Trigger

10

Julianne Victoria

I've been standing in front of this really sultry green bandage dress for quite a while now. Ni hindi ko na-absorb kagabi ang sinabi ni Leslie nang pumasok siya sa kwarto at nagkwento ng tungkol dito dahil antok na antok na ako.

I did not even notice her hang the dress at the door of my cabinet that was facing my bed. Basta, ang tanda ko lang sa sinabi niya ay tungkol ito sa launching mamaya ng Sabigne Vignoble and the rest was a blur.

Normally, kapag ganitong launching ng account ay nasa sidelines lang kami at si Leslie talaga ang nakikipag halubilo. I can even just drop by to check on things and call it a day if I wanted to before. So it was a wonder why the rest of the team had to dress up too and participate in the launching tonight.

I was actually looking forward to wearing my favorite postal service raglan shirt and washed demins. Yet here I was, literally frozen in my position as I stared at the green number.

Gusto kong gumalaw. Gustong-gusto kong abutin ang damit at punitin, sunugin...anything.. hanggang sa hindi ko na maalala ang pilit kumakawalang bangungot na paulit-ulit na nagrereplay sa utak ko.

"Did you like the dress, my flower?" Binigyan niya ako ng matamis ngunit walang buhay na ngiti, habang hawak ang isa kong kamay na ngayon ay pansamantalang nakalaya sa pagkakatali.

The wound marks were visible and I wondered how long it would take for my hands to fall off dahil sa madalas na mahigpit na pagkakatali nito.

"Did you like the dress, my flower?" He repeated, unsmiling.

Tiningnan ko siya ng matalim. Hindi ko alam kung ilang araw, linggo o baka buwan na akong nasa poder niya. I don't even know him personally, ni hindi nga ako lumalabas at nakikisalamuha sa ibang tao.

I did not imagine replying to an unknown number would cause me to end up like this. There were moments that I wanted to stop breathing because of the pain and the mental torture that he was giving me.

And this....'scene'...we had been doing this scene countless times alreaydy and I was so tired.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I am not your flower? Why are you doing this? Aren't you tired of this sick game?" Mahina ngunit mariin kong pagkakasabi.

That was when I saw his already familiar rage starting to manifest in his eyes. Mas humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa kamay ko, at pakiramdam ko, ay malapit na ang mga buto nito sa pagkadurog. Hindi siguro 'yong tali ang puputol sa kamay ko, kundi ang demonyong ito mismo.

Isang malutong na sampal ang dumapo sa pisngi ko, but I did not even have the wits to asses the physical pain. I felt something wet at the corner of my lips, and I was pretty sure that it was blood dahil subok ko nang malakas ang mga sampal niya at ilang beses na rin akong nakatikim ng sarili kong dugo.

"'Diba sinabi kong sundin mo kung ano ang nasa script? Tanga ka ba talaga, katulad ng sabi niya???" Isa pang sampal ang natanggap ko.

Tears started falling down my cheeks, and I knew that I had to follow his orders dahil hindi siya titigil hangga't hindi ako nawawalan ng wisyo at nakukuha ang gusto niya. I had tried defying him before and I got a really good beating.

"Now, answer me properly. Did you like the dress, my flower?" Madamdamin niyang tanong na kahit sino ay pwedeng paniwalaan ang kalakip na excitement sa mga salita niya.

He was pure evil personified.

Gigil ko siyang tinitigan bago pilitin ang sariling magsalita ng ayon sa script. I had no choice.