The Accused (A Series #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Pagkadinig niya ng pangalan mula sa lumapit na pulis ay di kaagad siya nakatayo. She felt like she was robbed of oxygen.

Fear. That was what she first recognized sa mga naguunahang emosyon sa kanyang sistema. Natatakot siya. Sobra. She had no idea who the person or people waiting to see her. Hindi niya alam ang gagawin. Parang gusto nalang niyang magtago.

Pain, regret and helplessness came after along with other emotions she could not name, basta mabigat silang dalhin sa loob. Gusto niyang kumawala pero paano?

“Hoy, Ganda!” Agad naman siyang nabalik sa huwisyo ng tamaplin siya ng isang babeng preso sa braso niya. If she was not wrong, she was Tata. “Di ka naman ata bingi. May bisita ka daw oh.”

Nakita naman niya ang pulis na mukhang naiinip na sa paghihintay sa kanya. The policeman might have understood her, spacing out all of a sudden. Di naman na siguro bago ito sa mga preso na kakapasok palang sa kulungan, yung parang nawawala sa bait. Or maybe, siya lang. Wala din naman siyang kaalam-alam sa mga experience ng mga bilanggo because first of all, this was her first time in this kind of place.

“Tumayo ka na. Ginto ang oras dito,” sambit ng pulis.

Agad naman siyang tumuon. Whoever the person outside, she just hoped that help was with him or her. Gusto na niyang umalis doon. Di na niya ata kayang manatili sa lugar ng isang araw pa.

Could it be her parents? Inaasahan niya na susugod agad doon kagabi ang mga ito as soon as the news reached to them pero walang dumating para sa kanya kaya iniisip niya na ngayong araw palang sila binalubog ng problemang dinala niya.

As soon as the cell was opened, the police immediately reached for her hands. Naguluhan pa siya nung una at nanlamig ng makita ang isang posas. When she realized what was about to happen, she had the instinct to pull her hands away. The police looked at her, confused. Pero hindi na siya hinayaan nitong umalma at pinosasan na siya niyto. Parang gusto niyang tumakbo ang mag-iiyak ng lumapat ang lamig ng metal sa balat niya.

Please. She’s not a criminal. Gusto niya yung isigaw. She wanted to get out of the place. She wanted her hands to be freed of the cuffs. She was not a criminal. Di niya sinasadya.

While the policeman was assiting her to walk, she could feel her tears threatening to come out. Ayaw niyang umiyak. Pagod na kasi siya eh. And then, there was that fear again.

Fear for who and what was waiting for her. She could not help thinking of the worst, na baka pamilya ito ni Scarlette at andito ang mga ito para ipaalala sa kanya na mabubulok siya sa kung nasaan man siya nggayon. Sobrang lakas ng tahip ng dibdib niya at parang lalabas na ata ang puso niya.

She was led to a room. It was kind of noisy in there and she could hear voices of different people. Iginiya niya ang paningin sa loob.

Madaming tao pero huminto ata ang lahat ng ingay at kilos sa loob ng silid nang sumentro ang tingin niya sa isang tao na kapansin pansin dahil hakatang di ito nababagay doon.

“Mom…” All she could do was to whisper. Natulos siya sa kinatatayuan at hinihintay na maglanding sa kanya ang paningin ng ginang. “Mommy…”

Parang nadinig naman siya nito at agad napabaling sa kanya. She did not waste any minute and ran toward her like she was her only light and salvation. She ran like she would be shoot dead if she would not. She saw her mother stood up. Sinalubong niya agad ito ng yakap but she was stopped ng di niya mapaghiwalay ang mga kamay niya.

Pareho silang napaabaling ng ina sa magkahugpong niyang kamay. She looked up at her mother as if asking for her help. She looked up at her eyes but was not able to move when she could not read anything from her eyes. There was no glint of relief, and joy upon seeing her safe but there was not also rage.