THE FALLEN
“We need your testimony, Ms. Valego. We cannot proceed with the case without it.”
“I... I don't wanna talk about it.”
“Hey, it's okay. We're here for you.”Ate Iris held my left hand and squeezed it lightly, giving me a little comfort.
“She needs to rest. Maybe you should leave for now and come again tomorrow”, Ate Krya calmly told the Police Officer.
Their eyes were filled with unshed tears while looking at me. My sisters are in pain because of what happened to me. While my brothers looked calm, but livid.
“No, I'll tell you...”
Ate Aria sat beside my hospital bed and caressed my hair, “You don't have to force yourself to talk, Luna.”
“It's okay”, I muttered as tears began to fill my eyes.
With my trembling hands and my sore body, I forced myself to talk as memories came back to me.
-
“Good afternoon passengers. This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard. You are now riding Valejo Airways Right-wing Flight 86A non-stop from Philippines to New York. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Until then, sit back and relax.”
I heaved a deep breath and removed my Telex, the aviation headset. Apprehension runs through my veins as I thought of how the lives of the people inside this plane are on my hands.
“You seemed agitated, Captain”, First Officer Alvarez said and looked at me with amusement, “This isn't your first time, right?”
“Of course, I've been flying aircrafts for the past few years. I just can't help but feel nervous.”
He chuckled and replied, “Oh, don't be. You're the best pilot, that's what the staff and the cabin crew told me.”
Rolling my eyes to him, I replied “Whatever”, and wore my Telex again.
“Right-wing Flight 86A, ready for departure.”
17 hours and 31 minutes, a 24-hour layover, and another 17 and a half hours, I carefully maneuvered the plane as it landed smoothly.
“This is Captain Luna Desteen Valego. We have now arrived safely in the Philippines. On behalf of the cabin crew, thank you for trusting Valejo Airways. We hope you enjoyed flying with us.”
My phone rang while I was walking to the carpark, I answered the call when I saw who it was.
“Hey, are you in the Philippines now?”
“Yes, Ate Noah. I'm heading home.”
“That's good. May family dinner tayo with our brothers and you promised to come. Your ate Zoie will come too. Ingat ka.”
“I will.”
Making my way to my car, I suddenly felt cold, it seems like someone is watching me. I looked around and saw nothing. I ignored it and got inside my car and drove it.
While on the road, I felt it again, parang may nanonood sa'kin mula sa malayo. I looked at the rearview mirror and saw four motorcycles and a car approaching. I got a clearer view of them when they went nearer, may angkas na tig-iisa ang tatlong motor at ang driver lang ang nasa sasakyan.
I quickened my pace but, one of the riders was fast to block my way. I stepped on the brake, but it wouldn't work. I did it again, but still, it's no use so I swerved the car and let it hit the nearest wall. I winced in pain as my head slammed on the steering wheel.
The three riders walked towards my car and I don't have a choice but to go out and fight.
The rider who blocked my way pointed a gun on me so I held his arm and twisted it. Sumugod sila sa'kin nang sabay-sabay kaya hinarangan ko ang lahat ng pag-atake nila. I threw punches and kicks at them, jumped away when needed, and attacked them again, but I failed to block a punch to my gut.
“Stop fighting, you cannot win against us.”
The seven of them against me, I know from the start that I will lose but I just can't give up. I need to go home safely. I promised my sisters and brothers that I'll come to our family dinner.
I continued throwing kicks and punches, defending myself from their assaults. I muttered a curse when I felt a sting on my neck.
“You're doomed, Barbie doll”, another man whispered on my ear.
No! I need to go home.
A few seconds later, I felt dizzy as my breath became difficult and my vision became hazy. Naramdaman ko ang pagbuhat sa akin ng isa sa kanila, pilitin ko mang pumiglas ay hindi ko na magawa.
“Bring her. The party is about to start”, and that's the last thing I heard before I lost consciousness.
Nagising ako nang may malamig na bagay na tumama sa mukha ko. Tubig.
“She's awake.”
I looked around, but my vision is still blurry. The surface of where I was lying is soft, it's a bed. Sinubukan kong gumalaw pero hindi ko magawa, my hands are tied to the headboard. My feet were spread and tied apart to the bedpost. I caught a glimpse of a camera standing across the bed, a tiny red light is blinking from it.
I felt a hand caressing my legs, I tried to move away but failed.
“Stop it! Please, just stop. Let me go!”
“No. Not after we're done with you.”
Sabay-sabay silang lumapit sakin at hinawakan ako, another man cupped my cheeks harshly and forced me to face him. Ibinuka nila ang bibig ko at may pilit silang pinainom sakin. I moved my face away, I tried hard to fight, but I failed. Tears started to fill my eyes and a sob escaped my lips as they ripped my clothes.
One of them touched my breasts, a man kissed me harshly, another one touched my pearl and I couldn't do anything but to cry. I felt the effect of the liquid they made me drink, my breathing became difficult and it feels like I'm thirsty for something I don't know. I moaned as a man sucked my right breast, and another man fondled my left. My moan went louder as I felt a rough hand stroking my labia, nipping it, and stroking again.
Three men were touching me, the four other men were watching with lust in their eyes. I felt bad and dirty, but I'm thirsty for more. I was drugged. My breathing hitched as they started removing their clothes. One of the four men pulled my hair, he sat near my head and pointed his shaft in my mouth.
“Suck me, Barbie doll. Taste me.”
I moved my head away, but he slapped me and forced his shaft inside my mouth. I cried in pain and disgust as his shaft hit my throat. He pulled my hair again and started to thrust his hips, moaning with pleasure.
Lumapit sa'kin ang isa pang lalaki at pilit ibinuka ang mga hita ko, I whimpered in pain when I felt a long shaft entered my core. The barrier is broken, and the pain doubled when he pushed it deeper.
One video recorder, seven men, and me who cannot fight for myself. Pinagpasa-pasahan, pinaglaruan, binaboy. Their laughter, moans, and groans filled my ears. My face was wet with tears and their semen, my body was bruised and sore, and my dignity is wrecked.
“You want to call a friend? A family rather?”, says the man who's now holding my phone.
He dialed a number and brought the phone near my right ear.
“Hi, baby.”
“Ate Arielle...”, I sobbed. “Help me... Ate Krya.”
I felt a hard thing hit the back of my head and that's when I lost consciousness again.
-
I was left alone after I gave my testimony. The police officer said they needed to talk with my siblings. Narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto kaya napalingon ako sa pumasok, it's a male nurse. He walked towards me with a syringe and a small bottle in his hands. I felt agitated as I realized that it's not time yet for my medicine.
Something's wrong.
I tried to stop him from injecting the liquid to the Y-site of my dextrose but I couldn't, my body is too weak to even shout for help.
My breathing hitched and my vision became hazy.
It's happening again.
I felt a strong pair of arms lifted me before my consciousness left me again.
----------
“The identity of the victim was confirmed. Luna Desteen Valego, a 20-years old Pilot who happened to be a co-owner of the well-known clothing and cosmetic line Tres Chic. The said crime is still under investigation.”
It was all over the news. The flashes of light, darkness and bloodshed, the sulfur and death. A lifeless body was full of bruises, cuts, and blood.
She's a woman who flew high, but now she has her wings ripped off her body.
Luna Desteen Valego has fallen, and the war has just begun.
