A lot admires how the moon shines, that even with the uncountable stars around, it stand alone. A lot were enthralled the moment the moonlight caught their eyes, that they can't help but stare at it.

I'm one of them, those who were admiring the moon whatever its phase will be. But I love it more especially when its full.

People believe that stars will grant their wishes. But it is the moon for me.

I don't need to rub a magic lamp with a genie inside it. I don't need to wait for 11:11. I don't need to catch a shooting star. I only need the moon. I only want it. Whenever the moon is full, it'll grant whatever I wish for.

I dreamily looked at the sky as I stared at the moon, enchanted by its moonlight. Tonight, the stars were missing. I can't see anyone of them.

Ang bilog na bilog na buwan ay ang tanging nakakapagpaliwanag ng kalangitan.

My eyelids willingly shut closed as I repeatedly whispered a wish, like a witch chanting a curse.

The cold wind blew against my skin, I almost shiver at the coldness of it.

Slowly, after a few while whispering in the wind, wishing to the moon, I opened my eyes.

I leaned at my car who's resting near the cliff. Hindi alintana na nakaharap ako sa isang malawak na bangin at tubig ang aking babagsakan kung sakaling hahakbang ako sampung beses paabante. Habang ilang metro sa aking likuran ay ang hindi sementadong daan. Ang mga puno malapit doon ay nakabangway kaya't nagsilbing liblib ang lugar. Idagdag pa na walang masyadong sasakyan na dumadaan kaya naman tahimik ang lugar.

I was staring at the moon when my phone beeped, indicating that I received a message. After a series of phone call that I didn't answer, this is the first message I received. I glanced at my phone and opened it when I saw that the message is from my father.

Daddy:

Where are you, Mauree? Why aren't you answering your phone? I'm worried. Come on, don't scare me like this. At least reply to this message just to make sure you're safe.

I immediately composed a reply saying I'm safe and I'll be home soon.

The moment I hit the send button, the peacefulness of the place where I am in vanished as I heard a loud sound like a gunshot.

Marahas akong napalingon sa aking likuran kung saan nanggaling ang putok ng baril. Namilog ang aking mga mata kasabay nang pagkabog ng aking dibdib, matapos huminto ang isang itim na sasakyan ilang metro ang layo sa akin. Kasunod noon ang tatlong kotse na huminto sa harapan ng naunang sasakyan at tila ba pinalilibutan ito.

I immediately squat in front of my car when I saw how guns went out of the window of the three vehicles, cornering the first one.

Nanginig ang aking mga tuhod nang marinig ang sunod-sunod na putok ng baril.

I placed both of my hands in my ears while still holding my phone. Mariin akong napapikit at pilit na ikinakalma ang sarili.

The loud sound from the guns subsided. Nanatili sa aking posisyon at pinakiramdaman ang paligid.

I heard a sound from the door of the cars shuting closed as I a loud voice dominated the place.

"Lintik na Universe! Ang tagal kaming pinaghanap, ikaw lang pala 'yan, Doc. Paano ba 'yan, mukhang dito na ang huling hantungan mo." Malakas na halakhak ang pinakawalan nang pinanggalingan ng mga salitang iyon

"You might be wrong, fucker." It was a cold voice. Surely from a different person who's near me. The tone is lower than the first one but it sent more shiver down my spine. The voice was calm but it feels more perilous.

Sinubukan kong sumilip mula sa harapan ng aking sasakyan ngunit masyadong madilim para malinaw kong makita ang kanilang mga mukha. Ngunit sa tantya ko ay lagpas sa sampu ang naroroon.

"Huwag kang mayabang, Alterio! Siguradong patay ka pagkatapos nito!" Isang sigaw ang muli kong narinig kasunod nang muling pagputok ng mga baril.

My chest is heaving up and down as I heard nonstop gunshots.

Gusto kong pumasok sa loob ng sasakyan at umalis sa lugar na ito ngunit kung gagawin ko iyon ay baka hindi na ako makaalis pa ng buhay.

My car is not bulletproofed. If I want to leave this place, there's no way that I can escape without distracting them.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang minuto ang itinagal ko sa pagkukubli sa aking sasakyan.

Nag-angat ako nang tingin nang mawala ang palitan ng putok ng baril at muling tumahimik ang buong lugar.

Fear immediately consumed my body as I remember those men. They killed the doctor and they won't let me leave alive if they happened to see me.

Nanggilid ang aking mga luha sa marahas na pagkabog ng aking dibdib. I bit my lower lip as I picked up my phone. With my hands trembling, I tried to typed a message for my Dad but I failed when I saw a pair of shoes stopped in front of me.

Akmang iaangat ko ang tingin ngunit agad ding napahinto nang makasalubong ng aking mata ang dulo ng baril na nakatutok sa akin.

My eyes enlarged as the sight of it. The phone slipped from my hands as a dose of shock and fear shot through my veins. Napasalampak ako sa lupa at nangangatal na napalayo.

"Miss--"

Mariin akong napapikit. "D-don't kill me. I won't say anything. I didn't see a-anything." I even desperately shook my head. "H-hindi ako magsusumbong--" Mariin kong isinara ang aking bibig nang makitang yumuko ang bulto at inabot ang aking phone.

"Calm down, Miss. I won't kill you."

I stopped after hearing that voice. The one that sounds dangerous a while ago.

Marahan kong inangat ang aking tingin at nakitang ibinaba niya ang baril. Huminto ang aking mga mata sa kamay niyang ngayon ay nakalahad na sa akin.

"I won't do anything to harm you." He even assured me.

Mariin akong napapikit habang tinanggap ko ang kanyang kamay. He gently pulled me and make me stand.

The first thing I saw is his eyes. Even in the dark, I clearly saw the glint of the moonlight reflected from it. As I scanned his face, I felt familiarity. Like I've seen him before. There's an encouraging smile in his lips, making me feel I'm safe with him.

Ngunit nang iginala ko ang tingin sa kabuuan ng paligid ay natantong hindi ako ligtas sa taong ito. My eyes widened a fraction as even in the dark, I saw those body scattered on the ground, bathing on their own blood. At sa tingin ko ay mga wala ng buhay.

"Here's your phone--" Agad kong hinablot ang aking phone at nagmamadaling lumakad patungo sa driver seat ng aking kotse.

My hands are still shaking as I hastily opened it. I didn't even glance at the man again. Matapos makapasok sa aking kotse ay agad kong sinubukang buhayin ang makina, ngunit dahil sa panginginig ng aking kamay ay nagtagal ako sa ginagawa. I can feel my heart beating fast as my chest's heaving heavily.

I gave the man a quick stare, nervous that he'll shoot his gun on me but he didn't.

Until the place went out of my sight, he's just staring at my car, letting me leave even if I saw what he did.

I'm not into cursing but fuck! He just killed those people. What did I just witnessed?

I swallowed as I felt something on my throat. I'm used on hearing someone killed someone, or seeing someone holding a gun but I, never in my whole existence witnessed something like that. Ngayon lang, at hindi lang isa kung hindi sampung tao ang pinatay sa harapan ko.

And what? If I'm not mistaken, that man is a doctor. How can he kill like that? Well, unless he's--

Namilog ang aking mga mata kasabay ng muling pagkabog ng aking dibdib. Surely, I'm not safe with him. He's not just a doctor.

I stopped my car beside the road. The engine turned off as I grip the steering wheel. Mataman akong napatingin sa madilim na daan nang maalala kung bakit pamilyar sa akin ang lalaking iyon. A scene suddenly flashed back in my mind.

"I need help, sumabog 'yung gulong ng kotse--"

"Madali naman akong kausap." There's a weird smirk in his face as I caught his eyes scanning my body. His nearly burned skin gleamed.

I swallowed as the man went near me. My insides are telling me this man won't help me that made my whole body tremble.

I don't want to judge him but the lust in his eyes are telling me, mali ang nahingan ko ng tulong.

Pasimple kong iginala ang tingin sa paligid, nagbabakasakali na may ibang mapapadaan sa liblib na lugar na ito lalo na at maaga pa naman ngunit sa tingin ko ay wala. I'm not even familiar with this place.

The man who's in front of me owned a trike. Siya ang kaunaunahang dumaan sa lugar na ito matapos ang kalahating oras na paghihintay ko. Sumabog ang gulong ng kotse ko. I have spare one but I don't know how to fix it.

Agad na nilukob ng kaba ang aking dibdib nang maramdaman ang haplos ng lalaki sa aking braso.

"What are doing?" I asked while stepping backwards.

"Walang tutulong sa'yo rito. Ako lang. Kaya lang hindi ako tumatanggap ng walang bayad." His weird expression is still intact in his face.

"I-I'll pay. How much? T-though, I don't have cash here." I want to shut my eyes closed as I remained stammering but I didn't. Takot na sa pagpikit ay makahanap siya ng tyempo na gawan ako ng masama.

"You can tell me your bank number, I'll send you the payment--"

I stopped when the smirk in his face widened. "Ibang bayad ang gusto ko, paano ba 'yan?"

"W-what do you want?" My voice can't stop trembling as he tried to reached me again. I took a step back but I stopped when my back touched the door of my car.

The man didn't answer, instead he forcefully grip both of my hands and pinned me on my car.

I tried to get off of him but I can't overpower him. A tear immediately escaped my eyes when I felt his lips on my neck. Sinubukan kong sipain ang gitnang bahagi niya ngunit bigo ako nang mahuli niya ang aking paa.

"N-no, don't!" Pilit akong kumakawala habang malayang naglalandas ang mga luha sa aking pisngi ngunit tila bingi ito at hindi alintana ang aking mga hikbi.

Iniwas ko ang aking mukha nang makitang hahalikan niya ako sa aking mga labi. Sa pagiwas ay nabuhayan ako ng loob nang makita ang paparating na kotse. "H-help!" I shouted.

The man seems oblivious of the car coming towards our direction. He's now pinning both of my hands using his right hand while the other is now roaming around my body.

Nanghihina ako at hindi na nakagalaw sa ginagawa niyang iyon. I grew up in a liberated country but I never felt violated in my whole life.

I stopped moving as I shut my eyes closed. Kasabay noon ang pagkawala ng aking kamay mula sa kanyang hawak.

Nang muli kong idilat ang mga mata ay nakita kong nakahandusay na sa daan ang lalaki. There's a man in his coat towering over him while punching the perverted man. I heard series of profanities from the man wearing a coat. 

Napalingon ako sa aking tabi nang may dumalo sa akin.

"Miss, are you okay? What else did he do?" The woman looks sincerely worried as she asked me. I saw how swollen the woman's eyes were, tila kagagaling lang sa pag-iyak, but I'm too weak to mind it.

I shook my head as I wiped the tears rolling down my cheeks. Hindi makapagsalita at gulat pa rin sa nangyari. I felt like my knees are now wobbling. Muli akong bumaling sa lalaking sumusuntok sa nagtangka sa akin, ngayon lang ito tumayo at tinigilan ang lalaki.

Lumapit ito sa aking direksyon na tutok sa aking mga mata. "Tell me, did he do something aside from that before we came?"

I opened my mouth but it just trembled and nothing came out of it, that makes the man continue.

"You can trust us, Miss. I'm Dasher and she's Aislinn." Pakilala niya, siguro ay para makumbinsi ako na magsalita. "I'm a doctor while my gi-girlfriend's a lawyer. We can help you, just tell us what happened."

He's that man, the one who saved me a year ago with a woman. The doctor and the lawyer couple.

I remember they offered a ride for me. They even want me to go to a hospital and the woman's willing to help me file a case but I just asked them to send me to my condo.

"Maureen, are you listening?"

Hinila ako ng reyalidad nang marinig ang boses na iyon. "M-Ma'am?" My voice trembled as I saw Mirae beside me.

While in front is Dasher, the doctor whom according to the news died. He's seating on his wheelchair while staring coldly at me.

He's that man a year ago who saved me from that perverted pig. He's that same man a month ago, the doctor at the cliff who killed people.

But those eyes and smile who made me feel safe even if I know I'm not, I can't find those right now. Kahit anong hanap ay hindi ko mahagilap kahit ang katiting na ngiti sa kanyang labi.

He's ambushed again after that incident in the cliff but this time, it takes a toll on him. He can't walk because of what happened.

"As I was saying, you'll assist Dasher for the mean time. Kapag nakauwi na tayo, sa villa kayo didiretso. I'll send someone there to help you. I'll send his therapist too--"

"Mirae." A firm voice of Dasher stopped her. "I can handle."

"No, you can't. For once, let me. Let me help you," Mariing sambit ni Mirae. Ngayon ay iritado ng bumaling kay Dash. I heard her sigh after a while and continue. "Lagi na lang ako ang tinutulungan mo."

He tsked. I caught how his eyes softened at Mirae. "I'm not asking for anything in return, Milady. You're a sister to me. I'll do anything for you and Astrid." A smirk then formed in his lips. "And for those two fuckers too."

"I know, I know. And you're a brother to me, too. That's why I'm doing this. So let me, will you?"

Dasher sighed. Hindi na ito sumagot sa sinabi ni Mirae kaya naman bumaling ang huli sa akin.

"Remember, whatever happens here, stays here. Do you understand? As well as whatever will happen at the villa. Whatever you see, keep your mouth shut close." Muling paalala niya sa akin.

And I know that. I know what she's pointing. I know why Mirae's hiding Dasher. I know why she's doing this. I know all of it.

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