Dancing with Fire

CHAPTER 8 - A Night to Remember

CHAPTER 8

The noise just keeps on getting louder and louder.

Ano bang ingay iyon??!!!

Nakarinig siya ng mga sigawan na nanggagaling sa unang palapag kaya't napatayo siya at agarang pumunta sa pintuan para maki-usiyoso, pero bago pa niya makalabas ng kwarto ay sinalubong siya ng kanyang ama at itinulak siya uli papasok sa kanyang kwarto at kinandado ito.

"Pa? Anong ingay-"

"Alessandra! You have to get out of this house right now!" Putol nito sa anak.

"Ha? Bakit?... What's happening??!!" She stammered. She felt something wrong with the expression in her father's face.

"Huwag nang maraming tanong, basta kailangan mong makaalis ngayon!" Grabbing her arm, she pulled her in front of her closet-size mirror.

Terribly shaken and confused by his sudden outburst ay agad namang napakapit si Sandra sa braso ng ama. "Pa, ano bang sinasabi mo? Hindi kita maintindihan!" She hysterically said.

"Anak makinig ka saken."

Pagkatapos itong sabihin ng ama ay may iniabot itong maliit na sobre sa kanya, "Nakahanda na ang lahat ng mga kakailanganin mo, pagkatapos ay umalis na kayo sa Pilipinas as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

"What? Sinong kayo? Sinong..." She exclaimed, tension almost palpable in her tone. "What are you talking about? Saan sila Mama, si ate... Umuwi na ba siya sa kanila!!??"

After she said this, his father burst into tears. "Wala na sila."

Parang binuhusan ng yelo ang buong katawan ni Sandra, halos hindi siya makahinga sa pagkabigla sa sinabi ng kanyang ama. She was so appalled.

Hindi nakakatawang biro to.

"Gusto kong makita sila Mama!" Pushing his father aside and and strode for the door, but her father immediately blocked her way.

"Alessandra!"

"Get out of my way Pa!" Trying to fight with his father's strength, but Leo pushed her through the mirror. With all his strength, he pulled the huge mirror and it slid aside, revealing a narrow, dark pathway.

I never knew something like this is in my room.

"Go!" Pushing her inside the cold passage. "When you reach the end, there will be an exit route that will lead you on the other side of the vicinity."

"Ayoko Papa!!" Sigaw ng dalaga. She was so stunned that she doesn't know what to think.

"Listen to me!" Cupping her face tightly. "Whatever you hear, do not go back! Keep going and run as fast as you can, do you understand?!" He hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead.

Even though her mind is so foggy, his father's whisper is crystal clear.

"Mahal kita anak."

Nooooooooooooooo!!!

"Pa!" Not letting go of her grasp.

Leonardo removed her arms around his waist. "Umalis ka na!" He commanded.

"Pa ayoko!!"

"Alis na!" Sigaw ng ama nito sa kanya, pushing her inside again and sliding back the mirror behind her. She banged the wooden back of the mirror and tried to open it, but it didn't budge. She continued to smack the door with her palms until it felt numb. There was no response coming from the other side of the room. She can't see anything inside the passage, but she can feel the cold walls by her sides.

She thought of her Papa that was left inside and yelled for him.

Still, no response.

Hindi rin niya marinig ang mga pangyayari sa kabilang pader. She cried hysterically, not knowing what had just happened in there.

"Papa buksan mo to!" Screaming at the top of her lungs, still she can't hear a thing on the other side.

Ano bang nangyayari??!!!! Ano bang gagawin koooo??!!!!

****************

Nakarinig siya ng tatlong putok galing sa bahay. She jumped in terror.

Papa!

Gusto niyang bumalik sa dulo at puntahan ang ama, pero naalala niya ang sinabi nito. Nagsimula na siyang tumakbo sa madilim na daan. Humahagulgol sa iyak, tuloy pa rin siya sa pagtahak hanggang sa may mahagilap siyang liwanag na nanggagaling sa dulo ng daan. She ran faster to the light. When she reached the very edge of the passage, she slowly slided the latch and opened the steel gate. When she stepped out, she's in the middle of a thick forest, the bright moon illuminating the sky.

She is sure that she's on the east side of the villa. She used to go trekking with her sister here when they were just kids. Habang naglalakad ay napansin niya ang markadong daan na nilalakaran niya. She obliviously followed the trail and stopped short when suddenly, she noticed something strange behind her.

She's been followed.

Cold in fear, she tiptoed and hid into the thick shrubs. She waited for a minute until she saw a shadow forming on the ground.

He's definitely looking for her.

Tiningnan niya ang paligid at nagbabakasakaling makapulot o makahanap ng bato o kahoy na maaari niyang gamiting armas para dito. When she found a snapped branch, she took it and stood up, ready to face the creature trailing her from behind.

Kaso, bigla nalang itong nawala.

Lumabas siya galing sa makakapal na damo para hanapin ito nang biglang may humila sa kanya at tinakpan ang kanyang bibig.

She is dragged through the thick shrubs again by two strong arms, one restraining her and the other covering her mouth.

"Hmmmm-mmmmm!" She mumbled, squirming and trying to free herself from the man behind her.

"Sssssshhhh."

Sa bilis ng tibok ng kanyang puso, pakiramdam niya ay sasabog na ito. She's never been terrified like this ever in her life. Gathering her wits and remaining courage, nang magkaroon ng pagkakataon ay tinapakan niya ang paa ng taong nagbira sa kanya.

"Fuck!" The man immediately let go of her, wincing in pain.

She recognized the voice instantly. She can't be wrong.

She was more aghast when she turned around to see his perpetrator.

That beautiful face, I can never be mistaken.

"Trenton?????!!!!"

(Author's note: already making chapter 9, hoping you'll continue to endure with me c:)