The Silenced Novels & Stories

“You have the right to remain silent.” Napangiti ako. Isang ngiting tuyo, pagod, at walang tuwa. Silence. Iyon naman talaga ang pinili ko mula pa sa simula. Lumapit si Liza. Ramdam ko ang panginginig ng kamay niya sa likod ko, pilit na hinahawakan ang manggas ng amerikana ko na para bang kung bibitaw siya, tuluyan na akong mawawala sa eksena...sa mundo...sa kanya.

Worried was heard all over through her voice, kahit hindi ko nakikita ang mukha niya. Isang beses na suminghot ako, "I'm not. Sinisipon lang ako. Sige na. I need to rest." I immediately ended the call even I didn't yet heard her response. I was nervously fidgeting when I was able to enter Sebastian's village. We stopped for awhile nang mag-check ang guard. Nang makitang familiar ang driver sa kanya, without even seeing me, pinapasok niya kami sa loob.

sambit niya na may bigat ang bawat salitang binitiwan niya. Nagtagpo ang mga tingin nila… isang sulyap na walang galaw at walang salita. Pero ang hangin sa pagitan nila ay mabigat na halos matunaw sa tensyon. Walang sinoman ang naglakas-loob magsalita. Two men who understood exactly what it meant to wield power in silence. Two men who had witnessed how loyalty is weaponized and how betrayal leaves scars deeper than gunshots.

Not once had she reached out, not even a single message to let me know that she was all right. I missed her. God, I missed her so much that sometimes it felt like the silence she left behind was slowly swallowing me whole. I didn't even know how to contact her anymore. She had deactivated all her social media accounts, erased every easy way of finding her, and disappeared so completely that it was as though she had taken every trace of herself with her when she left. She was completely out of reach. And I was losing my mind trying to live with that. Amber and Caitlyn are getting married. I was happy for them genuinely, wholeheartedly happy. I wanted nothing but happiness for the two of them.

Matagal kaming tahimik. Ang tanging maririnig lang, ‘yung mahinang tunog ng aircon at tiktak ng orasan. I watched her struggle. The flicker of hesitation, the collapse of pride, the way her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. That’s the thing about power, it isn’t about who speaks louder. It’s about who stays silent longer. Finally, she exhaled, shoulders dropping slightly. “If I agree… you’ll help us?” “Yes.”

Ang malamig na liwanag mula sa LCD screen ay nagbibigay ng nakatatakot na anino sa kanyang mukha na tila ukit sa matigas na bato—walang emosyon, patag, at puno ng matinding poot sa kasalukuyang pamahalaan. ​"Pumalya ang paunang operasyon ni Rene," malamig na wika ni Silas, habang tamad na nilalaro ang isang metal bullet casing sa pagitan ng kanyang mga daliri. Ang ritmikong tunog ng bakal sa bakal ay umaalingawngaw sa loob ng sementadong bunker.

Nagtagpo ang mga mata namin sandali, at doon ko nakita na may pinipigilan siyang words, o maybe isang truth na sobrang bigat bitawan. Hindi ko alam kung ako ang unang magsasalita… o hahayaan ko siyang mauna. At doon nagsimula ang mas mabigat na silence, ‘yung uri ng katahimikan na halos marinig mo ang sariling heartbeat.

She bit her lower lip, stopping herself from smiling. “Eat,” he stated, taking the empty plate before her. “You should eat too,” she replied and took a bite. They both ate quietly. Tanging tunog lang ng kubyertos ang maririnig. Hindi na nang usisa pa si Sierra kay Cohen. Alam naman niyang pribado ang mga bagay-bagay patungkol sa trabaho mi Cohen. “You are quiet,” he uttered which made Sierra lift her gaze. Her eyes narrowed, “What?”

Siya lang kaya ng may alam ng waterfalls na iyon or alam din nila Silvana at Silvhari? Dahil pag nalaman iyon ng iba, lalo na ang mga businessman malamang ay pagkakakitaan ang waterfalls. Pagkatapos namin titigan ang waterfalls ay umuwi na rin kami. We talk for a bit most of the time we stayed silent. It wasn't awkward. It's more peaceful and calming. I like it a lot. There's something more deeper and sense when you are with someone in silence, there's no words to utter. You communicate through your heart, because it speaks louder.

Pinakinggan niyo ba? Sinampal ko naman ang kabilang pisngi niya kaya may sugat siya sa pisngi. Itinutok ko sa kaniyang noo ang aking silencer bago kalabitin ang gatilyo. Direktang tumama ang bala nito sa kaniyang noo. Hindi nila maririnig ang putok dahil sa silencer na gamit ko. Ang pagbaksak niya ang gumising sa mga kasama niya dahil narinig ko ang pagbangon ng mga tao. Kaya agad-agad akong lumabas ng bahay nila. Ngunit narinig kong napansin ako ng isa sa mga anak niya.