Mag-log inDYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEW
Sleep never came that night.Every time I closed my eyes, another possibility crossed my mind. I kept replaying today’s exchange over and over as I tried to anticipate every move Tres might make, and every mistake I couldn’t afford to commit.In every version of the plan, something went wrong.By the time the first rays of sunlight slipped through my curtains, I had already accepted one painful truth.There was no pDYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEWSleep never came that night. Every time I closed my eyes, another possibility crossed my mind. I kept replaying today’s exchange over and over as I tried to anticipate every move Tres might make, and every mistake I couldn’t afford to commit.In every version of the plan, something went wrong.By the time the first rays of sunlight slipped through my curtains, I had already accepted one painful truth. There was no perfect outcome waiting for us. Only choices…And the consequences that came with them.The mansion was already awake before seven. Maurice and Iverson had left before dawn to prepare the private plane while the rest of our security team coordinated with the pilot. Even though Tres specifically asked for a plane, I wasn’t foolish enough to come unprepared. Ever since Tres sent me the meet-up point, my family already assembled a team, even at midnight. Every v
DYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEWI stood outside Paige’s bedroom for a few seconds, my hand resting on the doorknob but I never quite found the courage to turn it. The call with Tres had ended a few hours ago, yet it already felt like the weight of the world had settled on my shoulders. Narinig ko na ang boses ni Kaia. Alam ko nang buhay siya. That should have been enough to give me peace of mind. It should have been enough to make me feel relieved after days of not knowing whether my wife was even breathing. Pero hindi. Sa halip, parang mas lalong bumigat ang pasan ko.I had to tell a little girl that I was about to send her back to the man I couldn’t bring myself to trust. Ayaw kong maramdaman niya na ipagpapalit namin siya, makuha lang namin si Kaia… kahit na iyon naman talaga ang gagawin ko. I don’t want her to think that she’s only a pawn. I closed my eyes for a brief moment before knocking gently. “Paige? Gisin
DYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEW“What happened?” Hindi agad sumagot si Dad.Tahimik lang niya akong tiningnan habang hawak ang cellphone sa kamay. Hindi ko alam kung gaano katagal kaming nagkatitigan pero sapat na iyon para maramdaman kong may kung anong bumigat sa dibdib ko.May nangyari.At alam kong may kinalaman iyon kay Kaia.“It’s Tres.”Parang may humigpit sa lalamunan ko. Napatitig ako sa cellphone na hawak niya, pabalik sa mukha niya. “What about him?” I croaked.He called and he wants to talk to you.” Ilang segundo akong hindi nakagalaw.Sa dami ng gabing inubos ko sa paghahanap kay Tres, sa dami ng taong kinausap ko at lugar na pinuntahan ko mahanap lang kung saan niya posibleng itinago si Kaia, hindi ko inaasahang siya mismo ang tatawag. Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako o omas lalo lang akong kakabahan. Dahan-dahan kong inabot ang telepono mula kay Dad. Nangin
DYLAN FONTANILLA POINT OF VIEW “You have to eat, Dylan.” I didn’t respond. It’s been almost half an hour since Maurice knocked on my door, asking me to join everyone for dinner. After him came Iverson. Then Danielle and Lance. Even my Dad dried. I ignored every single one of them. Mom, however, had a spare key, The soft click of the doorknob was enough to tell me she was already inside my room. I stayed on my bed and stared blankly at the ceiling while she quietly walked toward me. A few seconds later, I felt the mattress dip as she sat at the foot of my bed. “You’ve been like this for days, anak,” mahinahon niyang sambit. “We tried giving you space because we know you’re hurting, but this… this isn’t healthy anymore.” I closed my eyes. “Hindi ka kumakain nang tama. You barely sleep. You keep driving around the city for hours…” she
KAIA CLEMENTE POINT OF VIEW“Hindi ko alam kung paano ko aayusin ang lahat ng ito, Kaia. Hindi ako puwedeng makulong—”“You hurt me, Tres. You have to be held accountable for it,” mariing pagputol ko sa kung ano mang dapat ay sasabihin niya. “You shouldn’t have done all of this in the first place.”Napayuko siya at mariing inihilamos ang dalawang kamay sa kaniyang mukha. Halatang hind niya alam kung saan siya lulugar.“Nagpanic lang din ako,” paos niyang sabi. “S-Saka hindi ko naman ideya na kidnap-in ka. Dadalhin lang sana kita sa hospital tapos… t-tapos babalik din naman tayo kaagad. P-Pero kasi…”My brows drew in a straight line. “But what? What made you change your mind?” Nag-atubili siya bago muling nagsalita. “‘Yung Tita mo ang may kagagawan ng lahat ng ‘to!” Napapikit siya na parang nag-aalangang aminin ang bagay na iyon. “Tinawagan niya ako at sabi niya ay itakas kita sa hospital! Bahay niya raw ‘to at di
KAIA CLEMENTE POINT OF VIEW“W-Wala! Ano bang s-sinasabi mo? K-Kasabwat? Anong kasabwat?” Mabilis niyang tanggi.Ngumisi ako pero walang bahid ng saya ang ngising iyon. Hanggang ngayon, niloloko niya pa rin ako.“Huwag mo akong gawing tanga,Tres,” malamig kong sabi. “Narinig kita kanina. Sino ang kausap mo, ha? Sino ang tumutulong sa ‘yo para gawin ang lahat ng ‘to?”Natahimik siya.Hindi siya sumagot. Sa halip, matiim niya lamang akong tinitigan, na para bang may hinahanap siyang sagot mula sa mukha ko. Hindi ako nag-iwas ng tingin sa kaniya. Sa halip ay nakipagsukatan ako ng titig sa kaniya habang hinihintay na tuluyan nang mabasag ang katahimikang namamagitan sa amin.Ilang segundo ang lumipas bago siya malakas na bumuntong hininga at marahang umiling.“Alam mo, epekto lang ‘yan ng gamot mo. Baka ano… Baka nagha-hallucinate ka na–”Hindi ko na siya pinatapos. Mabilis kong inilabas ang gunt
“You know how to smoke?”Nagkibit balikat ako bilang sagot sa tanong ni Dylan. “I quit three years ago. Hindi puwede sa trabaho ko ang naninigarilyo,” kaswal na sagot ko sa kaniya at humikab.Hindi siya kaagad nakapagsalita kaya’t bored ko siyang tiningnan at tinaasan ng kilay. “Why? You don’t smoke?”
“Why do you need money, by the way?” Hindi kaagad ako nakasagot sa tanong ni Dylan. Ilang minuto na rin kaming bumibiyahe patungo sa lugar kung saan ako tumutuloy. HIndi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko at pumayag ako pero wala naman akong magagawa. I need money. Kailangan na
“What are you talking about?” Umayos ako ng pagkakatayo matapos marinig ang sinabi ni Brielle. Unlike earlier, this time, she looks genuine perturbed. Buti nga sa kaniya. Though I already expected that she will look shocked but I didn’t expect that it will be like this. Sa lagay niya kasi ngayon
“Hey! Ano ba? Bitiwan mo nga ako!” Malakas na sigaw ko at pilit na iwinaksi ang aking braso sa kaniya ngunit sa halip na bitiwan ay mas lalo niya lamang hinigpitan ang hawak niya roon at para bang ayaw akong paalisin.Mas lalo akong napasinghap nang buksan niya ang pintuan ng kaniya







