Past In The Spotlight (SUNSET TRILOGY #1)

Chapter 17

[Capítulo Diecisiete: Kakampi o Kaaway? (A Friend or a Foe?)]

CLARA'S knees met the unforgiving ground, and tears traced their path down her cheeks. With hands trembling, she reached for my tied hands, the cold touch of desperation bridging the space between us.

“¿Lo que está sucediendo (What’s happening)?” I asked, hope lingering in my voice, yearning for an explanation.

“No tengo tiempo para explicar (I don’t have time to explain),” she hurriedly uttered, and as her words cut through the air, I felt the rope's grip easing. “¡Tienes que irte ahora (You have to go now)!”

Finally free, I had the chance to escape, but abandoning others wasn't an option. She might need me, and I had a mission—to find Marianne.

“Mi español puede ser limitado, pero explícamelo (My Spanish may be limited, but explain it to me),” I spoke, gazing into her face filled with sadness as I took her hand.

“¡Tienes que irte, Joaquín (You have to go, Joaquin)!” she exclaimed. “Te llevaré con Marianne. Está encerrada dentro del dormitorio de ese hombre (I’ll take you to Marianne. She’s locked up inside that man’s bedroom).”

Without a second thought, we rose from our seated position and tiptoed toward the door. The unconscious Spanish soldier lay there, oblivious to our careful movements.

“¡No te preocupes! Yo lo cuidé (Don’t worry! I took care of him),” Clara reassured as we quietly passed by the man we had encountered.

My attempt to utter "Cla-" was cut short as she swiftly pinned me against the wall, her hands asserting a silent urgency that demanded my attention.

“Silencio (Silence)!” she hushed, her whispered command resonating in the charged air.

My eyes widened as shadows of men advanced toward us. Closer they came, and despite my instinct to react, I remained frozen, following Clara's unspoken command to stay still.

My heart raced with each tick of the clock in the hallway. Thoughts raced through my mind – if caught, I'd grab Clara and leap towards the nearest window, among other scenarios.

A silent gesture from Clara brought me back to the present, urging me to resume walking amid the whirlwind of thoughts that had consumed my mind.

Finally, the men halted their approach, leaving us in a momentary reprieve from the palpable tension around us.

Silent questions crowded my mind, but I refrained from speaking. Other occupants in the house might hear me.

I moved forward, but Clara, standing in my path, halted me. Her attention fixed on a door, a sense of uneasiness settled over me.

“No vi cómo Marianne estaba encerrada allí porque ese hombre de antes no me dejó entrar (I didn’t see how Marianne was locked there because that man from before didn’t let me in),” she explained.

As I deciphered her words, a brief moment passed before I responded, “Sí, entiendo (Yes, I understand).”

A sense of urgency gripped me; witnessing patrolling soldiers just minutes ago made it clear that time was limited. If caught, the repercussions could extend beyond myself to involve Clara as well.

I took a deep breath, exhaling as I touched the door handle. Clara's reflection on the metal revealed her eyes, carrying a hint of profound sadness.

Once again, the urgency of the situation struck me as I entered the room. The sight of the missing man widened my sleepy eyes. No other rooms existed within, and wherever my eyes landed, no one else was present except for a girl lying on the bed.

Curiosity driving me, I carefully scanned the girl from head to toe before deciding on my next move to rouse her from slumber.

“Creo que el hombre se fue a otra parte (I think the man went somewhere else).” I heard Clara whisper. “Trae a Marianne y te sacaremos de aquí (Just get Marianne, and we’ll get you out of here).”

Silently, I moved forward, each step deliberate and cautious, tiptoeing as if the very essence of my existence hinged on reaching the sleeping Marianne without disturbance.

"Marianne, let's go," I whispered, gently tapping her arms. Urgency laced my voice, "What are you doing? Let's get out of here!" My repeated taps yielded no response.

Frustration mounting, I took her arm, gently pushing her towards me. "Will you just stop pranking me, you crazy girl?" I pleaded, switching to Korean, "벌써 일어나요! Beolsseo il-eonayo! (Wake up already!)"

Clara finally came beside, her patience worn thin from waiting for Marianne to stir. "If you don't get yourself up, we'll just leave you behind with those –"

My eyes widened, and my lips sealed tight as Clara raised her voice. “Creo que ella pierde el conocimiento (I think she passed out),” she interrupted.

“¿Quieres decir… Quieres decir que se desmayó (You mean… You mean she fainted)?” I asked, a mix of concern and disbelief in my voice.

A deep breath escaped Clara as her eyes transitioned from Marianne to me. There was a momentary pause, and then, biting her lower lip, she nodded.

"Seriously? This crazy lady is so –" I groaned, memories flooding in of past events, or should I say, 'future?' Since we met for the shooting of our series, she had always been prone to sickness and accidents.

I took her arms, allowing her to lean against my back. Firmly holding onto them, I stood up, giving her a piggyback ride. "Clara," I called before stepping towards the door. Pausing, I slowly turned towards her. “¡Vámonos (Let’s go)!”

As I escaped the unknown with Clara, I felt a subtle shift in her expression, an unspoken transformation signaling something peculiar unfolding.

"Clara," I called as I extended my hand toward hers, reaching for the frozen warmth that seemed to hold a story of its own.

Uncertain of our destination, the imperative to escape loomed large. The notion of navigating through a window held promise, yet with them on my shoulders, the practicality of such an exit presented a formidable challenge.

We moved swiftly, concealing ourselves within the shadows of the room.

Amidst the corridor with closed doors, sounds of laughter and cheering filled the air, revealing a lively gathering within the house.

After a while, my eyes caught sight of the stairs leading to a grand wooden door. "That must be the main door," I whispered to myself, anticipation coursing through me as we neared the potential exit.

As I moved to take a step, a firm grip seized my right arm. "Joaquin," Clara's voice broke through, and as I turned, tears streamed down her face, conveying emotions that words couldn't capture.

“Tengo que decirte algo importante (I have to tell you something important),” her words carried a weight that reverberated through the air, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine.