Ang Mutya Ng Section E (Book - 2) English

Aries' POV

*Continuation of Flashback*

"Aries..." Jay-Jay whispered.

I opened my eyes, but it was too dark to see anything. My back was cold, and that's when I realized I was lying on the floor. Slowly, I got up.

"Jay... Where are you?"

Someone grabbed my arm. "Aries."

I knew it was her. I took her hand and pulled her closer.

I hugged her tightly.

"Where are we?" Hee voice trembled. "Where did those men take us?"

I didn't remember much of what had happened. When I disappeared earlier, they made me inhale something from a handkerchief that had a strange smell, putting me to sleep. I had no idea what they did to Jay-Jay.

"Did they hurt you?"

"N-no..."

Fear gripped me—fear of what would happen to us. I could tell Jay felt the same way, but she was trying to stay strong.

It was eerily quiet; the only sounds were our breathing and the rapid beating of my heart. The oppressive silence of this place made me feel like I was losing myself.

"There's a window," Jay-Jay said.

I looked in the direction she pointed. A small window was positioned high up, almost touching the ceiling.

Through that tiny opening, faint light seeped in, revealing our surroundings. Morning had arrived, and for the first time, I could clearly see where we were.

It resembled our basement at home—piles of stored items, an old sofa set, boxes of clothes and miscellaneous things, a full-length mirror, and a broken TV.

"Can you reach it?" She asked.

I tried to climb onto the boxes, hoping to reach the window, but suddenly, a loud metallic clang echoed through the room. Footsteps followed, accompanied by the sound of a key turning in the lock.

I quickly got down and moved toward Jay. I positioned myself in front of her, shielding her as we waited for whoever was coming inside.

The door creaked open, and the man who had been following me appeared. He carried a tray of food and a gallon of water.

"Eat," he said before shutting the door behind him.

He placed the tray on the old coffee table and sat on the sofa, propping his feet up. He casually gestured beside him, signaling for us to sit.

"Sit down... Eat now," he said indifferently.

"Who are you?" I asked.

He smirked slightly and simply pointed toward the mirror. I didn't understand. What was in the mirror?

"Why don't you look?" he suggested.

Jay-Jay and I exchanged glances, but just as I was about to step forward, he whispered something that made me freeze.

"Make faces."

My heart pounded violently. A storm of thoughts swirled in my mind, and every possibility pointed to the same conclusion.

Could it be... No!

"Aries," the man called, standing up. "...Let's introduce ourselves."

I instinctively stepped back, pulling Jay along with me. The man moved forward, closing the distance.

"Your mother really took her words seriously. She never introduced me to you."

I swallowed hard as his expression darkened. His gaze shifted to Jay-Jay, who was still behind me. I tried to keep Jay hidden behind me, but the man simply chuckled.

"I'll be back later. Eat up," he said before turning and leaving.

The door locked behind him, followed by the familiar sound of metal striking the wall. I couldn't stop my legs from trembling. Not once in my life had I looked for my father because I thought he was dead.

Days passed, yet Jay-Jay and I remained trapped here. I didn't know if Mama was already searching for us.

"Stop that," I told Jay-Jay.

She had been rummaging through the piles of boxes, using anything she could find to break the small window or open the door. Our voices were hoarse from screaming for help. But nothing worked. We were still stuck.

"Jay! You're just making a mess!"

I turned to her when she didn't respond. All I saw were scattered boxes—she was nowhere to be found.

"Jay?"

I stood up from the floor and approached the spot where she had been.

"Jay? What the—?"

I stopped mid-sentence.

Inside a large box, Jay-Jay was curled up, fast asleep. She had wrapped herself in clothes like a blanket. After all that effort, exhaustion had finally caught up to her. I kept telling her we would get home, but now, I wasn't so sure anymore. Still, I couldn't lose hope.

Watching her sleep, an idea suddenly struck me. I quickly rearranged the boxes, putting everything back in its original place.

I just hoped it would work.

As I expected, he brought food again. I quickly covered Jay's mouth to make sure she wouldn't make any noise.

Opening the door, I heard footsteps.

"Kids! Let's eat!" he called out like a child on the street.

He whistled as he walked around a little. I also heard him open the door to the small bathroom. His footsteps approached our hiding place again, followed by the sound of boxes tilting—gradually speeding up.

"Let's go! I think they escaped!" he screamed and ran away.

I didn't hear him close the door, so I immediately stepped out, followed closely by Jay-jay. Just as I suspected, he thought we had escaped.

"Look... has he left?" Jay asked me.

I nodded in response, even though I wasn't completely sure. Walking to the door, I peeked outside. A concrete staircase came into view.

"I'll go first," I said, stepping onto the stairs.

Every movement I made was slow and cautious. When I reached the top, I saw a steel door—it must be the same one we hear clanging whenever he brings us food.

It was open. I peered outside, scanning for any signs of movement. When I was sure no one was around, I signaled Jay to come closer—but it seemed unnecessary because, when I turned around, he was already behind me.

"Sorry, I couldn't wait any longer," he said with a smile.

We stepped out cautiously. We were in a wide hallway. Hearing nothing, I gathered my courage and walked forward. Peeking through the nearest window, I tried to make sense of our surroundings.

"Where are we?" Jay whispered.

I shook my head. "I don't know."

All I could see were vast sugarcane fields. If I wasn't mistaken, we were inside a large house, and we had been imprisoned in the basement. I turned around, unsure of where to go. My mind was blank, my heartbeat erratic, and panic threatened to consume me.

We had to escape—but I couldn't think straight. I felt lost.

Think, Aries!

"Aries... t-there's something coming," Jay stammered, her voice trembling.

I grew even more anxious. I frantically searched for a place to hide, but all I saw were walls.

Damn it!

I had no choice but to run. I grabbed Jay's hand and held on tightly.

We turned wherever we could, climbed stairs, and stumbled into rooms. I no longer knew where we were. Exhaustion and hunger weighed me down, forcing me to stop and catch my breath. My vision blurred, and dizziness took over.

"Aries! There's a door!" Jay exclaimed happily, pointing to a door not far away.

Without a second thought, I dashed toward it—but before I could grab the doorknob, Jay's grip slipped from mine.

I turned to her, alarmed. And then I saw her. Jay stood frozen, and a knife was pressed against her throat. The man glared at me with fury.

"I've been looking for you!"

A strong slap sent me crashing to the ground. My face went numb, and I could barely move.

"You're a smart kid! But you're not smart enough to outwit me!" he growled. "...Your adopter is willing to pay a hefty price, so why should I let you go?"

Is that all? Money? He took us away from our family just for money? Why did he introduce himself to me if that was his real intention all along?

"And you!" he snarled, referring to Jay, who was now held by another man. "...You will pay for your mother's foolishness!"

He yanked Jay roughly.

"Let go of me!" Jay screamed.

"Let her go!" I shouted, struggling to stand.

The man only laughed. "Oh, I'll let you go—once I get my money. But after that, you two will never see each other again. So, make the most of this time together!"

He shoved Jay toward me like a discarded object. I caught her, but my weakened state caused both of us to collapse. The man smirked before turning away and disappearing with his accomplice. For a moment, silence engulfed us. But soon, I heard Jay sobbing.

She was crying—and I couldn't stop myself from crying, too.

I was weak.

I couldn't even protect Jay-jay.

I was supposed to be her big brother, the one she could rely on. But instead, I was the first to give up.

I didn't care anymore.

"I... I want to go home," Jay whispered.

I wanted the same thing. But I didn't know how.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Your sorry won't change anything."

I froze at her words. Slowly, I sat up and looked at her in shock.

"I know you're upset, but don't talk like that."

She got up and glared at me. "What do you want me to say? 'Everything will be okay,' even though it's not? Is that it?" She wiped her tears. "...I keep hearing that over and over again, but it doesn't actually make anything okay!"

"You really want the truth? Oh, come on! 'WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE OKAY!' There! Are you happy?!"

I don't know how long I've been awake, but I'm restless. I feel strange. I was afraid before, but now I'm even more terrified for reasons I don't understand. My breathing feels tight, even though nothing is choking me.

It's dark, and the only light comes through the window from outside. There's a light bulb on the ceiling, but the switch doesn't seem to be outside.

Jay is sleeping soundly beside me. I envy her—how can she sleep despite our situation? I haven't spoken to her since our last fight. I want to get out of here. What if it's true that he'll separate us? What will happen to us? To Jay-jay?

I hear the iron door creak open from outside. I know he's coming, so I immediately shake Jay awake.

"What?!" She groans, annoyed, turning her back to me.

"Jay! Get up—" I don't get to finish my sentence because the door swings open suddenly.

He's holding a pair of handcuffs and a handkerchief. His steps are quick and deliberate, making me instinctively back up against the wall. Jay is still asleep, unaware of what's happening.

"It's time... Angelo owes me a lot," he says, grinning.

I'm the only one he's taking? What about Jay? She can't be left here!

"No! I don't want to! I won't leave Jay here!" I scream.

He suddenly grabs my arm, trying to pull me away from Jay. He struggles to snap the handcuffs onto me, but I thrash and resist.

"Let go of me!"

"Stop fighting!"

"I don't want to!"

Despite my struggle, he manages to lock one cuff around my wrist. Panic surges through me, and I scream.

"Shit! Jay-jay!"

"Shut up!" he snaps, attempting to muffle my screams with the handkerchief.

"No!"

We both freeze when the sudden blare of a car horn echoes from outside. He stiffens, his expression shifting to one of fear. I immediately realize he wasn't expecting that sound. It might not be from his people.

Someone else is here!

"Help! Somebody help us!"

"Shut up!"

"Go, Angelo! Mom!"

"You little—!" he hisses angrily and slaps me.

"Jay! Wake up, please!"

The pain stings, but I can't focus on it. Surviving this man is more important. He reaches for my other hand to secure the cuffs when suddenly, someone shoves him away from me. Not hard, but enough to separate us.

"What are you doing to Aries?!" Jay-jay yells, furious.

I thought she'd never wake up. I need to think of a way to make sure she isn't left behind.

The man points at Jay. "Stay out of this!"

Before he can reach me again, Jay pushes him, but it's not strong enough. The man grabs Jay's arm and tosses her aside like a ragdoll.

"Jay-jay!" I scream, rushing toward her.

Before I can reach her, the man yanks me away. He tries once again to secure the handcuffs.

"Let Aries go!"

Jay-jay!

Jay grabs onto my arm, desperately trying to pull me free. She keeps punching the man's hand, refusing to let go.

I take the opportunity to fight back, kicking wildly at the man's grip.

"You little—! Stop struggling!"

"Let Aries go!"

"I'm not leaving without Jay!"

A desperate idea crosses my mind. I kick him where it hurts. He groans in pain, falling to his knees, but his grip remains tight.

Jay doesn't waste a second—she bites the man's arm. The scream that follows is loud, filled with agony.

I manage to break free, but Jay-jay doesn't. Everything happens so fast—I barely blink before the man slaps Jay with full force, sending her flying near the door.

Her head slams against something. I can see blood trickling down, but I don't know how badly she's hurt.

"Jay!" I scream, about to rush toward her, but she gets up on her own.

She clutches her head and turns to face me. Blood is dripping down her fingers, and her entire body trembles.

"A-a lot of b-blood!"

I picked up the handkerchief from the floor—the one the monster had brought, supposedly for me. I used it to cover the wound on her head.

"Don't be afraid... We'll take care of it," I said, looking around.

The monster was still writhing in pain. This would be a good opportunity to escape, but I was confused by everything happening. Her wound was still bleeding—it needed to be stopped.

The handcuffs on my wrists got in the way, so I slipped my hands free. They weren't too tight, so it wasn't difficult. I placed them beside Jay before standing up and searching through the boxes, hoping to find something to treat the wound. I tossed items aside, but nothing useful appeared. Frustration welled up inside me.

What should I do? Maybe Jay will be okay...

"Hey, kid," the monster called out, slowly standing up.

I tensed, preparing myself to fight. I refused to be paralyzed by fear anymore. I had to protect my sister. Then, I noticed Jay standing up behind the monster, gripping the handcuffs in her right hand.

The monster must have sensed my gaze shift because he turned to look at me. Just as he did, Jay swung the handcuffs, striking the monster's jaw. The metal cut deep into his skin. Blood spilled from his jaw and neck as he collapsed.

I staggered back. Something felt wrong. Why was Jay acting like this? Her emotions were a mix of anger and fear, yet her eyes seemed... lifeless.

I cautiously approached her. "J-Jay?"

Her gaze flickered to me, but I couldn't understand what was happening to her. Just moments ago, she could barely move from blood loss. Now, she seemed unstoppable. Before I could step closer, the monster groaned.

"You're an animal... b-but you're just a child..." he muttered, trying to rise. Blood gushed from his jaw, his face pale as if he could collapse at any moment.

Suddenly, we heard the wail of sirens approaching. The police were nearby. The monster, despite his condition, began crawling away.

I turned back to Jay—just in time to see her swinging the handcuffs at me. I barely dodged, stumbling back and falling onto the floor.

"Jay! What are you doing?!"

Tears streamed down her face, her expression twisted in fear. She stepped toward me, raising her fist to strike again. I ducked, and her punch shattered the glass behind me. The shards rained down. Sge dropped the handcuffs, her bleeding hand trembling.

"Jay... what the—?"

She whispered something, but her words were too soft to hear.

"It will hurt..." was all I could make out.

She dropped to her knees, clutching her wounded hand.

"D-don't..." She murmured again.

"Jay."

I reached out to her, but before I could get close, her hand darted forward—grasping a shard of glass. Without hesitation, she stabbed at me.

I raised my arm in defense, and the glass sliced into it.

"Argh!" I screamed, pain exploding through me.

"You'll hurt me too... all of you will," she sobbed.

"N-no! I would never do that!" My voice was barely above a whisper, pleading.

Jay stepped closer, her grip tightening around the shard.

I couldn't move away in time. She stabbed me again—this time below my left breast.

A scream tore from my throat. I grasped her arm, trying to stop her, but she only drove the glass deeper.

"JAY! NO!"

It felt like she was tearing through my skin and flesh.

I couldn't take it anymore. Despite my reluctance, I kicked her away. As she fell back, the shard ripped from my body. Agony flooded my senses.

I gasped for air, but my breath came shallow. Blood filled my mouth.

"J-Jay... w-what's happening to you? D-don't you recognize me?"

Tears streamed down her face as she clutched the glass tighter. Slowly, she looked at me.

For a moment, I thought she would stop.

But then, she raised her hand again.

"Jay—Jay! It's me! NOOO!"

The shard buried into my flesh once more. My vision blurred. I could no longer breathe. I could no longer move.

I think... this is it.

Why, Jay? Why did you do this to me?