She were at church early the next day with Indang. She clutched the rosary Fender had given her with both hands. She silently praises God because God still does not abandon her despite the trial God has given her. They went straight to the market after attending church. They simply walked around and look for him. Blessy has no problem with long walks because she is used to them.
"The market is kinda big so how can we locate your boyfriend?" Indang had her arm around her. This is because she is familiar with the area. "Hide your beauty, Blessy. Those who will see you might charmed your beauty."
She lightly slapped her arms. "You're insane. I'm not beautiful!"
She simply shrugged and yanked her away. They began to walk around the market courtyard. They went to the wet market first, then to the rice paddies. They examined the young men they saw as tall and about the same size as Fender, but they were disappointed. There isn't even a single trace of the man.
"He's not working here. But where is he?"
"Indang, let's just go home. Fender is obviously not here."
"Are you sure?"
She simply nodded and signal her to return home. The truth is, she's starting to feel uneasy by those men they passed by. They looked at them as if they were walking food waiting to be devoured at any moment. Indang and her were not safe in this place.
"What are you looking for, ladies?"
She was taken aback when a group of men suddenly blocked their path. When she looked at them, she noticed that their big body was covered in tattoos. She tightened her grip on Indang's hand because she was scared.
"Nothing." Indang responded boldly and fearlessly.
"You are welcome to come here first. You both young and fresh." Indang gave them a snide look. "How much do you charge? Are you looking for a client? We will stay with you and give you two hundred pesos each. Sounds good right?"
Blessy could hear the other men laughing, they all had tattoos and their eyes were already red from drinking. She quickly took Indang's hand and motioned for them to leave. They're looking for Fender and don't want to be insulted like this.
"Stop being hurry." The three men stood up and grabbed their arms. "If you don't want one hundred, let's make it 500. That's big money!"
Indang quickly slapped the man with her hand. "We're not a prostitute! Shame on you!" Indang spat at a man who was shock of what she did.
"Goodness!" she was taken aback by what her friend did. She knew they'd be more dangerous than they were.
"Bullshit!"
The tattooed man hand landed on Indang's cheek. She yelled. She wanted to help to her friend, but she was already being held by two men. She wanted to scream, but someone immediately put towel on her mouth, preventing her from doing so, and another man showed her the sharp knife.
"Try yelling."
Her eyes welled up with tears. She just wants to find Fender without putting her own life in danger.
F-fender!
"You pervert! Let us go!"
"Let me bet, these two are still virgins. We've hit a jackpot, dude." They both burst out laughing at the same time.
She looked around, tears in her eyes, hoping that someone will helped them, but there was no one there. Everybody just ignoring them, and no one stopped to help them. Even those two cops who passed by, just laughed and saluted.
"P-please we're begging you, we want to go home," she pleaded. Her eyes welled up with tears.
"After we're done honey. After we taste your body and took your virginity."
When they pulled them somewhere, Indang couldn't lay them down. This would not have happened to them if she just stay in dumpsite! Her body began to tremble, and she was unable to calm down. Her tears did not stop as Indang was taken away, but when the knife was pointed at her side, she fell silent and looked helpless. Is this the way she's gonna die?
"L-let us go! Please, let us go?!"
"Blessy, we can get out of here! We can get out of here, believe me— noooo!!!" Indang was pushed onto a filthy bed by the man.
Only then did Blessy notice that they were in a filthy room with a lot of scattered bottles and cigarette butts. She's not a moron for not knowing what they're going to do to them. Shehe was taken aback. Scared. As they began to undress, Indang and her immediately hugged each other.
"I-indang... I don't want to die here," she sobbed more loudly. She wanted to rush to the door, but her knees were weak and she couldn't. All she could do was cry as she and Indang, hugged each other. "We wouldn't be here if we hadn't looked for Fender, Indang. I'm really sorry. I'm sorry…"
"Make no apologies. I'm the one who suggested to find Fender here, and— nooo please!!!" Indang screamed.
They divided them. She tried to fight but she felt a punch to her abdomen. She gasps for air, and Blessy was afraid she would pass out from pain. She was carried on the floor by two men, while Indang was placed on the bed by another. She felt them take her dress off.
Two tears escaped from her eyes, "F-fender..." she was running out of air, and she knew she'd lose consciousness in a few moments, and she didn't know if she'd even see the young man after that. "F-fender... W-where have you gone?" Her vision darkened, and her eyes slowly closing.
She heard a loud banging on the door, followed by her name being called. But she couldn't open her eyes to see who it was. She no longer had the strength to do so, and she's completely consumed by the darkness in a matter of moments. She never found out what happened next.
WHEN she opened her eyes, she's in another room, with a IV fluid attached to her hand. Indang?!? she immediately looked around. It's only then that she realized she's in a hospital ward, next to Indang.
"Indang!"
When Indang saw her that she's awake, her friend immediately turned to her, and her face lit up. They both wore IV, but she took her off. She doesn't need it.
"You're fine and that's good. We're here at the hospital. We both passed out, and thank God, nothing bad happened to us. Those animals that nearly rape us are no longer alive, Blessy."
Her heart pounded as a result of what she heard. Are they no longer alive? Who was the murderer? Two female police officers entered before she could open her mouth again to ask Indang what she meant.
"Don't worry, we're not going to do anything bad to you two. We are only here to demand your second statement against the four men murdered by your companion."
She was taken aback by what the officer said.
"I-I don't understand what you're saying."
"Your companion is currently incarcerated. Answer our questions if you want your friend to come out."
Indang nodded to them one by one, and they responded to some of their questions. The other questions are too personal and the others, have nothing to do with what happened to their friends. When they were finished, the two cops immediately left.
"I'm not sure I understand—"
"It's Fender. He helps us and killed those men."
"Huh?" her tears streamed down her cheeks one after the other. That's something Fender can't do. He even couldn't kill a rat. "Fender can't do that, you're kidding, Indang. I've known him since..."
"Blessy, I saw how he stabbed those animals to death. I saw how he kills them all."
"No! It's not true," she said, shaking her head. Her mind couldn't accept the fact that the man she loved had killed someone.
BUT she hope what she discovered is false, because when she and her friends went to the precinct where Fender imprisoned... She burst into tears when she saw Fender with bloody hands and clothes. While sadly looking at her from behind the cold bars.
"F-fender," she cried as she examined him.
"I'm all right."
As tears streamed down her cheeks, she was shaken. She hold the man's hand and sobbed on it. Fender can't survive behind the bars. "Ssh... Don't cry. When you cry, your nostrils is getting bigger."
"Fender! How could I not cry? How?"
"Shh… stop crying, hmm? I only do that to protect you." He spoke calmly, but she could sense the bitterness and anger behind it.
She burst into tears. She could hear the pain in his voice, and it's like her heart is gonna split to two. "But, Fender, why did you allow yourself to be tainted by sin? You are aware that murder is a major sin..."
He clutched her hand tightly and fixed his gaze on her. "And you think I'm going to let those animals rape you? Do you think I did it all on my own? No way, Blessy! No! I did 'em because they were animals, and the woman I respected and loved was being hurt by them. I don't care if I've committed a major sin in God's eyes! God knows how much I love and value you. I always protect and save you, Blessy, remember that. Because I cannot forgive myself if something bad happens to you and you know that."
She became agitated and looked down. She's ashamed. She couldn't bear looking into his angry and hateful eyes. She wiped away her tears as Indang sobbed quietly beside her. How could she get rid of the pain and anger she saw in the young man's eyes?
"Indang, go home and bring Blessy with you." He said to Indang next to her, "Go home and don't think of me here, Blessy. I can handle myself, and if you don't want me to kill someone just because of you, please be careful." His face darkened as he tightened his grip on the railing.
"F-fender..." she bit her lower lip and made sure not to cried again in front of him. Because her tears did nothing to improve the situation. "How can I sleep peacefully knowing you're here?"
He took a long time to respond and kissed her tenderly on the forehead despite the fact that there was iron between them. "Just don't think about me, hmm? I'm glad I able to save you from them."
"You know who those people are?"
He just nodded and didn't say anything else. Fender simply told Indang to go home and return to the dumpsite, where she knew she would be safe and nothing bad would happen to her. Perhaps Indang's mother and brother were worried at the same time.
Butz she'll be back soon. She didn't want the young man to be depressed and alone in prison. She'd come here if she could. What was the point of living if she was alone while the man she loved was in the cold room?
"BLESSY..."
When she opened her eyes, she saw Fender and stared at her intently. She started to cry again. She realized it was all a dream. She has been unable to return to where he was imprisoned for three days. Because, in reality, she does not know the address. She kept thinking of him and what's happening to him, she had no reasonable sleep or food for three days. She also had nightmares but in her dream, the young man is always there to save her from those men.
"There you are, crying again." He came over to her right away, and she could feel the genuine warmth in his finger as it caressed her cheek.
"Because I know it's all a dreame, Fender, I think I'm going insane. I can't stand it any longer... I'd go insane thinking about how you're imprisoned…"
He smiled, and Blessy felt Fender hug her the next thing she knew. "I am not a figment of your imagination. I'm here. I'm really here, alive."
She was abruptly released from his embrace, and it was then that she realized Fender was standing right in front of her. She could see his beautiful smile and dim eyes looking at her in the dim light of the lamp. She had her mouth covered! The man was right in front of her, and she didn't waste any time in hugging him! Her sobs turned into loud cries.
"You are, in fact, a papaya. You cry a lot."
She hugged him tightly after hearing his faint laugh. She thought she'd lost him for good. She thanked God for bringing the young man back to her. As a result, she scared to sleep that night. Thinking he'll be gone when she wakes up, which is exactly what she doesn't want to happen.
Indang to run towards her the next morning. She's already holding sack and stick in her hand. Getting ready to trade.
"Four men arrived at your shack looking for your boyfriend!"
Fender!
Her heart is pounding. She quickly let go of the sack she was carrying and dashed to their shack. When she saw four men standing in front of their shack, she caught her breath and took a deep breath. Fender is talking to the man, and they're obviously having a serious conversation.
"The organization needs you, Zerus."
"I know, but Blessy needs me as well."
"We've given you two weeks to say your final goodbyes to her. Remember that the organization assisted you in obtaining bail and the organization paid for the hospital where your friend and the woman named Blessy were previously confined."
She was unable to move from her position as a result of what she had heard. Who exactly are they? According to what she has heard, these men helped Fender get out of jail, but why does she believe they are bad people? Indang was standing beside her and seemed to be telling her to approach them, but she remained a safe distance away. She waited to hear what Fender had to say.
"Give me one more day. I still haven't told her."
She couldn't help herself and called the man, who looked at her. The sad gleam reflected in his eyes.
"Just one day, and I promise to come with you tomorrow. I just need to properly say my goodbyes."
The four men looked at her and then left without saying anything. She approached the young man more quickly and asked about the men he was speaking with, but he only smiled at her. He didn't say anything and simply invited her inside their shack, where the two of them talked.
"I'll start with them tomorrow, Blessy."
"Where? Is it on the job? It's fine with me as long as you come home to me every time."
He sighed and drew closer to her. "I intend to join the organization. I can't run away this time because I killed those jerks that almost rape you!"
"W-what exactly do you mean?"
He extended his hand and touch her face. "Blessy, I'll be right back, but I'm not sure what day it will be. But they promised, if I join the organization, they will keep an eye on you here. I can also provide you with a good life and allow you to continue your education."
Her tears streamed down her cheeks one after the other. "I mean, you're going to abandon me here? Will you go with those four men?"