STRINGS AND CHAINS

CHAPTER 24

Ang sakit ng buong katawan ko pero I have to go back to Roscoe's. I need to check my parents, especially my mom. Katatapos ko lang maligo at nagbibihis ako sa harap ng salamin nang mapansin kong nakatitig sa akin si Rai. Lumingon ako sa kanya at lumapit.

"What's wrong?" tanong ko saka ako umupo sa hita niya. Niyakap niya ako at tumingala sa akin.

"I just want to remind you," sagot niya.

"Na?" tanong ko muli.

"This isn't some small problem between the Livertons and the incubi," paliwanag niya. Huminga ako ng malalim.

"I know." I lick my lower lip at medyo nakaramdam ng kaba. "What do you know?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"I know everything," sagot niya.

"Then why don't you just explain it to me?" Naguguluhan kong tanong sa kanya. If he knows everything, then why doesn't he just say it? Things are getting out of hand. Maybe if for worst scenario, ang bayan na ito ay magkaroon ng incubi infestation and maybe sooner or later, dahil huli na ang lahat, dahil wala kaming kaalam-alam sa totoong nangyayari, huli na rin ang lahat para mailigtas ang sarili namin, ang mga tao dito, at ang buong bayan na 'to.

I know this isn't some small joke or misunderstanding between those two. Like what I said, there's more than this and that's what I want to know.

"It's too dangerous. I don't want you to get involve," sagot niya.

"Then how are we going to solve everything if we don't know what's the truth?" tanong ko muli. Natahimik si Rai.

"I know it's very dangerous, Rai. But my family is already part of this and-"

"No, they are not."

Tumingin ako kay Raiden. "What do you mean they're not part of this? That I am not already part of this?" Medyo tumaas na ang boses ko dahil sa pagkagulat sa sinabi niya.

"Your parents' job is to defend this town. But beyond this problem, the incubi and the others, it's not their concern anymore."

Natahimik ako dahil may point naman si Rai. Whatever is going on, I mean the truth which Raiden wouldn't say is not our problem anymore. Pero...

"If it's not us, then kanino? Ikaw? Sa 'yong problema?" tanong ko.

"Yes," sagot niya.

"Leave it to me, to us," dugtong pa niya kaya kumunot-noo na ako. I somehow get the feeling kung ano ang susunod na sasabihin ni Raiden. He already said that I will hate him because of his task, of what he needs to do. Alam ko na kung saan kami babagsak nito.

"What do you want me to do, Raiden?" Lumayo ako sa kanya at tumayo. Nakita ko ang pagbuntong-hininga niya at ang pagsuklay niya sa kanyang buhok. It frustrates him and he doesn't want to say it, but he has no choice. It's written all over his face. He's decided.

"Give me time," sagot niya. No, don't say it.

"And I want you to wait," dugtong niya kaya huminga na ako ng malalim.

"What are you going to do, Rai?" tanong ko.

He just looked at me without saying a word.

***

Hinatid ako ni Rai hanggang sa entrance. Naglakad ako papasok sa hacienda ng mga Roscoe at pumasok sa bahay nila Trojan. Naabutan kong nasa sala sina Mama't Papa kasama sina Tito't Tita. 'Di ko naman makita sina Trojan at ang mga pinsan niya.

"Sit down, Maru." Nang marinig ko ang boses ni Mama ay kinabahan ako. The last time I saw my mom like this was when I almost drowned in the river. I was seven that time. I was playing with my friends at the river bank nang tumaas 'yong tubig. So I and my friends almost drowned. Buti na lang at nasagip kami agad ni Papa.

Umupo ako agad bago pa ako mabulyawan ni Mama.

"Let's get to the point, Maru. What else do you know?" tanong ni Mama sa akin kaya napalunok ako.

"Everything?" Hindi ko sure na sagot. I mean, hindi ako sure kung tama bang sumagot ako.

"And the man who saved us? What's your relationship with him?"

Dito na talaga ako kinabahan ng husto na kulang na lang tumalon ang puso ko palabas ng katawan ko. How should I answer that? Yes, mom. Actually, he's my boyfriend. Gugustuhin ko bang makita kung paano magratrat ng baril ang nanay ko sa harapan ko habang nakatutok 'yon sa 'kin? No. Sh-t. Kinakabahan talaga ako.

Tumingin ako kay Papa na tahimik lang. Pa, help me!

"Well..."

"Well what?" pagsusungit ni Mama sa 'kin.

Lumunok ako ulit at tumingin kay Mama. "Well, his name is Raiden."

"And?" 'Di ba talaga ako tatantanan ni Mama dito?

"He's my boyfriend," sagot ko. Palakasan na ng loob! Wala ng atrasan 'to! Nandito na tayo, eh. So let's all be honest nang matapos 'to. Mamamatay ako sa kaba!

Mamamatay na talaga ata ako sa kaba dahil walang imik si Mama.

"Raiden..." bulong niya. "Is it Raiden Frey we're talking about, Maru?" tanong sa akin ni Mama.

Kumunot-noo ako. "You know him?"

"Not him. His family and their reputation in the vampire race," sagot niya sa akin.

Muli akong napalunok. "What do you heard?" tanong ko.

"Well from what I heard, nasira na ang Aristokratos. Freys were seen by that time, so the hunters suspected they were the one who killed them. Now they're back as the leaders of the vampire community," paliwanag sa akin ni Mama.

Saan nakukuha ng mga hunters ang info na 'to?

"So you know everything. What else do you know?" tanong ni Mama sa akin. She can really read my expression. Wala akong kawala.

"Why is he here?"

Ayan na, the most important question. Why is Raiden here? I couldn't say na he's being punished. I know na bukod pa do'n may iba pang dahilan kung bakit nandito si Rai.

"He's with us for three years. He was the dog that I rescued at the shelter."

Nagulat si Mama sa sinabi ko. All this time may nakatirang bampira sa pamamahay ng isang hunter at wala silang kaalam-alam.

"Now that changes everything. But I'm still suspecting him. Vampires shouldn't be here. Vampires shouldn't be meddling with this problem," sagot ni Mama sa akin.

"Since you know everything, there's no point na itago pa namin sa 'yo 'to, so listen very carefully, Maru."

"We found the incubi's base. It is a warehouse not far from here," wika ni Mama.

I know their base from the very beginning. Dapat ba sinabi ko na lang agad para hindi sila nahirapan?

"We found Ana and Marian Liverton in the warehouse. We're not sure if they are still alive."

"How about Joseph?" tanong ko.

Tumingin sa akin sina Mama't Papa. "We were there for minutes. Hindi namin nalibot ang buong warehouse."

If Joseph still couldn't find at hindi pa rin siya nagpapakita hanggang ngayon, there is a possibility na nakuha na rin s'ya ng mga incubi. Great.

"We were attacked because of that. Maraming namatay sa mga tauhan ko. I don't know if we could still help Liverton in our case," wika ni Mama.

"So this time, I leave the rest to you George and Maria," dugtong pa niya.

I sighed. Kung maraming mga hunters ang namatay, then wala pang laban sina Mama sa ngayon.

"Gaano sila kadami?" tanong ko.

"There were at least seven incubi who attacked us."

"At natalo kayong lahat? Ilan kayo sa bahay that time?"

"At least twenty," sagot naman ni Papa.

"They're strong. And we couldn't find a way to kill an incubus," sagot naman ni Mama.

"I tried reaching out to my family, but I couldn't take the risk to endanger all of you here, so no. We don't need their help. It will only get worse."

Natahimik ako ng matagal habang nag-uusap silang apat. They're trying to strategize how to kill the incubi while protecting the whole town and the Liverton at the same time. I think this is a bit unfair. Bakit hindi kayang lumaban ng mga Liverton? We all know who has a power to kill an incubus. Witches can.

"What's our main goal here?" tanong ko sa kanila kaya huminto sina Mama sa kanilang ginagawa.

"It's clear for us na it's to protect the town. How about the Livertons? What's their goal?"

"It is to protect the orb," sagot ni Tita Maria.

"Then why they couldn't fight too? Why leave the rest to us?" tanong ko.

Natahimik ang apat. Mom and dad looked solemn as if they remembered something.

"Liverton is the last family of white witches," sagot sa akin ni Mama kaya kumunot-noo ako.

"Bukod sa nangyayari sa bayan na 'to, they're also the only one who can fight against their own," dugtong ni Mama.

"Black witches," wika ni Tita Maria. "There are black witches too and they are evil. The Liverton bowed that they will stop the black witches at all cost but black witches are too powerful. Muntik na silang tuluyang maubos ng mga ito but luckily, your parents saved them on time."

I looked at my parents. They are still in thoughts as if they're remembering what happened during the old days.

"We can't take a risk and let the last descendants of the Liverton to join this. Their blood is too precious and pure. There's a reason why they're preserving and hiding," sagot naman ni papa.

Though hindi ko ma-gets kung ano ba talaga ang mayroon sa mga Liverton, white witches at black witches na 'yan, I decided to drop the issue about them. I just focused on what's happening right now. At iyon ang nangyayari sa bayan na 'to, us against the incubi.

"I talked to Raiden," pagsisimula ko kaya agad na tumingin ang apat sa akin. "He said one thing."

"What did he say?" tanong ni mama sa akin.

"To leave the rest to them," sagot ko. Kumunot-noo ang apat.

"Leave the rest to them?" tanong ni Tita Maria.

"He said that there is more about the incubi getting the orb for their selfish deeds. There's bigger problem beyond this. I don't know anything. Rai refused to answer any of my questions," paliwanag ko.

Nagkatinginan ang apat. "Vampires are on the move," wika ni Tito George.

"Do you think they want to get the orb too?" tanong ni Tita Maria kaya kinutuban ako ng masama.

You'll hate me.

You'll hate me.

You'll hate me.

Oh shit. Ito na ba 'yon? Is this going to be the reason why I will hate him? Did his master order him to get the orb?

"But why?" Naguguluhan kong tanong.

"Maybe for the same reason why the incubi need it," sagot ng mama ko kaya mas lalo akong kinabahan sa pinag-uusapan namin.

If that's the case, if the vampires and incubi want the orb, then what's the damn reason?

I need to know. I need to know the effin truth.

Napapikit ako at kinilabutan sa sinabi ng papa ko.

"Let's pray that the vampires are not also aiming for the orb or else it will be the end for us."

Raiden.

Please tell me this is not your dumb task or else I will definitely cut your dick.

Damn it.

"Then what should we do?" tanong ni Tito George.

They were silent for a minute, thinking about the next move or plan not to get ourselves killed without both of those creatures get the orb. Nagpa-panic ako. I can hear the clock ticking while I'm also thinking kung ano ang gagawin namin. What should we do? How can we get ourselves out of this without getting any of us killed?

Tik tok tik tok tik tok

I'm in a situation where I have to cut the right cord to stop the bomb from exploding.

Tik tok tik tok tik tok

Think, Maru. Think.

Tik tok tik tok tik tok

What does my heart says?

What does my brain says?

What does my vagina wants? Of course, Raiden's.

Huminga ako ng malalim. Okay for one last time I will follow my guts and trust Rai.

"I have a plan."