chapter 3

•SAPPHIRE•

"Here, brother." I said to the driver and gave him the address. He took the money. I'm not familiar with the area so even if the driver takes me around, I won't know.

"Brother, how long did it take to arrive?" I will ask. I can feel my butt heating up. I can feel my stomach growling.

"It's just like this here miss, maybe you're not from here, right?" The driver asked.

I nodded. "I'm provincial." I answered him.

"That's why...especially when we go through EDSA, there's so much traffic right now." The driver said.

And since I didn't know anything, I didn't complain. Until I felt sleepy. I closed my eyes for a moment.

For a moment I heard a sound.

"Hello...boss, yes boss...we're on our way...well, really!...yes boss, me too? I'm really going to go shopping even if I look like this...hahaha... tip? Hey, that's fun!...the girl I'm with is already here. Looks like you'll be the first to do it, provincial girl, huh!..."

Suddenly nervousness flowed through my boung system. Kidnapping! It's not possible, my mom still needs me.

I opened my eyes and saw the disgusting smile of the driver. He's not that old, just right. Those in their middle 40's.

"Brother, it's not the road anymore, eh. As far as I remember, it's only a 35-minute drive from home to school." I stuttered. I was scared, I remembered what dad said that there are many kidnappers, carnappers and thieves in Manila.

"Relax, hija. We're going to have a good time." He said while smiling looking at me in the mirror.

"H-ho? I-I'm going home, and I have no intention of going with you."

"After this, do you think you can leave? Or even go home?" It's as if he said it too much.

"Brother, please. Take me home." I remembered the tip he said. "Y-the tip you told me, I'll double it. Just send me home."

His laughter sounded as if what I was saying was funny.

"HAHAHA! Are you making me laugh, Child? You're just a provincial, and you think I'm going to believe what you say? Well, I'm sorry because I don't!" He said.

My body trembled even more because of his devilish laugh. I'm getting scared.

Think...think...what can I do? I'm traumatized by these things. Because then dad was stabbed so he died and I saw how that happened.

"PUTRAGES!" The driver shouted causing me to look at what he was looking at because his car also stopped. "If you're looking at it." He said.

I saw the police car. If it's bad luck for him, it's good luck for me.

"HELP! HELP, MOTHER POLICE! HELP!" I screamed with all my might.

"Stop! Don't be silly, those people can't hear you."

I do not care. The only important thing is that I can leave and go home now with us.

"HELP! HELP ME!" The driver is doing something wrong. I was hitting the car window. "HELP ME!"

"STOP!" The driver shouted. He also took out a knife. I'm afraid of everything.

Suddenly my tears flowed. Am I really hopeless?

"Brother, have mercy on me... please? Can...can you just let me go? W-don't you have a daughter, or at least a sister? Please...please..-- "

"Stop if you don't want to get stabbed!" He shouted.

"Please---"

I stopped talking when someone knocked. The car was not tinted so I immediately turned around. I saw the police, their car was already surrounding the car I was riding in.

Thank you lord.

"HELP ME!" I shouted again. Reason to alarm the driver.

"Stop!"

"HELP!"

"It's your fault!" He shouted at me at the same time I felt something sharp stab my stomach.

"K-Brother...n-I'm begging a-I!" I said as I grabbed him by the shoulder so he wouldn't pull the knife that was stuck in my stomach.

"It's your fault! If you hadn't screamed, this wouldn't have happened!" He shouted before pulling out the knife.

He opened the door and I felt myself fall into that car. Even though the stabbing hurt, I was still happy. I am happy because I was saved, even though I was not safe from his blade.

The last thing I saw was the police and the rescuers who picked me up before I lost consciousness.