Heaven and Hell

Fireworks

The sun was about to peek when Rhiza came rushing out of the building. She doesn't know exactly where she is but she has no time to think nor to find out.

"Manong guard," she called on to the security guard whose head was dropping then lifting up again and again with his eyes closed.

"Manong guard," she called again, this time shaking his shoulders.

The guard flickered his sleepy eyes then looked up to Rhiza with a bit annoyance for waking him up.

"Bakit?"

"San ho pwedeng kumuha ng taxi?"

"Kumanan ka jan. Pagtawid mo may pila ng taxi," he briefly gave an irritated instruction.

"Salamat. Aga aga sungit ninyo, may muta ka pa nga eh," she said then turned her back to the guard rubbing his finger on the corner of his eyes.

She did what was she told. She walked as if someone was running after her. In her mind was Glainese's image, standing infront of her... All flesh and skin.

She was about to cross when she saw a taxi coming forward. She raised her hand and waved to get the drivers attention.

"San Antonio de Padua church po," she slid immediately on the back seat, then looking at the direction where she came from.

"Sa may Sucat?" the driver asked back, peeping at her on the front mirror.

As an answer, she just nod without facing the man infront of the steering wheel. He was somehow wondering why his passenger looked like a bit nervous? Is she running away from someone? Did she murder someone? Broke into someone's house? BF Homes has expensive condominiums, and one of them is the Pacific Coast condominium. If his passenger came from that condo, she probably broke in that's why she looks a bit suspicious.

Rhiza noticed that the car was not moving and it was not even a red light. She looked at the driver and saw him staring at her on the mirror.

"Baka gusto nyo na pong paandarin. Baka abutan po ako nung guard na muntik na akong i-rape!"

The driver's hand on the wheel tightened. He suddenly felt ashamed on thinking that the girl did something unpleasant. Rhiza turned her eyes into the look of fear to make her reason convincing that paid off. The driver started to drive.

She actually don't know where she is that she only felt relax when the the place where she took the cab disappeared when they turned left at the corner of the street.

"Miss, gusto mo bang dalhin kita sa police station para magreport?" the driver's voice has a tone of worriedness.

Rhiza who was was calming out sat back up upon hearing the suggestion. "Hindi na po. baka kung ano pa po gawin nung guard. Saka di ko na po maalala yung mukha nia kasi natakot na po ako,"

"Okay ka lang ba? Bakit ka ba napadpad sa lugar na to ng ganitong kaaga?"

"Ah eh kasi po yung... Yung... Bo... Boss ko po iniuwi ko sa condo niya. Nalasing po sa party sa sarili niyang restaurant. Gabi na po masyado kaya doon na ako natulog,"

"Ganun ba? Naku dapat nagiingat ka. May anak akong kasing edad mo lang siguro. Maganda rin pero mas maganda ka pa. Iniingatan ko yun kasi nag-iisang anak ko na babae. Kapag pumapasok sa trabaho, hatid sundo ko. Mahirap na at baka kung mapano. Pang gabi siya kasi call center ang trabaho,"

Rhiza just let the man yap about his seems to be a never ending story. She went back on relaxing her back on the seat. She's calm. Her mind flew freely in every direction that she let it went back to the memory of last night.