Chapter two

A loud painful scream echoed the walls of the cabin ng mahulugan si Chloe ng nagliliyab na kahoy mula sa bubong. It landed on her face, and she felt the horrifying burn on her skin.

"Help me!" She shouted as her life depended on it. She's losing her will to live, she's now feeling dizzy as the thick smoke penetrates her lungs. Her voice sounded far as her consciousness slowly departs.

"I'm going to die." She thought again inwardly.

She was about to give up nang bigla niyang makita ang bitak sa pader, the integrity of the wood had weakened and she just needed to gather the last resort of her energy to kick it off and flee. Chloe coughed painfully as she tried to concentrate on her actions. She pulled the broken chair across the tiny room and with all force ibinato niya ito papalabas ng cabin. She heard the wood crack, and she used that as an opportunity to usher herself out from the burning inferno. She felt the cold air mixed with the heat when she could now see the darkened area where the cabin was situated. Mabilis siyang gumulong papalabas sa nag aapoy na bahay while she extinguished the fire caught within her skin. She never experienced this kind of pain before but nangingibabaw sa utak ni Chloe ang kanyang pagnanasa to survive no matter what. She needs to get away alive kaya hindi na niya alintana ang sakit at hapdi ng kanyang katawan.

When she successfully covered a safer distance away from the cabin. She tried to gather herself once again at determinadong lumayo sa lugar na iyon. She had no idea if Lucille and the two hired men were still in the vicinity. She was limping trying to make sense kung nasaan siya. Then she heard a car horn. Hope swelled in her heart ng kanyang mapagtanto that she might be near the side road. Her mind was firm, to get away from her current location and seek help.

When she finally saw the cemented road, Chloe was relieved, realizing that they had brought her to a secluded area, the forest trail she went through probably extended from miles away. She was silently praying na may dumaan na sasakyan ulit.

She examined herself and wanted to weep, pero pinigilan niya ang kanyang sarili. I should remain strong at will. She can't allow Lucille to get away with it. Chloe whispered in the wind.

Her heart beat faster when she saw a headlight cast far ahead heading in her direction. She needs to hitch a ride and report the kidnapping. She waved her hand, hoping that people would have mercy and aid her.

"Please I need help, please!" She uttered loudly while nakataas baba ang kanyang braso trying to get the driver's attention. Biglang pagkadismaya ang naramdaman ni Chloe that instead of lowering the speed, the man or woman behind the wheel accelerated and didn't even budge habang matulin itong nawala sa kanyang paningin.

Her legs weakened. Her current state is peculiar, a half-burnt woman at the side of the road in the middle of the night can make anyone wary. At this point of desperation, Chloe questioned the capability of any human being to be compassionate and helpful.

"I guess chivalry these days does not apply anymore, especially to strangers like herself," she whispered.

She saw another headlight up ahead and this time she was ready to risk it all. She positioned herself in the middle of the road, extending her arms in full length blocking the car from passing through unless of course, tuluyan siyang sagasaan ng kong sino man. At this point, she doesn't care anymore.

"What the heck is that?" Martin cursed under his breath when he saw a woman in the middle of the high road opening her arms widely, he stepped on the brakes abruptly which made Ruby shriek at the unsuspected action.

The car stops at full speed.

Chloe opened her eyes quickly when she noticed the screeching stopped. She's alive. She breathed loudly.

Martin pressed the car window down and extended his body out to scream at Chloe.

"Are you crazy! Get off the road you freak! If you want to die, do it somewhere else!" He uttered, as his anger was evident.

Instead of getting intimidated. Biglang naglakad si Chloe headed to the backseat and opened the car door, to her surprise it was unlocked.

"Get out of our car! Are you out of your mind?" The woman in the passenger seat made a hefty comment but Chloe didn't move an inch. She secured the seat belt within her like it was the last form of defense from these people.

"Please I need help, someone is trying to kill me. Drop me off at the nearest police station, please. Nagmamakaawa ako sa inyo" she pleaded, and she heard her voice cracked.

The couple stared at each other weighing kung ano ang dapat nilang gawin. The woman was firm in kicking her out though.

"That's not our problem, right? If you are in danger huwag mo kaming idamay, I have enough drama in my life, and having to deal with yours is just repulsive. Get out of our car!" she replied without hesitation.

Martin was about to agree and forcefully kick Chloe out of the car when two gunshots aired not far away from them.

The woman upfront screams.

"We need to go! Please!" Chloe commanded. They found her. "No, no, please." Chloe silently uttered.

Biglang inapakan ni Martin ang accelerator as they tried to flee the scene. He too was in a panic. Another gunshot was heard that penetrated the car window. Chloe made sure to lower her body, afraid she might get hit.

"You bitch! What are you subjecting us to!" The woman aggressively reached out for Chloe and pulled her hair, she groaned from the pain and so she tried to keep herself away from the woman in the front seat. Chloe noticed that she removed her seat belt to even have more wriggle room to inflict pain on her.

"Ruby, stop moving around, steady yourself," Martin said, trying to calm the woman down.

Ruby was about to retaliate when another gunshot echoed into the air surprising Martin. Biglang nitong napagiwang ang manibela letting them be off the road.

Chloe felt that they were going to crash, dalawa ang posibilidad nito. They will die in an untimely accident, or the kidnappers will catch her and kill her once and for all.

Either outcome still led to a painful death.

The next thing Chloe experienced was the sound of a loud collision. She turned her head around and saw the truck behind them. This might be the car that the kidnappers used earlier.

"Martin do something, please! Who the heck are these people!" Ruby shouted and glared at Chloe.

"I'm trying, I'm trying!" Pasigaw niyang sagot.

Another loud impact brought Chloe to tears, this time the perpetrators were not kidding around. They are going for the kill.

"Nawala ang control ko sa manibela." Martin said as raw fear flashed in his face.

Chloe felt they were being towed heading to the left side of the road. It was a pitch-black area and the only light that graced them was from the car's headlight at hindi siya familiar sa lugar na pinagdalhan sa kanya, what are they planning to do?

"Martin they are pushing us towards the cliff!" Hysteria was obvious in Ruby's voice and before they could even react to the reality of their situation the three of them felt like being thrown forcefully sa mabatong pangpang. Multiple sounds of metal breaking and clashing as it continued to hit the rocks and a scream escaped from Chloe's mouth when she heard the car windows being smashed with every strike falling furthermore, it was a terrifying sound that Chloe hoped to end. She was frantic as each of these events was happening.

When it finally halted, she felt an unimaginable pain within her body, she groaned. She felt something dripping from her head. She touched it and knew exactly it was her blood.

She wanted to remain awake pero unti unting nawawala ang kanyang ulirat. Chloe felt the pain slowly lifting, numb, her life force slowly fading, and her senses ceased one by one. Could this be her time? She survives the fire, but she might not be able to get away from this accident. Could this be her last attempt to survive?

"Please I don't want to die yet. Please..." She whispered before her consciousness ebbed away fully.

"This woman is alive!" Chloe heard a voice from somewhere.

She felt that she was in a trance, half awake, half dead. Napansin niya na she's being lifted, the people's silent murmurs filled her mind it sounded miles away, she wanted to reach out but she felt too weak.

"Help me..." she whispered.

"We have two more victims in here!" She heard the commotion, but she was not in her right mind to decipher what was happening.

The next thing Chloe remembered was the feeling of coldness, it was a chill not from the outside but within. She saw the massive light up ahead and wondered if it was the pathway heading to the world beyond the living.

She lost her thoughts again when she realized it all, she saw the massive darkness taking over her, filling her senses fully. She then welcomes the abyss completely.