(FHS #4) Tired of running away from her nightmares, Kirsten returns to Filimon Heights to make peace and start anew. Little does she know, returning has its own consequences. Deadly ones.
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"Thank you." Pinilit ko ang sarili kong ngumiti nang huminto ang sasakyan ni Magno sa tapat ng tinitirhan ko. My breathing was still shallow while my eyes felt heavy from all the crying, but somehow, I feel lighter.
"'Wag ka na ulit lalabas sa ganitong oras mag-isa, pwedeng-pwede mo naman kaming tawagan ni Reika eh," aniya kaya tumango ako ulit.
"Sorry about breaking down earlier. You didn't have to see that." I smiled at him again, remembering how I bawled right in front of him as I talked about what I did to Vicky that night in the woods.
Walang komento o imik man lang si Magno nang ikinwento ko ang nangyari sa kanya nang gabing iyon. Tahimik lang siya. Nagsalita lang siya para sabihin sa aking ihahatid na niya ako pauwi. Ni hindi siya kumikibo habang nasa byahe kami. Mukhang napakalalim ng iniisip niya... at siguro ay lihim niya akong sinisisi.
"You must think I'm a really horrible person for doing that to her..." hindi ko na napigilang sabihin ang tumatakbo sa isipan ko.
"You were just a kid. You were scared," he said but something in his voice felt off. There was a heaviness in it. Like something was bothering him greatly.
"You don't have to lie just to make me feel better. Alam ko naman kung gaano ka--"
"I've done horrible things in the past too. Way worse than yours," he said, silencing me.
He looked at me with eyes and expression I couldn't fathom. Maybe it was because of the darkness inside his car or was it because of my half-hooded eyes from crying so much. Either way, I could tell that something is bothering him.
I took a deep breath as I spoke again, "May mas malala pa ba sa pang-iiwan ko kay Vicky?"
Magno didn't answer, instead, he just faced the dashboard again with an expressionless face.
"Matagal bago ko inamin ang tungkol sa ginawa kong pang-iiwan kay Vicky. Sinabi ko lang sa mga magulang ko nang dumating na sa puntong hindi na ako makatulog, kaya ang ginawa nila ay inilayo nila ako sa Filimon Heights. Ni hindi kami nagpunta sa pulis kasi sabi nila ay nahuli na naman daw si Alecksander Roy at hindi na ako dapat madamay pa. The case was closed... we start anew in another city away from Filimon Heights... pero kahit anong layo ko, binabalik-balikan pa rin ako ng bangungot na nagpapaalala sa kasalanan ko." Naramdaman ko ang pagpatak ng luha ko kaya mabilis ko itong pinunasan.
"Kaya bumalik ka ng Filimon Heights?" he asked.
I nodded as I pressed my trembling lips together. "I came back here to make peace and silence my demons once and for all. That was the plan."
Huminga na lamang ako nang malalim at napatingin muli kay Magno. "My entire life, wala akong ibang nasabihan tungkol sa nangyari maliban lamang sa mga magulang at doktor ko. Salamat sa pakikinig, Magno. Kapit papaano, gumaan ang pakiramdam ko."
