KING OF TORMENTS [Completed]

CHAPTER 31

My mood shifted easily after what I had heard. Mula sa pagiging kalmado, ngayon ay halos hindi ko na makilala ang sarili ko dahil sa pinaghalong emosyon. Kasabay ng mga emosyong ito'y unti-unti ring nagkaroon ng linaw ang aking isipan, at para na akong mababaliw dahil sa aking mga katanungan.

Hindi ko alam kung gaano na ako katagal na nagkulong sa loob ng aking kwarto. Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang loob. Magulo at puno ng mga basag na kagamitan. Wala akong ibang mapaglabasan ng galit kaya nauwi sa ganito. The moment I step inside, my anger consumed me. A storm that will only leave me when it already caused damage. I almost pass out after due to terrible headache and exhaustion.

Ang hirap tanggapin na may alam si Lush tungkol kay Dale at mukhang wala itong balak na ipaalam sa akin. Of all people, bakit ang kapatid ko pa? Bakit nila itinatago sa akin ang bagay na ito? Ano ba ang mayro'n sa pangalang 'yon? Who the fuck is Dale? Bakit pakiramdam ko, lahat ay gagawin nila maitago lang ang katotohanan sa akin?

I wouldn't question Davil's motive in hiding the truth because that man wants to play with my life. Sa una pa lang, alam kong itinatago niya sa akin ang totoo dahil gusto niya akong makitang nababaliw sa kakahanap ng sagot. The only thing that was vague in his motive was his reason why he wanted me to suffer in the first place.

Pero si Lush? Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit niya itinatago sa akin?

Without fixing myself, I stood. Napangiwi ako nang sa muli kong pag-apak ay nakaramdam ako ng hapdi. Realization dawned me. I have wounds in the sole of my foot.

Hindi ko na ininda ang sakit at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Hinanap ko ang kwarto ni Lush at agad kumatok. Bumukas ito at lumabas mula rito ang kapatid ko. He looked so weary, drained and sleep deprived. His lids almost swallowed his eyes, wanting so bad to have its rest.

"Sappy..." He uttered my name as if he was about to succumb to his sleep.

Kahit galit ako sa kaniya, nakaramdam pa rin ako ng awa nang makitang pagod ito. Mabuti na lang at maayos na nagamot ang kaniyang sugat sa may bandang balikat. That wounds wasn't actually a big deal compare to the wounds he got when he started serving the Sinclaire Mafia. He's been in deadly transactions and life threatening missions, but I've never seen my brother like this, as if he isn't only carrying wounds in his shoulder but also a bigger burden. And that burden was sucking the life out of him right now.

"Can I come in?"

"Sure."

Wala pa ring pagbabago sa kwarto ng kapatid ko. Black and blue dominated the gloomy room. Paintings are hanging on the wall, almost antique. My brother had a weird fascination in old and archaic stuff. He loved to read things related to mythologies, particularly norse and greek. If my parents didn't persuade him to work for the mafia, I could fully visualized my brother traveling around the world, visiting places that had a historical significance, or maybe he could be a charming history teacher.

I sat on his bed. Tumabi ito sa akin. I let my head rest in his shoulder, the uninjured one as he played with my hair. For a moment, we were both enveloped with silence, not until I break it with my question.

"Who's Dale?"

I felt him stiffened. As expected.

"There are lots of Dale, Sappy."

"You knew who I mean."

"I don't."

Tinabig ko ang kaniyang kamay na sumusuklay sa buhok ko. Then, I glared at him.

"You're the only person I know who wouldn't break and hurt me, Lush. If you'll lie to me, I won't have anyone."

His breathing became tensed. Nanghihina itong umakbay sa akin na para bang sa gano'ng paraan ay mababawasan ang bigat na dala-dala niya. I felt somehow guilty. I knew it wasn't a good time to interrogate him but I can't stay in my room and wait for a miracle.