PRINCETOWN | Prologue 

 

Sa isang pagkakataon sa buhay ko alam kong nabuhay ako ng marangya at malaya. Sa mga panahong iyon hindi ko kailanman naisip na pwedeng magkaganito. Na pwede akong mamuhay sa madilim at masalimuot na takot. In my unconscious mind there was a man who was chasing after me. Wanting so bad to kill me. And every time I get my senses back, I felt too weak to do anything. But this time was different. This time, the man got the chance to pull the trigger. His malicious smile was inhumane. He showed no mercy. He had no soul.

I felt my head tremble as I tried to recall the memories of the past. Sinubukan kong iangat ang aking kamay para damhin ang sakit sa aking ulo pero may pumipigil dito. Pakiramdam ko'y may sementong nakadagan sa buong katawan ko at nang maimulat ko sa wakas ang aking mga mata'y hindi na ako nagulat kung nasan ako.

I'm in a hospital. But there's something unusual about this hospital. The room was white at halos walang furniture kundi lang sa isang puting couch at coffee table sa tabi ng kama ko. The only thing that has color in this room is the bouquet of blue roses on the table. Bukod sa mga aparato at kung ano pang nakaturok sa kamay ko ay iyon lang ang laman ng kwartong ito.

"H-help..." I tried to speak pero walang lumabas sa bibig ko. Pilit kong inaalala kung anong nangyari at kung bakit ako nandito pero ni pangalan ko ay hindi ko maalala. Sinubukan kong muling magsalita ngunit nang marinig ko ang mga boses sa labas ng pintuan ay nanahimik ako. Walang nakakasiguradong ligtas ako rito. Hindi ako pwedeng basta na lang magtiwala sa mga tao. Paano na lang kung saktan nila ako? Pano kung gawan nila ako ng masama?

"Iuuwi ko si Malka sa Philistine!"

Lalung lumakas ang boses sa labas at sa takot ko'y pinilit ko muling matulog.

"Naghahamon ka ng away sa pamilya ko Warrick. Alam mong delikado ang estado niya dito once malaman ng mga rebelde na nandito lang siya! At ano na lang sasabihin ni Tito? Tatanggalan ako ng mana ni Papa pag malaman niyang nakikisabwat ako dito sa'yo!"

Narinig ko ang bahagyang pagpihit ng doorknob at pagbukas ng pinto. Sumunod don ay ang boses ng isa pang lalaki.

"You're overreacting, Tevel." Ani ng lalaki sa mababa at preskong tinig. He has a strong English accent.

"I don't think it's appropriate to let another man take care of my wife."

Wife?

"Dude, I'm her cousin."

Cousin? Wait, they're not talking about me. Right?

"You think I don't know that?" Nahihimigan ko ang sarkasmo sa tono ng isa. If I was the person they were talking about then I should be at ease. Pero bakit hindi pa rin ako mapanatag? At parang ayokong maniwala kung sakali man.

Naramdaman ko ang paglapit ng dalawa sa akin. May sa utak kong gustong magmulat pero may bahagi ring gustong ipagpatuloy ang pagkukunwari. Baka sakaling may malaman pa ako tungkol sa kanila.

"Look pare, kalahating taon na hinahanap ang pinsan ko at mababaliw na sa pagaalala sina Tito. Lalu lang silang magdududa sa'yo pag nalaman nilang nandito lang siya sa inyo!"

Maybe I was that person they were talking about. But if it's really true then that would mean...

"Hindi kita maintindihan. This is not you Warrick."

Bumuntong hininga ang kausap ng pinsan ko bago magsalita na parang ilang beses na nilang pinagtatalunan ang bagay na ito.

"Yung totoo pare, ano bang kailangan mo sa kanya? From the first place, I knew you only married her for business. You never treated her like a real wife. She's always the one who's doing the chase. Don't tell me my naughty cousin has set her traps right and successfully caught you? "

I frowned at that in my pretentious sleep. I hope none of them were paying attention. Gusto ko pang makinig.

"Let's not talk about that here."

Kinabahan ako sa tono niya. Mukhang nakita niya ang reaksyon ko. Naramdaman ko rin ang kamay niya sa kamay ko.

"."

"Get lost Tevel or I'm throwing you out my city."

"I'll be back tomorrow then." Giit pa ng pinsan ko. Gusto ko sana siyang tawagin at pabalikin pero nanaig ang kaba sa dibdib ko kung gagawin ko iyon. Parang mas gusto kong sumama sa kanya kesa sa lalaking ito na nagsasabing asawa ko daw siya. Judging from his tone and his way of talking, it looks as if he's someone who you don't want as an enemy. I can also sense arrogance in him and I didn't like that. For some reason, men like him terrifies me even more. So if I'm so terrified then why did I marry him in the first place?

Hinanda ko ang sarili ko sa sunod kong gagawin. Kahit natatakot ako, gusto ko siyang makita at gusto kong malaman ang totoo. Kung magpapasakop ako sa takot patuloy lang akong magtatago. At kung siya ang susi para mabawasan ang kahit konting takot sa loob ko'y kailangan ko siyang harapin.

Sa pagmulat ko'y nahuli niya agad ang mga mata ko. He was staring intently at me in disbelief and if I hadn't had flashes from the past just by seeing his face then I would have swooned. Because his was the face that haunted my sleep. His dark and thick eyebrows were contrast to his soft brown eyes. His nose is straight and manly. His cheeks are high and his jawline is prominently sharp. He has laugh lines around his mouth that proved once he wasn't always this serious. His skin looks soft despite it's tan color and his hair is dramatically tousled almost reaching his eyes. And his lips...they were small and pink. Pursed and in a thin line.

His looks was as menacing as he was in my nightmares. But nevertheless, he was dangerously handsome.

"Malka" Nabasag ang boses niya sa pagbanggit ng pangalan ko. "H-how're you feeling? The doctor said you won't be able to remember a few things for awhile." Sabi niya sabay halik sa aking kamay. Ramdam ko ang kanyang panginginig at napansin ko rin ang bahagyang pamumula ng kanyang mga mata.

"G-get away from me..." His thick eyebrows knotted at my reaction.

"Malka, I'm Warrie. I'm your husband. Don't be like this baby, please." Sinubukan niya kong abutin dahil tinutulak ko siya palayo. Ayokong magtiwala sa kanya at kahit iba ang pakikitungo niya ngayon sakin sa mga bangungot ko'y hindi ko siya magawang pagkatiwalaan. Kahit pa sabihin niyang asawa ko siya.

"NO!"

Nagulat ako ng bigla siyang lumapit at yakapin ako. Hindi ko na napigilan ang pagiyak dahil bigla akong nanghina sa kanya sa pinaparamdam niya sakin.

"YOU TRIED TO KILL ME! HELP! SOMEONE PLEASE!" I cried some more as I struggled in his tightening embrace. Narinig ko ang pagbukas muli ng pintuan at mayamaya'y may naramdaman akong kirot sa isa kong braso.

"Hush, baby." Pagaalo niya ng magwala ako sa bisig niya.

"I don't believe you. You pointed a gun at me. You wanted to kill me! I'm not your wife!"

I screamed so loud it weakened me. And as the shot of pain started to numb, his gentle but troubled eyes were the last thing I saw before I drift off.