Chapter 1

“Mom?”

“Yes! I’m coming down in a minute,” tugon ng ginang. Nagmamadali nitong isinara ang drawer at nilisan ang silid. Isang malalim na buntonghininga ang pinakawalan nito matapos maisara ang pintuan ng kanilang pamamahay. Takot at pangamba, iyan ang namamayani sa kanyang puso at isipan ngayon. Ilang beses man niyang sinubukang ikalma ang sarili ay hindi niya magawa. 

But then she guessed she was pretty good at pretending she was okay. The anxiety welling up inside her was quickly covered by a bright smile plastered on her face. She was acting as if nothing’s bothering her. As if everything was going fine and normal.

She arrived at the car, still wearing that smile to cover the fact that she’s terrified of what’s about to come. “Shall we go now?” she said, trying to sound normal. Her husband gave her a slight nod before starting the engine of their car.

It was a rainy trip.

The sky was weeping, and the rain was drenching the entire city. The sun vanished into the haze near the horizon when the thick thunderclouds engulfed it. The tangerine sky was now dominated by black and gray hues. 

As the rain grew heavier, puddles started to develop. The car’s roof danced with spray, and the rain’s murmur could be heard through the glass. It sounded like a swarm of angry bees swirling around.

It sounded like a normal trip for the family, but to Ellie, something felt ominous from the moment they left the house. 

Tahimik ang loob ng sasakyan at walang nangahas magsalita ni isa sa kanila. Lahat ay abala sa kani-kanilang ginagawa: ang asawa niya ay maingat na nagmamaneho at ang dalawang anak nila sa likod ay walang imik rin pareho; siya naman ay nakatitig lang sa bintana.

Matamang nakatingin ang nakatatandang anak nila sa cellphone nito at abala sa pagtipa habang parang tangang pangiti-ngiti mag-isa. Mukhang ka-chat na naman nito ang crush niya.

Lingid sa kaalaman nila, hindi lang pala si Ellie ang nakakaramdam ng kakaiba. Ang bunsong anak nila ay hindi rin mapakali sa pwesto nito. Pakiramdam niya kasi magmula pa lang kanina nang sumakay sila sa kotse ay may nararamdaman na siyang kakaiba.

Hindi niya alam kung dala lang ‘to ng kapapanood niya ng mga horror movies kaya kung ano-anong naiisip niya. Gayunpaman, pinili niyang manahimik at isiniksik na lang ang sarili sa gilid. 

Bukod sa kakaibang pakiramdam ay hindi rin siya mapakali dahil nilalamig na siya. Hindi naman kalakasan ang aircon sa loob pero mas nakakapagpadagdag lamig ang temperatura sa labas na animo’y parang tumatagos sa mga salamin. Sa lamig ay makikita nang nagmo-moist ang bintana ng sasakyan.

Fayre gets cold easily, so wherever she goes, she always brings at least one jacket or coat with her. But at this point, a coat is no big help.

Para hindi lamigin ay mahigpit na lang niyang niyakap ang kulay abo niyang teddy bear. Ito ang pinakapaborito niya sa lahat ng laruan na mayroon siya dahil bigay ito sa kanya ng ama niya nang mag-birthday siya. Kahit saan siya magpunta ay lagi niya itong bitbit din.

Kahit papaano ay nakatulong ang pagyakap niya sa stuffed toy pero nilalamig pa rin siya. Tumingala siya at nakita ang aircon na tutok na tutok sa pwesto niya. Tinanggal niya ang suot na seatbelt at sinubukan niya itong abutin para sana iharap sa ibang direksyon ngunit hindi niya ito maabot.

Having a small figure is not something to be proud of. She just wants to grasp the aircon above her dahil nilalamig siya, pero bakit hindi niya magawa?

Nakasimangot na pumirmi siya sa pwesto at nilingon ang kapatid niya na gano’n pa rin ang hitsura. Mataman niyang pinagkatitigan ang bawat emosyong dumadaan sa mga mata nito. Pati na rin ang konting pagkunot ng noo nito sa tuwing may binabasa sa cellphone.

Why is Kuya smiling alone? she thought.

It’s a habit of hers. She barely talks but she’s always aware of what’s happening around. Palagi kasi siyang nag-oobserba kahit ng malilit lang na mga bagay-bagay. She’s a very curious child who has a lot of questions in mind but never voiced it out. She’s the type of person who wants to figure out things in her own way.

Pero hindi ngayon na nilalamig siya at kailangan niya ng tulong ng kuya niya.

She moved closer to her brother’s seat and tugged the hem of his shirt. Napalingon naman sa kanya ang kapatid at inilagay ang cellphone sa likod ng bulsa bago siya maayos na hinarap.

Zachary is a person who often gets mad when someone disturbs him, but for his pretty little sister, he wouldn’t mind leaving whatever he’s doing right now just for her. That’s how he loves Fayre.

“Yes, Princess? Do you need something?” masuyong tanong niya sa kapatid.

Fayre just pouted before pointing at the aircon above them. Nakuha naman ni Zach ang nais ipahiwatig ng kapatid at agad na inabot ang aircon at itinutok ito sa ibang direksyon.

“Feeling better?”

“Opo, Kuya,” sagot nito habang nakayakap pa rin sa teddy bear niya.

Mahinang natawa si Zach at ginulo ang buhok ng kapatid na agad din naman siyang sinimangutan. Ang liit at ang tinis kasi ng boses nito kapag nagsasalita. Tunog inosente at pambata kaya hindi niya maiwasang matawa. 

Ang cute talaga ng kapatid ko.

Habang lumilipas ang ilang minuto ay palakas nang palakas ang pagbuhos ng ulan. Himalang nagagawa pa ring mag-drive ni Keivor ng sasakyan kahit na halos wala na siyang makita dahil napupuno nang tubig ang windshield niya. 

The rain is really pouring hard that day. Even the windshield wipers do not make any changes at all. Kahit mabilis na ang paggalaw ng mga ito upang tanggalin ang bawat patak ng ulan na tumatama sa salamin ay hindi pa rin maawat nito ang ulan dahil sa lakas ng pagbuhos nito.

Kahit na nahihirapan ay hindi siya tumigil sa pagmamaneho. Wala ring idudulot na maganda kung titigil sila sa tabi ng daan. Malakas ang ulan at hindi malabong bumaha sa dinaraanan nila at baka masiraan lang sila ng kotse.

Nang mga oras ding iyon ay tahimik lang na nagmamasid sa labas ang batang si Fayre. Mahigpit pa rin ang yakap nito sa teddy bear habang pinagmamasdan ang pagtama ng ulan sa bintana ng sasakyan nila. May mga pagkakataong idadampi nito ang daliri sa nagmo-moist na salamin at magd-drawing doon ng kung ano-ano at kapagkuwan ay titigil din naman at magmamasid na lang muli sa labas.

“I wonder when it’ll stop raining. I want to see the sun,” she muttered to herself. Amongst the four of them, she was the most excited one for this trip. Bihira lang kasi silang umalis mag-anak dahil madalas nasa business trips ang isa sa kanyang mga magulang palagi. Hindi rin siya pumupunta sa ibang lugar maliban sa school. For a clueless kid like her, this is just normal. 

But was it really?

Her parents are just strict and are just after their safety. Gusto lang nitong mapabuti ang kalagayan ng kanilang mga anak at malayo sa kapahamakan. Wala naman sigurong masama doon, ‘di ba?

Fayre finds it boring to have no one to talk to, so she turns to her right side and decides to strike a conversation with his brother. But right before she looked away from the window, she found something strange tailing them—like a silhouette of a car. Fayre didn’t mind it at first, but as soon as she saw it speeding up, she knew something was off.

Just when she was about to utter a word, a strong force from behind made her fly off her seat. She just found herself lying on the car’s floor whilst hugging her teddy bear. Meanwhile, Zach managed to refrain himself from falling by using his hands. Both of their parents are fine too, for they’re both wearing seatbelts. Fayre removed her seatbelt when she tried to move the aircon away from her place.

“Is everyone fi-”

Keivor was cut off when they felt something bump into them again, making Fayre’s head crash onto the back of the driver’s seat. Seconds later, a series of gunshots could be heard outside.

Binalot nang matinding takot ang buong mag-anak. Ramdam ang pagpapanic ng bawat miyembro ngunit minabuti ng mag-asawa na ikalma ang sarili at umisip ng paraan upang makatakas. 

This was something very far from what they’ve planned for today. They were supposed to have fun, right? Bakit naging ganito bigla? 

Litong-lito ang batang si Fayre sa mga nangyayari. Is this why she was feeling uncomfy and bothered earlier? Ito ang sinusubukang iparating sa kanya ng kanyang instinct? Kung alam lang niya na gan’to ang mangyari ay sana sinaby na niya kaagad. Ngunit isa lamang siyang hamak na bata. Sa mga ganitong bagay ay wala pa siyang muwang.

Ellie, on the other hand, had finally made up her mind. She knew it was going to happen in the first place. It was too soon, but she knows the time will come anyways. At ito na ang araw na ‘yon.

That time, Ellie had only one thing in her mind.

Please keep them safe.