Novels by Jyestha Writes

Ang dating madilim na kagubatan ay nagmukhang impyerno dahil sa kulay kahel na apoy na tila sumasayaw sa gitna ng kawalan. Ang init na dumadampi sa aking balat ay hindi lamang mula sa apoy… ito ay mula sa katotohanang unti-unti na akong nilalamon ng sarili kong konsensya.“Bitawan mo ako, Easton!” pagmamakaawa ko, habang pilit kong iwinawagayway ang aking mga braso. “Nandoon sila Arissa! Hindi ko sila pwedeng iwan nang ganoon lang!”Ngunit sa kabila ng kaniyang panghihina, ang kaniyang pagkakahawak sa aking braso ay higit pa sa aking kalakasan. Ang kaniyang mga mata, na dati ay puno ng awtoridad, ay ngayon ay puno ng pait at pagmamakaawa.“Eloisa baby, makinig ka sa akin!” sigaw niya, ang boses ay pumiyok dahil sa tuyong lalamunan. “Hindi mo kailangan pumunta roon dahil may ibang tao naman na sasagip sa kanila! Baka ikamatay mo pa ang plano mo.”“Edi mamatay ako!” bulyaw ko pabalik, ang mga luha ay tuluyan nang pumatak at humalo sa dumi at pawis sa aking mukha. “Mas madali ang mamata

Mabilis naming nasilayan ang kalsada na para bang nasa gitna ng kawalan. Tulo ang pawis sa aking noo at paheras kaming hinihingal ni Easton habang papalapit kami sa liwanag na binibigay ng sasakyan na natatanaw namin. Doon, muling bumalik sa amin ang mga pamilyar na mukha na mga tauhan ni Arissa. Halos mawalan ako ng lakas sa sobrang ginhawa nang makita ko sila. Agad silang tumakbo papunta sa amin, ang ilan ay diretso kay Easton habang ang iba naman ay pumwesto sa paligid parang protektahan kami sa simunang sumunod sa ‘min.“Sir!” tawag ng isa sa kanila habang inalalayan si Easton sa balikat. Halata sa mukha nila ang gulat sa kalagayan niya ngunit hindi sila nag-aksaya ng oras sa pagtatanong. “Get her to the car,” utos ni Easton kahit pa paos ang boses niya. “Keep her safe, no matter what. Huwag niyo siyang hahayaang mapahamak. Do everything you can, even if it means losing your life.”Agad silang kumilos. Dalawa ang umalalay kay Easton habang ang isa naman ay lumapit sa akin, hawak

Hindi ko na marinig ang sinasabi ni Blair. Nakatuon lang ang mga mata ko kay Easton na nakahandusay sa lupa, duguan at walang malay. Ganoon din si Arissa na nakakalat ang buhok sa mukha kaya hindi ko masyado makita kung may sugat din itong natamo. Tinabi na rin sa ‘kin si Lukas habang pinapaikutan nila ng gasolina ang paligid namin. “Nasaan na ang tapang ninyong lahat ngayon?” tanong ni Blair, ngunit bago pa man kami makasagot ay napahagikhik na siya. Matalim ang aming tingin ni Lukas sa kaniya. Unti-unti itong lumakas hanggang sa tuluyan na siyang matawa parang may kung anong nangyaring nakakatawa na siya lang ang nakakaintindi.Nakayuko pa siyang tumatawa habang hinihimas ang sariling tiyan, saka biglang tumigil at tumingin sa amin na parang nabasa ang nasa isipan namin. “Ano?” bulong niya, habang nakangisi. “Akala niyo ba nababaliw na ako? Kayo ang dahilan bakit kinakailangan kong gawin ito.”Hindi ko na siya pinansin. Mas kailangan namin makaisip ng paraan kung paano kami makakaa

Ang buong akala ko ay mapayapa nang bumubuo ng sariling pamilya ang aking ama matapos niya kaming iwan, at matapos niyang talikuran ang responsibilidad niya bilang ama at asawa. Pinilit kong paniwalaan na mas mabuti nang tahimik siya sa ibang buhay kaysa manggulo pa sa amin.Ngunit mali pala ako.Ang kaniyang kinakasama ngayon ay iba pala ang takbo ng isip. Sa likod ng maamong ngiti at maayos na pananalita, may nakatago palang motibo na mas madilim pa sa anumang naranasan ko noon.Hindi pa pala sapat sa kaniya na siya ang pinili ng aking ama. “Hindi mo man lang ba babatiin ang step-mom mo? Ganyan ba tinuro sa ‘yo ng nanay mo ha?” Sunod-sunod na tanong ni Blair habang nakangisi, tilang naaaliw sa pangyayari.Hindi ako sumagot. Ayokong ipakita sa kaniya na siya ang lamang sa sitwasyon ngayon. “Kinakausap kita hindi ba?!”Umalingawngaw ang tunog ng sampal sa buong palay. Bagama’t naramdaman ko ang bigat ng kaniyang kamay at ang pag init ng aking pisngi, pinanindigan kong hindi ako apek

“Putangina niyo! Sa oras na makakawala ako rito, sisiguradurin kong hindi na kayo makakalabas nang buhay!”Masakit pa man ang aking ulo, pinilit ko ang aking sarili na buksan ang aking mga mata, at ang unang sumalubong sa akin ay ang malawak na palay at ang init ng apoy. Pinilit kong alalahanin kung ano ang huling nangyari—ang sasakyan, ang biglang preno, ang malakas na banggaan, at ang boses ni Lukas na sumigaw bago tuluyang nagdilim ang lahat.Agad kong hinanap si Lukas. Sa isang iglap ay nakita ko siya sa di kalayuan na nakatali sa isang bakal na upuan, duguan ang noo at labi at puno ng pasa. May isang lalaki sa harapan niya na muli siyang hinampas ng balisong. Hindi ko makita ang itsura ng lalaki dahil nakatakip ang kaniyang mukha. “‘Yon ay kung makakawala ka pa!” Sabay hampas ulit sa kaniyang ulo. Bumaling ang ulo ni Lukas sa aking gawi kaya napansin na niyang gising na ako. “Eloisa…”Kahit pa may galit ako kay Lukas, hindi ko napigilang makaramdam ng awa sa kaniya. Sigurado na

“Wala akong pasok bukas, gusto mo bang mamasyal muna tayo sa ibang lugar? ‘Yong tayong dalawa lang…” Sinubukan kong magtunog sweet ang aking tono kahit pa sukang-suka ako sa ideya na inaaya ko ang demonyong ito mamasyal. “Are you sure?” Lukas asked, a little surprised with my suggestion. Madalas kasi ay hindi ko siya kinakausap sa sasakyan at lagi kong tinatanggihan ang pag-aya niya sa ‘kin sa labas.Humarap ako sa kaniya. “Why? Ayaw mo ba?”“No, no!” Mabilis niyang pagtanggi. “Nagulat at kinikilig lang. Sabihin mo lang sa ‘kin ang address at pupunta na tayo roon, baby ko.” Ngumiti ako at sinabi na sa kaniya ang address ng pupuntahan namin. Ang hindi niya alam, nakaabang na sila Easton, at ang mga bodyguards ni Arissa roon. Wala siyang ideya na pinaglalaruan na lang namin siya. Kung inaaakala niyang matalino siya, pwes, mas matalino kami.Dalawang oras ang byahe namin papunta roon. Hindi naman uuwi si Mama sa bahay ngayon dahil nasa business trip siya kaya okay lang kahit hindi mu

I turned to the voice of a middle-aged man. True enough, a man with visible minimal white hairs stood there, holding a clipboard in a perfectly stilled angle. Seminar staff. His smile widened when I looked at him.“Yeah,” I answered smoothly. If he’s a staff from this place, then he’s innocent. Since we heard the threat on the bus, that clears him from suspicion. “Red hair. About this tall.” I gestured vaguely. When I glanced at the staff, he wasn’t meeting my eyes. Instead, his gaze was fixed just behind me. Curious, I turned to look.“I think that’s who you’re looking for,” he said softly, pointing out Isabella.We both saw her walking towards our direction. One hand was tucked casually into her pocket, her posture relaxed enough to fool anyone who didn’t know her. To everyone else, she probably looked like a participant who’d stepped away for air.“Yeah,” I muttered, more to myself than the staff. “That’s her.”The man nodded, satisfied, then excused himself with a polite smile, a

Everything about this seminar felt oddly harmless. If it wasn’t for the voice we heard at the bus, I wouldn’t guess that we’d still need to work as mafia and assassins.I stood near the refreshment table with a glass of fresh fruit juice in my hand. Everyone was busy mingling and exchanging business cards like some kind of adult collection. “Hey,” a man in a neat and ironed suit approached me. “Not much of a party talker?” he continued, glancing at the glass on my hand that remained untouched. I took a slow sip of the juice. “I talk when there’s something worth saying. Wouldn’t want to waste energy for the long week.”He laughed a little louder than necessary. “Fair enough. These things can get exhausting. It’s a clever choice to save it when needed.”I learned that his name was June Watson. A fresh graduate who’s still oblivious to the fact that him boosting his overtime and piles of work isn’t exactly something I aspire to have. It was obvious that whoever his superiors were, the

The week ended but it still feels like chaos was still present. Isabella stood beside me, close enough that I could feel the warmth of her even through my coat. We were waiting in line at the bus terminal where our shuttle will fetch us to go to the venue of the seminar. Everyone around us looked painfully normal, and we tried to look the same.“This would have taken me ten minutes if I used my private jet…” Isabella murmured under her breath, seemingly making sure that I was the only one who heard her.“And the chance to cover up your humble and responsible manager image?” I shot back. She grimaced and turned her back against me, making me chuckle for a little bit. I let my gaze drift across the busy terminal. We know no one here. Two representatives from each company in town had been invited to a private resort near the seaside for this so-called seminar. For most employees, this would be a coveted opportunity and a one-week paid break they would dream of. It was a perfect escape

By the time she got back, she was already holding a medical kit in her arms. She saw me in the same position as she left a while ago. The pain on my back is starting to take a toll on me. Her eyes narrowed and made me straighten my back. “Sit.”I blinked, looking at her with full disbelief. How dare she command me with just a word?“I’m not a dog.”“I know, dogs are a lot more charming and cooperative.” She rebutted. She knelt behind me and the next thing I knew, my shirt was torn by her dagger.“What the—” I groaned as she pressed an alcohol pad to the raw skin along my lower back. The cold sting made every muscle tighten. She noticed that. She worked quietly yet, annoyingly gentle whenever the pain made me flinch.“You know how to treat wounds?” I asked out of curiosity. “Adam.” She straightforwardly answered. “I learned because I had to patch him up all the time.”Before I could respond, the handler approached with Daisy still in his arms. “Done quarreling, love birds?”“We are no

I woke up to a light snickering from above. For a moment, I was disoriented, unsure if I was dreaming or if the noise was real. My eyes fluttered open gradually as the soft sound echoed from my place. It took a second for my brain to register where I was, why my neck hurt like hell, and why something warm was pressed against my shoulder.Isabella.My arm had somehow wrapped around her waist while hers was at my chest without permission from either of us. Close call. If Isabella woke up before I even had the chance to open my eyes fully, I’d be done for.The snickering came again.I blinked upward.A familiar silhouette leaned casually over the edge of the hole, one hand holding a phone towards our direction, and another carrying Daisy.“Ki!” Daisy’s little voice called.“Well, good morning.” the handler greeted in amusement, hiding his phone in his pocket. “Hope you don’t mind us sticking around… or above.”I groaned and showed him my middle finger. “Fvck you.”“F-fak?” Daisy echoed.

“So, were you and Adam close?”Both Isabella and I were sitting on the ground, dust clinging to our clothes, and the face of defeat sitting across our faces. We tried stacking debris and soils, digging the walls as stairs, using me as a ladder, but all ended up as failures. Isabella rested her forearms on her knees, her crimson hair sticking to her cheek where sweat and dirt mixed. She isn’t the type of assassin who would sit still, not even for a second. But here she was, curled on the dirt as she’d finally run out of reasons to keep pretending she wasn’t exhausted.Her finger played on the dirt, scribbling random shapes. “Close?” she repeated. “I don’t think that’s the right term.”I waited. Isabella carefully chooses her words before answering. It’s part of why she made it as both a manager and an assassin. And if I rushed her, she’d probably rush a dagger straight at my face.“We weren’t the type of siblings who hugged or said ‘I love you’ every hour.” A humorless breath left her