Twenty-Five

Gentle tears rolled down my cheeks. Hindi ko na namalayan ang oras. Naalimpungatan nalang ako dahil sa malamyos na hanging humalik sa aking pisngi.

I got up from the cold floor. I must've fallen asleep because of the shock and tiredness. My eyes are swelling. I looked around. Narito pa rin ang mga litrato at lahat ng ebedensiya ng mga kahayupan ni Uncle Thomas.

I took a deep breath and grabbed the notebook again. May isang parte akong hindi pa nababasa. The last page of the notebook is torned. Kitang-kita ko pa ang preskong pagkakapunit ng papel. Ate Annie must've contemplated on what she wrote that she ended up removing the page instead.

Mary Grace. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. There's a digital camera hidden in one of the drawers of the basement. You will probably loathe me once you see what's in store for you. I'm sorry for what I did. I am the one who took the video. We may not be related by blood, but know that I'll always be your sister.

                                                                                                         Love,

                                                                                                     Ate Annie

I frowned. It doesn't look like a journal entry to me anymore. Isa na lamang itong sulat para sa akin. Kahit na nanghihina ang katawan ko ay pinilit kong tumayo at buksan isa-isa ang mga drawers.

I want to puke. The more I open the drawers, the more sex toys came into view.

Sa wakas ay nakita ko na ang digital camera. It's an old model of Samsung digi cam. It's already gathering dust and dirt from all the years it has been hidden here. I tried to flick it open but it wouldn't. Kinuha ko kaagad ang charger at naupo sa isang malapit na outlet. I plugged the camera to the socket and open the files.

Nanuyo ang lalamunan ko. The thumbnail shows the room where all my nightmare began. Nanginginig pa ang mga kamay ko nang i-play ko ang video.

"What's this game called?"

Nakita ko ang bata kong sarili na masiglang pumapasok sa loob ng kwarto. Back then, I haven't noticed the mischievous glint of Uncle Thomas' eyes when he locked the door behind him.

"There's no name for this game." Sagot niya.

The little 8-year old me cocked an eyebrow. "Then why are we here?"

"To play the game, of course. Come on." Umupo si Uncle Thomas sa dulo ng kama. He stretched both his arms towards me. "Sit here." He pointed to the place between his outstretched legs.

Once again, I'm thrown into that night. The video shakes a lot. Nakakarinig din ako nang mahinang paghikbi, marahil ay galing kay Ate Annie na kumukuha ng video. I watched the scene unfold before me. Sa bawat iyak ko ay parang pinapatay ulit ako. Mas lalo akong nanlulumo habang naririnig ang paulit-ulit na sorry ni Ate Annie at matinding panginginig ng video.

I quickly stopped playing the video before I completely break down. Taking a deep breath, kaagad ko itong in-off. I grabbed some of Ate Annie's picture pasted on the wall and shove it all inside of my bag. Pati ang camera at ang kanyang notebook ay nilagay ko din.

I swung my backpack over my shoulder and went out crying. Hindi ko mapigilan ang pag-agos ng aking mga luha kaya naman nahirapan ako sa paghahanap ng posporo sa kusina.

A container filled half of gas caught my attention. Madami nang dumi sa loob, marahil sa tagal nitong nakatambak sa kusina. Kinuha ko ito. I saw an old lighter sitting on the kitchen counter.

Kaagad akong bumalik sa basement. Ibinuhos ko ang gas sa paligid. I wipe my tears away.

If this is what you want Ate Annie, then I'll burn everything to pieces.

I swallowed and rolled a paper. Igniting the lighter, ihinagis ko ang nasusunog na papel sa gilid ng pader. The gas quickly caught the fire. In just a few seconds, my eyes is filled with smoke and fire. Bigla ding nag-init ang aking pakiramdam.

"Mary Grace..."

Nanlaki ang aking mata nang marinig ang kanyang boses. Lumambot ang tuhod ko. Bigla akong natakot na lumingon kung sino man ang nasa pintuan.

"You think you can escape me?"

I spun around and nearly died when I saw Uncle Thomas standing on the doorway, his lips lifted up in a smirk. Malaki ang kanyang katawan. He occupied most of the doorway.

"Paanong..." my voice was caught in a sob.

He took a step towards me. "You can't escape from me, Mary Grace..." nanunuya niyang wika. The fire grew bigger and bigger. I took a step back. Masyadong mainit ang likuran ko.

"Don't you dare take a step! Stay away from me!" galit kong singhal habang tulo nang tulo ang aking mga luha.

The devilish smile is back again. "You will never escape from me..." he took long strides towards my direction and I screamed as loud as I can, afraid of him touching me again.

"MARY GRACE!"

My eyes jolted open. Sobrang bilis ng aking paghinga. Nanginginig ang buong katawan ko. Harry's worried face came into view.

"H-Harry..."

"Thank God, you're awake now..." nanghihina din siyang napaupo pero hawak pa rin niya ang kamay ko. I scanned the surroundings. Nasa labas na kami ng nasusunog na lake house. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

"Harry, si Uncle Thomas... n-nakita ko siya! Buhay pa siya! Nakita ko siya..." humagulhol ako.

"Mary Grace..." Harry's eyes flashed with sadness. "Ako ang pumasok sa basement kanina. Haven't you recognized me?" nangilid ang mga luha niya.

"Ano?"

"I'm sorry... I scared you earlier. You thought I am Thomas O'Connor."

Nanigas ako sa kinauupuan ko. Napahagulhol ulit ako. I am so fucking messed up that I started seeing things. My mind is playing tricks with me.

"Where's the bag..."I said through my tears. "M-My bag..."

"I brought it with me when I carried you out of the burning lake house." He glanced at the fire just a few yards from us. Napatingin din ako. Ang mga natupok na bahagi ng bahay ay unti-unti nang lumulubog sa lake. Sooner or later, the residents will start coming over here to see what's happening.

"Bakit nasusunog ang lake house?" tanong ni Harry sa akin. "Did you do it?"

Ang kanyang boses ay malambing na para bang nakikipag-usap sa isang bata. Kinagat ko ang pang-ibabang labi ko at tumango.

Nabigla ako nang niyakap ako ni Harry. Humigpit ang mga bisig niya na nakapulupot sa akin.

"Don't fucking scare me again..." he pleaded. He buried his face on the crook of my neck. "When I found you unconscious inside a burning lake house, I nearly died of heart attack. Akala ko kung ano nang nangyari sa iyo..."

Kumapit ako sa kanyang t-shirt at tahimik na umiyak. I could feel his hot tears seeping on the skin where my neck and shoulder meet. "I'm sorry..." I whispered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

"You don't need to be sorry, Mary Grace. None of this is your fault." He assured me.

---

Bago pa man may makakita sa amin ay umalis na kami sa lugar na iyon. Habang sakay kaming dalawa ng bus patungong Davao ay tulala ako. Mahigpit ang hawak ko sa bag na naglalaman ng ebidensiya sa lahat ng kademonyohan ni Uncle Thomas.

Harry glanced at me. I smiled tightly at him. Gumapang ang kanyang kamay at hinawakan nang mahigpit ang mga nanlalamig kong kamay. He gave me a tight squeeze. I leaned into his shoulder and tried to rest but every time I close my eyes, bumabalik ang mukha ni Uncle Thomas kanina sa nasusunog na lake house.

Nang makarating na kami sa Davao ay wala na kaming naabutan na flight papuntang Pampanga. Harry suggested we spend a night in the city. Para na din daw makapagpahinga ako.

I immediately slumped down in bed the moment we entered the room Harry got in one of the many traveler's inn in the city. Tahimik lang siyang dumiretso sa banyo. Mayamaya pa ay narinig ko na ang lagaslas ng tubig.

Half an hour later, when he emerged, he smelled so much of an after-shave cream and men's shampoo. Napalingon ako sa kanya. Nakabihis na siya ng black jersey at grey t-shirt. Nilapitan niya ako.

"Are you okay now?"

I smiled tightly at him. Lumapit din ako sa kanya at ibinagsak ang aking katawan. He automatically wrapped his arms around my body.

"Do you want to eat?"

Marahan akong umiling.

Harry heaved a sigh. "How did you find me?" mahina kong bulong sa kanyang tainga. Nakayakap pa rin ako sa kanya. Harry suddenly collapsed on the bed so now I'm straddling him.

"When you called me, I overheard the announcement from the airport that you're going to Davao. Kaagad akong nag-book ng flight papunta dito. I thought you're going to come back to Parola. Nagpunta ako sa terminal ng van and it isn't really hard to find a green-haired girl especially when you're all the drivers could talk about." He grinned at me.

Hinampas ko ang kanyang dibdib.

"The tricycle driver told me that you went to San Ignacio. Ayaw na niyang bumalik doon. Kaya naman nahirapan pa ako maghanap ng sasakyan na maghahatid sa akin sa lake house. I ended up hitching a ride from an old couple driving a truck papunta sa dulo ng bayan."

"Nakita nilang nasusunog ang lake house?" namilog ang mga mata ko.

Umiling si Harry. "I just learned the fire when I opened the door. Thick smoke is coming from one of the rooms. Sinundan ko ito at nang makita kita... God, you're such a mess. Hindi ko alam kung paano ka lalapitan dahil sa tuwing hahakbang ako ay humahakbang ka pabalik. Iyak ka nang iyak kanina. You keep on cursing at me..."

Ibinaon ko ang aking mukha sa kanyang leeg. I immediately smelled his perfume.

"Harry, I'm sorry..."

Hinigpitan niya ang yakap sa akin. "It's okay. But don't do that again, okay? Ayokong mapahamak o masaktan ka pa. Please... don't scare me like that, okay? I love you so much..."

My heart welled inside of my chest because of what he said. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagtulo na naman ng mga luha ko. Ang akala ko ay naubos ko na ito kanina ngunit ngayon ay mayroon pa pala.

Harry kept on stroking my back until I finally fell asleep without seeing Uncle Thomas' face anymore.

---

Ang una kong nakita nang magising ako ay ang mga matang nakatitig sa akin. A smile curled in my lips when I realized that those eyes could only belong to the man I love.

Gumapang ang mga kamay ni Harry sa aking beywang at hinila ako palapit sa kanya.

"What time is it?" I asked groggily.

"Half past two in the morning." kanyang sagot.

"Let's eat." wika ko. Sa totoo lang ay wala pa akong ganang kumain but I figured Harry would never leave me alone in this room to eat outside. Malamang ay nagugutom na siya at hindi lang sinasabi sa akin.

"Okay." He helped me climbed out of bed. Inabot niya sa akin ang mabango niyang jacket. I gratefully drape it across my shoulder before he held my hand and lead me outside of the inn.

"I spotted a 24-hour ramen house two blocks away. They're serving homemade dishes as well. Gusto mo ba nun?"

I nodded my head. When I went back to Pampanga, Harry also treated me to a ramen house. Since then, aside from cozy coffee shops, it had become my comfort zone.

Tahimik na ang daan at halos wala na ding jeep na bumabiyahe sa kalsada. Sinusundan ko ang mga yapak ni Harry habang nakatingin sa mga siradong establishments at commercial stores.

I really like this city when it falls asleep at night.

"We're here." Masiglang wika ni Harry. Mukha itong bahay na ni-renovate sa isang ramen house. At mukha ding masarap nga talaga silang magluto dahil marami pang parokyano sa loob nang pumasok kami.

A tall guy greeted us. Labas sa ilong ang kanyang mga sinasabi at mukhang bored siyang nagtatrabaho dito. His eyes are bloodshot at may nakaipit pa na sigarilyo sa kanyang tainga.

He kind of reminded me of someone.

"Here's the menu." walang gana niyang inilapag ang dalawang menu sa aming lamesa at umalis na wala man lang pasabi. Nagkatinginan tuloy kaming dalawa ni Harry.

Mayamaya pa ay may lumapit na sa aming lalaki. He is the splitting version of the young man, in an older body. Siguro ay anak niya iyon?

"Pagpasensiyahan niyo na si Olly." he smiled apologetically. Dumako ang tingin ko sa kanyang brace sa paa. His left leg looks defective. Iika-ika pa siya kung maglakad. Dumako ang kanyang tingin sa akin at ngumiti. "I think I saw you before..."

"Me?" tumaas ang dalawa kong kilay.

Marahang tumawa ang lalaki. Gusto ko na kaagad siya. He reminded me so much of Karlo. "It must be my imagination. Anyway, anong sa inyo?"

Harry told him to serve us their best-selling ramen. Um-order din siya ng tinapay at softdrinks. The man repeated the order.

"I'll serve it in 15 minutes." He said in a customer-friendly voice. Dapat talaga siya ang nagwe-welcome ng mga customers at hindi si Olly eh.

"I hope it will improve your mood." Harry said habang naglalakad pabalik ang matandang lalaki na kumuha ng aming order.

"I hope so." I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, cheer up. You're strong, Mary Grace. You're a Ferguson. Makakaya mo ito."

Biglang natigil sa paglalakad ang lalaki. Lumingon itong dalawa sa amin ni Harry. "Ferguson?" nawala ang malambing nitong tinig at napalitan ng galit ang kanyang mga mata. Dumako ito sa akin. "Isa kang Ferguson?"

"Ah, yeah..." nag-aalangan kong tanong. "Kilala niyo po ba ako?"

The man laughed sarcastically. "How could I not know you? Your family killed my daughter."