Chapter Eleven
The Death of Mary Rose Aquinns
AFTER THE spread of the Polymorphic virus, bumalik sa dati ang Liberty High. Para bang walang nangyari. Si Effie naman, ayun, kinausap ang ama niya tungkol sa larawan na nakita niya. Hindi na ako nagtanong pa tungkol sa issue na yun. Hindi ko naman issue yun. It's between Effie and her family now. Labas na ako ron.
Si Matix? Officially part na siya ng Project Indigo na kung tawagin ni Effie. He'd been annoying Chaos all day especially now that they are dorm mates. Talagang inirequest ni Matix sa head ng dormitory na sa room siya ni Chaos manirahan for the school year. Kapalit ng pagpasok ni Matix sa group, ay hindi na babayaran ni Chaos ang installment na six hundred pesos kaya napapayag nang husto si Chaos.
"This storage room is supposed to be private between the group only." Inis na sambit ni Chaos.
Paano ba naman kasi, may mga estudyanteng dumadagsa sa storage room at binabayaran si Matix. Nalaman namin na sinave ni Matix ang file at ginamit iyon para bayaran siya ng students to delete the file. Kaya ayun, exposed na ang tambayan namin, high blood pa si Chaos kay Matix.
"Chill ka lang, Chaos. May income na tayo as a group. Don't worry, hati-hati na tayo sa kinikita ko since we are a group now." Ngiting sagot ni Matix.
"If you continue doing that, you're out of the group." Pananakot ni Chaos.
Matix pouted. "That's unfair but okay! I won't do it again." He smiled after.
Napabuntong hininga nalang ako at tinuloy ang pagrereview. Si Effie naman ay tahimik na nagcecellphone. Si Chaos ay abala sa pagbabasa ng libro at si Matix ay abala sa laptop.
"About the beast, we still don't have any lead who that might be." Panimula ko.
"Yeah, it's frustrating." Ani Matix. Kinuwento sakaniya ni Effie ang buong storya patungkol sa beast na yun.
"We still have to go to the police station." Sabi ni Effie na kanina pa tahimik.
"Why?" Nakakunot na tanong ni Chaos.
"When Friday and I together with Daeril, went down the police station, may nawawalang file doon ng isang police. It's possible that the owner of that file is the beast at inalis niya ang file na iyon para hindi natin siya mahanap."
"Ask your father to list down the names of the police in Laguna Precinct and we will find out whose file is missing." Ani Chaos.
Ngumiwi si Effie. "Dad and I aren't in good terms right now."
Chaos sighed. "Okay. We understand." He simply answered.
Tatanungin ko sana si Effie kung ayos lang ba siya nang marahas na bumukas ang pinto at hinihingal na pumasok si Daeril. "Bakit ka hinihingal?" Tanong ko. He still has this mask on na natatakpan ang mukha niya.
"It's..It's Mary Rose. She's found dead in the office just now. I know I should call the police pero kayo ang una kong naisip. Help me, please." Daeril bluffed.
Agad akong tumayo at niyakap siya. "Hey, it's okay. We will take care of it but you have to call the police." Utos ko.
Tumango si Daeril at kinuha ang phone. Sinenyasan ko naman ang grupo ko na pumunta sa student council office.
Nang makarating kami sa office, the body is still there. Fresh. Nanariwa sa ilong namin ang amoy ng dugo. Mary Rose's body is covered with blood at nakakuha ng atensyon namin ang kutsilyo na nakasaksak sa ulo nito.
Oh god..
"Broken glass." Turo ni Chaos sa nabasag na baso. Tinuro pa nito ang iilang gamit. "The papers are all messy and covered with blood."
"All signs of struggle. It could be that the killer suddenly barged in and attacked Mary Rose then Mary Rose struggled." Ani Chaos.
"So who could've possibly be the suspect?" Effie asked.
"Someone Mary Rose knew." Sagot ni Chaos then he continued, "there are two glass cups on Mary Rose's table. It could be that Mary Rose offered this person a glass of water then the suspect immediately attacked Mary Rose with a knife." Chaos deduced.
Suddenly, the printer started to open at naglalabas ng ilang papel na may printed words.
But it wasn't words. Mga random lines lang ang nandoon. Just like what we found on the precinct.
"The printer isn't on. Paanong nakakapagprint pa 'to?" Effie asked.
"It's a bluetooth printer. It can function without a socket. Someone could be using the printer via bluetooth." Matix said.
Nang matapos maglabas ng printed papers ang printer, tinignan namin iyon. Halos madami ang mga papel na may random lines.
"This one is just like the one you got in the precinct." Ani Chaos.
Tumango ako. "It might be connected."
"It is. We need to go back and solve this. This might be from the beast."
Napatango-tango ako. Magsasalita pa sana si Chaos nang bumukas ang pinto at dumating ang mga police at ilang investigator.
"Anong ginagawa niyo rito?" Masungit na tanong ng isang pulis. Tinago ni Chaos ang mga papel sa likod niya.
"I called them first to investigate the scene. I'm sorry." Daeril answered na nasa likod lang ng mga pulis.
Tumango-tango ang mga pulis. "Wala ba kayong ginalaw dito?"
Umiling kami. Wala naman talaga. Maliban nalang sa mga papel na naprint.
"Sige na, makakaalis kami. Papadalhan namin kayo ng report tungkol sa case na 'to kapag natapos na." Ani ng isang detective.
Tumango kami at lumabas, hawak pa rin ni Chaos ang mga papel.
~~
INAANTOK na ako. I skipped classes the whole day dahil sabi ni Chaos, masosolve niya ang puzzle within an hour. Pero ilang oras na ang nakakalipas, wala pa rin. Si Matix? Ayun, ang sarap ng tulog habang naglalaway at si Effie, nakasubsob ang mukha at natutulog.
Ako naman, pilit na nilalabanan ang antok. Pumikit ako. "Don't you dare sleep on me, Friday." Sabi ni Chaos habang pinagdidikit-dikit ang mga papel.
"Inaantok na ako, Chaos. Patulugin mo naman ako. Malapit na magtapos ang klase." Ani ko.
"Don't sleep. I will solve this. Just give me a minute."
I furrowed my eyebrows. Kanina pa niya yan sinasabi pero ilang oras ang nakakalipas.
Wala na. Hindi ko na kaya. Sinubsob ko na ang mukha ko sa lamesa at pumikit. Matutulog na sana ako nang biglang sumigaw si Chaos, "I SOLVED IT!"
Lahat kami ay nagising. Si Matix ay agad na pinunasan ang laway at si Effie naman ay kinukusot ang mga mata.
"What did you found?" Effie asked in a sleepy voice.
Tinuro ni Chaos ang mga papel na nasa lamesa. Naglakad kami patungo sa likod ni Chaos para basahin ang papel.
IST THE STONE HATED BY THEE DESCENDANTS OF ANCESTRY
Kumunot ang noo ko. "None of it makes sense." Sabi ko.
"Yup." Pagsang ayon nina Matix at Effie.
"Baka mali ang ginawa mo." Nanunuksong sambit ni Matix.
"I'm sure it's right." Sabi ni Chaos at kumuha ng papel sa isang box at nilapad sa lamesa. Iyon ay ang mga papel na nakuha namin sa precinct. Pinanood lang namin si Chaos habang pinagdidikit ang mga papel na may linya.
Then a sentence is formed.
TO FUSS OVER THESE BETAS IST THE STONE HATED BY THEE DESCENDANTS OF ANCESTRY.
Kumunot ang noo ko. So it connects but nothing seem to make sense.
"Are you really sure you did the right thing?" Tanong naman ni Effie.
"I did the right way! We just have to solve what this message means."
The door opened and Daeril came in. I can't see his whole face but I can see his eyes. They look angry. Furious. Frustrated. Sad.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"The reports came in about Mary Rose's death." Aniya.
"Anong sabi ng reports?"
"They said it was suicide"
BC SAYS:
Two updates in a day! Bukas ulit...or mamaya hehe
Hello! Just to clarify, all recources used in my book cover are not mine. All credits to their respected owners. No copyright infringement intended:)