.
As for the remaining officers na naiwang nakatayo sa harap ng mga cart...
"Officers, thank you po ulit sa paghatid sa amin." Veira even saluted at them.
"No need to thank us. Ginagawa lang namin ang trabaho namin."
"Officers, isang araw ay pasasalamatan namin kayo ng ayos. Sa edad kong ito, hindi niyo lang alam kung gaano ang takot ko ng marealize ko na hindi pa rin nakakauwi ang tatlong ito. Bilang pagtulong at paghatid ninyo sa kanila dito, dapat lang na pasalamatan namin kayo ng ayos."
The officers were both shy and proud after the gratifying words of Nanay Onang. They exchaged a bit more kind words to each other before finally returning to their homes.
***
