PROLOGUE

I've been hardly trying to compose myself and hold back my tears, pero kahit anong pigil ang gawin ko, kusang lumalabas ang aking mga luha. My vision have became blurry. Malakas ang hangin kasabay ng malakas na pagsampa ng alon sa pampang. Mataas na rin ang sinag ng buwan. Napatitig ako rito ng ilang sandali at ngumiti.

"You are always beautiful, Luna."

It's the pink moon on April 7th, what a good friday.

Dala-dala ko ang isang kahon na may kulay pulang ribbon. Nag-abala pa naman ako na gumawa nito, hoping that I would be able to celebrate my 24th birthday, but instead, it turned out the opposite. Ang pagkakasundo at kasiyahan na inaasahan ko, unti-unting nawala nang tuluyan nila akong itinaboy as if I was not a part of the family. Sino nga ba naman ako to expect something from them?

Now, I am here at the beach planning to celebrate my birthday tonight. Mabuti pa si Luna, kahit saan, laging nakasunod sa akin. Umupo ako sa may buhangin. It's only the sound of the waves greeting and wishing me well.

Ipinatong ko sa aking hita ang kahon. Tinanggal ko ang pagkakatali ng ribbon at binuksan ang kahon. I carefully took the cake out at itinabi ang box. Ang cake naman ang ipinatong ko sa aking hita. This cake was especially made for me. I made it for myself dahil wala namang ibang gagawa sa sarili ko kundi ako lang din. Inilabas ko sa bulsa ang dala-dalang lighter at sinindihan ang mga kandila.

I smiled, while my tears are also busy escaping from my eyes. Birthdays are supposed to be happy, but why do I feel the opposite? Am I sad because I was born?

Probably no, I wouldn't let myself down.

Maayos kong hinawakan ang cake gamit ang dalawang kamay at nilapitan ito. Slowly, I closed my eyes and made a wish.

*wish... *

Binuksan ko ang mga mata at hinipan isa-isa ang mga kandila. Kung gaano kaliwanag kanina sa harapan ko, ganon naman kadilim ngayon.

I snapped and recalled na wala pala akong nadala na kutsara o tinidor. Paano ko naman to kakainin ngayon?

Can't help, napasimangot ako. Pati ba naman sa pagkain ng sarili kong cake, pahihirapan ako? Why are you so mean, world? Maski ang buwan ay unti-unting natatakpan ng ulap kaya nawawala. How mean, Luna.

Out of the blue, napatingin ako sa bandang kaliwa. May kung anong bangka kasi na sumagi malapit sa kinaroroonan ko. As far as I remember, wala namang bangka dito kanina. May brows furrowed. Saan ito nanggaling? Tumingala pa ako para tanawin ang loob ng bangka, mukha wala namang nakasakay.

Better check, baka naligaw lang ang bangka.

Ipinatong ko muna sa box ang hawak kong cake. I stood up at pinagpag ang pwetan dahil umupo ako sa buhangin. Naglakad ako papalapit sa bangka, may tali pa nga ito na ngayon ay sumasayad sa buhangin ng pampang. Doon ang tingin ko habang papalapit rito. Inilibot ko pa ang tingin, baka kasi kakababa lang ng may ari at hindi ko napansin dahil busy ako sa cake ko but the thing is, I don't see no one. Ako lang ang nandito.

Paglapit ko sa bangka, medyo madilim sa loob. Kinailangan ko pang lumusong sa tubig para makalapit. Hindi kasi siya talaga nakasayad sa buhangin, nasa may tubig pa ito. Humawak ako sa gilid nito para mas makita ng malapitan ang loob. Nagkusot ako ng mata when I think that I am seeing something...

No, it's someone.

May nakahiga sa bangka pero mukhang tulog ito. Am I seeing the right thing? Tao ba 'yon? But then again, I looked around bago umangkas sa bangka at makasampa rito.

Lumuhod ako. I'm right! It's someone. It's actually a man. But what made me perplexed is his outfit. He's wearing a white sleeves, black coat and a tie. Bukod doon ay naka-maskara siya ng silver. He's not moving as if he's unconscious. But why is he here? Ang ganda pa naman ng suot nito. Imposibleng matutulog siya rito with that kind of outfit.

I looked at him from head to toe until I notice something. Oh my ghad, he's bleeding. Dinurugo siya sa kanan nitong gilid malapit sa tyan. Maayos kong tinignan ang sugat niya at maraming dugo ang lumalabas. I had no choice but to cover his wound using my hand. What exactly happened? At bakit siya nandito.

"We should ask for help," wala sa sariling saad ko. I looked around and found no one. Pwede ko ba muna siyang iwan?

I was supposed to leave but I felt a hand na kumapit sa kamay ko, I looked at him. Tahimik siyang dumaing, "Please. Don't leave," pilit niyang pagsasalita. His voice was calm and soft but also, sounded like pleading. Parang isang bata na takot maiwan yet, his eyes are still closed. Pinagpapawisan siya at namumutla. Malalim rin ang paghinga niya. Tinignan ko ang kamay niyang nakahawak sa akin.

Lumuhod ako para tapatan siya. Based on his situation, nahihirapan siya. Slowly, I lifted his head para tanggalin ang pagkakatali ng maskara nito. He has to feel some air. I finally managed to remove it at mas kitang-kita ko ang mukha nito. He seems to be sleeping peacefully but at the same time, he's in deep pain. How come someone with a good face is suffering here? Sa lahat ng lugar, sa isang bangka pa?

"Sir, kailangan kitang dalhin sa ospital. Hindi ka pwedeng magtagal rito, you might die," I told him. Maski ang kamay ko ay nanginginig na dahil duguan na rin.

"No," pag-iling niya. Slowly, he opened his eyes until I managed to see the black orbs of his sleepy eyes. He swallowed, "Just call," mahinang saad niya. It appears to be a whisper at pumikit siya ulit.

Call? But I don't have a phone. I looked at him from head to toe. Mukha siyang mayaman, so probably, he surely has a phone. Isa-isa kong kinalikot ang bulsa nito, mula sa slacks, at coat niya. At mula sa bulsa sa loob ng coat nito, I found one. Mabilis ko itong inilabas at binuksan but unfortunately, may lock pattern. Sa baba, may fingerprint sensor. I took his hand at iniscan ang fingerprint niya until the phone unlocked itself.

I trembingly relocated to his contacts only to find out one saved contact. The name is 'Yreasha Hanash Vendale'. Pinindot ko na agad ito. The phone started ringing until someone responded.

"Hart, where are you? Hindi kita makontak," boses ng isang babae.

"H-Hi," I looked at his bleeding wound. Maraming dugo pa rin ang lumalabas.

"Wait, who is this?"

"That's not important. Uhmmm, I found the owner of the phone in here alone. But the fact is may sugat siya at dinudugo. I can't ask for help dahil ayaw niyang magpaiwan. Please, call for help. He's heavily bleeding. Baka anong mangyari sa kanya," maski ako ay nagpapanic na rin.

"Freakin no in hell way," gulat na saad ng babae. Just like me, parang bigla siyang nagpanic, "Nasaan kayo— no, just activate the gps in his phone, hintayin mo ko dyan at huwag mo siyang iiwan, please lang."

"Alright, be quick. He won't last long, nawawalan na siya ng kulay," sagot ko habang tinitignan ang sitwasyon ng lalaki.

"Hi miss," napatingin ako sa likuran nang may kung anong boses.

Three guys in their suits are now standing near us. Wait, sino tong mga to?

"Have you seen someone here wearing a mask?" I could see they have guns on their side. Sila ba ang may pakana kung bakit duguan ang kasama ko ngayon?

"That voice is familiar," sambit ng kausap ko sa cellphone.

"Y-You know them?" nababalutan na rin ako ng kaba. I feel like these people are not like me.

"Do not f*ckin tell them that you are with my boss."

"What do you want me to do?" bulong ko habang hawak ang cellphone.

"Miss?" lumapit ang isa na parang hinihinyay ang sagot ko.

"Deny it. Huwag mong hayaan na makita nilang magkasama kayong dalawa or you will end up like him. Up to you," and she ended the call when I was about to ask. What is happening?

Binaba ko ang cellphone. My heart is beating faster. Napahigpit ang pagkakatakip ko sa sugat ng kasama ko.

"Pwede po bang pakiabot yung cake ko?" I said na itinuro ang cake sa pinanggalingan ko kanina.

Kumunot ang noo nila at nagkatinginan bago tumingin sa itinuturo ko, "Birthday ko po kase at balak kong mag-celebrate sa gitna ng dagat," and that's what they did.

Little did I know that in a snap, my world would turn into a different shades of colors, particularly in the House, where my job involves gambling, not just with cards, chips and money, but also my life.

...3ieguno...