Trigger

38

Julianne Victoria

Alexander hissed.

"Why are you still so kind after all that had happened? Lo siento, I did not mean to interrupt you, it's just that...nakakagalit na nangyayari pa rin ito."

Hindi ako kaagad nakasagot. Bakit nga ba? I chuckled dryly when I got it.

"I chose to be kind, for being angry would only do me more pain."

Nagkatitigan kami ni Alexander at alam kong naiintindihan niya kahit nagagalit siya. Tumango siya sa akin kaya nagpatuloy na ako.

"So..Dexter and I's texting continued 'till I became a Senior. That year started great for Marj and I got our college acceptance letters. I had a new list of books to read and I finally got my internship at Helena's Eye. That was my dream... isa sa mga goals ko." Napangiti ako ng mapakla. "Fast forward to our highschool graduation...well, this was a blur after I was abducted yet it was the first vivid memory that I had ever recalled when I got my consciousness back. It was a gloomy Saturday morning... I can still smell the surroundings dahil amoy bagong tila ng ulan. It was the end of an era, fleeting and serene. It was eery, beautiful and sad at the same time dahil kulang kami nina Marj. Cara went missing kaya push and pull ang pakiramdam ng araw na iyon. Suot ko ang kulay beige na dress na kapareho ng style ng damit nina Marj at Cara. Alam niyo yung, kulang sa pakiramdam? We were all supposed to graduate together, pero mukhang kaming dalawa na lang talaga ni Marj, kaya I pushed myself to wear that specific dress na ipinatahi nilang dalawa ni Cara to somehow lighten up my sister's mood, and it did for a while, I guess..." Tinapunan ko ng tingin si Marj na halatang nagpipigil ng reaction bago nagpatuloy.

"Nagsimula na ang schedule ng araw namin and when the baccalaureate service outside Imperial Grande ended, humiwalay kami kina mom and I rode with Marj in her new car. Kasunod lang naman namin sila so, don't get your horrors up yet." I giggled awkwardly dahil sobrang tahimik na nila. "Dumiretso na kami papuntang Andrade Prep, our school for the graduation rites. Marj stopped at the parking lot at lumabas na kami. Palakad na kami papasok ng school when I noticed that my toga had creases dahil naipit sa pinto ng kotse, I think I mumbled for them to wait pero hindi ko sure baka hindi nila ako narinig. Inayos ko pa iyon at nang matapos ay nakita kong wala na akong kasama. I was alone in the parking area, then a few seconds later, I heard someone spoke my name from somewhere kaya hinagilap ko ang pinaggagalingan nito. It was Dexter. Hindi naman ako masyadong nagulat dahil nagtext siya a few days prior na may regalo raw siyang babasahin sa akin dahil ga-graduate na ako. I waved a hand at him at ganoon din ang ginawa niya tapos ay iniabot niya saakin ang isang paper bag. He urged me to open it and so I did. I was beyond delighted that it contained an original type written manuscript of my Lola Maggie's book. I was too excited, so I skimmed it immediately, and too excited not to notice Dexter's hand holding a handkerchief that was laced probably with chloroform."

..........

Vincent Alexander

I was nowhere near the word calm as I continued listening to Julianne's revelations. Gustohin ko mang gawan kaagad ng solusyon para matapos na ang lahat ng ito ay alam kong kailangan kong makinig. Fuckkk. Patience was such a fucking virtue.

"I woke up disoriented and immediately, my survival instincts kicked in. I was able to collect myself at kaagad na naghanap ako ng pintuan, or anything na pwedeng labasan. Napansin kong nakadetain ako sa isang malaking glass enclosure at kahit na mayroong pintuan ay nakalock iyon. I tried kicking it hanggang sa pakiramdam ko ay mababali na ang buto ko pero walang nangyari kaya itinigil ko, thinking I should reserve my strength and observe for other ways. So I stared looking around and outside making me realize that I was confined in a really spacious place that looked like it was pulled out of a movie production house with lightings and detailed props in every set." She paused and gulped before continuing. "There..there was a restaurant set-up, a dining area, a corporate office, a ballroom, a hospital room...the set-ups seemed endless at ang kung ano lang mahagilap at maabot ng mga mata ko ang tinandaan ko. I noted every detail that I could the first time dahil...hindi ko alam, siguro napercieve ko unconciously na iyon lang ang oras na mapagmamasdan ko ang lahat ng walang harang na mga pader at hindi nakatali ang mga kamay at paa ko. Sa totoo lang ay naging kalmado ako noon. Naisip ko nga na baka surprise graduation gift iyon sa akin ni Third dahil pareho kaming mahilig sa slasher movies. My calm became excitement when that thought came to mind." Tumawa siya ng mapakla. Kinuha ko ang kamay niya at naramdaman ang panlalamig nito. "Hindi ko naisip na hindi naman pala sila magka-kilala ni Dexter. Moments passed as I looked around more and the long eery silence finally hit me. Walang surprise galing kay kuya. I then started looking for another a way out but all I got was the thick walls of glass...I started getting desperate and creative kaya kinatok ko bawat parte nito and hope sprung when I pressed on a secret door button. Kaagad akong lumabas ng mabuksan ang pinto. I checked every set-up dahil baka may lagusan and hope sprung more nang may makitang hagdan. Mabilis ko itong tinakbo at inakyat, only to come face to face with that pair of unforgetable big cast iron doors that I had prayed so hard to open. Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras akong nakaupo sa tapat ng pintuang iyon at nakatulugan ko na..." Her voice croaked.