Silencing Voices Novels & Stories

Ilan lamang silang nasa loob kaya't hindi na siya nagdalawang-isip, binaril niya ng walang pag-aalinlangan ang tatlo niyang kasama. "Mga wala kayong puso! Ninakawan n'yo na nga sila tapos gusto n'yo pa silang patayin mga hayop kayo!" Ngitngit ng binata na hindi tinantanan ang tatlo hanggat hindi namatay. They are using silencer firearms at all! That's the reason why no one reacted from outside the perimeter.

Tahimik kaming kumakain at walang kahit na anong maririnig na tunog maliban sa kalansing na mga kubyertos na aming gamit at ang ingay ng ibang costumer. Hindi ko mahagilap ang tamang sasabihin sa kaniya. Parang nawalan ako ng boses na magsalita. I become a mute and I don’t know why. Ramdam ko ang bawat titig ni Tyrus sa ‘kin. Paanong hindi ko mararamdaman ‘yon e, parang tatagos yata ‘yon.

Nanatili akong nakatitig sa sarili ko until silence makes everything noisy. "Ganther, no one loves you. You should destroy them like how they destroyed your heart..." I heard voices against my ears. I covered my ears but it was no use. The voices keep whispering. It becomes louder and louder. Bumigat ang paghinga ko. My sweat is all over.

She didn’t speak a word. She didn’t have to. Her silence was power. Her poise was louder than any headline.

'Neath the halo of a street lamp I turn my collar to the cold and damp When my eyes were stabbed with the flash of a neon light That split the night, and touch the sound of silence Napatigil si Cain. Muling bumuka ang mga labi ni Aozura. And in the naked light I saw, ten thousand people, maybe more People talking without speaking, people hearing without listening Nagduet na ang dalawa. People writing songs that voices never share And no one dared disturb the sound of silence "Fools", said I. "You don't know, silence like a cancer grows Muling umawit si Aozura na wala na ang deep baritone voice ni Cain.

He said using his husky voice. Napaawang ang labi ko sa sinabi niya. Bumaba ang kamay nito sa bewang ko at hinapit ito papalapit sa katawan niya. Umangat ang gilid ng labi nito, "silence means yes." Hindi na ako nakapagre-ak ng angkinin niya ulit ang labi ko at mahigpit na niyakap ang bewang ko.

Parang may coordinated push. Basa lang si Elena. Walang galaw ang mukha niya. Walang pikit. Walang reaksyon. Tinanong siya ng app: Do you want to limit notifications? Hindi niya pinindot. Pinagmasdan niya ang screen na parang estudyante siyang kumukuha ng exam na alam niyang kaya niya. Nag-reply siya. “Don’t engage. Observe. Silence is the blade.”

I whispered. “Or Carlos,” Damien replied. “But someone with pull.” “Can we fight it?” “We can try,” sagot niya. “But this delays everything.” I felt the anger rising in my throat. “So they’re silencing me again.” He looked at me, his jaw tight. “They’re trying. But we won’t let them.” “Gagawin nila lahat para mapigilan ‘to. Ako... Tayo.” Damien stepped closer, taking both my hands. “Then we fight louder. Harder.”

“At kung may natitira pang katulad niya…” Mas tumalim ang tingin niya. “Then we will find them.” Tahimik. “And we will expose them.” Walang gumalaw. Walang nagsalita. “Because silence is not protection.” Mahina. Pero mabigat. “It’s part of the problem.” Ibinaba niya ang mic. At doon… Tuluyang tumahimik ang buong lugar. Walang sumunod na tanong. Walang sumigaw.

“He was terrified — at sinabi niyang may nagbabanta sa kanya. Also, I heard another voice when I talked to him before the call was cut.” Saglit siyang natigilan na tila nag-iisip, bago marahang tumango. Gano’n din ang mga kasama namin. “If that's true, this case isn't about corporate sabotage anymore…” “It’s about silencing witnesses,” dagdag niya habang nakatingin sa akin. “Kaya mag-ingat ka, Castheophy — lalo na ngayon na alam nilang may gumagalaw sa kasong ito.” Umupo siya, nagpakawala ng mabigat na buntong-hininga.