The Nightwatch

A CALL FOR HELP

Chapter 3.

Alison breathed her last breath in front of me. And in my whole life I didn't felt as dumb as I am right now.

Para akong kuting na pinagmalupitan ng mundo. Nakaupo at nakasandal sa ding ding Habang yakap yakap ang dalawa kong binti.

My pajamas are covered with blood.

For a moment I don't care if the murderers would come back and find me sitting here like a lost child.

In the middle of my horrific night, a ringing sound filled my ears. I knew it is coming from a phone though I can't see it yet.

Nagpatuloy ang pag ring na ito kaya nagsimula akong tumayo at sundan ang tunog. Naririnig ko ito hindi kalayuan sa akin.

Napatingin ako sa bangkay ni Alison na nakasalampak sa sahig. My heart pangs for a moment once again as I stare to my best friend's corpse.

Pero sakanya nanggagaling ang tumutunog na phone. Lumuhod ako at nanginginig kamay na kinapa ang damit nya. I can feel it vibrating through her body. Maya maya lang ay nakapa ko ito sa bulsa ng short nya.

I pulled it out of her and I wasn't wrong. It is a ringing phone. An unregistered number is flashing on the screen. I didn't hesitate and answered it immediately.

"H-hello, please kung s-sino ho man kayo t-tulungan nyo po ako. Pumasok ang bahay n-namin. Evergreen V-Village, Street-" it is hard for me to keep the phone near my ears. My hands are shaking too much it became uncontrollable.

Hindi ko pa natatapos ang sinasabi ko ng mapatigil ako sa boses ng isang babae,"I will help you, Briella Saylor. But first you have to calm down and do exactly what I will tell you"

Isang boses na tila nanggagaling sa mataas na tao ang nangibabaw sa kabilang linya. A voice you'll be afraid not to obey.
"W-who are you? Paano mo nalaman ang pangalan ko?" in the middle of chaos I felt doubt and reluctance.

"Are we gonna do a storytelling here? They might figure out soon where you are" pagka sabi nya non ay napalingon ako sa labas ng bahay. I felt conscious again for them to find me. Kaya pumunta akong hagdan at doon pumwesto habang kausap ko ang estrangherong babae.

"You need to go back to your house" automatic na nangunot ang noo ko sa sinabi nya.
"Are you really trying to help me? Or are you gonna get me killed? There are murderers inside my house. They already killed my sister!" I yelled out of frustration.

I heard her sighed.
"You have to come back for that watch, Briella. I know you have that thing" natahimik ako sa sinabi nya.
"That watch is a big responsibility. You can't escape without that thing. You're risking our country's future generation of you let those men have that watch. So sneak back and try not to get caught. We are trying our best to reach into you pero masyadong malayo ang location mo sa amin. You have to get that watch first, there will be someone to have your back"

Hindi ko alam kung bakit buo ang loob kong sumunod sa babaeng iyon. Tinanaw ko ang bahay namin mula sa bintana nila Alison. Nakikita ko mula dito ang tatlong lalakeng naka balot ng itim na kasuotan na naka tayo sa may pintuan. Looks like they're talking.

Hinanda ko ang sarili ko upang lumabas at bumalik sa bahay namin. Sa kabilang bintana ako lumusot upang hindi nila mapansin na bumukas ang pinto. The darkness of the night gives me confidence to move cause I know it'll be difficult for them to see me in the dark.

Napatago ako sa likod ng malaking puno ng may dalawa pa sa mga malaking iyon ang biglang sumulpot.
"Nasaan na ba ang batang iyon? Hindi pa nila makita doon yung relo. Yari tayo kay boss kapag nakatakas yon at dala pa ang relo" kamot ulong saad ng maliit na lalake habang hindi naman sumagot ang kasama nya.