This scene reminds me of something... gosh. Tumingin ako sa room niya kung nasaan nakalagay yung phone ko. I should call him. Napatakip ako ng mouth ko. Omg. Mas lumakas pa yung katok... it sounds like... metal. It's heavy... My eyes widened. Agad akong tumakbo papuntang kitchen. I grabbed the knife from its container. I ducked behind the counter that's dividing the kitchen and living area. Who are those people? Are they uncle's men? But bakit naman nila ako pupuntahan? Bantay lang sila right?! Hindi naman ako lumabas ng New York! Or the guys Marcus talked about? Argh what the hell is happening?! Narinig kong may malakas na kalabog mula sa may living area. May bumagsak na wood... gosh. Are they inside? Sumunod ay mga footsteps. Mukhang marami sila! I gripped the knife harder. My heart starts to race and my stomach isn't feeling any better! "What do we need again?" a man's voice. "The damn camera boy. It is said that the pieces of evidence are inside." another answered. What? Camera? Anong sinasabi ng mga 'to? Pieces of evidence? What evidence? "What's the model?" "Vivid Shutter, TN70. Black. 147 by 99 by 43 millimeters, if I remember correctly." My eyes widened. That's my dad's camera! Bakit? Anong mayroon sa camera niya? "Tsk. How the hell Imma find that?" Narinig kong may mga gamit na nahuhulog. Omg! Yung mga parts ng camera ni dad, nasa box ko yun sa may likod ng couch! "What the hell is that boy?" Nagriring yung phone ko! Argh! Hindi ko makukuha yun since I'm here in the kitchen! I forgot to bring it with me here. "Someone's calling," the man answered. Calling? Marcus? Alyssa? Whoever you are, help me! "Just shut that thing off. I'm thirsty," another answered. So far tatlo pa lang naririnig kong nagsasalita. Omg. I can hear footseteps nearing me! Napayakap ako sa sarili ko. I felt the cold steel of the knife I'm firmly holding. My stomach is turning again! Nasilip ko yung man na pumunta sa may sink. Just across me! Tanging yung tables and chairs lang ang cover ko ngayon! I can see his pelvis pababa. Tumagilid siya. Nagsilbing frame yung table sa bagay na naghaunt sa akin since that day. I can feel the cold steel on my body... I don't know! What should I do? Parang nafreeze ako sa puwesto ko. I closed my eyes and embraced my self. "Scared, young gal?" a voice... near me. I opened my eyes only to be greeted by a man's dark stare. He wears a full face mask kaya only his eyes can be seen! My heart feels exploding as I swung the knife at him. Gosh! Hinawakan niya yung kaliwang balikat niya. Blood, there's blood! Daplis lang yun but still... "Piece of..." He grabbed my arm and the knife fell on the floor. My whole body feels cold. "Let go..." I barely uttered the words. I can't... his grip is too tight on my arm! "What is it young gal?" he asks habang kinakaladkad ako papuntang living area. Help! They all have guns! "Ah!" I screamed nang mapaluhod ako sa floor. "Now shut that damn mouth!" a man shouted. In an instant, my body froze again, I can feel a hard object on my head... "If you don't shut it and give the camera, I'll blow you into pieces." Help. Dad! Who the hell are they?! Marcus... come home now... This is an apartment. Kung gagawin nga nila talaga... wait. Sa baril na hawak nung isa sa harapan ko... there's a black cylinder sa may muzzle... what the hell is it? Sa mga drama na napanood ko... I think... "Yes young gal," the man who grabbed me now at my back, whispered to my ears. "...Right here, right now we can kill you if you don't give the damn camera." I looked down and clenched my fists. Why the hell do they need dad's camera? Nang maramdaman kong inilayo sa akin yung baril, I looked up. "T-tell me," I started while staring at the guy in front of me. "... w-what evidence are you talking about? Evidence in the camera?" I asked. The man only smirked. "Just give us the camera now if you want to live," he replied, caressing his gun. "I don't have it," it's now broken so what do you all want?! It's the only thing I have from him... "Give it now!" "I don't know!" I screamed and then naramdaman ko na naman yung gun sa temple ko. My heart... it's beating like crazy! I can feel my sweat streaking down my face. The man from my back pulled my hair. "Ah!" "For the last time, where is the damn camera?" he whispered into my ear. His voice sent shivers to my spine. "I-I said... I don't have it... Ah!" I screamed nang itulak niya ako, dahilan para tumama ang mukha ko sa floor. The hell?! I tried to get up but a sound stopped me. "I can pull the trigger anytime now, woman," I felt the gun on my temple again. "Woah, man! Are we doing it now?!" a man asked. "She said she does not know a thing, and we don't need her right now. I need to clean this up just to be sure, and madam ordered it." the man near me replied. The hell?! Anong mayroon?! Anong clean up? Tsaka sinong madam naman nagsabi?! Am I going to be dead? Hindi na ako makagalaw sa pagkakadapa ko sa floor. What is happening? Last time I was cornered too... a gun is put against me... it's the same today... I don't know who they are... they are all wearing a black face mask as covers... Dad... what really happened? Anong evidence yung nandoon? Ano bang ginawa mo, dad? I need you now... please... just someone... "Let's finish up now! I'm hungry as hell! She doesn't have the camera anyway," a man said. A man from far behind me. "Alright," the man holding a gun against me pulled my hair back. Now I'm facing him. Please... I still don't want to die... "Sorry young gal, it hurt like hell so Imma give you hell too," he said habang dinidiin niya sa temple ko yung gun... I don't know what to feel anymore. I just know that my face is now hot because of my tears rolling down. I closed my eyes tightly. "Sweet dreams." his last words. I quickly opened my eyes nang may kumalabog. It came from the main door! "Quick! There's a person outside!" the man near me let go of me and faced the other two. I felt my face na bumagsak sa floor. My hands are still being held on my back. "James and the others are outside just doing the work." "Ah..." I tried looking up. "That's enough now. You can take your breaks. I'm going to handle this." Another man's voice! Agad akong tumingin kung saan nanggaling yun. A man walks inside, wearing the same mask as them, with blood on his shirt. "You nearly killed us man," the man near me said. Inilapit niya sa akin yung mukha niya. I can see his smile from beneath. Abot mata pa. I can feel the heat building up inside me. Tumayo na siya at naglakad palabas kasama yung dalawa. "Clean that up, man." Nang makaalis na sila ay mas matinding kaba ang naramdaman ko. How confident is this man na nagiisa lang siya sa loob? He walked to me at nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang hawakan niya ako at titigan ako. Those eyes... Ocean blue eyes... Nang nakaupo na ako ay tinanggal niya yung face mask niya. "M-Marcus..." I uttered. What the hell...? Why is he... Did he just order those to go out? I don't understand... His eyes... I want to feel the warmth... but something is holding me back. Hawak niya yung magkabilang shoulders ko. I pushed his hands away. Don't hold me! I can't believe this! "What the hell are you?!" I shouted. "Daliah, listen to me, please?" he said as he grabbed my arm. His hand... there's blood all over it... what really happened, Marcus? Explain to me what the hell is happening right now!