Agent Black: Lovely Madness (The Agents: Series #1)

CAPITULO CUARENTA Y TRES

FLAIRE'S POINT OF VIEW (23 years earlier)

"Welcome to the Family who'll treat you right... who'll make you stronger, wiser, and unbeatable by any kind."

I was four.

———

"They never loved you..."

I was four...

———

"Revenge is the only key, Flaire... you're one of us now."

I was six.

———

"What?! You'll show them your weakness and shits?! They never loved you, Flaire!"

I was six...

———

"Flaire, all you have to do is to pretend that we didn't trained you... that we didn't made you..."

I was eight.

———

"Pretend... pretend to be different."

I was nine...

———

I woke up in the familiar smell of the air-conditioned inside this room. The soft comforter, the soft pillow, the yellowish room that's full of stuffed toys I can't remember I have. It suddenly hits me, I'm no longer the child I used to be. I'm no longer the child they used to know. I didn't moved an inch, I didn't even called anyone.

I heard giggling in the nearby room. I think it's my sister whom just an infant the day I left this terrible house. I guess she's a kid now, huh? Kakampihan niya ba ako oras na makita niya 'ko? Sabagay, she's just a kid anyways.

I checked the clock in the bedside, it's 6:00am. When I was in Mexico, nagtre-training na ako ng ganitong oras. I needed to train... I needed to be strong with the highest intellect among the others. If not, I won't have a lunch to eat and a place to stay. I'm desciplined... but now, I need to pretend I'm not.

How hard can it be?

I suddenly heard a footstep getting closer to the bedroom I am in. I need to pretend that I'm still asleep.

Umayos ako ng higa at pumikit nang sa gayon ay hindi nila makitang gising ako. I haven't seen them for almost 5 years, hindi ko na nga tanda itsura at mga boses nila. Pati amoy at dama ng balat ay 'di ko na maalala. Hindi ko naman namimiss... I mean, na-miss ko sila nung unang taon ko sa Mexico, pero kaagad napawi 'yun nung ma-realize ko na wala talaga silang pakialam sa akin. Isipin mo 'yun? Pinambayad sa utang sa mga Latino, pinambayad na animo'y alahas na kilangan isanla sa tuwing nababaon sa utang.

I heard the door creaked, it opened, but I didn't dare to move an inch... instead, I remained calm and steady.

"Hon, tama ba ang ginawa natin?" boses babae na kay tagal ko nang 'di nakinig.

"We have no choice but to gave her up." matigas na sagot naman nung lalaki.

Gusto ko ipakita ang galit at poo't na kay tagal ko nang 'di naiilabas sa kanila. Pero hindi... not now, Flaire. Huwag muna ngayon.