Chapter 6: helpless

Now Via could not do anything other than tear up a lot. She strained her eyes to circulate around the room, and all she could see was pure blackness. Very total. Na kahit ang kulay labanos niyang mga kamay ay hindi naaaninag. When she forced herself out of the bed, looking for a way to escape, she fell to the floor with a loud bang. Ngayon niya napagtanto na sa gilid pala siya ng kama nahagis no'ng lalaki kanina.

"Anyone. . . I-Is anyone out there?" She tried to call for someone, but the silence was complete. There was nothing else that could be audible apart from her own breathing. That was why she was shrewd enough to know that, wherever she was, crying out for help would be futile. Still, she never ceased in pleading to free her. "Pakiusap. M-Maawa kayo. Palabasin ninyo na ako dito!" Her voice echoed throughout the room. And, again, she got nothing—not even a single response. She wanted to get up, but her frail frame impeded her. She felt anguish with every movement she made.

"Diyos ko. . . Ano'ng gagawin ng mga taong ito sa amin? Tulungan niyo kami. . ."

She prayed. Her breath began to hitch while her lips and the rest of her body kept trembling. Ramdam niya ang luhang tumutulo mula sa gilid ng mga mata niya ay kumakalat na sa sahig. Nababasa niyon ang buhok niya maski ang ibang parte nang balat niya. Nagdulot iyon ng lalong panunuot ng lamig na bumabalot sa buong katawan niya. She never thought that anyone would have the temerity to do this to her, knowing how dangerous her father was.

It was Lev Petrov, the most prominent resident in their town. That had always meant this woman was invulnerable to aggravation of any kind, even when she caused impetuous trouble for herself. Her father's timely intervention automatically negates those problems. Yet the people who abducted them appear to have no care and are not terrified of her dad.

"Daddy. . ." she mumbled, wishing for him to come to his rescue as soon as possible. Because she knew, to a certain degree, she was in grave danger. And this was why she was frightened—not only for herself but also for Roan—for something that would happen to them before her father could track them down.

Via could now feel the horror stirring within her once more. She heard her heart hammering loudly in her ears like a drum beating in the room. For all her exploits, she had never found herself in such a dangerous predicament as this. And no matter how often she took a breath, endeavoring to swallow down the scream she perceived building inside her throat, it was hard because the panic lingered beneath the surface. Not until she did not realize she had been losing consciousness and everything went dark.

Someone opened the door and placed something on the floor that had been pushed into the room, causing the girl to wake up. She sat down, trying to figure out who it was, but the door instantly shut. She even heard it being locked again, along with the footsteps walking away. She wanted to come close to the door and beg for it to open. But eventually, she opted to stay still because she was sure nobody would listen to her.

Tears began to stream down her face for a second moment as she roamed her gaze through this pitch-black space. Ni hindi niya alam kung ano'ng oras na o kung umaga na ba o gabi pa. She moved, inching her hands to the floor, and tucked herself in a corner. Fear seized her even more. She had no clue what precisely they needed from her. She wished that her father would come quickly to save her from the hands of these people.

Iniisip niya palang na maabutang hindi na siya humihinga nang kaniyang ama ay sobrang nanginginig na siya. Kung ano-anong senaryong nakakakilabot na rin ang pumapasok sa isipan niya. Hanggang sa mawalan muli siya nang malay. And that became her routine for three days straight: sobbing, sleeping, and worrying over something she could not change. Every day, when the door would open, something would be placed on the floor and pushed into the room—three times a day—but she did not mind any of it. Mas gusto niyang manatili sa kinaroroonan niya.

On another day, the door opened again, and someone entered the room. Via could hear the footsteps trekking close to her. Nevertheless, she did not pay attention and kept her eyes shut while lying down in the corner of this room. Ngunit gano'n na lamang ang gulat nito, nang bigla siyang buhusan ng malamig na tubig sa kaniyang mukha.

"Get up!"

It was Alex. He held her arm and yanked her to her feet while she was frantically coughing one after another. He was going to drag her out. But when he noticed how vulnerable her body was, he stopped and turned his gaze to her even though the surroundings were dark.

"W-Where. . . are you. . . t-taking me?"

Alex did not answer. It looks like this woman had not touched all the bowls of food and glass of water they provided her daily. No wonder why some smell of rotting meals wafted out as he came inside the room earlier. Interesting! Someone wanted to die this too soon. He then continued to haul her out the door and push her off to the two ladies waiting for them to come outside. "Do all the instructions I gave you."

"No. Don't. Let me go!" Via exclaimed, struggling under the grasp of these two ladies in both of her wrists. "I said let me go!" Yet none of these people listened to her words. Her anger made her kick one of them in its belly and make it fall with its back on the floor. Pagkakataon na niyang makawala nang mas hinigpitan pa nang isang babae ang paghawak nito sa kaniya. She raised her other hand and was ready to slap this woman, but Alex immediately caught her hand.

"If I were you, I would learn how to act appropriately. Unless you want his bullet goes through your head." He was talking about Uno. It was merely a streamlined warning. Enough to make this young woman understand that her journey living in hell was beginning. "Go, and take her." Lingon niya sa dalawang babae. "If she dares to behave foolishly, do anything you can to make her obediently."

"Masusunod."

Pagkatapos ay muling hinawakan sa magkabilaang braso si Via at isinama nang dalawa. Alex let out a small sigh, thinking about how troublesome the girl they held captive was as he watched the ladies taking her along. Pagkatapos ay umalis na sa tapat ng kuwarto at nagtungo pababa nang hagdan.