Drum Beats

Thirtieth Beat

Over the next few days, Maine and Richard spent time with each other as much as possible. They would go on dates often, almost everyday. Maine appreciated the time he spent with her, considering he was so busy in both school and their business.

When he left for Cebu, she missed him so badly, so he would always call her when he had the time. It was all going so well.

What she didn't know was that something they couldn't ever imagine would happen.

Maine was in the middle of playing monopoly with Nigel when her phone rang.

She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Maine Mendoza?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"This is Leo Martins, I work for Mr. Faulkerson here in Cebu."

"Hi. Nice to meet you. What is it?"

"I'm...afraid I have some bad news."

"What? Did something happen to Richard?"

"Miss..."

"Tell me!"

"We...we couldn't find Mr. Faulkerson. He's missing."

"Tito!" Maine shouted when she barged in the Faulkerson household. A worried face of a mother and a father talking on the phone greeted her.

"Maine, hija," his mom hugged her.

"I don't care whatever the hell you do, just find my son!"

His dad shouted and ended the call.

"Tito..." Maine was hugged by his dad too.

"I ordered my men to do everything they can to find Richard," Mr. Faulkerson said. "They said he's been missing since this morning."

Where are you, bub? Maine thought to herself.

***

In the middle of nowhere, with him tied up to a chair, blindfolded and gagged and full of bruises, Richard finally woke up.

"Hello?!" He tried to get out from getting tied.

"You finally woke up, asshole," he heard a voice say.

"Who's there?! What do you want from me?! Let me go!"

"Oh for fuck's sake, can you stop screaming?! You're making my ears hurt."

"What do you want from me?"

The guy forcefully took of Richard's blindfold. He grabbed his hair and put a knife on his neck.

"Do you remember me, fucker?" The guy asked.

"I...I don't know you," Richard replied weakly.

He pulled Richard's hair some more.

"You have bad memory," the guy let go of him.

"What do you want from me?" Richard asked again.

"You...have something that I own," the guy replied.

"I don't owe anything to anybody."

"You do to me," he played with his knife.

Richard gave him a confused look. "You have my girlfriend," the guy finally told him.

"What?"

"Maine," he looked at him. "You came in the picture and stole her away from me. Who do you think you are?"

"She's not yours," Richard replied.

"What did you say?" The guy threatened to slit Richard's throat again.

"I said she's not yours," Richard replied. "She's never been, and she never will be."

He punched Richard's face, hard.

"You won't give her up, huh?" The guy smirked.

He took out his phone called someone.

"Hello?" Richard heard someone say from the other line.

Maine, Richard said in his mind.

"Maine?! MAINE!" he shouted.

"Richard? Is that you?" she asked, panicking.

The guy ordered one of his men to gag Richard again.

"Richard?!"

"Hi, baby," the guy greeted.

"Who is this? Why do you have Richard?"

"You wouldn't even say hi, babe?"

"Dustin..."

"Wow. I'm shocked you still remember me."

"Let Richard go, Dustin," Richard heard Maine ask.

"Why would I do that? He took you away from me. I'd only let him go if you come back to me."

Don't do it, Maine. Don't.

"Did you hurt him? Is he okay?"

"He's fine. Don't you worry about him."

"Now...about what I offered? Come back to me and I'll let him go?" Dustin smirked.

"You're crazy, Dustin," Maine replied. "Just please. Let him go."

"So...that's a no?" Dustin asked. "Okay then."

The last thing Maine heard was a gunshot.