My Love, Darkness

Chapter 63

TUMANGO si Phoebe kay Aliyah pagkatapos ay muling tumingin kay Sasha. Sasha is refusing to go out of the car so she sighed before gripping Sasha's wrist and pulling her out gently from the car.

Nang makalabas si Sasha, agad itong napatingin sa malaking mansion nila. Nanlaki ang mata nito habang tinitignan ang kabuuan ng mansion.

"Is this where you lived in, Phoebe?"

Napataas ng kilay si Phoebe habang nakatingin kay Sasha. Is she seriously talking about this?

"You know, this is not the right time, Sasha. Let's go," Phoebe said before dragging Sasha to enter their mansion.

Nakakunot ang noo ni Phoebe habang nakatingin kay Sasha na ngayon ay namamangha pa rin sa mansion habang tinatahak nila ang daan papunta sa study ng Dad niya.

"Look, Sasha," ani Phoebe kapagkuwan ay hinarap si Sasha.

Nagtataka naman tumingin sa kaniya si Sasha. Nasa mukha pa rin nito ang pagkamangha.

"Yes?"

"Focus, Sasha. I want you to focus. Kakausapin ko si Dad para matulungan ka. Hindi ako ang lalapit sa awtoridad kung hindi si Dad, okay? So don't worry too much. I will ask Dad to hide your identity so that you will stay hidden."

Tumango-tango sa kaniya si Sasha. "Before anything else, can I please use a bathroom? I need to pee."

Napatawa naman si Phoebe kapagkuwan ay dinala si Sasha sa kuwarto niya. Agad na sumalubong sa kaniya si Atreus kapagkuwan ay bigla itong tumigil.

Nakatingin si Atreus kay Sasha. Atreus snarled at Sasha that made Phoebe frowned. Atreus is making an aggressive growl while showing his canine teeth to Sasha.

She quickly lowered down to level Atreus before hugging him. "Hey, hey. Calm down."

Sasha chuckles a bit. "That's a feisty dog you got in here."

"Sorry about that. Atreus is a friendly dog. I don't know why he's grumpy right now," aniya kapagkuwan ay patuloy na niyakap si Atreus.

Tumigil naman sa pag-atungal si Atreus kaya naman bumaling ulit si Phoebe kay Sasha. "That's my bathroom," ani Phoebe habang turo ng daliri niya ang pinto ng banyo.

"Thank you," sabi ni Sasha at mabilis pa sa alas-kuwatro na pumasok sa banyo ni Phoebe.

Phoebe sighs before looking at her dog. Atreus has this concerned face while looking at her.

"What's the problem, Atreus? Are you afraid of Sasha?" tanong niya kay Atreus.

Atreus just tilted his head on her. Napatawa na lang ng mahina si Phoebe kapagkuwan ay muling niyakap si Atreus.

"Meow."

Napatingin si Phoebe sa alaga niyang si Milaska, tumalon ito mula sa taas ng mga bookshelf niya papunta sa higaan niya kapagkuwan ay nag-stretch ito ng katawan habang papalapit sa kaniya.

"Hello, Milaska! Hi," she said, talking to her cat. "How's my favorite girl?"

Milaska just answered her with a meow, making her smile before standing up.

Lumapit siya sa shelf kung saan nakalagay ang mga treats niya para kay Atreus at Milaska kapagkuwan ay binigyan ang mga alaga niya.

Hindi na niya napansin ang oras. Ilang minuto na rin siya nakikipaglaro sa dalawa niyang alaga nang mapansin niyang hindi pa rin lumalabas ng banyo si Sasha.

Napanguso na siya habang nakatingin sa banyo niya. What's taking her so long?

She blows a loud breath before standing up and walked towards her bathroom door. Kumatok siya ng tatlong beses kapagkuwan ay dumikit sa pinto.

"Sasha, are you done?"

Napakunot ng noo si Phoebe nang hindi sumagot si Sasha. Muli siyang kumatok kapagkuwan ay idinikit na sa pinto ng banyo ang kaniyang tainga.

Her heart started pounding because of nervousness. Scary thoughts instantly run through her mind as she tried to open her bathroom door and it won't budge.

Mabilis pa sa alas kuwatro na pumunta si Phoebe sa study room kung nasaan ang Dad niya kapagkuwan ay pumasok ng kuwarto.

She is panting when she comes face to face with her Dad. Nakakunot ang noo na tumingin sa kaniya ang Dad niya.

"Did you run?" nagtatakang tanong nito.

"D-dad..." Phoebe places her hand on her chest as she gasped for air before talking. "Dad, the key... I-in my bathroom. Sasha locks herself in my bathroom!"

Nasa mukha ng Daddy ni Phoebe ang pagtataka habang nakatingin sa kaniya ngunit kumilos ito at binuksan ang drawer ng wooden table na nasa study.

Her Dad showed her a key and before her Dad can even talk, she quickly grabs before running back to her room.

Mabilis niyang ipinasok ang susi sa doorknob ng bathroom niya kapagkuwan ay nanigas sa kaniyang kinatatayuan.

She saw Sasha. Lying in the cold wet tile of her bathroom, lifeless. While the blood coming from Sasha's neck that was slit was still flowing on her bathroom floor.

Nanatiling naninigas ang katawan ni Phoebe habang nakatingin sa mata ni Sasha na nakatingin rin sa kaniya.

She never thought that Sasha will kill herself. Buntis ito. Akala niya iingatan nito ang sarili habang buntis ito ngunit nagkamali siya.

Tinignan ni Phoebe ang kamay ni Sasha na may hawak na cutter knife. Mas lalo siyang nakaramdam ng takot habang nakatingin sa bagay na ginamit ni Sasha para patayin ang sarili nito.

It was the same cutter knife she used back then for trying to slit herself so she could die and end her life of suffering however, she doesn't have the guts. She's just tired.

Really different from Sasha who is now lying dead on her bathroom floor while looking right into her eyes.

Phoebe's body trembles and before she knows it, she screams from the top of her lungs.

It was a matter of seconds when Phoebe heard her Dad's panicky voice before feeling herself drained and passed out.

TITUS can't stop cursing his self as she looks at Phoebe who is now lying unconscious on the hospital bed.

He saw everything that happened. From the moment Phoebe's friend, Sasha entered the bathroom to the moment where Sasha slitted her neck.

Nakita niya ang lahat dahil din sa kadahilanang naramdaman niya rin ang near-death ng kaibigan ni Phoebe.

"D-Dad, what's happening to Ate Phoebe again? Is she going to be okay?" naiiyak na tanong ni Aliyah habang nakayakap sa Dad nila na ngayon ay maluha-luha habang nakatingin kay Phoebe.

"Shh..." Phoebe's Dad shushes as he hugs Aliyah. "Your Ate Phoebe is going to be okay. She just passed out because of being shocked."

Shit. Napahilamos si Titus sa mukha habang nakatingin sa Dad ni Phoebe at kay Aliyah. Good thing, I'm invincible right now.

Muntik na rin siyang pumasok sa kuwarto ni Phoebe na hindi nakakapag-invincible dahil sa sobrang takot at pag-aalala.

He can never forget the look on Phoebe's face, finding out that her friend was already while he was reaping Sasha's soul. Hinding-hindi niya makakalimutan ang takot na nasa mukha ni Phoebe bago ito mamatay.

Tumatak sa kaniyang utak ang itsurang iyon ni Phoebe. Was that her face when died for the first and second time? Thinking of Phoebe's scared face made him feel down in instant.

Naalala na naman niya ang dalawang beses na pagkabigo niya para mailigtas ang bata.

Umiling si Titus at iwinaksi sa utak niya ang kaniyang iniisip. If there's anything that I should be focusing on, it should be Phoebe.

Kailangan niyang mas bantayan ito. Lalo na't matapos niyang basahin ang iniwang sulat ni Sasha. It seems like Phoebe's friend already decided to kill herself at first but also doesn't has the guts to do.

Nakita niya kung paano umiiyak ang kaibigan ni Phoebe habang sapo nito ang tyan. Tila nagsisisi itong pinili na patayin ang sarili habang nasa loob banyo ng kuwarto ni Phoebe.

I think I know why. He has a hunch but he also needs to wait for the investigators Phoebe's Dad hired.

Gusto niyang kumpirmahin ang nasa isip niya bago siya pupunta kay Kellan para humingi ng tulong sa gagawin niya.

Nanatiling tahimik si Titus habang nakatitig kay Phoebe kapagkuwan ay nanlaki ang kaniyang mata nang makitang gumalaw ang kamay ni Phoebe.

Finally. She's awake.

Napangiti si Titus habang pinapanood si Phoebe na dahan-dahang gumigising hanggang sa maibuka nito ang mata kapagkuwan ay napatingin sa Dad niya.

"D-Dad?" she said hoarsely.

Agad naman napatingin si Aliyah kay Phoebe kapagkuwan ay malawak itong ngumiti at mabilis pa sa alas kuwatro na tinapunan ng yakap si Phoebe.

Titus smiles while looking at Phoebe who's now looking grumpy with a frown face.

"Oh my god, Ate Phoebe! I thought something happened to you again," sabi ni Aliyah na hindi umaalis mula sa pagkakayakap kay Phoebe.

Nanatiling tahimik si Phoebe ng ilang segundo kapagkuwan ay biglang nanlaki ang mata nito at nanghihina na tumingin sa ama.

"D-Dad, where's Sasha?"

Bumuntong-hininga ang Dad ni Phoebe kapagkuwan ay walang ekspresyon itong tumingin sa kaniya.

"Your friend committed suicide in your bathroom, Phoebe," mahinahong sabi ng Dad ni Phoebe.

Phoebe's eyes just widen again. Nasa mukha nito muli ang takot at lungkot para sa kaibigan nitong namatay.

"The authorities have found this letter..." Phoebe's Dad said as he shows it to her. "And this is from Sasha. It's her suicide note."