TODAY MY LIFE BEGINS WITH YOU

QUICK MURDERS I

TODAY MY LIFE BEGINS WITH YOU (PART I)
THE DECK OF CARDS (JOKER)
Q U I C K   M U R D E R S   I
C H A P T E R   VII
Retaliation (I Kissed a Girl)

JHAY

“Hey! I am waiting here!” I shouted as I gripped the baseball bat. The man who’s in front of me was ready to throw the baseball when someone shouted.

“Hey there! Ayusin mo nga iyang ginagawa mo! We will be loose if you let her strike the ball” the man scolded the man in front of me. I am the champion when it comes to baseball game. No one can defeat me. I smirked with that thoughts.

“Ang daming sat-sat” komento ko. Ang init dito dahil kanina pa ako naghihintay sa lalaking ito. Kapag naubos pasensiya ko, siya hahampasin ko ng baseball bat!

“Here I am” he stared at me firmly. Without any warning, he threw the ball and luckily, I strike it. The man who shouted before, fell his face. But my smile fell onto laugh when the baseball hit someone. He fell on the field while aching for his stomach. I laugh because his face familiar. Very familiar.

Austin caressed his back and try to make him stand but with no avail. Mababakas sa kaniya ang matinding sakit dahil tumama sa kaniyang tiyan ang baseball. I laugh but my opponents and my team didn’t. They murmured something and slightly step backwards. What’s with them?

Instead of walking backwards, I walked towards Austin and look at his funny face. My feet halted on them.

“Oops, I’m sorry, I didn’t meant to hit you” I pick up the baseball and throwing it upwards and catching it repeatedly. “By this” sarcasm etched on my voice.

“F-fuck” I cover my mouth and suppress my laughter but it was futile. I can’t stop laughing, because it was just funny when he cursed. Dahan-dahan siyang tumayo at nanlaki ang mga mata ko. He suddenly grabbed my arms and pulled me closer. He gripped on my collar lane and pull me closer. “What the fuck are you doing?!” his voice is more dreadful than his normal cold voice. Looks like he wanted to kill me.

“Stop Zayne, it was an accident” Austin tried to remove his grip but the more Austin tried to remove his hands is the more he grasp on my arms and to my collar lane. Zayne stared at me firmly. Hindi ko naman sinasadya na matamaan siya ah? Malay ko bang pakalat kalat siya? Feels like he was crushing my bones on my arms. “Zayne stop” Austin commanded. May diin na ang mga salitang binitawan ni Austin but he still gripping on my arm.

Zayne shut his eyes and took a deep breathe. He slowly loosen his grip on my wrist and I immediately retract it away from him. Without any hesitation, he walk away from us.

“Bakit mo kasi ginawa iyon?” Austin ask.

“Really? It was an accident” I defended myself. Ano ba sa tingin niya iyon? Sinasadya ko? But I heard him say that it was just an accident .If I know that this would happen, I wouldn’t strike the baseball to Zayne but to him. “We are just having fun playing” I was brandishing the baseball bat while throwing upwards the baseball and catching it repeatedly.

“Fine. I believe you, maybe that’s the reason why he let you go” I stopped catching the ball and brandishing the baseball bat. “You knew him, he can read one’s mind” Alam na alam ko.

“Wait, did you see Daemon? I haven’t seen him yesterday” My lips puckered and the pupil of my eyes twitched. As far as I know, we haven’t have a word these past days. Is there anything wrong with him?

“I didn’t. Wait” He took his phone on his pocket. “I’ll contact him”

“Well I did it too but he always didn’t answering my call and he also didn’t reply on me” I didn’t listen on him and I just tap Daemon’s number. I put my phone on my ear. I frowned when it only ringing and then hang up. Very confounded, I look at my phone. What’s happenin’ on him?

“I told you, he was just hanging up. It was ringing but later on, he would end it up” I scratched my head. As far as I remember, he wasn’t like this when I was calling him. It wouldn’t takes a lot of time for him to answer and he didn’t let his phone ringing if we are the one who are calling him. One more thing, if he was going to somewhere and it would takes time before he come back, he tell us about this. “Should I track him down? To find where he is?” I ignored Austin because a lot of mysteries loitering on my mind.

What if he just forgot to inform us? No he wouldn’t forgot to inform us about this. Ever since the time he was going to somewhere and it takes time before he come back here, he was always letting us to know. So I wonder why we can’t contact him, why he didn’t inform us. Is there anything happen to him? I shook my head. No, no, no, no, no. Daemon was intelligent enough to escape if ever someone was took him away.

But I was thinking about what happen. I don’t know what’s happening on him right now. I didn’t have a time with him before because I am busy with Madison Adkins’ case and the case yesterday. What if… I was interrupted by a loud ringing ringtone of my cell phone. When I look at my phone, Daemon’s name appeared.

“He was calling…” I answered the call immediately and put in my ear.

“Sorry, I left my phone to Dylan. You knew him very well, he didn’t want to speak with you so he left my phone ringing to piss you off and when he was annoyed, he hang up” Daemon explained. I breathe heavily when I heard his voice. Feels like the lump on my throat vanished. “I am really sorry for worrying you about me” his apologetic voice was enough to perish all of my worries.

But the only question remained on my mind is; Is his brother was holding his phone from yesterday ‘til now? Kasi ang sabi ni Austin kahapon pa niya hindi nakikita si Daemon at ayon sa kaniya, kahapon pa siya tumatawag pero Daemon doesn’t answering his call and wasn’t replying on his messages.

“Oh. You are asking something on your mind. I have an answer with your question” my brows lift. He guessed the question on my mind? My eyes slowly get bored as I remember that he can do impossible things. But in a good way…Unlike Zayne. Naalala ko na naman ang lalaking iyon. Ganon pala siya magalit? Looks like I’ve summoned the King of Devil from the abyss of Hell.
Hindi naman sa takot ako. But there are times that he was showing different things and also a shocking situations and his shocking audacity. It makes me wonder if he really a normal person, because honestly, I feel like he had a multi personality disorder.

Sometimes, he was nice. Sometimes, he was just cold and mysterious person, sometimes, you’ll feel comfortable on him, but the most eerie is, sometimes, he was just like a Demon. Para bang, nagkatawang tao si Satan?

“Jhay, are you listening to me?” Daemon wake me up from my weird thoughts. “You still asleep?”

“N-no. There are something bothering my mind” bakit ko nga ba iniisip ang mga ganong bagay? I don’t even know. Palagi na lang na nag-po-pop-up ang tungkol sa kaniya. I admit it, I was interested from him.

“I’ll repeat” I heard someone was speaking in the background of the call. “I’ll be going to gone for a few days because my sister, remember her? She was in the hospital and she needed me” Daemon and her sister was very close to each other but, his sister has a disease that doesn’t have a cure. The last time I met his sister was in the hospital. She was nice but you can see the glint of pain in her eyes. “You know how very prone she was in the diseases” his voice was melancholic.

“It’s okay. I understand, by the way. Tell her to get well soon. Para naman magkakilala kami ng mas maayos rather than our last meeting” I heard him chuckled.

“Makakarating” after that. He hang up. I look at Austin with a satisfied face.

“So it was his sister again?” I just nodded as a reply. Well we can’t blame him. His sister was always been a prone of diseases but he was still blaming himself on what happened to his sister. Even I was explaining that it wasn’t his fault, he was still blaming himself for what happened. “We should visit her first then we’ll go to Mile to give our sympathies” I almost forgot about Mile.

Ang dami lang kasing hindi kapani-paniwalang nangyayari these past few days. I still suspecting that Zayne was the reason why there are a couple of killings and bloody crimes on here. It’s not that I was blaming him, but I was just looking for the possibilities.

Pero kung siya man ang dahilan, hindi ko siya i-ju-judge kaagad. Dahil baka may dahilan kung bakit ito nangyayari sa amin. Maybe Aillard’s killer was now moving his pawns silently.

“I’ll change my clothes first, I’m sweaty” paalam ko kay Austin at agad naman itong tumango.

I walk towards the girl’s room but I heard a lot of babblings around me. Para silang mga bubuyog. I just clicked my tongue and when I met the other girl’s eyes. I glared at her like Zayne always do. I didn’t noticed that I was learning something new with that man.

The girl flipped her hair and go out the comfort room. I clicked my tongue. If I was just an immature person, I’ll cut her hair because of she was flipping it in front of me. Akala naman niya ikinaganda niya ang pagwawasiwas niya ng buhok niya.

I entered one cubicle and started to took my new T-shirt on my bag and hang it in the wall. Wala kasi akong makitang malagyan. I started to take off my black shirt but when I look at the wall I used to hang my new Shirt, it was gone. What the…! Where is my shirt?

Maybe it fell on the tiles in the left cubicle? No. No. Because there’s no hint of my shirt on the pavement. There’s no other person on the other cubicles when I go in here. Last na iyong babaeng lumabas kanina. But where is my shirt? Who stole my shirt?! Even my last shirt was gone. What the hell? Paano ako lalabas nito?

Baka naman totoo ang sinsabi nila na may multo dito sa CR na ito? I heard a lot of rumours about this cubicle. I remember Jahna told me about this restroom but I ignored it. I told him that there are no such things like that. It’s not that I don’t believe ghosts but, I am not believing because I haven’t seen one.

Kaya ngayon, nagsisimula ng manindig ang balahibo ko. I start believing with the ghosts and the stories about this restroom. I’ll promise, I will never ever go with this restroom ever again. I started to message Austin. Please, please, mag-reply ka naman…

I stopped when I heard a creaking noise when one of the cubicle starting to open. I suddenly locked the door of my cubicle and stared at my phone. Please…I started to hear a footsteps and my bristles started to rose up. I’ll guess, if I am not wrong, based on the horror movies I’ve watched before, the ghost will stop and he or she will appear in the ceiling. Or sometimes, they will appear on my back. How cliché.

Naningkit ang aking mga mata ng maalala ko ang mga ganyang ka-cliché-han ng mga palabas. Kulang na lang ay patayin ko na ang pinapanood ko at ikwento ko na lang. Why? Because I knew where the story how ends. How it start, and how they will solve their problems.

My thoughts interrupt when my phone started to shut down. What’s happening? The lights looks like a Christmas lights and a creaking sound on it started. What the…I looked at the door when someone knock on it. I will never ever open it! Mamaya makakita ako ng kakaibang element sa labas. O di kaya, may killer dito!

But the knock on my door was louder and louder until the one outside seems like he or she wanted to open it so badly. What should I do? What?! Meanwhile, the lights went normal and the one who was knocking on the cubicle’s door stop. And then I heard a gentle knock on my door.

“Jhay? Are you in there?” Austin’s voice makes me breathe conveniently. “Jhay? You okay? I’ve been looking for you before but I can’t find you, until Zayne help me to find you” agad namang nagkaroon ng parang isang umiilaw na bumbilya sa itaas ng aking ulo. Is he retaliating me?!

“I’m okay, but…” I remember, my clothes are missing. I can’t find them. I would definitely kill Zayne because of this! “My shirt was missing, can I borrow yours?”

“Oh, what happen to your clothes?” he asked.

“I’ll explain later” it was hard to explain here. I don’t trust the vicinity of this restroom after I experience those unexpected happening. “Can I?”

“Okay” He agreed. “But I don’t have a clothes, I can buy for you —”

“Don’t leave” I feel like someone was staring with us. Someone was listening to our conversation. At kung may balak man ang may kagagawan nito sa akin, malamang baka mas malala ang gagawin niya kapag iniwan ako dito ni Austin. If he didn’t do what he or she want, maybe if Austin leave, he or she will. I may be a strong woman but I feel the eerie aura here. The same the aura of Zayne.

“O — kay, I’ll fix this, wait, I’ll call someone first” I feel like Austin hinted what I was pointing to. Why I don’t want him to leave. And I can feel that he feels that too. But I have two suspects for now. Zayne and the woman I encounter before. “There were no signal here…” he murmured. I remember my phone shut in here earlier.

“Does your phone shut down?” I asked. Baka kasi pareho kami.

“Yup” Austin answered. “But here, don’t worry, I’ll find someone who will help you” I heard a footsteps towards us. Who is that?

“Austin?” my brows furrowed when he didn’t answer. “Austin?” I repeated. I feel like there werea cold water poured into my body.

“Hey, here, use this” he lift a white shirt and I took it. Aangal pa ba ako e sa nawawala na nga ang mga damit ko. When I found out that one of them tricked me, I’ll going to bald them! I’ll remove all of his blond hair.

I wear the white t-shirt with a design of simple shirt with a color of blue and grey. I’ll guess. This is from a man. Where did he borrow these shirt? I also smell the strong perfume from the shirt. The shirt was pretty comfortable, whoever the owner of this shirt, he has a good taste.

I went outside of the cubicle and Austin look at my shirt. Napatingin na rin ako sa damit na suot ko.

“Is there anything wrong?” I asked and he looked at me. He shook his head.

“Tara na, pupunta pa tayo kay Daemon” he leave the restroom and I was in a hurry to follow him. I don’t want to be left here. Surprisingly, my phone opened on itself. Iyong totoo? Anong meron sa restroom na iyon?!

I look at my left and saw Zayne sipping on his yogurt? It was an old yogurt that having a square box and generally seen in the lunch boxes of the kids on a private schools or even public schools in elementary or rudimentary days.

He stopped sipping a yogurt from the straw and laugh so hard. My brows twitched. Why is he laughing for? At ang tawa niya, nakakaasar pa. Iyong para bang, ngayon lang siya nakatawa ng ganyan dahil matagal na siyang hindi tumatawa? I clicked my tongue.

“The fuck?” he asked while laughing. He stared at my shirt which causes me to stare at my shirt. “You didn’t told me that she was the one who will wear my shirt” What?! Is this his shirt?

“I’m pretty sure you knew it” Austin answered and he stopped from laughing.

“But, it suits you. You should thank me for letting you borrow my shirt” he continued sipping on his yogurt box.

“I will never thank you for insulting me” I rolled my eyes. If I just a choice, I’ll rather don’t wear his shirt. Wait. I remember, what if he was retaliating me? “Ikaw ang may pakana nito ano? You stole my shirt to retaliate me! You even know that it was going to happen! You crap! You plan about this!” I shouted. He knows about it! I feel it! He did this to tease me.

“Oh really? You think I am pretty have pittance if I want to retaliate to you? Yeah I know you are the one who will wear my shirt because Austin asked me to find you. But it takes me few seconds to find you and when he called me outside because I don’t want to go inside of the girl’s restroom, when he borrow my shirt, I know that you are the one who will wear my shirt” He explained. “If I would retaliate to you, I will never let anyone help you and I will never ever let you wear my shirt” So he didn’t do that? Then who? Without any hesitation, he walk away while his hands are on his pockets. If he wasn’t the one who did that, then who? Is that the girl I encounter before? I don’t know.

“Let’s go? It was already five and we need to visit Daemon’s sister” Austin cut my thoughts. “We need to talk about what happen to you on the way” I agreed to him. I know that it wasn’t a ghosts, I don’t know but it was just a hunch of mine.

Hindi naman kasi kapani-paniwala ang sinasabi nilang mga multo sa restroom na iyon. Nagkukwento na nga lang, very exaggerated pa. If it was a ghost, why does the ghost stole my shirt? Is he or she likes my clothes? Or what if that ghost doesn’t have a shirt? Malay mo babae pala siya, so before she appear to her victims, she must be wearing shirts. But why does the one who stole my shirt, stole the two of my shirt? Sounds creepy.

On our way, while remembering those circumstances, I told Austin every detail of my experience on the restroom. As expected, he told me about the rumours about that restroom but even though, he also didn’t believing about the rumours of that comfort room. As he was? He won’t believe it because he didn’t experience what I experience. And he will never experience that. Maliban na lamang kung gusto niyang magCR sa restroom ng mga babae at masampal ng mga babae duon.

We first go to the supermarket and buy some foods for Daemon’s sister. Austin was telling a lot of stuffs about the fruits we encounter. He even explained how the man poisoned the girl using apples. I learned that the man crushed the seeds of the apple to produce cyanide which commonly known as amygdalin. Although amygdalin in the apples had the small quantity of cyanide to cause harm, but if you have a lot of seeds of apples and crushed it, it can kill anyone.

We arrived the hospital and directly went to Daemon’s sister’s room. Austin was the first one who get inside and followed by me. A girl laying on the bed greeted us. There are a tube on her mouth letting her to breathe conveniently. Mayroon din mga nakasaksak na tube sa kaniyang pulsuhan and a monitor on her right side producing a beeping sounds.

“I didn’t know that the two of you will come” Daemon greeted us with a sad smile. I know how hard this is for him. The only one he has, was his sister and us, his friends. “I saw her unconscious two days ago, so I immediately called the ambulance” pagpapaliwanag niya. He sat beside his sister and stared at her meek face.

“It’s okay, everything will be okay” Austin tried to comfort him but with no avail. He still in deep thoughts.

“Your sister will be okay,” he looked at me and smile.

“I wish that it would happen” he turned his gaze to his sister who was sleeping like an angel. I remember Zayne when the word angel popped into my mind. “She was still in coma and has no certainty if she will wake up or not” Nakakalungkot nga ang mga bagay na iyan. Pero sana naman, magising na siya. Many of us, specially Daemon and his friends are worried about her. And of course his brother, Dylan.

“Gusto mo bang, magpahinga muna? We’ll watch her for you for a moment, para naman kahit papaano ay makapagpahinga ka” I offered but he just shook his head.

“I wanna wait here until she wakes up” He really love his sister. He has no other family aside from his younger sister and to his brother, Dylan. His parents died when they are young. I witnessed all unfortunate things happened on him and to her sister and to Dylan when I was a kid. It was very hard for them but he was still fighting for his sister.

He touched his sister’s hands and gently pressed it. I know how worried he was. I remember when my mother left us. It was so hard and we still moving on about what she did to us, but Daemon has the worst experience on his family.

“I’ll buy some coffee for you” I recommended and he just nodded. I walk towards the door and walk to the narrow hallway. I halted in front of the vending machine and put my cash on it.

I accidentally saw a yogurt milk on the box and my brows almost annexed. I remember Zayne was drinking yogurt before. How childish taste he have, even though he was a smart man. To be honest, I was not eating or drinking with foods or drinks that having some yogurts and milks. I don’t know why I don’t like yogurts and milk. Maybe I just don’t like the taste of it.

The vending machine released a two coffee in can and also one chocolate drink. I don’t like milk and yogurt but I love chocolates. It was one of my comfort food. I took it and I almost jump with shock when I face my left side. A man emerged my sight and showed his dull and empty eyes.

“Why are you here? Are you following me?” he put his cash on the vending machine and guess what he pick? A yogurt. I really doesn’t like the taste of yogurt. “You stalking me?” he darted a sideward glance on me.

“I am not stalking or following you, I visited someone here, so don’t be a feeler” he shrugged.

“I am not asking for your explanation. I just wanted your yes or no” with a single rolling eyes, he left while sucking the straw of his yogurt. Bakit, maniniwala ba siya kung hindi ko sasabihin ang dahilan ko? But he has a point. I don’t need to explain, why? Because he doesn’t deserve my explanation.

He stopped walking when a girl hugged him so tight. My brows furrowed when she tightened her hug but Zayne didn’t hug her back. If I am not mistaken, that was Melian. One of our suspect yesterday. Melian let go of Zayne but she still wearing a wide beam on her face.

I just shrugged my shoulders and walk on the direction behind us and from them. That was the reason why he don’t accept my theory at first that Melian has the possibility that she kill the victim. But latter on, I also realized that Melian wouldn’t kill her. But the only question remained on my mind is why she was there with the victim? I just shrugged my shoulders.

I was going to take another step but someone grabbed my shirt’s – Zayne’s shirt’s back collar line. I walk backwards as someone was continuing tugging me. I looked back and saw Zayne was tugging me. Wait. What is he doing? He halted and gently faced me to Melian.

“She was. Remember her?” Zayne asked which makes my brows twitched. What is he pointing out? “She’s my…Ahm. She was my girlfriend, so stop chasing me” My eyes widened. Hanggang sa pumasok na ang lahat sa isipan ko. This was the second – third that he was playing an act in front of different people. And introducing me as his girlfriend.

He really wants me to put in shame but I know he was hiding more on his sleeves why he wanted me to pretend as his girlfriend. I just needed to kick him out of school to stop this non sense role play before it comes worse.

“Y-yeah, she was the girl you were with, in the Japanese restaurant” she stared at me firmly. “She’s your girlfriend? Really? Oh. Nice meeting you” she lend her hand to me. What would I do? Do I need to shake my hands with her? I don’t know because I don’t know what Zayne want me to do for now.

“Nice meeting you too” I took her hand and shook it slowly. When we are done, I retract my hand and Zayne gently took my arms.

“Is that your shirt Zayne?” Melian look at my shirt. Wow she really know Zayne because she even know his shirt. “I first saw that when you last join on drag racing” My gaze turned to Zayne but he took a deep breathe.

“Yeah it was” Zayne answered. “Can you, give me a little time with my girl? I just need to talk to her privately” he jumbled my hair. I really don’t like jumbling my hair. Hindi naman ako aso. Pasalamat siya at matangkad siya, dahil kung hindi, babawian ko talaga itong hayop na ito.

He held my hand and intertwine it on his’. I flinched when I feel the coldness of his hand. Literally cold. I feel like my hand was burning with coldness. He tugged me wherever he goes. When we got away from Melian, he stopped.

“Fuck, why does they keep on asking my private life and keep following me?” he murmured while still holding my hand so tightly. When he realized that I was here, he looked at me. He suddenly remove his hands away from mine. Iniiwas niya ang kaniyang kamay na para bang may nakakalasong substance sa kamay ko na kapag mahawakan ay nakamamatay. Ang arte.

“Next time, if you just treat me like this, don’t make me as your fake girlfriend to pretend. I hate pretending and I didn’t use to pretend” I firmly look in her eyes. “Go find another who will entertain your acts and entertain you. You didn’t like me nearby you, you are acting like I was a poison in your life so go find another who’ll buy your thoughts” I really doesn’t like pretending. I know all of us know how hard to pretend. How really hurts us when we are pretending. And why we need to pretend if we can be ourselves? Fitting ourselves on people that we doesn’t like is the hardest thing on Earth. If they really doesn’t like us, then don’t. As if they’ll find more than me?

“Don’t give me orders, because I don’t accept orders from anyone else” his glaring eyes stared at me. “Don’t manipulate me if you think you can” did I manipulate him? I just stating the fact that we can’t be together because every time he was nearby me, every time I was near on him. We are always fighting. So what’s the matter of being together and pretend like we have a thing if we can’t understand each other?

“Look, we —”

“Just don’t tell me what I need to do” he rolled his eyes like a girl.

“I am not telling you what to do, I’m just suggesting” He raked his hand on his hair.

“Whatever” he started to walk away. I sigh in so much frustration about this act! Daemon know that we aren’t friends so there’s no point of hiding him about this.

I still can’t play the role he wants me to play. I was been trapped on his traps and now, I don’t know how to get rid of this situation. If my father will know about this, I don’t know how I will explain about this. The only thing I know is to kick him out of that school. And our paths will never cross again.

Because honestly, if this continues, entertain what he want me to act, I’ll be going insane! Ako ang maiipit sa kanila kapag nagkaroon ng hindi inaasahang pangyayari. Ni hindi ko pa nga alam kung anong pamilya ang meron siya. What if his family was a syndicate and he wants me to sell? I need to stop overthinking!

“Hey, what are you doing here? I’ve been waiting for my coffee” I heard Daemon’s gentle voice. I look up. He look at my back which Zayne walked. “You two talk to each other?” I just nodded.
“He was different than I thought,” his eyes narrowed into slits and look closer to Zayne. “But, I think his nice to be with, and very interesting. I discovered that when we first met and found out that he knew I was doing at that time” I grimaced.

“Really? A nice person?” I clicked my tongue. “He was evil. But wait, what did you say? What did you…?”

“When we met, I tried to read his mind but his eyes was dull and empty. You’ll read nothing except the fact you will drown in his darkness and coldness. There’s no sign of lying on him when you told me that he was your old friend, if I wasn’t an observant and I was just a normal person, I will believe because he was a believable person that anyone will believe” he turned his gaze on me and took one coffee on my hand gently. And I gave it freely. He opened the can and drink the coffee. “So I decided to look at his eyes closely and I can tell that he wasn’t your friend”

“How did you found out that we are just lying if you can’t read his eyes?” I thought it was only me that can’t read Zayne’s eyes.

“Well.” He stared at the can he was holding. “I saw the pupil of his eyes was normal. It takes me time to read it but later on I know he found out what I did” that was the reason why Zayne told me that why would I introduce him as my old friend if Daemon found out that we are lying.

“Impressive, right?” he look at Zayne again. I look at him too but he suddenly stopped when we heard a loud voice. Someone was shouting on the top of her lungs. He turned his gaze onto us and run. Zayne stopped in front of us and ask.

“What’s happening?” he asked calmly.

“Someone found something unexpectedly” Daemon concluded. Zayne walk to the door that has six door away from us. Before he could open the door, a nurse went outside and saw Zayne. She was literally sweaty and she was chasing her breathe.

Out of curiosity, Daemon walk towards Zayne and I followed him. We even caught a lot of attention because of the nurse’s voice before. I wonder what she saw inside making her gasp and make her skin pale.

“Let me guess, she found a dead body” Daemon murmured. Aside from Zayne, he was also a fond of things like this.

“I found a corpse! Doctor Francisco commit suicide!” the nurse caught a lot of attention. Daemon’s eyes widened and stilled for a while.

“Hey, you okay?” I asked him and cutting his gaze to the nurse. “Is everything okay?”

“Doctor Francisco was my sister’s personal doctor” he answered. Zayne didn’t hesitate and walked inside. Out of our curiosity, I followed him and Daemon too. A doctor commit a suicide? “I wonder why he would commit suicide. He wasn’t a man like that. I can tell it because I was with him for years”

Agad na tumambad sa amin ang katawan ng isang lalaki. He was sitting on the table and his body was supported on his table. His face was fell on his table and his white lab coat tinted with blood. It was his office because his name on his name plate. His table was filled with blood and his right hand was holding the gun.

His room was in mess. A lot of papers fell on the pavement. There were a bag on the cabinet and it was unzipped. There are clothes outside of the bag and Zayne was looking at the victim’s body while Daemon was looking at the calendar.

“So is there anything wrong here?” I look at the papers on the other table and I don’t find anything wrong aside from the good hand written on the papers. Suspiciously, typically for the doctor’s hand written was a mess but this is inverse. This hand written quite well for a doctor like him.

“Seems like the doctor would take a vacation now” Daemon preluded. “His bag was full of clothes and stuffs you’ll see for a typical person who’ll leave for a long time” I looked at the papers and the paper was full of whatever stuffs. Almost three to four papers was full of scribbled words. But at the end, suspiciously, the one who was writing suddenly stopped and didn’t keep on writing anymore.

“It wasn’t a suicide” Zayne concluded. “It was a murder”

“But you saw the gun on his hand” I opposed him.

“Really? You believe that nurse? Is she really observe this crime scene?” He asked while looking at my eyes. “Look at the telephone, the telephone was on his left. The pencils and pens was on his left, proving that he was a left handed. Now tell me, how did he killed himself using the right hand?” Zayne was really observed everything.

“The papers on the floor proving that he fought someone” Daemon added to Zayne’s thoughts. Ibang klase kapag nagsama silang dalawa. Ano kayang feeling ng killer ngayon? “That was the sign of struggles”

“The shot was on his heart but typically, the one who commit suicide was shooting himself or herself on his or her head” Zayne’s eyes narrowed and touched his chin. “I’ll call inspector Dawson” he took his phone and dialled. Daemon walk towards me and look at the papers.

“Doctor Francisco wasn’t alone here and the first suspect was the nurse, but I don’t think that she was the killer” Daemon suggested. And how did he know that the nurse didn’t kill the doctor? “The serifs of the killer’s hand written was like a man’s serifs. And take a look, he takes waste five to ten minutes here base on how many papers he written. And he stopped, I conclude that he found out something, or he heard something that offended him and started the fight between him and the doctor” he take a look on the papers in front of us.

Pati ba naman mga serifs napupuna nila? Hindi na talaga ako makasunod sa katalinuhan nilang dalawa. Pati kung gaano katagal niyang isinulat ang mga iyan, nahalata pa niya? Nagtataka ako kung paano sila pinapakitunguhan ng mga magulang nila. And of course I knew Daemon, I know how his parents treat him even though he was really a smart person, but how about Zayne? Who would be on the right mind to treat a guy like him! Specially his audacity.

“Inspector Dawson will come soon” Zayne inspected the crime scene while his hands are on his pockets. He was looking at the notes in front of the victim’s body. He just looked at the crime scene but he didn’t touch anything. He doesn’t want to contaminate and left any traces of him to the crime scene.

“He really a smart person” Daemon mumbled but Zayne doesn’t hear what he spoke. He was busy on analysing the crime scene.

A little while, inspector Dawson arrived and his other subordinates. They let us inside of the crime scene and let us loitered around the scene. Looks like Zayne was one of the trusted friend of Inspector Dawson. I wonder if Inspector Dawson know a lot about him. Daemon can’t help but to join Zayne’s investigating. Sa bagay, magkakaintindihan naman sila. Ako lang naman ang hindi makasabay.

They are talking at each other but inspector Dawson walk towards me. He halted in front of me.

“Tell me the truth, you aren’t Zayne’s girlfriend isn’t it?” He asked. How does he… “I’m an inspector Miss Keynes” he answered the question lingering on my mind.

“How could you know my name?” I asked. Isa siyang inspector kaya hindi malabong hindi niya malaman ang pangalan ko. Maybe if he wasn’t an inspector, I’ll think that he was a stalker.

“I find your identity on our office. I was thinking why Zayne wants to let you nearby him although he didn’t want anyone nearby him” my eyes starts narrowed.

Zayne was letting me near on him? What does it means? But I think, Zayne make me as his girlfriend just to retaliate me? But he was hiding more on his sleeves? So my inspection was really true? He had more reasons why he was doing this things.

“Always be careful when you are alone” the inspector walk towards on his subordinates. What does he mean by his last sentence? Be careful when I’m alone? Why?

Ayoko na talagang isipin ang mga bagay na ito! I was living peacefully these past eight months but Zayne was now messing my boring life. These few weeks I have with him was bloody. I saw a lot of corpses. Yeah, nakakakita ako ng mga ganito dati, when I was with Aillard, but not like this. Not like this, na para bang bawat galaw ko, may makikita akong mga bangkay.

I accidentally turned my gaze on Zayne and met his gaze but I immediately diverted it. I just walked towards them and try to conclude what happened to the victim and how did he killed him. But even I stretch all of my neurons and nerves on my brain, I still can’t find how the culprit killed him. If he was shot, how does the killer shot him by the gun if there are a lot of persons here?

“Easily, he shot him with silencer” Zayne answered the question on my mind. We watched the authorities while putting the victim’s body on the body bag. “Daemon told us, and I observe too, that he was going to somewhere, his nurse wouldn’t be the culprit base on the hand written of the culprit. Now tell me, if she wasn’t who else would have enough reason to kill him?” Who else would be wish him to death?

“Maybe his enemies?” I answered unsure.

“Sir, we didn’t find anything on the CCTV footage” one of inspector Dawson’s subordinate reported on him while handling a notebook.

“That was the answer” Daemon pointed his finger to inspector Dawson’s subordinate that made him look to Daemon. “If it was his enemy, then why they didn’t found anything?” my lips curved and think for a while. Sino pa nga ba ang pwede? I was stilled for a while when something popped onto my mind.

“There is answers on your mind” Zayne commented. I look at him.

“His patients? You told me that the culprit stayed here for a while up to five to ten minutes, his enemy would just have a little word with him and will not take a lot of time like that. So it was possible that it was one of his recently patients. They also told us they found anything suspicious, then it was one of his patients! No one will suspect him if he visit Doctor Fransisco” I explained. Honestly? Where that thoughts comes from? Did my critical thinking was now improving?

“Brilliant” Zayne just snapped his fingers.

“Yeah, you’re right, it will never be the nurses and other doctors” Daemon remarked. “No one hates him here because he was a very kind Doctor and psychiatrist. The other nurses and other doctor was telling me that my sister was very lucky to have a doctor like him, and they looked sincere” May tiwala ako sa sinabi ni Daemon. He know how to tell if someone was lying to him. Really. May master’s degree ata siya sa lie detecting? Ever since when we are a kids, he was very intelligent person until now. He didn’t change even though a lot of unfortunate things happened on him and happening on him right now.

The police officers let out the body bag but Zayne was still in deep thought. Even Daemon was on his deep thought. I don’t know what’s running on their mind. Ayoko din alamin dahil alam kong mabobobo ako sa sasabihin nila. Zayne took the doctor’s clipboard and borrow the doctor’s red highlighter. Multuhin ka sana ng doctor.

He high lightened all those possible suspects and all of them are men. Daemon was right, the killer was a man. But how does he knew that those person he high lightened was the possible suspects? He will definitely answer my question because he was darting a sideward glance on me.

“The body was still warm and his skin was still emollient. Base on my conclusion, if I’m not mistaken, he had just died when the nurse saw him” Zayne explained. I know that I am a slow person but still, he was always explaining his thoughts. I don’t even know why he was asking me sometimes of what did the possible answers or possible suspects of us. “There are three of them” Zayne looked at Daemon and looked at inspector Dawson.

“I’m sure these suspects was still here. Can we take a look on the log book and find them if they are still here? I’m sure they are” Zayne gave the clipboard to me. I take a look on the clipboard and the names that are high lightened with red highlighter was;
Kevin Santos

Nicholas Castillo
Edward Fernandez

Edward? Where did I heard that name? I touched my chin and twitch my eyes. Where did – aha! I remember him! He was the basketball player that we met on the Japanese restaurant and one of the suspects. Now, suspect na naman siya? Coincidence lang ba o hindi?

“Let’s go” he held my wrist gently, not just like before. But we halted when Daemon speak.

“Can I join the two of you?” Zayne stared at his eyes. Dapat nga si Daemon ang kasama niya dahil mas matalino siya. I have no contribution to Zayne when he was solving cases. And that’s the reason why I asked myself on why did Zayne was still letting me on his side while solving the cases. “I don’t see anything wrong with you. You can join us freely” Daemon beamed but Zayne didn’t.

We walked the long narrow hallway and Zayne was still holding my wrist. However, Daemon was looking at my wrist and Zayne’s hands.

“What’s wrong with the two of you?” Daemon asked and frowned. I just shrugged as a reply. I don’t know why he is holding my wrist all the time like that. But, his hand doesn’t gripped on my wrist. It was gentle and his hands wasn’t very cold just like before.

Daemon took the coffee from me and the chocolate drink. He placed it somewhere. Hindi ko pala namalayan na kanina ko pa hawak ang mga can drinks. Maybe I was busy and focused on the crime scene.

When we arrived on the lobby. Zayne talk to the security and asked for the log book. He let go of my wrist and Daemon look at me.

“Sir can we, take a look at the log book?” himala? Mukhang mapagkumbaba ang boses ni Zayne? What kind of yogurt did he bought before?

“Sir, pwede ko bang bang malaman kung bakit? Hindi kasi namin basta-basta binibigay ang log book sa wala lang” the security guard has a huge eye bugs and looks like very sleepy.

“We are one of the most trusted personality of the police officers, so let us see the log book to solve how Doctor Francisco died, or you will be the one who will solve everything if you don’t want to let us” Zayne answered the security. The irritation was etched on Zayne’s voice. Napakaliit talaga ng pasensiya niya.

The security guard just give the log book to him and he immediately flipped the papers of the log book. Daemon was taking a sneak peak to see the names on the log book. I only realized now that Zayne and Daemon has really the same height.

“Wait, wait” Zayne stopped flipping the log book when Daemon’s fingers trailed down on the page.

“What is it?” Hindi ko na maiwasang hindi makitingin sa tinitignan nilang dalawa. I saw the schedule of the names they staring was Monday. And then he flipped two pages and saw the three names of our suspects, the same time as they visit Doctor Francisco on Monday. He flipped another two and saw their names again with the same time.

“Their schedule was MWF” Zayne whispered. “At a time of 2:30” but it was nine in the morning?
“Proving that the doctor change their schedule because he was going on his vacation” Daemon crossed his arms. “And proven my theory before” He was right. He concluded that Doctor Francisco was going to take his vacation.

“He wants to meet them and tell them what he was planning to do. However, one of them didn’t like that Doctor Francisco will take his vacation” Zayne explained. “Maybe, the killer has a severe disease, or I’ll guess it. He was suffering to a severe depression, or maybe a severe schizophrenia” Oo nga naman. Sino nga naman ang hindi magagalit kung magle-leave ang doctor na pinakakatiwalaan mo? Maybe the killer thinks the aftermaths on how he was going to do if his depression or schizophrenia attack.

He thinks that he’ll die if his most trusted doctor leave him at the most day he needs a help and a therapy. Base on my deduction, it was impossible to be a disease because if you have only have a disease, the Doctor will never let you wrote a very long paragraphs.

Ano, nagpapa-exam si doc kapag may sakit ka? Then if that so, I will never consult him if I was suffering to a severe disease. Mas lalo lang sasakit ang ulo ko at baka mas lalo pang lalala ang kalagayan ko kapag ginawa niya iyon. Daemon also mentioned earlier that Doctor Francisco was a psychiatrist. So Zayne’s hypothesis may be true?

“I thought that too” Daemon’s eyes narrowed. Zayne gave back the log book to the security guard but instead of saying anything thank you to the security guard, he just walked away. Daemon thank the security guard and Zayne doesn’t care.

Wala talaga siyang pakialam sa mga taong nakakapagbigay sa kaniya ng impormasyon. He doesn’t care about the world. Basta siya ay nabubuhay sa sarili niyang mundo. Hindi kaya siya nabo-boring? It was hard to live alone. To live without friends. He was living on his darkness alone.

We arrived to Doctor Francisco’s office and a three men look at us. They didn’t look like one of the authorities and police officers. They most likely looked like patients of Doctor Francisco. Confirmed, the Edward Fernandez was one of our suspects in the poisoned girl on our school.

“They’re the suspects” Zayne’s eyes trailed down on their shoes. Now, he was analyzing them again with his glaring gaze.

“I was Edward Fernandez. I have fractures on my leg so I visited him to ask if I can play again” Edward started to explain. “I don’t know that it was the last meeting we have” Zayne and Daemon’s eyes looked at the man who looked very down to his life. He has a pale skin with a sad eyes.

“I was Nicholas Castillo, I was his patient, I suffered anxiety and depression so I needed to visit and consult him day by day to release the depression and anxiety I have” Zayne turned to a man who was cleaning his spectacles.

“As you can see, I have a cancer. A mild cancer and yeah I was very down when I heard that he was going to take a vacation but I can understand him. So there’s no reason for me to kill him” Obviously, his name was Kevin Santos.

“Sir, we found something on the pocket of the victim,” Zayne’s attention turned to the young officer. “We concluded that it was his death note. This crime is really a suicide. We can prove that using the victim’s death note” Suicide? But Zayne and Daemon’s conclusion was also proved that it wasn’t a suicide and this is a murder. Inspector Dawson’s eyes diverted to Zayne.

“I trust you because I also investigated the crime” inspector Dawson said. Zayne averted his gaze and gently touched his chin.

“Can I see his death note?” Daemon asked. Yeah. We will believe if it was really suicide and wasn’t a murder. The young officer gave the death note to Daemon. Zayne look closely at the death note and the corner of his lips lift.

“Gotcha” Zayne didn’t seems disappointed. What did they see on the death note? “You see that?” Zayne asked to Daemon. Instead of an answer, Daemon smirked. They are thinking the same thing! Out of curiosity, I looked at the death note but nothing seems strange on me.

“Such an old trick” Daemon took a pen.

“Don’t take a look” Zayne whispered to me making my brows frowned. “Even you stare that death note in a whole day, you won’t see anything. You’ll never understand the scribbled words on Doctor Fransisco’s death note” grabe naman mangmaliit ang taong ito. I know that I am not good with those such things, but my curiosity was killing me to know the hidden message on Doctor Fransisco’s death note. The exact words on Doctor Francisco’s death note was:





I know now that I am going to leave with this cold world. But my heart owned with a woman that I love the most. Anastasia was her name. She was someone that I really love. So whoever see my death note, could you please tell Anastasia that I love her? Tell her to find someone will love her till the end. I really love my Anastasia so please, tell her I love her and don’t be lonely if I need leave her. She was the only one who owned my life and love and I don’t want her to live alone.

Please call her and contact her with this telephone numbers.
2-1-6-3-0-5-2-5
10-3-8-3-2-1-7-13

“This isn’t a suicide” Zayne said confidently. He pulled my wrist before when he wants to go to find the log book. And now, here he was again. Belittling what I can and can’t do. He didn’t know me so why does he was judging me? I know that I can’t be like them, but I was trying my best to be like them.

And one more thing, I wasn’t a fond of solving crimes. It was just an accident that I join him solving different cases. But after this, I will never ever join him again when he was solving cases like this. If I am not going to visit Daemon’s sister, I won’t be included in solving this case.

“We know who the killer was” I won’t be surprised if he was. I know how smart he was.

“Hey” Daemon mumbled. “You okay?” I just nodded at him. I know that he wasn’t satisfied but he didn’t ask more. Belittling the things that I can do is the hardest and painful thing I always encountering on my boring life. It’s not that I know that I was just a woman, but I know deep inside me that I can do more things. I can do the things he never thought that I can. Not that I’m boasting but I know it deep inside of me.

Ano nga ba talagang meron sa death note na iyon at agad na nalaman ni Zayne at Daemon kung sino ang pumatay? They only knew their names but they didn’t know what are these suspects did when they consult to Doctor Fransisco. They didn’t also know what the suspects did after consulting the Doctor. What? What did they see? My eyes narrowed and I really tried hard to find the answer.

“Wanna know the answer?” I flinched when I felt Zayne’s breathe on my forehead. “It was very easy” I looked at him but he suddenly averted his gaze. I saw Daemon was smiling. Anong ngini-ngiti-ngiti nito?

“Here” Zayne gave me the death note. “I’ll give a clue to you to solve this cryptic message” Zayne’s arms crossed. I took the death note and look at it closely. What was the hidden message on it?! I can’t understand how did they analyze this cryptic message and found who is the killer.

Maybe Zayne was right. I really can’t understand this message even I will stare at it all day long. But I want to prove him wrong. I know I can but how?

“I told you. You won’t solve the cryptic message if you just stare at the death note” Zayne’s voice was full of sarcasm. “I won’t tell the answer. I want you to understand that” I glared at him.

“I’ll give a clue. Just like I always did” he smirked. He was right. He was telling me the clues to solve the case but he never tell the answer. He wants me to solve the questions from the crime scenes rather than telling me the answer. “There’s no thrill if I tell you the answer”

“Really? Is this just like a game for you?” Daemon asked. He didn’t want to play around the crime scenes and to the situations that are needed to be serious. He was like Aillard. “This isn’t a game to bring thrills on you”

“Oh c’mon. I wasn’t playing a games. I’m just excited at the circumstances like this” Zayne smiled devilish but Daemon shook his head. I know their abilities and intelligence are the same but Daemon have not unorthodox ways like him. “Don’t worry. I just want your friend to solve the cryptic message. But I will never put her in danger. You are just overprotective to your friend. But if she was, don’t worry, I’ll take the full responsibility” anong pinagsasasabi nilang dalawa? What does that mean? Zayne’s gaze turned to me.

“I can’t think anything to explain to you but…” he looked up. Bakit kasi hindi na lang talaga niya ideretso sa akin? “Have you ever tried to play the SOUL MATE, FLAMES? Those stupid things? Have you?” his lips puckered sideward. He looks like he doesn’t like that kind of games. Also me, I don’t like that game. Although I know what game is that, but I never try playing those stuffs like that.

“No. I didn’t play with such games” I answered. “But I know that games”

“One more clue” Daemon butt in. “Focus on the numbers” Zayne snapped. What’s wrong with this numbers? I look closer and closer but I really didn’t understand what’s wrong with this numbers.

Ano bang meron sa mga numbers na ito? My brain does not working with the times like this. Oh c’mon. What did the two of them saw with this death note and they noticed immediately who killed Doctor Francisco in just a blink of an eye? Kahit yata banatin ko ang utak ko, wala akong makikitang kakaiba dito kung hindi nila sasabihin.

Flames? Soul mate? Focus on the numbers? What’s wrong with the numbers? If I am not mistaken, the game that Zayne was alluding, was the game which is you have to find the letters of SOUL MATE and FLAMES to your or his or whoever will play it on their names. And you have to — I stiffed and gaped as I understand what they are trying to tell me.

“Is it —”

“Yeah. That’s it” Daemon cut me off. Zayne chuckled.

“I thought you’ll be forever staring at that clever death note” Zayne chuckled and I nudged his stomach so he stopped laughing. He was teasing me! I’ll going to retaliate on you.

“Now, you can admit that you kill him. I will never expose you unless you didn’t admit your sin” Zayne crossed his arms and took a deep breathe. “Go on admit it, while I’m still kind today” I grimaced and Inspector Dawson coughed. Napatingin si Zayne kay Inspector Dawson at sa akin. Asking why we have a reaction like that.

“Mabait pa ba siya sa lagay na iyan?” Daemon mumbled.

“Hindi nga halata sa kaniyang mabait siya” I answered him while my lips are still closed. Zayne darted a daggers on us as he glared with us. My knees instantly shivered. I gulped the lump on my throat. I look away and I accidentally saw Daemon was still staring at Zayne and his eyes are narrowed into slits.

“I heard the two of you” his cold voice sends a chilling sensation down to my spine. He averted his gaze and look firmly to our suspects.

“If you are not used to seeing his eyes like that, his gaze will surely bring you so much fear that will make you wish that you shouldn’t see his cold and terrifying eyes” Daemon murmured. “Certainty, I know he was hiding something that letting him to send fears to whoever tried to look at his eyes” he looked at me.

“Be very careful when he was with you” Daemon warned. “I don’t think his safe to be with”

Inspector Dawson told me that too. He told me to be very careful when I am alone. Parang ganon na rin ang dating dahil nakakasama ko siya. I should avoid myself getting near to him. If Daemon, Austin, and Inspector Dawson was right, I should have keep a distance between us.

“No one will admit?” Zayne smirked devilishly. “Okay, I’ll tell who killed Doctor Fransisco directly” he pick a red pen and circled all the letters on the death note.

The numbers under the message wasn’t a telephone numbers. It was the distance between the letters of the message. If you follow the words that telling of the number distances on the numbers, you’ll get the letters of the killer’s name. A clever death note to tell who killed him.

“If you decode this cryptic message, you’ll see the name who killed Doctor Fransisco” he put the paper on the table and showed the death note with the encircled letters. And wrote the killer’s name under the message with a red pen. NICHOLAS CASTILLO.

“If you think that it was a telephone number, then you’re wrong Nicholas Castillo, because he was now telling who killed him” Zayne explained. Siguro kung hindi niya sinabi sa akin ang mga clues, also Daemon, I will never solve the cryptic message and I’ll be going to stare at the death note forever.

“That’s absurd!” Nicholas defended himself. As expected, no one will admit the mistake he or she did. “I didn’t kill him! How will I kill him if I was his patient? If he was killed, no one will understand my depression”

“That’s it” Daemon spoke immediately. “You killed him because he told you that he will going to take his vacation. You are worrying for yourself. You were worrying if your depression attacked and Doctor Fransisco was on his vacation” their hypothesis are right. Mukhang nabibigyang linaw na ang lahat.

“No! That was just accident to form my name on his death note. It was clearly a suicide and not a murder” he keeps on defending himself even Zayne and Daemon got him already.

“So it was accident too that he put this random numbers?” the sarcasm etched on Zayne’s voice. “If you really didn’t want to admit your mistake, then let’s see if this pen has your finger prints” Zayne picked carefully the pen while his three fingers lift. Hala ang arte, palunok ko kaya sa kaniya iyang ball pen na iyan?

Akala mo naman may nakakahawang sakit na nagmumula diyan sa retractable pen na iyan. However, I can’t put the blame on him because he just don’t like to left any traces of him in that pen. Baka mamaya mabaligtad pa siya ng di oras ‘do ba? That was the ball pen beside the papers I’ve found on the other table. If I’m not mistaken, it was the pen used by him to write those lots of paragraphs in three pages and more.

Nicholas crossed his arms and the corner of his lips lifted. He smiled confidently. He was now different from the Nicholas I’ve saw before. He was like a snake that remove his skins and turn to a devil.

“At papaano ka naman nakasiguro na magpapatunay iyan na pinatay ko si Doc Fransisco?” Zayne didn’t bother to answer Nicholas and just put the pen inside of a zip lock plastic bag.

“First, the other two suspects will never let the doctor wrote a lot of things like this” he showed the papers and put it too in the plastic. “They needed to rest not to write about their experiences that led you to suffer depression” The smile with Nicholas’ face fade away and changed to annexed of his brows.

“Can you check this stuffs? I am sure, he left a lot of finger prints on that” Zayne give the two zip lock bags to the police officers. One more thing, those papers were relevant to the crime because it left here in the crime scene. Now I know how did he killed Doc Fransisco.

“Tell me how that two evidences will prove that I am guilty?” Nicholas strike a question again. Zayne took a deep breathe. Hindi talaga siya sumusuko sa kakaisip ng mga lusot para makaalis sa pagiging killer. “Yeah, I’ll admit that I wrote that, but tell me what’s the connection of killing him to my hand written and finger prints on that ballpen” Again, he crossed his arms and smirked. Mapurol pa ata ang utak ng taong ito sa’kin. But we still needed to find more evidences to put him behind bars.

He admit it, but we needed more evidence to prove him guilty. What else should we use to drag him more? To prove he was guilty? What else? I touched my chin and my brow slightly lifted. My eyes widened when I remember something. Gagana kaya ang naiisip ko?

“Can you let us see your hand writing?” I asked and I feel Zayne and the other police officers gaze on me. I don’t think it will work. “Can you wrote something or everything on this paper?” I offered the three papers and three ball pens on them. Una ay nagkatinginan pa sila dahil parang hindi naman kaugnay sa kaso ang pinapagawa ko.

“Just do what she said” inspector Dawson said and they started writing. I saw Zayne smirked.

“Gotcha” Zayne mumbled. They both writing on their right hand but there is only one that can’t hide his true hand that he uses to write. He was very slow at writing compare how long he wrote on the paper evidences.

Now, I know why his left hand was on his pockets till the time we met them up until now.
“Let us see your two hands. Show them” Daemon commanded. Nicholas froze for a moment. Confounded, Edward and Kevin showed us their hands but Nicholas remained his hands on his pockets. “Why can’t you show us your hands? Are you hiding something on your hands?”

“Old and simple trick but a clever one” Zayne jumbled my hair again. Tinignan ko lamang siya ng masama ngunit hindi niya ako tinignan.

“You didn’t wash your hands after using a gun, that’s why there are a gun powder left on your hand. And also, a blood. You also put a different gun on the victim’s hand to avoid us to see any fingerprints of yours in the real gun that you used.” Zayne explained. “You have no time to wash it because the nurse suddenly saw him passed away and the police officers arrived immediately. And to don’t plant anyone a suspicious look on you, you didn’t wash your hands. That’s why we can’t see anything suspicious in the CCTV footages”

“You put the victim’s body on his chair and pretend that he shot himself on his swivel chair. But the fact is, you shot him when he stood up that’s why there are bloods splattered on the wall” Daemon continued explaining Zayne’s point.

Nicholas went silent and didn’t speak anything. This is the checkmate for him. I don’t know how to play chess but check mate is the most powerful word in the game of chess.

“I didn’t killed him for my own” Edward and Kevin’s attention went on him. His head bowed. “Two years ago, he has the patient named Noelle. She was died dahil sa doctor na iyan. Hindi niya kaagad na inoperahan ang kapatid ko kahit na alam niyang pwede niyang ikamatay iyon! Pero alam niyo ba ang ginawa niya?!”

I understand him but, killing someone wasn’t the answer to ease the pain. I understand him but this murder can’t atone everything that the doctor did. Killing someone wasn’t an answer to another killings. That was the reason why the cycle of crimes is still working. Because murder is another reason for another murder. I don’t now but, don’t put the law on your hands because if you take revenge to someone who killed someone by killing that person, you and that killer doesn’t have any differences. The two of you will remain a killer if you kill someone like what the other killers do.

“He chose to operate the VIP first before us!” He shouted and I can feel the pain on his voice but he smiled mischievously. Kinabahan ako ng maituon sa akin ang kaniyang matalim na titig. He grabbed the gun of one of the police officers and he was going to put the gun on my head but Zayne went in front of me.

The police officers took their guns and pointed it on Nicholas. My hands turned cold because of nervous. This was the second time that someone pointed a gun on a person who tried to save me.

Zayne’s dull eyes stared at him and Daemon’s arms spread in front of me. The gun was now on Zayne’s head but Zayne didn’t seems so alarm. He was still the same like who he was before. Calm, cold, dark and dull like a brick.

“Don’t hold a gun if you can’t pull the trigger” Zayne smirked. He held the gun’s barrel and Nicholas hand. He immediately removed Nicholas’ hand on the gun using his both hands in Nicholas hand and to the gun. Zayne pointed the gun to Nicholas. Bahagyang napahawak sa kaniyang pulsuhan si Nicholas dahil sa sakit ng pagkakahawak ni Zayne sa kaniyang pulsuhan.

He knows how to turn the tables so that he went in front of me. He knows that I’ll be alarm and panic if Nicholas point the gun on me. And by his position, he can immediately do what he needed to do.

Zayne gave the gun to the police officers and the police officers hand cuffed him. Ngayon ko lang na-realize na hindi pa pala niya nadi-dispose ang baril na ginamit niya. Isa din iyon sa dahilan kung bakit hindi niya nilalabas ang kaniyang kamay dahil nasa loob ng bulsa ng jacket niya ang baril na ginamit niya to sentenced Doctor Francisco to death.

Zayne didn’t tell any goodbyes on us when he leaved. Inspector Dawson goodbye to us and drive Nicholas Castillo to the precinct. And now, the only left in the hospital was the other police officers who was taking photographs on the crime scene and cleaning some other possible evidences may drag Nicholas.

“He was really serious when he told that if you got in danger, he’ll take the full responsibility” We are now on the benches on the hallway of the hospital drinking our drinks. “You can trust him but not too much. You can be safe on him but not really. He can put you in danger but he can save you. But the only thing I’ve observe to him is…” he drink his coffee and looked at me.

“He was hiding more on his sleeves. He was hiding very dark and cold, I can see it by the way he talks, the way he look at you, the way he observe, and specially his nonchalant eyes” I observe that too. But I can’t read him. Something’s blocking my way to avoid me read the stories on his eyes. “But be very careful. I told you, you can trust him but not too much. Walang kasiguraduhan kung pwede mo ba siyang pagkatiwalaan o hindi. He was a kind of a man that put anyone in danger just to do what he wants. Quite manipulative but an astute man”

“I know that too, I observe that being his seatmate for weeks” I sipped the chocolate drink from the can. “Don’t worry, I will keep a distance between us starting today” Even I am a bit curious about him, I’ll keep a distance between us. Tatlo na silang nagsabi sa akin na mag-iingat ako kapag kasama ko siya. So it’s time for me to make a distance between us.

Ayokong one day, I’ll be a victim of my stupidity. They are the ones who really observed Zayne and that’s enough to make a distance between us and don’t be silly by following my curiosity. I know that there are a possibility that Zayne was connected to Aillard’s death but it’s enough. Aillard wouldn’t be happy if I put myself in danger.

“Kanina pa ako naghihintay sa inyo” Austin scratched his head and halted in front of us. “Ang sabi ni Jhay, bibili lang siya, and then you, Daemon. You told me that you’ll find Jhay because she was taking a lot of time buying coffees. But it takes one and half hour to look for Jhay and buy some coffee? Ganon ba kalayo ang vending machine at ganon ba kahirap hanapin si Jhay?” Napangiti na lamang ako at bahagyang natawa. Daemon raised his two hands beside his head like he was surrendering.

Now I realized how dangerous Zayne for me. I even put myself in danger when Nicholas tried to point the gun on me. But Zayne immediately went in front of me. I don’t know if I need to say thank you to him or not. But the only one apparent thing on my mind now, is I need to take a distance between Zayne and me.

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