OBSIDIAN ISSUE #2 : WOUNDED

NINETEEN

After reading my sister's message, I grew even more anxious of what's about to come once she gets home. Hindi ko man siya nakikita ngayon, pinahiwatig naman ng sagot niya ang pagmamadali na makauwi.

My unforeseen regard of that man has only grafted itself onto the pile of my other curiosities that I unfailingly ask everyday. Isa na itong ukol sa kapatid ko. I am positive that she knows the man, and that he was the history of the call the other day. Gayunpaman, malayo pa rin ang pagkilala ko sa kanya, and remembering how Ate Merewald reacted to the phonecall— it did nowhere suggest a good news—which gave me no choice but to run away.

Well yes, I could have extended my probing of him beyond the appropriate minutes, pero ang lapitan ako sa ganitong oras ay nakakabahala para sa akin. I was spooked, to be honest. It appears that he's too desperate for my sister's time that he has to wait for her until this extremely late hour!

Gaano ba ka-importante ang kanyang sadya? If this should revive the other part of my sister's personal life, then I would have no business being this troubled on her behalf. But what if it's not? Paano kung mas delikado pa sa inaasahan ko?

I shoot another message, telling her to call either me or Angelov if ever she finds the urgency for us to call the police.

Dahil sa tinahak kong desisyon, sa halip na makapagpahinga si Angelov ay mauudlot pa yata iyon. Though he didn't show any signs of foul temper when he let me in, mukha ngang susugurin pa niya ang lalake kung hindi ko lang inawat. That pissed him off, and this must be why he's in the shower right now, perhaps, to blow off some steam.

Hinayaan kong bumagsak ang cellphone ko sa couch at nagbuntong hininga. I scanned the dark living room with my narrowed eyes. Ibang-iba ito kumpara noong party maliban sa mga ilaw at dami ng bisita. Here, with only the full moonlight slashing diagonally across the room, it strongly evokes loneliness, a perpetual gloom, which brought me to the recollection of a hollowed friend who never fails to visit me everytime I lose hope of everything.

May nahagip ako sa mesa sa aking harapan. I supposed Angelov doesn't stay in this house long enough to even consider tidying up. Dahil ito sa hindi pa naliligpit na mga kalat; Empty bottles of liquior on the floor, used cigarettes inside a filled ashtray, a half empty pack of the cig and... I also make out the small Ziploc pack of gummies. Hm? Mahilig siya sa matamis?

Curious and amused, I reached a hand on the sweets. Itinapat ko iyon sa linya ng liwanag mula sa buwan. Looks like some pieces from sour patch kids gummies. I barely have my finger on the opening when I heard the bathroom door creaked.

"Samara."

I whipped around just to catch Angelov standing on the dark side, with the slash of the moon ray beside him almost cutting through his body. Kaya hirap akong aninagin ang itsura niya. Though, his after shower scent didn't fail to reach my other senses.

"I'll get one," sabi ko sabay angat sa maliit na Ziploc.

"Huwag!"

Sinabit niya ang puting shirt sa kanyang balikat at sa malalaking hakbang ay nasa harapan ko na siya. Because I was too confounded by his combative move, nasundan ko na lang siya ng tingin habang nilalapitan ako. All in his darkened expression topped with a slice of fear, it was like something is going to explode once I touched it! The next thing, the Ziploc was snatched out of my grasp. Naibaon na niya ito sa bulsa sa harap pa ng suot niyang boxer shorts.

Mabilis akong nag-iwas ng tingin.

My brain caught three things all at once. Una ay ang pagdidilim ng kanyang anyo na bahagya kong pinanghugutan ng takot, na kalaunan ay hinalinhinan ng pag-aapoy ng pisngi ko nang matanto ang kanyang suot. Then the evident race just to forestall me and get to the candies fast before I could open it...