Moonstruck (𝚂𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙾𝚗𝚎)

PROLOGUE

𝐁𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

It was a Sunday morning, and Jayshie awoke with energy and joy as she had the chance to play with her best friend for the whole day. She got out of bed and ran through the hallways to get to his room. Di na'ko makapaghintay! Makakapaglalaro na naman kami ni Z! Jayshie's thoughts are filled with excitement. She got to his door, and she knocked with excitement.

"Z! Gising na maglalaro tayo!" she screamed with exhilaration. Z opened the door as he stood there limply while he rubbed the sleepiness from his drowsy eyes.

Jayshie looked into his eyes, eager to hear his answer. "We just woke up," he yawned, stretching his arms and his back. "Kain muna kaya tayo—" before he could finish, Jayshie grabbed his arms and pulled him out of his room and dragged him throughout the hallways.

"Halika na kasi!" she giggled. She looks back at him, and he's fumbling as they run.

"Bagalan mo naman, Jayshie!" Z exclaimed. He tried to catch up with her speed, but he failed to do so, causing him na madapa ng nasa labas na sila.

He's so clumsy! Jayshie thought to herself.

Tinignan ni Z ang batang si Jayshie. "Humanda ka Jayshie," he warned as he stood up. "Pag nahabol kita, rains of tickles will follow suit!" he stated as he started chasing her.

They were having so much fun! Kahit gaano pa bilisang tumakbo ni Z ay hindi niya ako mahabol-habol ang maliksing si Jayshie. "Yan na ba pinakamabilis mo, Z?" she giggled as Z huffed and puffed, clearly gasping for air.

"How are you so fast?" he laughed in defeat as he gradually slowed down and stopped in his tracks. Nagpahinga siya and hindi na niya pinursue pa ang paghahabol kay Jashie. He laid on his back on the grass.

"Give up ka na agad? 'Di pa ako napagod!" Jayshie exclaimed, mocking him. Z laughed and patted her near his side, calling her to lie down with him. She went along.

"Oh, you've fallen into my trap, Jayshie!" Z exclaimed as he locked Jayshie in and tickled her endlessly.

"Tama na, Z!" Jayshie couldn't speak properly as she was laughing hysterically with her eyes closed.

As they were playing, Jayshie heard a vehicle approaching but thought nothing of it. Akala niya passerby lang pero biglang tumigil malapit sa gawi nila. Nakapikit ang kanyang mga mata sa kakakiliti ni Z kaya hindi niya napansin na may papalapit pala sa kanilang mga taong naka suot ng mask.

Out of nowhere, Jayshie hears Z. "S–Sino po ka–" he was cut off, followed by a muffled scream. Jayshie opened her eyes, and before she could act, they grabbed her. She tried to find Z; he was also grabbed. They tried screaming, but the abductors covered their mouths with their filthy hands. Before Z and Jayshie knew it, they were being kidnapped, and there's nothing they can do. They were so early that everyone was still asleep when we started playing outdoors.

Z desperately tried to force them to let go of him, but to no avail. He sporadically made movements so he could slip out of their grasp, but that failed as well. He tried biting down on their hands, but as soon as the hand let go of him, one of the kidnappers struck his head with his backhand, causing him to get knocked down.

Z woke up inside the back of a van, still dazed. He hears the muffled crying of Jayshie. As soon as he saw the situation they were in, he got filled with panic, fear, and anger—how dare they touch Jayshie?! They were both tied up using a zip-tie cord, and their mouths were duct taped shut.