ITO ANG KAUNA-UNAHANG beses na hindi ako sinipot. At ang nakakabanas doon, mga lalaki pa. Ang gago nila!
Matapos naming pagkasunduan na sa dating meeting place magkikita-kita, pinaghintay lang ako? Naghanda pa naman ako ng magagandang babae na exclusive lang para sa kanila.
Bumili pa ng bagong phone si John para lang ma-contact siya at nang hindi niya dalhin ang phone ng asawa niya. Si Brian naman, pinakabilin-bilinan ko na magsuot ng pampormang damit, hindi iyong nakasanayan niyang polo na nakabutones lahat.
Tinawagan ko sila pareho pero walang sumasagot. Hanggang sa naging unattended na pagpatak ng hatinggabi.
“Makakatikim kayo sa akin!”
“Sir Brix, nasaan na po iyong pinagmamalaki niyong jaw dropping Adonis?”
Tiningnan ko mula ulo hanggang paa ang tatlong babae sa harap ko. “You can play with me.”
Sabay-sabay silang umangal sa sinabi ko. “What? Are we going to take turns?”
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NAPUKAW ang pagbabalik-tanaw ko sa nangyari kagabi dahil sa malakas na pananalita ni Kuya Brian.“Where is John?!”My eyes are widened at his violent attitude. Nanlilisik ang mga mata niya at may lumalabas na ring ugat sa noo niya. nakakuyom ang mga palad niya, and it seems he’s going to hurt me if I don’t answer his question.“N-Nasa hotel.” Nanginginig ang boses ko. Natatakot ako sa kanya.“Brian, you’re scaring her!”Kuya Brian let out a sigh. Kumalma na rin ang facial expression niya. Guess he couldn’t do anything against Dad. Tinapik niya ako sa balikat at sinabi, “may reward ka sa akin.”Napalunok ako nang ilang beses. I don’t want anything from him!Pinagmasdan ko ang malapad niyang likod habang naglalakad siya palabas ng study room. Mayamaya ay bumaling ako kay Dad.“Dad—““You heard him. He will do something abo
THIS BRIAN is different from what I remember him—the nerd and stuttering guy who always thinks of going home in the middle of the fun. And the Brian in front of me now somewhat has a strong presence—a bloodlust.With his curly hair down, covering his forehead, I can see his eyes piercing past through me. Brian is not even wearing his usual outfit. No thick eyeglasses, just a plain white T-shirt, fitted enough to show his well-built body.He was sitting on a chair with his arms crossed as he sways a small knife hooked on his middle finger.“Hello? Are you still alive? Baka bagong kulo na tubig ang kailangan para gisingin ka?” May panunuya sa boses niya.Ibang-iba talaga siya sa kilala ko. O si Brian nga ba talaga ang kaharap ko?
ALAM KO NA hindi tatablan ang kapatid ko kahit gaano ko pa siya titigan nang masama. Matapos kong makita ang mga sugat ni John na mismong kapatid ko ang gumawa, kahit takot ako, hinila ko sa loob ng bahay si Kuya Brian.“What is the meaning of this?!”Nakaupo siya sa sofa na tila prinsipe. Doon ko lang napansin na may hawak siyang maliit na kutsilyo. Iyon ba ang ginamit niya kay John?!“Hindi mo ba nagustuhan ang regalo ko? Hindi ko na nga binalot para hindi ka na maabala sa pag-unwrap.”“I-Ilang araw na siya rito? Those wounds might be infected! Kailangan ko siya magamot sa ospital,” nagpa-panic na sabi ko. It will be a good excuse, too, to get him out of that filthy place.“Don’t take me for a fool, Mia. Kung gusto mong makasama ang lalaking iyon, go ahead. Stay with him in thatfilthy place.”Tumayo siya at akmang pupunta sa taas pero pinigilan ko siya.“Kuya
I HAVE high hopes for John. Sa lahat ng magbabarkada, siya ang tinitingala ko. But to think he will say those things to his friends? Hindi ko rin makita sa sarili ko na ni katiting ay na-turn off ako. Anyone will think the same after suffering the same torture for days. He is also a human that can break anytime.“I will drag them down to hell… with me. Akala ba nila, nakalimutan ko na naglaro kami minsan dito sa mismong lugar na ito.”I was confused when suddenly John talked about the past.“This is the place we found way back when we were teenagers. Guess what, Mia? We were high.”Natutop ko ang bibig ko sa gulat. Ngunit mabilis kong hinamig ang sarili.“Got it. Anything for you, John.”Kilala ko na kung sino ang mga tinutukoy niya. Isusumplong ko sa mga pulis ang mga kaibigan ni John.Hindi man nila mararanasan ang nangyari kay John,
LOOKING BACK, I can still feel goosebumps when Robert died. It was a perfect plan, and no one suspected that he waskilled.It was a poison created by my son—Brian. I didn’t know how he did it. But looking at how confident he was, I had no choice but to try it. And the rest was history.Natahimik ang operasyon ko na walang sagabal sa ospital, sa loob ng pitong taon. Hindi rin naman nagsususpetya si John at ayaw ko ring maghinala ang ibang tao kaya pinasok ko sa ospital si Mia.Everything was going to the way I wanted it to be until Brian came back from nowhere after four years of lying low—with the intent to kill. He destroyed some of my operations. He chopped the bodies in front of him as if he was chopping a pig to cook.I always ask why I have two kids, I can&rsquo
I WAS TALKING to my daughter on the phone, asking how they were doing. Nakitawag na lang din ako sa telephone booth malayo sa bar ni Brix. Mahirap na at baka ma-hack ang phone ko. Kung si Brix nga ay nagawa iyon ng walang kahirap-hirap, baka mamaya ay malaman ko na lang, bawat galaw namin ay may mga mata nang nakamasid.“Dad, I did what you told me. Narito na sa isla si Tita Rose. Whatever you are doing, she won’t interfere. Just promise me one thing.”Napabuga ako ng hangin. Wala akong sinabi na kahit ano kay Julie. Malakas lang talaga ang kutob niya.“I’ll come back alive, Sweetie. Take care of your Mom until I get back home.”Narinig ko ang mahinang hikbi ng anak ko sa kabilang linya. Pakiramdam ko, kahapon lang nang karga-karga ko ang maliit na katawan ng anak ko. At sa isang iglap, tatlong dekada na ang dumaan. How I wish I can turn back the time and just watch my daughter sleep in her mother’s arms.
TULAD NG SABI ni Miguel, matapos kong tawagan si Brix ay dumiretso ako sa mansion ng mga Dizon. I have no clue what is going on. Sabi ni Miguel, he has a vivid idea that it was John’s ploy and Brix didn’t get it.Well, same here!“Miguel, paki-explain nga.”I called him while I can still see my own working place. Para naman kung kalokohan itong gagawin, makabalik lang ako agad.“Those fuvkers are in danger. Remember that we have this nerd guy around? He is BrianDizon.From the start, I didn't like the look in his eyes. And when John suddenly stopped hanging with us, I noticed that Brian stopped showing.”Mahabang usapan ang nangyari. I didn’t mean him to start the conversation that happened a decade ago. Simple pointers and such are enough. Kaya kahit ramdam ko na na ikapapahamak ko ang pupuntahan, hindi ko na magawang paikutin ang manibela para bumalik. Dahil narito na, papunta
“FUVK! KAPAG minamalas nga naman.” May panunuya sa pananalita ni Brian. As if he is expecting me to come.Kahit nakasuot siya ng mask, alam ko na siya ang kausap ko. Mag-iba man ang paraan niya ng pananalita maging ang tindig at galawan niya, hindi maikakaila na si Brian nga siya. Siya lang ang may kayang gumawa ng kakila-kilabot na pangyayaring ito. Right from the start, I never trusted this guy. I always notice those eyes of him that is not afraid to kill. Kahit gaano niya pa itago ang totoong pagkatao niya sa likod ng makapal na salamin at pautal-utal na pananalita, hindi kayang magsinungaling ng mga mata niya.Marahas niyang binitawan si Uncle Rod.“I always wanted to spar with you, Miguel. You know, the kind of life and death match.”“Bring it on, fuvker!”I didn’t waste any second and threw him forceful punches on his vital points. He managed to escape from my punches, when he gave me an uppercut. I t