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YUMI“Anghel and Axel…” bulong ko sa mga pangalan na binanggit ni Helio. Iniisip kung totoo ang sinasabi niya. At kung totoo kaya na nabalik na kay Ice ang mga anak namin…“Uh-huh…” Helio answered with her usual nonchalant way of talking. “Wanna see them?” Hindi ako umimik pero gusto nang sumabog ng dibdib ko. Gusto kong isipin na nagsisinungaling lang siya para utuin na naman ako pero kilala ko si Helio. She could be cruel but will never be a liar when it comes with her offers when handling a deal. She knows how to well utilize her aces. She’s a gambler, a brilliant one.“Spill it out!” I hissed. “Sabihin mo na ang lahat ng gusto mong ipagawa sa akin at gagawin ko basta hahayaan mo akong makasama ang mga anak ko! I could live a double life. I could lie to Ice and the rest about not being back in Incognito and still work for you, but promise me you will let me be with them! Like how you let your sister have a family, then let me be like her, too!”“Woah… That was a bold proposal,” Hel
YUMIHelio threw her aces again for me. That's what she was saying. So, there was no third one. Ako ang ginamitan ng dalawang alas ni Helio para makabalik sa Incognito. I smirked. Nilapitan ko si John at isinara ang pinto na kabubukas niya lang para lumabas na sana kami. Muli kong binalikan si Helio. “So?” I pursed my lips. “Do you want me to thank you for giving me another chance to be back in hell?” I taunt. “You must.” Tamang sinulyapan lang niya ako at muling ibinalik ang tingin sa painting na gawa ng kapatid niya. “But for clarity, I threw my ace not for you to be back in Incognito, my dear Hugo. I threw my ace for you not to be eliminated. Sinigurado ko lang na walang gagalaw sa ‘yo pagkatapos ng nangyari sa Illinois. I plotted it perfectly pero may sumira.” “Wow!” pang-asar ko na lang. “Ang totoo ay gusto ko pang marinig ang mga kwento tungkol sa nangyari noon sa Illinois, kung paanong buhay sina Liza at Libby. “You threw one of your aces for me so I wouldn't be killed, is
ICE“Where are we going, Papa?” tanong ni Ebony na ikinatingin ko sa kaniya sa rearview mirror. Nasa likod na upuan silang apat na magkakapatid. Kaming lima lang ang magkakasama. Iniwan ko sina Clarita at Viviana sa hotel para may kasama si Libby. I can’t bring Libby now, I want to have time with my children alone. “Meeraateqarfik!” Ivory replied to Ebony and giggled. She said orphanage in Greenlandic language. Idinagdag kasunod na baka naisip ko nang ilagay sa ampunan ang mga kapatid nilang lalaki kaya doon kami pupunta.Napailing na lang ako lalo na at nakitawa na rin si Ebony. Kasunod ay nag-uusap na sila sa salitang Kalaallisut, the Greenlandic language used by Eskimos, na natutunan nila sa orphanage sa Greenland kung saan sila dinala ng triplets at iniwan noon. They kept talking in that language. Hindi naman umiimik sina Anghel at Axel na parehong nakatingin lang sa nadadaanan naming mga puno at tanawin. Ebony and Ivory continued talking. Hindi ko na sila sinaway pa tutal ay hi
YUMI“Death?” Helio asked with a hint of sadness and irony in her tone. Hindi naman ako umimik. I shoulda left her in her office kanina pa, pero may kung ano sa tono niya ang dahilan kaya nanatili pa rin ako roon. And that’s new. Helio seemed not aware of her emotion but it was obvious. She was affected by what I said. But… why?“Don’t you know that if I chose death years ago, ay wala ang Incognito?” malungkot na sabi niya. “Wala ka sana sa harap ko ngayon kung sakali. They will take you away from me. Kagaya ng ginawa nila kay—” she stopped. “They—” Helio shook her head in despair. “All I did was for you to survive this world! You ungrateful one!” That made me curious. May tinutukoy siya at gusto kong malaman kung sino ‘yon. It isn’t her sister. Not even Cent. Kung kilala ko ang sinasabi niya ay alam kong babanggitin niya ang pangalan. And she used the pronoun ‘they’ to refer to some people who take away that person. Whoever that was ay gusto kong malaman kung sino iyon… Helio brea
Illinois, USA2019AGENT HMadaling mamatay pero mahirap mabuhay. My life is such a jumbled mess!There is nothing special about the life I need to work for; I have no one. No family. No friends. No beliefs… siguro kung mamamatay ako kahit anong oras ay balewala. Walang makakaalala, walang makakapuna. Oo, walang makakaalala dahil kahit ang grupo na nagpalaki sa akin at pinagtatrabahuan ay babalewalain lang sigurado ang pagkawala ko. I'm nothing but a tool for them. They don't even treat me like a person with my own life.Magulo na ang buhay ko pagkapanganak ko pa lang. Hindi ko nga kung alam sino ang mga magulang ko. Isa lang ang totoo sa akin sa ngayon, ang pangalan ko na ibinigay na lang ng organisasyon na nagpalaki sa akin. Hugo. Just Hugo. Wala akong apelyido, lahat kami na nasa grupo ay walang apelyido. Babae ako, babae kaming lahat na nasa Incognito pero walang nakakakilala sa totoong kami maliban sa pangalan namin na alam sa underground society. Sinadya ang pangalan namin
Illinois, USA 2019 ICE Life has never been a bed of roses for someone like me. I was born into a mafia family and learned everything from the ground up. I was raised in a strict way, was spoiled beyond belief, and was punished harshly for any mistakes. There is no such thing as a perfect family, but mine is even better than perfect. All of our needs and wants have been met. We were able to acquire anything we desired. And I have a collection of autos and other products because I wanted to do so. I am one of the FSO heirs. The FSO stands for two Mafia clans, the Ferreiras and Silvas. Years ago, in exchange for an alliance, the son of the Silva family became engaged to the daughter of the Ferreira family, and the two families eventually merged into one. The FSO of Brazil was founded by their union. I'm a member of the Ferreira family. We even outnumber the Silvas nowadays because the Silvas' lone representative is reluctant to take his seat. Tio Michael Ferreira Silva, the o
Orvieto, Italy July 2021 YUMI Ang sabi ni Sir Rex ay huwag na huwag kong iiwan ang anak niyang si Reign, na Reianna naman kapag sa mama niya. Kainis! Mabuti na lang at hindi nalilito ang bata sa magkaibang tawag ng mga magulang niya sa kaniya. Tatlong taon pa lang si Reign at ang ganda-gandang bata, kamukha ng mama niya kasi sobrang ganda naman talaga ni Madam Julianna, kagandahan na balewala kay Sir Rex kaya sorry na lang siya. Pero naunawaan ko naman ang boss kong pogi, sadyang pangit kasi ang ugali ni Madam Julianna. Palasigaw iyon at nagiging malambing lang ang boses kapag nakikita si Sir Rex. Kawawa rin, asawang naturingan pero kinukulang sa atensyon. Kadalasan papansin na lang. Halatang-halata rin naman kasi na paimbabaw lang ang pagiging nanay niya kay Baby Reign, mabuti nga at hindi ko siya sinusumbong kay Sir Rex… Paano naman kasi kapag nasa palasyo ng mga Agosti si Sir Rex ay kunwari hands-on mommy si madam, pero kapag wala na si Sir Rex ay puro utos lang din sa aki
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilJuly 2021ICEThe tragedy that happened to my family was two years ago. After a week of unconsciousness, I woke up in the hospital in Rio de Janeiro and not in Illinois. I was screaming and frustrated to get even. Enraged by hatred, all I felt inside me, I wanna kill the people who bombed my family. I wanted to return to Illinois to see my wife and daughter, but my father didn’t allow me, and even my mother could not do anything to help me. Mama said she knew my pain, but it was the decision of my father that I needed to oblige. I just watched my wife and daughter's funeral in a video taken secretly by my father's men for me... for me... so I have seen them even though I should be there. Funny, but I was buried too with them... No one from the Ferreiras and the Silvas wanted me to execute my revenge, for I was already declared dead. Not me, but my other personality; the Math teacher Isidro Andrade, Libby's husband, and Millie's father. Isidro Andrade, me, di