The One Who Stares Behind

KABANATA 45

I woke up feeling a sharp pain in my stomach, as if the knife wound was still cutting into me. I'm still reeling from what happened in the basement, feeling both physical and emotional pain. It’s one of the most painful memories I have from now on—how I wish I could forget it entirely.

"Zafh,"

"Isaac."

I stared at the ceiling, covered in white paint. I really dislike being here; it feels suffocating. Do all hospitals really look like this? It feels more like a prison to me.

"Zafh," ulit nito at seryoso na ang mukha nitong nakatuon lamang sa'kin.

"Alam ba nila—"

"O, huwag ka muna masyadong malikot. Yung sugat mo." Pigil nito sa akin nang tangkain kong umupo. God, may back hurts as well.

Dahan dahan akong inalalayan ni Isaac na makasandal sa headboard ng hospital bed dahil mukhang hindi ko pa kakayanin ang umupo nang tuluyan.

"Hindi nila alam. Ibang pangalan ang ni-register ko. I have to create your fake identity cards.."

"I guess I owe you now?" Umiling ito. "You never owe me a thing. That's what our bloodline is all about. Kamusta ka?"

Lumukot ang mukha ko sa tanong nito. "Do I look that bad?"

"No, you're still sexy." I glance over at him, rolling my eyes as he chuckles.

"Yeah, Isaac. I am aware that I am not in the great shape right now."

"You didn’t look too bad, but honestly, you could have bled to death in less than five minutes if I hadn’t taken you to the hospital." I saw his expression change, he's worried.

"Paano ako nakarating dito?" Wala na akong maalala pagkatapos kong masaksak.

"I told you, I’m the one who took you to the hospital. Do I need to repeat it?"

" I mean—"

"Xandrev called me." Oh, he called. I thought he wouldn't care at all and would just leave me there... dying?

"I found you near the basement, alone." Should I be surprised? Maybe not. I’m starting to get used to the new him.

"I want to punch that scumbag! It was so devastating to see you with ice on your bleeding stomach. Is that really his way of trying to save you?" Naiiling nitong sabi na parang hindi makapaniwala na nagawa yun ni Xandrev.

Mabuti na lamang at wala na akong malay ng mga oras na yun. Hindi ko rin magugustuhan na makita ang sitwasyon ko sa ganoon ayos. It felt like I was being preserved like a corpse.

"It's accident. It's my fault anyway." Sinamaan ako nito ng tingin. It’s partially true because I did it to myself. I put myself in that situation. I tried to reach out to him when, in fact, he didn’t want to be saved.

"Pumunta kang mag-isa sa basement? Anong pumasok diyan sa kukote mo?"

"Yes, alam ko. Kasalanan ko. But Isaac, does the authority knows what's going on there? Even the security of this school?"

Napahinga ito ng malalim na tila ba nagaalinlangan sa kanyang sasabihin." Wala na ang basement, Zafh. What we found were just some chunks of wood, signs that it was an abandoned place. It was empty, with no evidence left."

Natigilan ako. How did they manage to destroy the place so quickly? Dahil ba alam nilang—alam niyang babalik ako para maghanap ng kasagutan? No. Tapos na ako. Hindi ko na hahayaang ipahamak ang sarili ko. I’m done playing with fire with him because he literally lives in it.

. . .

"Oh my God, Zafh!"

Tiningnan ko si Isaac ngunit nagkibit balikat lamang ito. Paano ba naman nandito ngayon ang tatlo. Kabilin-bilinan ko na huwag ipaalam kahit kanino. Mahirap talaga sigurong intindihin yun.