AMACon 3: Oikos - Children

Intertwined - Chapter Three

 "Yes, I found it mom. I'll be home there soon. How about you? How are you doing? Have you taken your medicines? Just take care okay. I'll be fine here. Bye."

He ended the phone call and then he took his chance again to contact Maine. He had a bad feeling about this. She had never answered her phone even when he contacted her several times already. Usually, she would answer his phone calls immediately. He got to see her. He scooped his car keys off the table and quickly drove his way to the bar.

When he arrived at the bar, he instantly became the apple of the eye of the ladies there. His eyes scanned the place but could not find Maine there. He went directly to a group of girls he assumed to be coworkers of Maine.

"Where is Maine?" he asked and he could see from the look in their faces that something's definitely off.

"Nasaan si Maine?!" he said, raising his voice this time which caught the attention of some of their guests.

"She was bought for the night," a girl sporting a blonde hair told him.

"Bought?" he asked, confused of the term. Then suddenly a young girl came barging in, probably still in her late teens since she looked like the youngest in the group.

"Ikaw ba si Kuya Richard?" she puffed. "Please help Ate Maine, ayaw naman niya talaga sumama, pinilit lang siya" the young girl cried, a mixture of panic and worry was evident on her face. "Kaaalis lang nila."

Upon hearing that, he immediately darted out the door.

"You can't rescue her! You can't mess with that one." One girl called out.

"I can never let anyone mess with my girl, either." Richard answered and then he was gone as fast as he appeared.

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"Bitiwan mo nga ako!!! Pinakawalan mo na ako, diba! I have my own life now. Tapos na ako sayo!" Maine screamed as she tried to free herself from the tight grip of the man. She could not almost feel her hand as his grip in her wrist continued to tighten, impeding the circulation on that area. She tried to keep her feet planted on the ground but the man continued to drag her along the dimly lit street. In their skirmish, her bag fell off from her shoulder and onto the ground. Her phone slipped out and they saw its screen lighting up with a phone call notification.

"Someone is calling my baby," he cupped her face with one hand before slapping her cheek hard which made her gasp. Tears were rolling down her face and her growing anxiety made her chest feel tight. "Balita ko nakabingwit ka ng mayamang tisoy, siya ba yun ha?"

He hurled her down the concrete sidewalk, and with shaking hands she tried to reach her phone when the man suddenly stepped on it, crashing it in pieces. He grabbed her hair and pulled her up to stand. She shrieked in pain as he pulled her hair back even more. "Yun ba ang ipinagmamalaki mo ngayon. Kaya kahit isang gabi, ipinagdadamot mo na."

Maine flinched as he dipped his head and run his filthy lips to her neck. Repulsed by his act, she gathered her strength and kicked him in the shins. She took that time to escape and made a run for her life but the man quickly recovered and grabbed her by the clothes, ripping them in the process, exposing the burn on her shoulder. He caged her in his arms so that she would not be able to escape.

"You damn freak! Kung hindi kita niligtas sa sunog, wala ka ngayon! You will not become a highly precious star in that high-end bar! You owe me your life, bitch!" Maine tried to fight him but she could not, her energy has been spent already. She cried silently as he pinned her roughly to the wall and devour her with his tongue lapping on her exposed skin. She balled her fists in disgust and in her last resolve, she screamed the name of her hero with all her might.

"RICHAAARD!!!"

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He heard a familiar voice out of nowhere, calling his name. He dashed around the corner of the street and there he found in the obscured and dark area, Maine and the fucking bastard.

He ran toward them and he placed his hand heavily on the man's shoulder. When the man turned, he did not waste any second and punched him in the face. He dragged him by the collar and threw him down the ground, kicking him repeatedly in the stomach until he was writhing in pain on all fours, blood dripping from the side of his mouth.

Richard did not know where his energy came from. All he remembered was his vision turned hazy and he was completely taken over by the adrenaline rush that all that mattered to him at that moment was to save Maine.

He went over to Maine who was slumped on the ground next to the wall. Her dress was ripped from the shoulder down to her chest, exposing a bit of her undergarment and the burn scar on her shoulder. He cautiously touched that scar and wondered where she got those but he knew she was not in the proper state right now to explain or answer any more inquiries.

He took off his jacket and used it to cover Maine's exposed skin. He pushed away the hair that stuck to her face because of her sweat and tears. He gently caressed her face drenched with tears and whispered comforting words to her. "I'm here already, no one is gonna hurt you."

Maine wept and threw herself to him, hugging him tight. "Take me away, far away" she faintly muttered. He pulled away and looked straight to her eyes.

"I will."

And he cradled her in his arms and carried her to his car.

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Maine woke up to the sound of the crashing waves and the smell of ocean. When she opened her eyes, she found herself on the shotgun seat of Richard's car, her upper body covered by his jacket. She looked out the window and saw the view of the sea, its waves undulating to the rhythmic push-and-pull of the saltwater to the shore. The bright stars above got reflected by the glistening waters of the ocean. The wind blew and its cold air sent shivers to her body. She took the jacket from her lap and wore it as her top, zipping it up to completely cover her. She got out of the car and started to search for him.

"You were crying in your sleep earlier," she looked behind her and there was Richard with groceries on hand. He placed it in the compartment before joining her. They were both leaning on the hood of the car, watching the deep blue ocean in front of them.

"Are you having a bad dream? You know, when something is bothering me, I always go here. This is my zen zone. Is there anything that's bothering you? I'll be willing to listen to your story."

So she bared herself to him and told him her tragedy. How her mother abandoned her and was left to her alcoholic father and a stepmother who had been abusive of her. How she sold her body and soul just to sustain a life.

"Hindi ako ganun kalinis, Richard. I am grateful that you saved me. Thank you very much. Actually, I can manage from here."

"No. I don't care about any of that. I won't let you go. I can't let you go," he leaned closer and caressed her face. "The incident earlier just made me realize something and that is...." He let his lips hover over hers, and he muttered "I love you." Without wasting any second, he captured her lips for a searing passionate kiss. She draped her arms around his nape as he gently laid her down the hood of the car. With the sound of the waves playing on the background, they danced together in intimate connection, almost in sync with the ebb and flow of tides.