I wiped my tears. I shouldn't be crying right now. I should find them. This isn't the time for me to give up. Knowing Antonio, he's tough and smart. I'm sure nakagawa siya ng paraan para makatakas. Maybe they are hiding somewhere.

I stood up, ignoring my woobling feet. I'm tough, I'm a bitch, but those were all faćade. I actually am weak and a huge coward. I act tough because I am within my safety zone. But when I'm not, I let fear take over.

I shook my head and started running. This isn't the time to be a scaredy-cat. I'm in a dire situation right now. I'm on my own in this. Karlos won't help me. 'Di ko siya sinunod kanina, and I'm sure paiiralin na naman nun ang gahiganting pride niya. He doesn't want me to interfere with history yet he wants me to save all these people. Karlos' mind is twisted. He's nuts. Totally nuts.

I'm no hero like Andres Bonifacio or Rizal. I'm just a college girl forced to time travel for the reason I do not know. I'm not brave. I don't have the courage to risk my life for the sake of this country. But I'm willing to put my life in danger for my own selfish reason.

Mabilis akong nagtago sa likod ng isang malaking puno nang dumaan ang tatlong sundalong kastila. Katabi ng puno na pinagtataguan ko ay isang bahay na tinutupok ng apoy. I could feel the heat coming from the burning house. I wiped the beads on my forehead.

Sumilip ako nang mapansing nakalagpas na ang mga ito. I exhaled at maingat na naglakad paalis ng pinagtataguan, still glancing at the civil guards' direction. Mas binilisan ko ang paglalakad at tinungo ang direksyong pinaggalingan ng mga kastila. But I stopped on my tracks nang makita ang sundalong nasa harap ko.

I gasped, he was three or four meters away from me. Inilibot ko ang tingin sa paligid and grabbed the first thing I could see. A cooking pot on top of a haystack. A palayok, really?

Itinutok ng lalaki ang hawak niyag mahabang baril and I know it was dumb of me to use the pot as a shield, but that's all I have! My heart pounded, this isn't the first ime someone pointed a gun at me. Kung nung una 'di ako masyadong natakot, iba na ang ngayon. There's no Antonio or Karlos to save me, to get me out of this situation.

"Detener!" the guy said.

"I-I'm good at throwing pots! T-try pulling the trigger and t-this pot will head that head of yours!" I stuttered.

The man raised a brow at sinamaan ako ng tingin, "Venir conmigo si no quiere salir herido!" the way he said it, he's threatening me.

"I don't understand you! I've had enough of this already, so just drop your gun and let me through!" I snarled, my legs shaking. "I've no time to deal with you!"

Really, Kristin? Threaten the man? That's the best idea you could think of? He can't even understand you! I really shouldn't be pissing this guy off considering the fact that he has a gun and I have a goddamn cooking pot to protect myself?

"Wala akong pakialam kung ano man ang sinasabi mo. Sumuko ka na kung kasapi ka man ng samahang tumutuligsa sa hari ng Espanya-" I cut him off. Taking a deep breath, I throw the pot towards the man's direction. He was too shocked, he didn't even flinch or even bother to dodge the pot.

Nagulat din ako. He can speak filipino.

At dahil malakas ang pagkakabato ko, and I'm good at aiming, tumama ito sa noo niya dahilan upang mapahandusay ito sa lupa.

"Kristin, now's your time to escape." I said to myself, taking a deep breath before I continued running. I decided that it was a bad idea na tahakin ang dinaanan nung mga kastila kanina, I turned right at tinahak ang daan palabas ng barrio.

Maybe Antonio and the others got out of the barrio safely. Maybe they are hiding somewhere. I just have to find them.

I hope they're safe.

Nasuyod ko na ang buong barrio. There are a lot of dead bodies and it made my stomach tun upside down. Those who are struggling are being shot dead.

I clenched my jaw and balled my fist. Mabigat sa dibdib ang nakikita ko. Seeing people being killed like they're animals is inhumane. They're killing innocent people. They should consider the fact na hindi lahat ng nandito ay kasali sa katipunan. That's what happens to people who are blinded by power. Anything or anyone that they think will destroy them will be eliminated. That's what's happening to this country right now.

The spanish government are killing people who betrays the spanish regime. Killing innocent people is wrong. Killing people who just wanted freedom is wrong. And killing people because they did a grave sin is wrong. No religion on earth condones killing. No faith traditon tolerates killing.

I did seek vengeance for what the terrorist did to my brother. But I never thought of killing them. Gusto ko lang na managot sila sa batas. I want them to atone for their sins. Saka depriving them of their life means I was going easy on them. Wouldn't it be better kung konsensya na nila ang unti-unting papatay sa kanila? It'll be a living hell for them.

I was about to reach the barrio's entrance nang humarang ang isang lalaking nakasuot ng uniform na kagaya ng mga uniporme nung mga kastila. I stopped.

"Saan ka pupunta? Isa ka sa mga naninirahan rito, hindi ba?" He looked at me from head to toe, before a smirk formed on his lips. "Isang magandang dilag. Halika rito."

Instead of going towards the entdrance, I turned at pumasok sa gubat. That guy was a pervert. I hate people like him. Makes me want to throw them off a cliff.

"Detener!" I heard him called. Doon ko napansing sinusundan niya pala ako.

Bullcrap. Things I do for Antonio! Naging action star ako nang wala sa oras. The skirt I was weariny was now covered in dirt at napunit na ang dulo. Ilang beses na ba ang nagtatatakbo sa gubat?
I stopped when the man catched up with my pace. I winced when he pulled my hair.

"Fuck!" I cursed, bringing my hands to the man's wrist. "Let go!"

"Puta. Papahirapan mo pa ako? Sumama ka nalang sakin, binibini." I yelped when he gripped my hair tighter. Damn sun of a gun! It felt like my hair's getting ripped off my scalp. "Huwag kang mag-alala, hindi kita itatapon sa kulungan."

I shut my eyes tightly when I felt his breath on the back of my ear. I could feel my heart pounding as I dug my nails on his wrist. And, darn perverted geezer! He didn't even flinch.

Mas lalo pa niyang nilakasan ang hawak sa buhok ko. " 'Wag ka ng magpumiglas pa, binibini."

"Bitawan mo ko!" I snarled, then aimed a very precise kick at his shin making him bend to grasp his leg.

Mabilis akong tumakbo nang mabitawan niya ang buhok ko.

"Puta!" But before I could get away, I heard him curse then heard a loud bang. Then I felt it, may kung anong malamig na bagay ang dumaplis sa binti ko. It caused me a searing pain making me lost my balance then stumbled on the ground.

"Crap!" I cursed under my breath. The pain was overwhelming. It felt like my legs are being cut open.

Itinukod ko ang siko ko para makatayo pero bago ko pa man maiangat ang sarili ay hinila na naman ng lalaki ang buhok ko.

I winced in pain, "B-bitawan mo ako!"

"Hindi ko gustong manakit ng babae, ngunit sumusobra ka na." Umupo siya sa gilid ko at unti-unti itinaas ang suot ko. I stuggled but he gripped my hair. I screamed for help but he just laughed, "Walang tutulong sayo."

Inangat niya ang ulo ko by pulling my hair as he drew his face to mine, "Mali kasi ang iyong tinakbuhan, binibini. Hindi dapat gubat ang pinupuntahan mo kapag ganito na kalalim ang gabi." He was smirking like a maniac.

Disgusting.

I spit on his face making him close his eyes. He wiped the spit with his sleeves. And I didn't expect what he did next.

He slapped me, hard. "Walang hiya ka! Ikaw pa ang may ganang mag-inarte! Isa ka lamang Indio! Ang mga tulad niyo ay mga basahan!"

My cheeks hurt. He slapped me with the back of his hand. 'Di ko na napigilan ang mga luha ko. I let them flow. I cried. The man kicked me, not once. Not twice. Making me lay on my back.

Darn it. This is the time I needed Karlos the most. But he didn't even show up. Curse that angel or whatever.

Why am I doing this? I asked myselt. Why am I doing this? Why am I risking my life for him? Why do I want to save Antonio? Sino ba siya?

Sino ba siya para iligtas ko?

Ako 'yung tipo ng tao na walang pakialam sa iba. I don't understand the words, "Help Someone" "Save someone". 'Di ako baliw para ipahamak ang sarili ko para lang sa isang tao.

And here comes Antonio. He just barged into my life acting familiar with me. Acting all friendly with me. Breaking the mighty walls I built as if they were nothing.

I closed my eyes. Ah. That's right.

Naramdaman kong tumahimik ang paligid. All I could hear was the noise that the crickets were making. Then I felt someone touched both my shoulders. The hands tapped my cheeks, "Kristin!"

That voice.

He run his thumb on the side of my lips. I flinched, "Aray." I grunted.

"Kristin! A-ayos ka lang?" That stupid question. I slowly opened my eyes and met his gaze.

Fear, anger, worry. Those emotions were plastered on his beautiful brown eyes.

He's safe.

And again, tears stream down my face.

I'm glad.

Pinaupo niya ako then he ripped the shit he was wearing. He held my wounded leg and tied the cloth around it to prevent it from bleeding. He turned his back on me habang nakaupo.

"Halika na." He said.

"H-huh?"

"Sumampa ka na sa likod ko. Alam kong... nahihirapan ka." He answered without looking at me.

Napalingon ako sa lalaking nanakit sakin kanina. He was lying on the ground, unconscious.

Did Antonio did that?

I shooked my head and wiped my tears. I climed on his back and wrapped my arms around his shoulder.

Napalunok ako nang bumilis na naman ang tibok ng puso ko. I blushed. I'm so close to him, can he hear the fast beatong of my heart?

Antonio's shoulder was strong. I could feel the strong muscles on his wide shoulders, on his long back. His hands that held my legs on his waist made me feel safe and secured.

"Pasensya na." He said as he started walking. I raised a brow, "Kung dumating sana ako ng mas maaga, hindi ka sana nasaktan ng taong iyon."

The night was cold and quite but he made me feel warm. Parang hindi nangyari 'yung kanina. Parang wala akong iniindang sakit.

"Kung sana dumating dumatint ako agad, hindi mo sana iniinda ang sugat sa binti mo. Napigilan ko sana ang lalaking 'yun-" I felt him stiffen when I rested my chin on his shoulder but he continued walking.

"Ayos lang." I said. I could smell his scent. He has this outdoorsy smell. He smelled like freshly cut grass with a hint of sweet lemons. It made my stomach twist and turn into knots. It was comforting and I felt my eyelids getting heavy. "I kind'a like doing crazy things now. At alam ko na kung bakit."

I feel like dozing off. "Antonio."

"H-hmm?"

"I like you." I whispered before I fell into blackness.

-

WAAAAH! SABAW!

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