Death Glare

CHAPTER 13: Old Friends

PALIHIM na tumingin si Homer sa kaniyang boss pagkatapos ay alanganin itong ngumiti.

"Ahh-Ronan, ano kasi."

Bago paman nito mabawi ang pagkakatayo, kaagad na siyang bumagsak pabalik sa higaan at tila nawalan ng malay. Naalarma si Homer pagkatapos ay mabilis na pinuntahan si Ronan upang suriin. Itinapat nito ang kaniyang palad sa nakapuwang na bibig ni Ronan. May hangin. Humihinga pa ito.

"Boss, ano'ng nangyari sa kaniya?"

Nanatiling nakasandal si Devin mula sa sink habang ino-obserbahan sila. Tumingin ito sa kaniyang relo na tila may hinihintay siyang mangyari.

"Boss?" muling tawag ni Homer.

Devin sighed before lighting a cigarette. "Side effects ng pills na ibinigay ko," he answered.

Homer suddenly remembered that Devin handed him something a while ago. Tama. Ito 'yong ibinigay niyang gamot kay Ronan. When everything became clear to him, he carefully placed Ronan's body on the bed. Dahan-dahan niya itong kinumutan that made Ronan's expression even more comfortable.

Devin blew a smoke dahilan upang kumalat ang tuyong amoy nito sa lugar. Nag-abot siya ng isang kaha ng sigarilyo kay Homer. Kaagad niya itong tinanggap na kalauna'y sinindihan niya rin. When Devin ran out of cigarette, he went to his old closet and took a white shirt and black denim jacket. Samantalang mula naman sa bulsa nito ay kinuha niya ang isang kupas na leather wallet. Sa loob nito ay mayroong tatlong susi na nakakabit sa iisang silver eagle-shape na keychain habang may maliit itong tatak na krus sa gitnang bahagi.

After putting it in the pocket of his pants, Devin then placed the gun on his back where he often hid his weapons. Base to his experiences as a gunman, it is easier there to pull out a gun, especially in times of need. And when he got satisfied, nagtungo siya sa hinihigaan ni Ronan. Sandali niya itong pinagmasdan trying to memorize every details of his face before be leaves. He extend his arm to reach his helmet. Nang maabot na niya ito ay kaagad siyang nagtungo sa pinto.

Bago niya pihitin ang malamig na sedura, muli siyang bumuntong hininga. This time, it was a different sigh. "Ikaw na ang bahala rito. Kung may mangyari man, itawag mo agad sa akin," bilin niya kay Homer habang diretsyo pa ring nakatingin sa harap ng pinto. Hindi na niya ito dinagdagan ng anumang salita pagkatapos ay tahimik na umalis dala-dala ang sariling kagustuhang matapos na ang lahat ng ito sa lalong madaling panahon.

Pagka-baba niya ay mabilis niyang nahanap ang Harley-Davidson Cruiser na naka-park kasama ang ilan pang motor. Dahil sa laki nito ay higit itong nangingibaw tulad ng istura ng kaniyang amo. Isinuot ni Devin ang itim na helmet. He started to heat the engine that made a noise loud enough to wake the dead. When everything's ready, sinimulan niyang patakbuhin ang cruiser na may bilis na 80 to 110 kms/ hrs. It was tough a drive. He had to be careful to drive under the speed limit. Tila lumilipad siya sa himpapawid dahil sa bilis.

Devin went his way through the North. While driving, he could not help but think of what would happen when he returned and step his feet on the place they called compound. It seems pretty normal for ordinary people. But for people like Devin, the compound is like a place where you could never imagine yourself living in three seconds. It's cold, worse, and it feels like God himself abandoned that place. But Devin never really gives a shit. Hahalik muna sila sa lupa bago siya mapatumba ng mga ito.

After two and a half hours of driving, Devin had finally arrived. Observing the place, it was a nowhere within a nowhere: it seems like a marketplace with abandoned cars and trucks. Kahit saan ka lumingon, mga luma na sirang sasakyan ang makikita sa bawat sulok. The air smells rusty and greasy. There are some engine parts na nakakalat sa bawat damo at sementadong sahig. Pagkatabi niya ng helmet ay may dalawang armadong sibilyan ang kaagad lumapit sa kaniya.