Chapter 2 : Silent Abduction

Shit. Shit. Fuck.

Tumakbo ako nang walang tinginan sa likod, sigaw nang sigaw ang utak ko to keep running. Narinig ko yung sabay-sabay na pagbukas ng car doors parang countdown bago ako mahuli.

Hinagis ko yung heels ko ng walang pag aalinlangan, i was barefoot sprinting naparabang akala mo kasali ako sa track and field competion, pumasok ako sa madilim na alley.

Agad kong naramdaman yung gravel matutulis na bato na parang kutsilyong hinihiwa ang balat ng paa ko. Bawat apak, ramdam ko yung hapdi, parang lumulubog mismo sa laman. Pero kahit nanginginig na sa sakit, tuloy pa rin ako sa pagtakbo.

I wanted to scream, pero wala nang oras. Adrenaline lang ang nagtataguyod sa’kin, the only thing keeping my body from giving out.

The sound of their footsteps echoed through the alley hard, heavy, and getting faster. Parang bawat tapak nila umaalingawngaw sa tenga ko, drowning out everything else.

I risked a glance back apat na shadowed men, breathless but relentless, charging straight at me.

“Shit.”

Pagliko ko, dead end. Dalawang mataas na stone wall at isang chain-link fence lang ang nasa harap ko.

Most girls siguro would curl up and cry... pero hindi ako ganong klaseng babae na susuko agad agad.

Hinataw ko yung fence. Kahit kinukudkod ng matalim na wire yung balat sa paa ko… pilit ko pa rin ipinupush ang sarili kong umakyat. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang balat na napupunit saking paa, dugong tumutulo sa bakal. Ang sakit, pero wala na akong oras mag-isip kagat-labi akong kumapit, bawat hatak ng braso parang laban sa sariling katawan. Isa pa. Isa pa. Kailangan makatawid.

""маленькая сука, получить её. Теперь!!" sigaw ng isa. ( translation: “Little bitch, get her. Now!”)

Russian.

Holy fucking shit.

Parang sumabog yung dibdib ko sa bilis ng tibok. Wala nang isip-isip tumalon ako.

Bam! Bagsak. Gravel sliced into my knees, sharp edges biting deep. Pakiramdam ko parang tinuhog ako ng daan-daang karayom. Blood smeared down my leg, mixing with the dirt. Napasinghap ako, halos mapasigaw sa sakit, luha na kumakawala.

Pero wala akong oras. Wala akong choice.

Pinilit kong bumangon kahit nanginginig yung katawan ko. Every step felt like my legs were on fire, pero lumingon ako and fuck, nakita ko silang nasa gitna na ng fence. Climbing fast. Like predators chasing their prey.

I ran. Hobbling, stumbling, lungs burning. Ang bigat ng bawat hininga, parang sinusunog yung lalamunan ko sa pagka dihydrated. Pero kahit halos dapa na ako, pinilit ko pa ring tumakbo

Every second counted. Every step could mean life or death.

Hanggang sa may ilaw!.

Headlights.

May kotse sa dulo ng kalye!.

"H-help!" sigaw ko, paos at umiiyak, habang tinutulak ng takot yung binti ko para tumakbo papunta roon.

A man stepped out. Nanlaki agad ang mata niya nang makita akong sugatan, duguan, halos madapa habang papalapit.

"P-please!" hingal ko, boses ko nanginginig. "May mga lalaki—th-they're trying to—" Hindi ko na natapos. Nabitawan ko yung salita, tuluyan nang bumigay, and I broke down crying.

Hinila niya ako sa likod niya, firm grip sa balikat ko, parang instinct agad. "Sweetie, are you okay? Ano nangyari? Are you hurt?"

Umiiyak akong tumuro sa dilim, kamay ko nanginginig. "T-they're trying to t-take m-me."

And then they appeared.

Apat na lalaki and their figures stepping out of the shadows, silhouettes towering, eyes locked on me.

The man squared his shoulders, keeping me behind him. “Fellas, can you please leave the girl al—”

BANG.

I felt something hot splatter across my face, wet, metallic. Blood. Nanigas ako.

Before I could even scream, the man in front of me crumpled to the ground, lifeless. His empty eyes stared back at me.

“Oh my god…” My breath hitched, chest tightening. They killed him. They fucking killed him.

The shadows moved closer. One of them tucked the gun inside his suit jacket with a calmness that made me sick, parang nagbalik lang ng ballpen sa bulsa.

My whole body shook. Dugo on my face, sugat sa tuhod, lungs burning from the sprint. Tears blurred my vision, but I couldn’t look away.

“Дорогуша, shhh. It’s okay,” one of them whispered, his voice soft, almost tender. That tone mas nakakatakot kaysa sa sigaw. ( Translation: “my darling,” )

I stumbled back, but he was faster. His hand clamped around my wrist in a steel grip, cutting off my circulation. Nang sisigaw na ako, he smothered my mouth with a gloved hand.

My scream died in my throat. Panic roared in my head.

Hot tears streamed down as he yanked me flush against him, my spine slamming to his chest. He brushed my hair away from my face, his breath grazing my ear.

“Shhh, Princess… it’ll be over soon.”

My stomach dropped. Nanlaki mata ko. Then cloth. White. Pressed hard over my nose and mouth.

I thrashed violently, muffled screams tearing from my throat. I tried not to breathe, pero my lungs betrayed me, gasping in the chemical.

The sting was immediate. Sharp. Poison seared into my airways.

I clawed at his arm, kicked, scratched pero para akong nakikipag laban sa pader. His grip was unrelenting, crushing, inescapable.

The world tilted. Vision flickered. My strength drained like sand slipping through my fingers.

Numbness crawled from my fingertips, spreading to my chest. My legs buckled, body convulsing weakly in his arms.

And with one last desperate gasp, my world went black.