Alluring Mask

CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 40

VALENTINA IMARA MEADOWS

Two days? Three or four? Hindi ko na matandaan kung ilang araw na akong nakakulong dito sa torture chamber ni Perses. My throat is parched, and I can feel my lips cracking from dehydration.

"Mrs. Collazo?"

I remained lying on the dirty floor, emotionlessly staring at the rusty bars. Hinintay ko na sumilip siya dahil alam kong dadalhan na nila akong pagkain ngayon. Hindi sapat ang pagkain na binibigay nila para bumalik ang lakas ko. The food and the water are so few.

And Right now, I just needed water because my throat was so dry. I tried to sit up even though I felt weak. Sobrang bigat ng katawan ko at ang mata ko ay nanlalabo kahit na dahan-dahan ang kilos ko.

"Patayuin niyo. Bilis," utos ng isang lalake sa kasamahan niya ng masilip nila ako sa loob ng kulungan. They see my tangled hair, dirty gown, dirty face, pale lips, and the noticeable weakness of my body.

"Saan niyo ako dadalhin?" kunot noo kong tanong sa kanila.

Hindi nila ako sinagot at tinawanan lang ako ng makapasok ang isang lalake sa loob.

He grabbed my jaw roughly and brought his face close to mine. I couldn't help but feel disgusted by his smell. Ang baho niya, especially with the strong smell of gunpowder on his body.

"Ilang araw kanang nasa teritoryo namin pero wala ka pang talagang balak na sabihin kung ano ang tunay na pangalan ng asawa mo?" mariin niyang bulong sa akin. "We'll make you pay if you don't confess."

I looked at him sharply. "You're the ones who will pay when I get out of here," I coldly replied.

Humalakhak siya sa akin. "Napakatapang mo pa rin talaga ngayon, huh?"

Hindi ko inaasahan ang sunod niyang ginawa. I cried out in pain when I felt his fist in my stomach. I coughed several times and held my stomach where he punched me. Pakiramdam ko ay parang nanatili pa rin ang kamao niya roon dahil ramdam na ramdam ko pa rin ang sakit sa sikmura ko.

He quickly and roughly removed the chains from my right foot. Mahina akong napadaing nang maramdaman ang kamay niya sa buhok ko; the guy dragged me out of the cell while his hands were on my hair.

"B-bitawan mo ako!" I shouted at him, even though my body was weak. "Let m-me go, I said—"

Hindi agad ako nakakilos ng basta dahil itinulak niya na lang ako sa malamig na sahig.

I fell face-first and gasped for breath from my shouting. I glared at the man who did that to me and slowly got up from falling on the floor, pero hindi ko rin 'yon nagawa dahil nahablot niya na naman ang buhok ko at mariin na sinubsob ang mukha sa sahig.

I groaned on the floor while he forcefully pushed my head against it as if he wanted to bury my face in the floor. Parang hindi pa siya nakuntento, parang nandilim at umikot ang paningin ko ng maramdam na ilang beses niyang inuntog ang ulo ko roon. Pain spread through my head, and it didn't go away immediately. It lasted for a few seconds until it wouldn't go away because he kept doing it until I couldn't groan anymore from the pain.

My vision blurred for a moment, and I felt something liquid running down my nose. My trembling hand raised it to touch the liquid that came out of my nose and I closed my eyes tightly when I realized it was blood.

Walang tigil na sa pagdurugo ang ilong ko dahil sa ginagawa niya ngayon.

"Gan'yan ang kinalalagyan ng mga taong nanlalaban sa amin, Mrs. Collazo," he said to me, laughing. He lifted my head by pulling my hair. "Do you think you can still fight back in your situation now? Hindi ka makakatakas dito. Ipaalala ko lang sa 'yo na kung susubukan mong gawin 'yon, maraming tauhan si Perses sa labas na nagpapatrol."