chapter 5

"Aray! Aray!" Danny yelled in pain. He was sitting on a sofa. He was alone with Daya in the living room. 

"Ano ka ba? Huwag ka ngang malikot," Daya said. She was wiping off Danny's blood around his wounds across his right shoulder with wet towel. "Mas daig mo pang tumili kaysa sa asawa ko,"she told him.

"Ang sakit kaya," he complained. "Hindi ko alam kung bakit gustong gusto ni Wendel na magpagamot sa iyo."

Daya scowled at him. 

"Tsk. Kuya!" she whinned. She gently slapped the towel she was handling against his wounds.

"Aray!" Danny yelled once more.

Then, Benjie came in. He sat on a chair across the sofa where Danny was sitting. The moment became quiet for a while. Later, he ballooned his cheeks then he let the air go. He then asked Daya.

"Kumusta na siya?"

"Mababaw lang naman 'yung sugat niya. Kaso lang hindi niya puwedeng igalaw nang masayado 'yung kanang kamay niya habang humihilom pa 'to."

"Buwisit kasi 'yung kumagat sa akin." He said. "Kung makita ko lang talaga ulit si Kuya mo...magpapatayan talaga kami.

 "Kuya Danny...alam mo naman si Kuya Dallon." She said. "Sinusunod niya lang naman 'yung utos ni Ama."

"Tsk..." He gently shook his head. " Ang sabihin mo pareho lang silang mag-isip ng Ama mo,"he contradicted. Daya didn't respond anymore. Then, he spoke with Benjie.

"Ang sabi sa akin ng barkada ko sa Sagada, may kaibigan daw siyang may lolo na maaring may alam tungkol sa humahawak ng isa pang susi."

"Saan naman daw 'tong matandang ito?" Benjie wondered while rubbing his chin with his thumb.

"Hindi na niya alam. Simula noong nagsilikas na kami doon sa bario, marami na sa mga naninirahan doon ang hindi na mahanap. Isa na 'yung pamilya ng kaibigan niya."

"Baka isa nga sila sa mga hinahanap..." Benjie muttered.

"Bukod pa doon wala na akong mga kakilalang nakaka-alam tungkol sa susi." Danny brought his eyebrows together, clentching his teeth, enduring the pain he felt because of the alcohol Daya was pouring around his wounds.

"Kung ganun, kailangang maka-usap natin 'yang sinasabi mong 'kaibigan'." Benjie said.

"Plus, baka nagtataka na si buwisit doon kung bakit nandoon ako sa Sagada."

                                                          ****

One fine night , Ana came home late since she had finished lots of work at the library...

She slowly pulled the door to open while humming. She got surprised when a dog, a puppy, suddenly approached her as she enter. It was barking then as it wags its tail from side to side. 

"Hi! Hello!" she greeted. She creased her forehead wondering why's there a puppy in their house. She sat down on the floor as she tried to touch the puppy. Luckily, it's gentle and friendly. "Hi, ba't ka andito? Binili ka ba nila sa SM?" she asked while rubbing its fur. Then, when the dog rolled over, she had noticed that it has a lace around its neck with a thin round blank metal sheet hanging on it.

"Masyado kang mahal para bilhin nila ate o ni Nanay," she wondered further. She knew it's expensive since she recognized the dog  is a husky.

"Oh? Doggie. Andyan ka pala?" Someone suddenly spoke. It's Kate, her big sister. 

"D-Doggie?" Ana was slightly surprised. "Aso mo?" she asked. The big sister immediately approached the playful puppy.

"Hindi. Natagpuan ko lang siya doon sa kanto. Pakalat-kalat, naghahanap ng pagkain." Kate explained. "Kaya kinuha ko na lang."

Then their mother came.

"Psst...Kate. Huwag mong paamuin ng masyado yang asong 'yan." She reminded. "Tandaan mo hindi sa atin 'yan. Pinulot mo lang 'yan."

"Alam ko naman Ma." She whinned like a kid. "Pero ang cute niya kasi." 

"Mukhang iningatan talaga siya ng amo niya." Ana was caressing it while admiring its fur. "Siguro may kaya ata ang may-ari sa kanya?"

"Baka nga," Kate said. She was also caressing it. They can see that the dog was enjoying it though.

"Talaga bang napulot mo lang 'to o dinalpot mo diyan sa daan?" Ana asked. Which made her mother laugh.

"Magnanakaw." Her mother joked then she laughed so loud. 

"Hala hindi ah!" She answered. "Ikaw kasi." She blamed Ana. She pulled Ana's hair for just a second. 

"Aray! Mama oh!" Ana reacted. Her mother then halted laughing.

"Basta... kung may naghanap man diyan sa puppy na 'yan, isuli niyo kaagad. Wen?" Their mother advised.

"Wen," her children responded.

"Mas lalo ka na Kate. Isusumbong kita sa Tatay mo kung hindi mo pa maisauli 'yan." She warned.

"Opo. Si Mama naman oh!" She reacted. 

"Matutulog na ako. Ana, kung kakain ka may niluto akong adobo doon sa kaldero. Pre-heat mo na lang."She told her.

"Sige po." Ana replied. Then her mother went upstairs.

After she left. Ana and Kate were still playing with the husky. Then suddenly, something came out on Ana's mind which made her wonder.

"Pero sino kaya ang may-ari sa kanya?" Ana asked.

"Siguro cute din kagaya niya." Kate chuckled.

Ana scowled at her and then she slightly laughed.

"Maka-alis na nga lang dito." Ana started to walk away.

"Uy! Ayaw mo nun? Mayaman na, cute pa?" She yelled as she watched her moving further towards the kitchen.

"Kung ayaw mo. Sa akin na lang." Her big sister added.

"Che!" Ana said back.

                                                         ****

Three mornings later...

Cainnick and his friend, Gilhameer were in the street where his dog got lost . He was posting a picture of it while there's a word saying 'missing' written over the picture. After he posted the poster, his friend suddenly complained.

"Ang aga-aga naman ng pagpapaskil mo. Pwede bang mamaya na 'yan? Gusto ko pang matulog." Then he yawned.

"Gilhameer..." he whined. "Importante sa akin 'yung aso kong iyon. Three days na siyang nawawala. Kung kaya't tulungan mo ako ritong magpaskil baka may nakakita sa kanya."

Gilhameer sighed. 

"Kanina pa kaya tayo nagpapaskil. Noong alas-kuwatro pa tayo naghahahanap. Halos lahat na ata ng poste rito sa lugar na ito nilagyan na natin ng mukha niya."He said. " Tama na ata 'yon."

"Paano kung walang makapansin?" He worriedly asked.

"Cain." Gilhameer rubbed his forehead with his pointing finger. "Litaw 'yung mga pader  at poste na pinagdikitan natin. Impossibleng walang makakakita ni-isa sa mga iyon."

Then he wrapped his right arm across Cannick's back as he rub Cainnick's right shoulder to comfort him.

"Hindi kasi ikaw ang nawalan ng aso kung kaya't madali sa iyong sabihin iyan. Nag-aalala ako sa kanya, Okay? " Cainnick said. "At gusto ko na siyang mahanap as soon as possible."

"Cain. Relax ka lang, okay?" Gilhameer said. "Magtiwala ka lang na mahahanap at mahahanap mo rin 'yung tuta mo." He advised.  "Hayaan mo rin na 'yung mga pinaskil mong papel din ang magtrabaho para sa iyo. Magpahinga ka muna."

Cainnick held his head down, biting his lips as he thought of what Gilhameer said.

"Kung kaya't for now...paano kaya kung pumunta na lang muna tayo sa bahay ninyo at kumain habang hinihintay kung may tatawag?"

 A few moments later, he decided to agree with his friend's advise. And so, he bit his lips and he nodded. 

"Good. Let's go!" Gilhameer was delighted.

While they were walking along the road leading towards Cainnick's home, there's suddenly something popped out on Gilhameer's mind which made him to wonder.

"Uy. Cainnick." He called.

"Hmm?" Cannick responded.

"'Yung kuya mo. Bakit hindi na lang siya 'yung kasama mong maghanap sa aso?" he asked.

"Ano kasi eh...Ummm..." Cainnick was hesitant.

"Ganito kasi 'yun...may kailangan silang asikasuhin sa Sagada. May kailangan silang ayusin na problema..." he looked at Gilhameer. "... Tungkol sa away sa pagitan ng dalawang tribo ng mga Lignodon."

"Aba! Mukhang interesado 'yan ah?" he smirked.

                                                 ****

Ana was walking along the road along Suello Village. She was strolling around with the dog. She was carrying it like a baby. Though the dog doesn't have any signs of complain. It seemed like it liked to carry him that way.

Meanwhile, she stopped. She sighed since she felt tired of walking around the neighborhood for almost an hour.

"Pagod na ako," she told the dog. But the husky just opened its mouth and brought out its tongue while looking at Ana.

"Aww... ang cute mo." She whinned. "Tara balik na tayo sa bahay." Then she walked towards home.

She never noticed that as she passed by the posts and the walls, there were papers saying "Missing: Lost Dog" with picture of the husky printed on them.