Stolen Heart

Kabanata 43

I locked myself on that room. Hindi ko alam kung ano gagawin ko. I am really getting insane!

"Quiana..." Stacey knocked. Hindi ako sumagot. I just stared at the door.

How can I live my life now? I feel lifeless.

Hours passed at nakatunganga lang ako sa doon. My phone beeped and an unregistered number appeared.

Sinagot ko kasi umasa ako na baka si Francine iyon. Like what I watched in the movies and read on the books. Possible diba?

At hindi nga ako nagkamali. It was Francine.

"Hi dear, cousin." she greeted. Napaupo ako at sobrang kinabahan.

"Francine!" I called her.

"Francine! Francine!" I called her how many times when I heard Queen shouted.

"Mommy! Please help me! Mommy!" Queen was crying so hard. 

"Frans, please. Pakausap sa anak ko..." naiiyak kong pagmamakaawa sa kanya.

"Okay! Mabait naman ako eh!" sabay tawa niya.

"Mommy!" Queen is really crying. Naka loudspeak iyon at rinig ko ang ibang mga lalaki.

"Queen... Queen... Are you okay? Is she hurting you? Queen... Mommy going to save you..." naiiyak kong sabi.

"Mommy... Please come here... I am scared... I slept at the dark room... Mommy, I was really scared... Please... Save me now... OUCH!" she moaned.

"FRANCINE!" tawag ko. What did she do to Queen?!

Napatayo ako at paakad-lakad. Hindi ko na ang alam ang gagawin ko! 

"You want to see your daughter? I'll send you the address. Ikaw naman kasi talaga ang kailangan ko eh. I want to you dead para magkabalikan kami ni Phoenix..." 

She sent me the address and without hesitation I went there.

"Quiana?" tita Paige called me. Hindi na ako sumagot dahil kailangan ko ng pumunta. Kailangan ako lang daw mag-isa. Of course! I will go! Buhay ko lang naman pala kailangan niya! Hindi na niya kailangan idamay pa ang anak ko dito! She is too innocent to be involved!

"Quiana!" tita Paige panicked.

Dali dali akong sumakay sa sasakyan. I beeped how many times to the guards.

"LET ME OUT!" I shouted. Tita Paige kept on calling me.

Hindi ako pinakinggan ng mga guard. I left with no choice. Bumaba ako ng sasakyan para buksan ang gate. They kept on holding me pero tinutulak ko sila. Kailangan kong lumabas.

"ANO BA! KAPAG MAY NANGYARING MASAMA SA ANAK KO, MAPAPATAY KO KAYO!" sigaw ko sa kanila.

I saw tita Paige calling someone... Is it Nix? Wala namang pakialam sakin yun diba?! Wala nga akong kwentang ina!

Sobrang bilis ng pagpapatakbo ko ng sasakyan. I don't want Francine to hurt Queen again. She needs me! Sana ako na lang!

It was an abandoned building. It has 5 floors at may rooftop rin doon.

Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang tinatawagan si Francine...

"F-Francine..."

"Go at the rooftop! Bilisan mo! Pag wala ka dito within 3 minutes bako ano gawin ko sa walang kwentang anak mo!" she shouted and without hesitation I ran. Halos natumba na ako ng ilang bese sa sobrang bilis ng aking takbo. Umiiyak na ako plus sobrang bilis ng takbo ko- I will surely cut my breath.