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XXIII. Help Me!
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2021-08-09 19:34:39“Hey little sister!” bati ng kanyang kuya Marco sa kabilang linya.
“Hey big bro! Kumusta ang mga pamangkin ko?” Nakaupo siya sa supa at nanunuod ng food channel nang tumawag ito.
Two days na silang nago-overtime dahil palapit na ang year-end kaya naman ngayon ay wala siyang ganang maglinis.
“Okay lang namimiss ka–“
“Tita uwi ka na dito–“ saad ng limang taong gulang na si Angel.
“–miss ka na namin,” sabat naman ng apat na taong si Margoh.
“Miss you too dearest!” aniya.
“Dito ka magpapasko tita?” tanong ni Margoh na nauutal pa.
“Siyempre! Wala na siyang nobyo eh,” saad ng kanyang kuya.
“Kuya!” natatawang saway niya dito.
One month ago inamin niyang wala na sila ni Drake pero hindi niya sinabi dito kung ano ang totoong dahilan. Ang alam nito siya ang nakipagbreak dahil hindi na niya kaya ang pagiging busy nito. Naintindihan ito ng kanyang kuya dahil abogado rin ito at ganoon rin ang nagiging problema nila noon ng nobya na asawa na niya ngayon.
“Ikaw talaga napakagaling mong mang-asar.”
Tumawa ito sa sinabi niya. “Eh totoo naman ah.”
“Oo na, oo na, wala na akong boyfriend. I’ll become an old maid and dote on my dearest nieces and make my brother’s life a living hell,” at tumawa siya na parang mangkukulam.
Tawang-tawa ito sa kanya. “I’m sorry sis hindi na kita tutuksuhin so please spare me.”
Namiss rin niya ang kanyang kuya. Busy siya sa trabaho kaya naman hindi na niya nagawang magbakasyon.
“Eh kumusta naman kayo ni Marsden? Anyayahan mo naman siyang pumunta dito pag nagkaoras kayo at ng makita ko naman ang kaibigan kong ‘yon.”
Natigilan si Trisha nang marinig ang pangalan ni Marsden. One week na ang lumipas na wala silang contact. Nahihiya siyang maunang magparamdam dito.
“Sasabihin ko sa kanya.” Nakokonsensya na si Trisha dahil ang dami na niyang inililihim sa kapatid.
“Angel wanted to talk to you.”
“Tita Trisha, we will going to have a baby brother,” masayang balita nito.
“No! little shister, I want little shister!” sigaw ni Margoh.
“Congratulations dearest…ayyy…what will her or his name be?”
“Jacob!” saad ni Angel with conviction.
“Margoh!” sigaw ni Margoh.
“But your name is Margoh,” aniya.
“Hmmmm…hmmm…Trisha?!” anitong nag-isip saglit.
Natawa siya. “Oh like Trisha the second?”
“Yesh!”
Narinig niya na nagtatalo ang dalawa kung babae o lalaki.
“Two months pa lang kaya naman wala pang tama sa dalawa,” saad ng kanyang kuya.
“Congrats kuya, madadagdagan na naman ang makukulit kong pamangkin.”
“Saan pa ba magmamana ang mga ito eh di sa tita nilang wala ring tigil sa pagsasalita noon.”
Natawa si Trisha sa sinabi nito. She really talked too much before.
“O sige na at nag-aaway na ang dalawa,” paalam nito.
“Bye, send my congratulations to ate Heide.”
Nang ibaba ni Trisha ang cellphone hindi niya maiwasang mainggit sa kanyang kuya. It is so nice to have children surrounding you, talking incessantly, lively playing around. She remembered how much she wanted to have her own. She knew she was still young but her heart was screaming for a family and settling down.
Nang ilabas ni Trisha ang black bag na puno ng b****a sa may gate nakita niya ang umpok ng mga babaeng kapitbahay sa may malapit na tindahan.
Nag-uusap ang mga ito sa nangyaring nakawan sa kabilang block. Narinig niya na may akyat bahay na sumalakay sa isang boarding house na di kalayuan sa kanila.
Hindi ito pinansin ni Trisha kahapon ngunit ngayong narinig niya ito ulit tumaas ang kanyang balahibo sa batok. Siya lang mag-isa sa apartment. Ang kabilang apartment na nakapaloob sa gate niya ay last year pa nabakante. Tiningnan niya ang layo ng mga kapitbahay. Malawak ang loteng nabili ng kanyang land lady kaya naman may kalayuan din ang kapitbahay niya at tsaka ang apartment niya ang huling bahay dito sa village.
Dali-dali siyang pumasok and locked the gate at pati na rin ang kanyang front door. Maaga pa naman kaya hindi niya muna isinara ang jalousieng bintana.
Kinuha niya ang bagong bili niyang Romance Book at humilata sa supa. Inukupa ng binabasa ang kanyang atensyon hanggang sa hindi niya namalayang takip-silim na pala.
Pagkatapos niyang kumain ng cereals with fresh milk ay isinarado na niya ang mga bintana and locked it. Ngayon niya lang naalala na wala nga palang double lock ang kanyang pinto. “Naprapraning lang ako!” pagre-reassure niya sa sarili.
Ginising si Trisha nang kaluskus sa ibaba. Hindi siya agad bumangon dahil akala niya nananaginip lang siya ngunit nang marinig niya ang mga paang dahan-dahang umaakyat ay kinakabahan siyang bumangon at pinuntahan ang pinto. Sinigurado niyang nakalock ang door knob.
She was breathing hard and fast. To calm herself she inhale and exhale slowly. Hindi nakakatulong ang kanyang pagpapanic. Unti-unti siyang narerelax nang isipin na hindi siya magagalaw ng mga ito dahil nakalock naman ang pinto at tiyak na pagnanakaw lamang ang intensyon ng mga ito.
“dito nakatira ‘yong magandang babae na sumasakay sa may kanto,” bulong ng isang magnanakaw.
“Hooh! Swerte natin pare,” pabulong namang saad ng isa.
Inilapat ni Trisha ang tenga sa pinto kaya naman rinig na rinig niya ang bulongan ng dalawa. Naitakip niya ang mga palad sa bibig upang pigilan ang kanyang panginginig dahil sa takot sa gustong gawin ng mga ito.
“Putya! Manyakis ka”
“Tikman naman natin…”
Hindi na niya narinig ang mga ito dahil dali-dali na niyang kinuha ang cellphone and called Chloe.
“Chlo help! M-may magnanakaw at–“ Naibaba ni Trisha ang kamay na may dalang cellphone nang biglang makita ang paggalaw ng door knob.
Sinusubukan nilang buksan ang kanyang pinto. Naiiyak na si Trisha. Katabi ng kanyang kwarto ang parteng walang bahay. Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan ang glass sliding window at sinuri kung kaya niyang bumaba s bintana ngunit nawalan siya ng pag-asa nang makitang wala itong kahit isang indention na maaari sana niyang kapitan. Naisipan niyang sumigaw ngunit hindi niya alam kung anong gagawin ng mga magnanakaw baka may dalang armas ang mga ito. Hindi rin siya sigurado kung maririnig ng mga kapitbahay.
Nang makita ang kumot sa kama dali-dali niya itong kinuha. Naghanap siya ng matatalian nito ngunit wala siyang makita. She was frustrated. She went to the double bed foam mattress and tried to pull it to barricade the door but she can’t pull it through. It was so heavy and she doesn’t think wasting time was good.
Nakita niya ang upuan sa may ibaba ng bintana kung saan siya nagbabasa. Medyo mabigat ito pero kumpara sa higaan mas madali niya itong nabarikada. She seated over it to add weight.
“Putya! Bilisan mo,” bulong ng isa.
“May naririnig akoang kaluskus sa loob, mukhang gising na ata. Mabuti pang umalis na tayo,” sabi ng isa na natatakot na.
“Ulol! Minsan lang natin ‘tong magawa...tikman na natin.”
Naalala niyang kunin ang cellphone sa kama na iniwan niya nang kargahin ang upuan. Ngunit nang bumalik siya sa pagkakupo ay narinig niya ang pag-unlock ng door knob at naramdaman ang paggalaw ng pinto nang subukang itulak ng nasa kabila. Agad niyang binitawan ang cellphon at inilapat ang mga kamay sa pintuan upang itulak ito with all her strenght. Tumutulo na ang luhang pilit niyang pinipigilan kanina upang hindi mawalan ng pag-asa. She was now praying to the Father for protection. Repeatedly saying “help me”.
Ngunit kahit anong gawing tulak ni Trisha ay hindi niya kayang talunin ang pwersa ng mga lalaking nagpipilit makapasok upang gawan siya ng masama. Pumasok sa kanyang isipan na ibalik sa pagkakalock ang door knob. Ngunit bago pa man niya magawa ay nagkaroon na ng gap sa pintuan at ipinasok ng isa ang kamay nito. Instantly, her adrenaline pushed her to bit the annoying arm that was trying to push the chair. Napasigaw ito ngunit agad nitong pinigilan.
Nang bawiin nito ang kamay agad isinara ni Trisha ang pinto at inilock. Napaupo siya sa upuan at huminga ng malalim. She felt weary–emotionally and physically. She was relieved nang pilit parin nilang itinulak ang pinto ngunit nagpapasalamat siya dahil protektado na siya ng lock. Pero hanggang kailan niya mapipigilan ang mga ito.
Ilang segundo lang ang lumipas nang maramdaman niya ang malakas na paggalaw ng pintuan.
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