Setta Segretta #1: Unraveling The Dawn

Kabanata 38

Unraveling The Dawn
Kabanata 38
Nahanap

My sister is the one behind Dos’ disappearance. It’s not true that she hasn’t left our village until my birthday. It’s not true that she didn’t know what’s going on here because she had been here before.

“Janine or that woman you called your sister came to visit us days before you came here. Sumadya ito sa bawat paligid ng kampo, nagmamasid. Because she’s not doing anything, we didn’t take her here. Iisa lamang naman ang naiisip namin na babalikan niya at si Dos lamang iyon,” the Diamond said, the oldest woman here.

“Mailap ang kapatid mo, hija,” ang lolo ni Dos, ang araw, ang papalitan niya sa oras na magretiro ito. “We are still trying our best to find her. Sa ngayon, nagplanta ng ako ng iba’t-ibang tauhan at miyembro sa parteng hindi pa nito napupuntahan habang ang mga militar ay sumusunod sa mga bakas nito. Susukulin namin ang kapatid mo at kung manlalaban…”

Suminghap ako. I am torn between wanting to see my sister if she’s safe because after all… she’s my sister. But I also want to see Dos, I want to know if he’s fine, how he’s doing and want to know what my sister did to him.

Dos can keep himself safe. He is skilled to fight, he can plan escape but up until now, he’s not here, that means something happened. Something is wrong and that is making me anxious.

“Kung totoong hindi ka nagtraydor, Mrs. Del Rico, tulungan mo kami at ilatag ang lahat ng nalalaman mo.”

“K-kapatid ko siya,” sambit ko sa nanginginig na boses. “H-hindi ko alam kung saan siya pupunta. Wala akong a-alam na matagal na siyang nakalabas ng nayon.”

“What do you mean? Wala bang nakalabas sa inyo ng nayon kailanman?”

“Siya lang,” usal ko.

“Then don’t get me wrong, Mrs. Del Rico. Hindi ba malapit ang loob ninyo sa isa’t-isa kung kaya hindi mo nalaman ang pagpagpapanggap na biktima ng kapatid mo?”

I shook my head. Palaging sinasabi noon ni Ama, hindi namin dapat pinakikialaman ang mga bagay na wala kaming kinalaman. Wala akong hawak sa aking kapatid at ganoon din sila sa akin at wala akong hawak sa aking mga magulang. Hindi ko sila dapat kuwestiyunin man lamang.

I always know that both of them are good daughters and I am not. They always abide by the rules, they respect their father's words and listen to their mother’s advice. They are very unlike me who questions everything. Unlike me who always has something to say.

“M-my sister never had someone she likes,” usal ko. “She said she’ll marry anyone whose father said she must…”

“May history ba ang kapatid mo ng pagiging mailap, hindi mo nakikita palagi? Or anything unusual?”

Umiling ako, hindi dahil wala kundi dahil…

“Hindi ko siya lubusang kilala,” pag-amin ko. “They are devoted to the Lord, they always went to the temple to pay respect.”

“How about when you came back to the village, Mrs. Del Rico? Ano ang nagging reaksyon niya?”

“She tried to stop f-father from hitting me,” I croaked. “T-they ran and I thought she’ll be with my parents.”

“Then that means this woman is smart and she planned it well. Ginamit niya ang pagiging masunurin niya upang hindi makalahata kahit na sino sa inyo sa binabalak nito.”

Naging tahimik ang bawat sulok ng silid na iyon, bumagsak ang panibagong luha sa aking mga mata.

“Your sister is in love with my grandson. Sa ilang beses na pagmamakaawa niya sa apo ko noon bago ito tuluyang bumalik sa nayon niyo, alam naming totoo ang nararamdaman niya. Pero like what we said, hindi kami nagbibigay ng tsansa sa isang traydor. Kahit pa noon, nangako na siyang hindi na kayo babalikan pa.”