Chapter 3

[Phraea's POV]

Pangalawang araw ko na rito sa isla and every passing minute feels like hell to me.

"We need to agree what to wear for today."

"What do you mean?" I asked when they saw me picking up clothes inside my cabinet.

"Master wants us to dress uniformly. He wants everything to remain in balance. We are not allowed to wear revealing clothes and put make-ups." Iniling ko ang ulo ko at hindi makapaniwala. His brain is seriously damned. He's a controlling freak.

The three of us decided to wear leggings and cardigan. Sinabihan nila akong dalawa na dapat kong batiin nang matamis si Garen at kung may itatanong siya ay kailangan kong sagutin nang walang pag-aalinlangan.

Habang abala sila sa paluluto ay tumulong ako sa pag-set up ng table para sa almusal. I flinched and accidentally dropped the plate causing a shattering sound, the glass crippled all of the floor. I couldn't move when the trumpet sounded again. My heart is the only thing that's working, it pounds nervously.

"Phraea!" I heard a voice calling me but I couldn't move.

I gasped when the sound finally ended, two minutes... two minutes and he'll be here.

"Phraea!" Napatalon ako sa gulat nung malakas na sumigaw si Rowena. Gulat akong napatingin sa kanila sa sahig na mukhang natatarantang nililinis yung platong hindi ko sadyang bitawan.

"S-sorry!"

"It's okay, we understand, tulungan mo na lang kami sa paglinis bago pa siya dumating." Tumango ako at kinakabahang pinulot ang ibang parteng nawasak.

Nanginginig kong tiningnan ang hintuturo ko nung aksidenteng nasugatan iyun. Napatulo ang luha ko nung makita ang dugo na tumutulo sa sahig.

G-garen hates mess. He'll kill me... this is the end? Mamatay na ba ako? Hindi ako makagalaw nung bumukas ang pinto.

"Hello, ladies– Ano ang nangyari?!" Napalunok ako nung bigla siyang sumigaw. Kukuha na ba siya ng baril para patayin ako?

Mabilis na tumayo nang matuwid si Evelyn at Rowena na bakas ang takot sa mga mukha.

"S-sorry, Master. An accident happened."

Hindi ko magalaw ang katawan ko at nananatili lang akong nakaupo sa sahig. Dinig ko ang mga yapak niya mula sa likuran na papalapit sa kinaroroonan ko.

Mariin kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata. Tatanggapin ko na lamang ang kamatayan ko. This is the end for me. It's so sad that I don't even have the chance to say goodbye to Almer–

Napamulat ako nung makarinig ng daing. Tumambad sa harapan ko ay ang nakaupo na si Evelyn sa harapan ko habang maluha-luhang nakahawak sa kanyang pisngi.

"Mga estupida ba kayo?! Phraea is still having a hard time to adjust, how can you two be so callous?!"

Akmang si Rowena na naman yung sasaktan niya pero mabilis akong tumayo sa harapan ni Rowena.

"I-i'm sorry, Master! It was completely my fault, please don't hurt them!" Umigting ang panga niya dahil sa ginawa ko na siyang nagpalukso pa sa dibdib ko. Papatayin na lang ba niya ako?

"Ulitin mo pang pagtakpan sila, hindi na ako magpipigil." His brown hazel eyes daggered in mine.

"Clean this fucking mess! I don't have time for breakfast anymore!" Napasinghap ako sa gulat nung malakas niyang sinarado ang pinto pagkalabas niya.

"G-guys, i'm sorry." Hikbi ko bago lumapit kay Evelyn na humahagulgol. Namamaga ang kaliwang pisngi niya kung saan siya sinampal ni Garen.

"It's okay, Phrey. We are used to this."

No, they shouldn't be used. They should not be suffering... we shouldn't be and it's all because of that maniac freak.

"Kailangan lang nating magtulungang tatlo. We need to survive at magagawa lang natin yan pagmagkakasama tayo." I cried as I hugged both of them. Mahigpit din nila akong niyakap pabalik.

"Makakaalis din tayo rito... let's just hope we do."

.

I cleaned my wound and the two of them insisted that I shouldn't help cleaning for now because of what happened.

Nakaupo lang ako sa kwarto ko habang pinagmamasdan ang asul na dagat sa hindi kalayuan mula sa bintana. Have they stopped looking for me? Do they even noticed my absence? Ngumiti ako. Of course they did and I know they are worried about me.

"Have you ever tried getting out of here?" I asked Rowena when she entered my room to have me checked.

"No one tried... it's impossible. This is a remote island. Garen is the only one who has connections to the outside world. I was brought here four months ago at anim na babae pa kami. Yung isa kong kasama ay sinubukang humingi ng tulong through Garen's devices but the island's location... cannot be traced. Thinking of escaping is not hope, but rather a suicide plan."

"But do you wish to leave this island?" Napayuko siya sa tanong ko.

"I-i don't know if my life would be better outside. I was an orphan, my foster parents didn't give a damn about me so I ran away... and Garen found me in the streets. I-it feels like i've been saved."

"But don't you dreamed of exploring the world? Yung magkapamilya, magkatrabaho at mabuhay sa paraang gusto mo."

"H-hindi ko alam."

This is crazy. Ako lamang ang nag-iisang umaasa na makakalabas dito. Evelyn and Rowena don't have any fucking plan to leave this island. They even honor Garen genuinely and it's disgusting.

.

"Good evening, Master." We all greeted him. Sumilay ang tuwa sa kanyang mga mata nung makitang unti-unti na akong nag-aadjust.

"Kamusta ang sugat mo?" Tanong niya sa akin na may matamis na ngiti nung magsimula na kaming kumain.

He look so worried as if he didn't hit Evelyn and threatened me earlier. I never imagine in my entire life to face a psychopath.

"Maayos na, nangingilo nga lang nang kaunti." Tumango siya sa naging sagot ko.

Pagkatapos kumain ay nilapitan niya si Rowena at binigyan ng halik sa pisngi dahilan para mapaestatwa... nananalangin ako na sana huwag siyang lumapit sa akin.

Tumayo siya sa harap ko at nakahinga ako nang maluwag nung magsalita siya. "Good night, Phraea." Tumalikod na siya at hawak-hawak niya ang kamay ni Evelyn na lumabas.

"S-saan niya dadalhin si Evelyn?"

"Sa mansion. It's Wednesday and it's Evelyn's schedule."

"Schedule for what?"

"For pleasuring him."