CHAPTER 50

Panibagong araw, ANOTHER pain. Chantria woke up feeling nothing. Wala namang bago do'n. It's not the first time that she wanted to end her existence. This wasn't the first time that she thought of death early in the morning. In two years that she'd been out from that basement, the thought about being dead never left her mind. Hours and days may passed, but the thought of ending her life never changed.

It was the only thing that made her sane. That, and pain. Lots and lots of pain to survive a day. Minsan, tinatanong niya ang sarili kung masokista ba siya at

tulad ng mga nauna niyang tanong sa sarili, wala iyong naging kasagutan. Sanay siyang nasasaktan. Sanay siyang iyon palagi ang nararamdaman. Pain

has always been with her since she was four years old. Pain and tears, her companion in her everyday hellish life.

Her void existence always made her question herself again and again. Why am I still alive?As usual. No answer. Just silence. Long and painful silence.