Kabanata 5

"PAGKAIN mo." Dinalhan ako ng pagkain ni Sofia. "Lunes na, 6:00 AM." pagpapaalam niya sa akin. Tuwing dinadalhan niya ako ng pagkain ay sinasabi niya sa akin kung anong oras. Mabuti na lang, kundi ay paniguradong mababaliw ako.

Nakatulong din ang paminsan-minsang pagkausap sa akin ni Sofia. Tinatanong niya lang kung may masakit ba sa akin o kung may lagnat ako, kung meron ay dinadalhan niya ako ng gamot.

Naamoy ko na rin ang sarili kong amoy. Ilang Linggo na akong nakakadena kaya habang tumatagal ay parang nasasanay na rin ang ilong ko sa mabaho kong amoy. Dahil duon ay hindi ako makatingin kay Sofia tuwing malapit siya sa akin, mabuti ay hindi siya nagrereklamo sa pagiging mabaho ko.

"Saan si Aaron?" tanong ko sa kaniya. Ito rin ang palagi kong tinatanong tuwing nasa silid siya, minsan ay hindi siya sumasagot, minsan ay nagkikibit-balikat lang siya, minsan naman ay sinasabi niyang nasa trabaho. "Ano 'yong trabaho niya?" Ngayon ko lang naisipang itanong iyon.

"S'ya 'yong nag-aasikaso sa kumpanya ng pumanaw n'yang ama, s'ya 'yong CEO."

It made sense. He alwaya gave off that vibe even when I first laid my eyes on him back at home.

Home...

Hinahanap kaya ako ng asawa ko? Naniwala ba siyang sumama ako sa ibang lalaki at iniwan siya? Ang alam ko lang ay siguradong alam niya ng nakipagtalik ako sa ibang lalaki.

"Bakit tanong ka nang tanong tungkol kay Sir Aaron?" biglang tanong ni Sofia.

Para meron akong inpormasyong dalhin sakaling makatakas man ako.

"I-i'm just a little curious," I muttered.

She hummed, she leaned on the wall and watched me eat my breakfast silently.

"Vanessa."

Natigilan ako dahil sa pagtawag niya sa pangalan ko. Ito yata ang unang beses na tinawag niya ako sa pangalan ko.

"Gusto mo bang maligo?"

My facce reddened in embarrassment. I'm sure I already smelled so bad, that might be the reason why she was asking me that.

"T-that would be nice..." I lowered my voice, I looked down. "Hindi naman siguro ako papayagan ni Aaron eh."

"Kukumbinsihin ko s'ya. Saka kaylangan na ring palitan 'yang hinihigaan mo."

Mas namula ako sa kahihiyan at tumango na lang.

"Kakausapin ko s'ya ngayon. Babalikan ko lang 'yong pinagkainan mo." Lumabas siya ng kwarto, sinarado niya ang pinto pero hindi ko narinig ang pagtunog ng lock. It was understandable that she left it unlock since she said she's going to come back.

And it's not like I can escape here even if she left the door open. I was chained on the bed, the bed was chained on the wall. I tried to pull out my hand out of the small hole of the handcuffs but I just kept hurting myself.

I continued to eat. I never imagined being kidnapped could be so boring and tiring. I never imagined myself being kidnapped and being treated like a prisoner in the first place. I didn't even do anything wrong. Everything was all new to me.

Natapos na akong kumain, umupo ako sa uluhan ng kama at sumandal sa pader habang nakayakap sa tuhod ko at nakatulala sa pader na kaharap ko. Narinig ko ang pabukas na tunog ng pinto, inasahan ko na si Sofia ito pero laking gulat ko nang may maliit na ulo na sumilip dito.

Ang nakakagulat pa ay nasa hips level lang siguro siya ni Sofia. Hindi ako makalaniwala, nanlaki ang mga mata ko habang nakatitig sa mga mata ng batang puno ng kuryosidad at pagtataka. I was afraid I'm only imaging things but she opened the door widely and strolled inside.

Nakasuot siya ng uniporme pang-eskwela, naka-two ears ponytail siya, nakaspatos at may suot na backpack sa likod niya.

"Hello?" she called, her voice coming out as a whimper like she was shy. "What are you doing here?"

I couldn't believe my eyes.

What is this child doing here?

My eyes widened in realization. Did she also got kidnapped by Aaron on the way to school!?

She looked neat and clean, I could even smell her baby cologne from here, erasing the nasty smell of a person who hadn't taken a shower for weeks.

"What are you doing in the basement?" she asked, walking closer to me.

I blinked a few times. "D-did... did you got taken by a bad guy?"

Her eyes narrowed, she pouted her lips and shook her head. "Marsha lives here." She must be talking in a third person point of view as she turned her finger to point at herself.

"Marsha," Inulit ko ang pangalan niya. "'Yon ba pangalan mo? S-sabi mo dito ka nakatira?"

No, she couldn't be a victim, too. Maybe she's just a relative of Sofia and she just got lost? Y-yeah, that must be it. She couldn't be kidnapped or I would snap at both Aaron and Sofia. Hindi ko kakayanin kung malaman ko na ganuon pala sila kasama.

Tinago ko ang nakakadena kong kamay sa ilalim ng nightstand na katabi ko.

"B-bakit ka nandito?" Ngumiti ako nang pilit. Ayoko siyang matakot.

"I got lost, the ground floor is so big then I opened this room. Marsha is confuse why Sofia always goes here, she always leaves me to be here."

So she is related to Sofia?

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. "A-are you going to school?"

She nodded. "Why are so dirty, Ate? Bakit ka po nandito?"

Dahil ayoko siyang takutin ay hindi na lang ako sumagot. Habang nakababa ang tingin ko ay may ideyang pumasok sa isip ko. Ayokong manggamit ng bata pero kaylangan ko ring isipin ang sitwasyon ko.

"H-hey, can you go to the cabinet over there," I pointed the cabinet to her.

"Over here?" she obeyed, walking to the cabinet.

My heart leaped in anticipation. "Y-yes, yes!" Hindi ko matago ang excitement sa boses ko. "Sa drawer, may susi d'yan. Can you give it to me, please?"

Binuksan niya ang drawer, biningwit niya ang susi duon at pinakita sa akin. Umawang ang labi ko, hindi ako makapaniwala sa mga nangyayati.

"Give it to me please," I begged, my eyes blurring with tears.

Please, please... Let this be it.

Lumapit siya sa akin nang nahihiya. Inabot niya sa akin ang susi, tinanggap ko ito sa kamay, sandali ko itong tinitigan. Ginamit ko ang maliit na susi para sa posas, nagtaglay ito ng pag-click na tunog at bumukas. Sinuot ko ang pulsuhan ko paalis sa posas.

"H-hey, c-can you help me?" I threw away the handcuff and crawled to the edge of the bed.

"Of course, Marsha will help!" she smiled widely. "Why do you wear the bad guy chain, Ate?"

"The bad guy chain?" I repeated.

"Yes po. I always see in TV people wearing bad guy chain when they do someone bad."

"Oh?" That made me laugh a little, surprisingly. "L-listen, uhm, I need to get out of here and I'm going to need your help."

"Are you lost, too? Marsha will help."

"You're names's Marsha?" My eyes softened, she smiled shyly as she tapped her fingers together.

"How can Marsha help you?"

"Are there guards o-outside?"

"There are lots outside. They protect Marsha. They can help you!" she gasped.

"No!" I quickly grabbed her arm when she was about to get out. Umalis ako sa kama at tumayo. "You can't do that!" Marahas akong umiling.

"Then what should I do?" her shoulders slumped.

Umupo ako sa paa ko inuntog ko ang ulo ko sa tuhod at naluha. Bakit ba ako umasa na makakatakas ako? Hindi ko alam kung anong naghihintay sa akin sa labas. Siguradong hindi lang si Sofia ang nagbabantay sa akin, sigurado ako na maraming mga tauhan si Aaron.

I can't believe I tried to use a child to help me. I shouldn't have done that. I might be risking her life! I was taking advantage of her, I shouldn't be doing that.

"I'm sorry," I loosened my grip around her arm. "You should go, b-baka hinahanap ka na."

"Bakit ka po umiiyak, Ate?"

I was completely dumbfounded when she catched my cheeks with her small hand, she wiped my tears with her fingers.

"Huwag ka na pong umiyak, Ate." Ngumuso siya, namilog ang mga mata ko nang ipalibot niya ng braso niya sa leeg ko at maingat akong niyakap. Natulala ako, hindi makagalaw at hindi makalagsalita.

"Ano pong name n'yo, Ate?"

Tears streamed down my cheeks. "Vanessa."

"Ate Vanessa?" tawag niya sa pangalan ko.

I hummed and exhaled a shaky breath.

"You have a pretty name po," bulong niya at mahinang tumawa.

Inangat ko nang unti-unti ang kamay ko para yakapin siya pabalik. Nakalapat na ang kamay ko sa likod ni Marsha nang biglaang may sumigaw sa pangalan nito.

"Marsha!"

Tumingin ako sa pinto, si Aaron ito at gulat ang mga matang nagpalipat-lipat ang tingin sa amin ni Marsha. Hindi ko maipaliwanag ang itsura niya, hindi ko alam kung galit ba siya, takot o kinakabahan. Posibleng bang sabay mong maramdaman ang tatlong emosyong iyon? Because the face he's making was indescribable.

Binalot ako ng takot, handa na ako para itago si Marsha sa likod ko para protektahan siya nang biglang kumalas ito sa pagkakayakap sa akin nang may malaking ngiti sa labi.

"Daddy, you're awake!"

I blinked.

Daddy, you're awake!

Daddy, you're awake!

She called Aaron Daddy.

He entered, he quickly snatched Marsha away from me and held her in his arms. He pulled her away from me like he was protecting her from me, like I was going to hurt the child. His eyes was half-shocked and half-glaring at me. He left the room with Marsha, he didn't bother closing the door and just left.