Forbidden

Chapter 3

B R O O K L Y N

"J-jack" I stuttered while saying his name. Patay! I breathed in and exhaled. I have to do this. I looked at my infuriated brother with my chin up and a brave front. I furrowed my eyebrows and clenched my fist to keep me from shaking habang papalit ng papalapit siya sa akin. Ewan ko kung ano ang gagawin niya sa akin pero how bad could it be?

*SLAAAAAAAP* Really bad. A lot of students are watching us including some teachers. Buti nalang hindi nakakita ng principal, but I know the news will reach her sooner or later. I looked at my brother. Namumula na siya sa galit. "Brooklyn. Ayokong ipahiya ka dito sa maraming tao pero sabihin mo lang sa akin ang totoo. Ano 'to?" He lifted the picture just so I can see it clearly. I opened my mouth to say something pero walang boses ang lumalabas. It's like telling me not to tell anything about what happened. Bakit? "Ang bata bata mo pa lumalandi ka na?!" He tried to scold me calmly. Alam kong gusto na siyang mag-burst pero he just tried to hold it in.

Stupid, stupid mouth! Ba't ayaw mong magsalita?! "K-kuya..." was all I could say. Tell it to him, Brooklyn. Tell everything. Just a simple sentence, He forced me. Just those words, those words could make him understand. Those simple words. "Brooklyn......totoo ba?!" I looked at my side. Oh shoot! Nakalimutan kong nandito pa rin pala si Francheska. May huge crush pa naman siya sa Victor na iyon.

"Brooklyn! Sorry I left you ear-----what is going on here?!" Great. Dinagdagan pa ng isang estudyante--new student actually. Wrong timing mo, Michaela. No-wait actually, alam niya ang lahat! Michaela can save me! "BROOKLYN!! ISA! KUNG AYAW MONG ISUMBONG KITA KAY MAMA--SABIHIN MO SA AKIN!! KA-ANO ANO MO ITONG SI VICTOR?!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Kuya, I---" I was interrupted by Michaela who asked, "Excuse me, you're the older brother of Brooklyn, right?" Kuya stared at her with still infuriating eyes pero Michaela just stared back, not even flinching. "Sino ka? Wag kang makialam! Hindi naman kita ka-ano ano so shut up ka nalang!!" Michaela glared at him. I stared into her eyes. Deep, red eyes. Parang dugo. I was mesmerized by it. "Yes, indeed, but does that make me not to have the right to actually defend the truth?! Brooklyn knows. I know. You merely judged her by looking at that damn picture! That's just the evidence that Victor forcefully kissed her!" Everyone covered their mouths with shock, and our surroundings were completely covered with whispers. Some glared at me while others felt disgusted pero wala lang ang reaction ni Kuya. Kuya just glared at her with infuriating eyes that has the reflection of fire dancing on it.

"ALAM KO! SA AKIN LANG, BAKIT IKAW PA, BROOKLYN?! SA LAHAT NG DINAMING TAO DITO, BAKIT IKAW PA?!" Suddenly, he pointed at Michaela and ordered, "BROOKLYN! STAY AWAY FROM THAT WOMAN" He forcefully dragged me towards him. He glared at Michaela for the last time before running away while dragging me. My wrist hurts. Did his sis-complex strike again---but, I felt like may something mas serious. Ewan ko.

==

Dinala niya ako sa clinic namin, and we were greeted by Samantha, Jack's best friend. "Sam! Bakit hindi mo sinabi kaagad sa'kin?!" Samantha flinched dahil sa galit na boses ni Jack. She recovered after a few seconds at may inaayos sa desk malapit sa bed. "Soz na! Mahirap ka kasing kausapin eh esp na ang kapatid mo na ang nabiktima." Biktima? Ano? What is this?! I stared at my Kuya with confusion pero he did not mind it. Instead, pinaupo niya ako sa kama. I quietly obeyed.

"Dali-an mo Samantha!" Samantha applied alcohol on my shoulder at may ininject siya sa akin. Ano 'to? I felt dizzy seconds after. "Remember, Jack. Hindi niya ito kinucure instantly, pinapaslowdown lang ang virus na nakakalat." My stomach started churning, and I felt nauseous. Ano ba ang pinagsasalita nila? I can see a blurry vision of Samantha putting my blood sa isang tube galing sa injection. "Ilang hours?" I could hear my Kuya's voice. "Jack, bata pa siya. May 1 day lang siya." What? I could hear Jack cursing repeatedly. 

"Sam, we need to take her to the lab immediately." Jack's voice sounded even more serious. "Jack, you're kidding me, right? She's only in elementary. Sensitive pa ang skin niya sa mga churvaness doon." Jack ran his hand through his hair sabay sabing, "Sam, i'll be sure to take revenge." That was the last sentence I heard before falling unconsciously down on the bed.

==

J A C K

"Did you really make up your mind, Jack? Are you sure kaya mo 'to?" Samantha asked worriedly. I just hope for a bright future of my sister at safe kaming lahat kaya okay lang sa akin na isakripisyo ang sarili ko basta ang kapakanan nila ang inuuna ko. Plus, I promised my parents to protect Samantha at all costs. I nodded in agreement before I put some things on my backpack. It has been 3 years since Samantha asked me to do this mission at ngayon lang ako ito ginagawa.

Pagkatapos ng insidente, we put Brooklyn in a safe room sa hospital. Samantha and I left her in the care of our housemaids and the nurses. We, then, headed sa laboratory ni Samantha. Her parents are researching kung ano ang makakapag-cure sa venom pagkatapos hahalikan ka ng bampira. They don't kiss you, they suck your blood. We recently found out na Victor is a vampire.

So basically, this laboratory we are in is owned by Samantha's family. They are researching kung ano ang cure ng venom o virus pagkatapos ka hahalikan ng mga bampira. They have been doing this for more than 5 years pero hindi pa talaga sila nakahanap na instant cure, instead, isang injection lang na makakapagslowdown nito sa pagkalat at tuluyan kang mamatay. Samantha proposed a mission to me last 3 years. It was hunting down vampires upang hindi sila dadami. Vampire hunters use a special kind of weapon para patayin sila.

"When niyo dadalhin si Brooklyn dito?" Samantha looked at me worriedly. "Jack, I know you're terribly worried, but please. Bata pa lang siya. Don't worry we'll constantly try our best at magmomonitor kami sa kanya. Doon muna sha sa hospital." I sighed. Wala akong magagawa. I know that putting Samantha in this laboratory will make it worse dahil exposed siya sa iba't ibang uri ng radiation at ito ay makakadamage sa kanyang physical at mental health.

Samantha looked at my worried face and heaved a long sigh. "Jack, follow me." She said and lead me towards a room na nakaseal unless ginagamitan ng isang remote na nakakapagbukas nito. Sam clicked a button on the remote and the door slid open with a loud thud. We went inside at automatic naman itong nagclose. "These are the equipments you'll need on your journey. May mga special potions at food ka rin na makukuha dito to buff yourself." She said while touring me in this massive room. I caressed the bow na nakapatong sa table. "..and for a bow, you'll need these arrows." She extended her hand para ipa-show sakin yung mga arrows.

"Let me ask you one last time, are you sure about this? It's a life and death matter, Jack. You can always back out anytime-"

"Hell no! I'm sure about this. Samantha, trust me. I'll promise you that I'll become triumphant in this battle." Samantha suddenly hugged me and whispered something. Pagkatapos siyang kumalas sa yakap, I gave her the sweetest smile I could give.

==
"So..saan ang location nila?" We're in a round table right now along with some scientists and the family of Samantha including her. We're now discussing about the location of these vampires.

"The nearest one ay nasa North Mountains. Hindi pa namin alam kung nasaan ang kanilang reyna. Here. We'll give this phone. Kahit na walang signal, makakausap ka pa rin namin. Use this to report." I nodded and accepted the gadget.

"May the light be with you" Samantha's father said. I looked at Samantha one last time and mouthed, "i love you too....." Her face lit up and I showed her our friendship sign. Ewan ko kung bakit na darken ang expression niya pero nah. Let's do this. Vampires, get ready to be lost.

*******
Sorry for the cringy-ass story :(( I'm not good in making stories kasi eh, pagpasensyahan niyo na huhu! ;-; but wow I can't believe I started this story when I was in 1st year in HS tapos ngayon 2nd year na me hahaha. Ang dali ng panahon. Hays.

Sorry din kung mali-mali yung grammar ko sa English at Tagalog. I'm also not good at them bc i'm not a "tagalog-person" nor an "english-person".

Waahhhh...pasensya talaga kung hindi maganda yung mga chapters! Sorry for wasting your time! ;-;

Thanks.