Twenty years ago: Cenfino Residence...
Teyl dragged her blanket and walked towards the other room, crying.
Nag-away na naman sila ni Klio kaya ayaw niyang tumabi sa batang lalaki sa pagtulog.
She slowly twisted the doorknob on her Tito Von's room and pushed the door open.
Sumilip muna siya bago pumasok sa loob.
The lampshade on the bedside table is on but her uncle is not on the bed.
Hinila niya ang kumot at dahan-dahang isinara ang pinto.
Then, she left it on the carpet and walked towards the terrace where she can hear her Uncle's soft voice.
Tumigil na rin siya sa pag-iyak at pinunasan ang mata.
Her small figure find its way across the dimly lit room.
"Sigurado kang wala kang naiwang bakas?" narinig niyang sabi ng tiyuhin sa kausap nito sa cellphone.
Hinawi ni Teyl ang kurtina at sinilip ito.
She knew it's bad to eavesdrop but she can't help it. Na-curious kasi siya sa sinabi ng tiyuhin.
"I doubt that," sabi pa nito. "You'll put the Union in danger."
Umupo siya sa sahig at ulo na lang ang inilabas sa kurtina dahil mukhang matatagalan pa ang Tito niya.
She watched his tall figure leaning on the terrace, his back on her.
Pumikit si Teyl nang kalabitin ng antok.
Von was quiet for a moment.
"Pagbalik ko dapat wala na siya. Ayoko na siyang makita. Dispatsahin niyo na," anito mayamaya.
Napadilat si Teyl sa narinig.
Sakto namang lumingon ang tiyuhin sa direksyon niya.
Their eyes met.
Halatang nagulat ang tiyuhin nang makita siya.
Ilang sandali ring naghari ang katahimikan sa pagitan nila.
Her mind is too young to comprehend stuffs but she can discern what's good and bad.
"What are you doing down there, Teyl?" tanong nito.
Hinawi niya ang kurtina para ilabas ang buong katawan.
"I wanna sleep with you, Tito..." sagot niya.
"Why? I thought you'll be sleeping with Klio?"
"Hindi kami bati..." sagot niya't lumabi.
Natahimik silang muli ng tiyuhin.
When moments past and they just stayed staring at each other, she took the chance to aid her curiosity.
"Tito Von?"
"Yes?" anito't ibinulsa ang cellphone. He leaned on the balustrade and crossed his arms.
"Who don't you want to see again, Tito Von?" tanong niya.
He motioned for her to stand up.
She obliged and walked beside her uncle.
"Wala 'yon. No one important," sagot nito't niyuko siya.
"Then, why does the someone has to be dispatsa?" tanong niya sa mahinang boses.
Her Tito Von stared at her for a while.
Her heart raced. But not out of fear towards her uncle.
She doesn't know what it is, but she can feel that he has something helpful.
"You're too young for it. Forget about it, Teyl," anito sa kanya.
"Tito, I'm already six years old."
Natawa ito. "Still."
"Then, what Union are you talking about, Tito Von?"
He shook his head. "It's nothing."
"Are you a member of something who catches bad guys?" she asked, insisting to get something from her uncle.
"Sort of," sagot nito.
"Then, you can have them catch the bad guy who killed my mommy and daddy, right?" she said, hopeful.
Hinawakan siya ng tiyuhin sa kamay at iginiya pabalik sa loob ng k'warto.
"Matulog ka na, Teylteyl, gabi na," anito't isinara ang pinto papunta sa terasa.
Pagkatapos ay ang kurtina naman.
"Or you can make me join you, Tito. So I can catch the bad guy, myself."
Yumuko ang lalaki at dinampot ang kumot niyang nasa carpet.
Binitawan nito ang kamay niya't pinagpag ang kumot.
"You're too young to do such stuffs."
Her face lit up. "But when I grow up, you'll let me in?"
"Wala akong sinabi," anitong binuhat siya't inilagay sa kama.
"Your Union, I want to be there, too, Tito. Don't you want to have me there with you?"
Kinumutan siya ng tiyuhin. "It's not an ordinary Union, Teyl."
"It doesn't matter, Tito Von," sagot niya.
"Of course, it does," anang tiyuhin at sumampa na rin sa kama.
She laid down. "I'll eat sobrang marami so I'll grow fast and you'll let me join your Union, Tito Von," aniya't ipinikit ang mga mata.
"Good night," sagot lang ng tiyuhin at hinalikan siya sa ulo.
BINABASA MO ANG
CUS #5: Into You
Детектив / ТриллерThe downfall of the Chronos Union led Phinex to fall under the hands of Detective Lauder of the Luxirr Investigation Bureau. To save her ass, she bit the deal to use her skills in Psychopath hunting to catch one of the Bureau's persons of interest...
