Another week has passed and Saturday came when Amanda has to tutor Arnold's son, Alan.

"Hello, Alan!" Amanda greeted when she went inside Alan's study room.

Amanda's jaw dropped open when she saw Alan sitting at the corner of the room. He was holding his knees and his eyes were puffy as if he just finished crying.

What shocked Amanda even more was Alan's arms and legs. His face has bruises too as if he has been hit and slapped a lot of times.

Amanda rushed to his side. She did not know what to do.

Amanda wanted to touch him but afraid she might hurt him even more.

"A-Alan, a-anong nangyari.. Si- sino may gawa sa'yo nyan?" Amanda asked and knelt in front of him. She could feel tears coming out of her eyes as well.

Alan couldn't speak but could only cry more on her shoulders when she hugged him.

Amanda grabbed the opportunity to pull out her cellphone to take a photo of Alan's wounds and bruises.

"Listen to me, Alan." Amanda said in a whisper. "Tingnan mo ko. Makinig ka."

Alan, with his tear-stained face, looked up at her eyes and listened.

"I'll take a picture of your arms, legs and face. These will serve as evidence to the police that you were badly beaten and hurt, okay?" Amanda whispered, wiping Alan's tears off his face.

She opened the lock on her phone and checked if it is on silent mode and the flash was turned off before capturing photos of Alan.

She returned her cellphone on her back pocket. She quickly tightened her sling bag on her shoulder, before instructing Alan to sit tight on the chair.

"Mom is not home." Alan said in a small voice. "You shouldn't be here. Dad will do something bad to you too."

As if on cue, Amanda heard rain splattered on the roof of the house with thunder accompanying it. It made the house eerie and a perfect thriller movie with a man on the loose.

Amanda shivered remembering how her friend, Kristina, warned her about Arnold.

Wag kang magkakamaling mag-overnight pag ni-yaya ka nya. Hanggat maaari, umuwi ka sa inyo kahit bumabagyo o katapusan na ng mundo.

Those were Kristina's exact words at the canteen the other day.

Amanda panicked and thought of ways to escape. She pulled out her cellphone and dialled Kristina's number. It rang twice but call was dropped. She tried calling her again when she heard a click.

"Whaat is wrong--" came Kristina's sleepy voice.

"Kristina! Help! Call 911! I'm at Arnold's house and he hurt his own child!" Amanda ranted in a whisper.

"What the fuck! Tell me where you are. Text me your location. I'm coming for you!" Kristina's voice grew sharp and dropped the call instantly.

Amanda immediately texted her location to Kristina and to someone she didn't bother to see on her recent messages. She also sent the address on the Group Chat with her friends.

Amanda put back her cellphone behind her back on her pocket.
She turned to face Alan and tried to keep a cool voice.

"Okay. Relax. Isip ka ng pwedeng daan na pwede tayong makalabas." Amanda said, fear still present in her voice.

Alan whimpered in fear but composed himself.

"Back door, kitchen. We also have exit door at our garden."

"Great, Alan!" Amanda tried to cheer her voice up. She mentally scolded herself for not thinking straight. "Now, let's act normal if your father appears, alright? Ayaw nating makita nya na nagpapanic tayo diba?"

Alan nodded and hugged himself.
Amanda saw a jacket resting on the backrest of the chair and put it over Alan's shoulder.

"Okay." Amanda breathed out. "Prepare yourself. We'll escape when we have a chance. Get your phone if you have it. Put it inside your jacket. Have any sharp weapon with you that you can use. Hide it in your jacket for self defense later."

Amanda saw the pencil holder on the table and got herself the sharpest pencil and hid it in her jacket. Alan did the same.

Just then, Arnold knocked on the study room.

"Hey, you two." Arnold called out to them from the door. "How are you?"

Amanda smiled as if nothing is wrong. "Alan's doing good. We're on to the next lesson in English. Right, Alan?"

Alan nodded and returned her smile. He put his attention back to the workbook in front of him on the table and started answering it.

Amanda's knees couldn't stop shaking as they put on a fake composure in front of the assailant. She's thankful that they are sitting or else, her knees might give away their act. She waited until Arnold was convinced and went away.

She counted until ten and told Alan that she will just get water from their kitchen and to divert Arnold's attention from them.

Silently and naturally, she went down the stairs to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She pulled out a pitcher of water and made sure she remained the refrigerator door open and signalled Alan who was silently walking down the stairs to escape thru the backdoor.

As soon as she closed the fridge, she filled the glass on the table with water and drank it up to get enough energy to survive the night.

When she put down the glass, she glanced at Arnold who was engrossed at the program on the television, his back facing them.

Amanda gently placed the glass back on the dishwasher and took one last glance at Arnold's back. She silently stepped a few steps backward until she reached the backdoor.

Amanda quickly and silently ran to the front gate where Alan was waiting for her. Alan hid under the tree one house away from his.

Amanda could see Alan's navy blue jacket and was about to run to him when her arm was pulled from the street and a hand covered her mouth to keep from screaming. Her eyes widened in fear when Alan shouted her name.

Alan's crying face was the last scene Amanda saw before she blacked out.