CASSIEN
TERROR SOMEWHAT made a way in to sink in my chest. I couldn't deny the fact that I feared the clown, lalo na no'ng kumaway ito sa camera at ngumiti pa. He was a normal clown with his colorful costume, red hair, red lips and red nose whose skin was as white as snow. Candidate number 1 para sa gaganap na Snow White sa Halloween.
From what I observed from the footage, he was gaining most people's attention. I mean, sino ba namang hindi mapapalingon? Such scenery only happens once in a while — or maybe never at all.
"Do we have a lead?" tanong ni Conan habang nakakrus ang dalawang braso.
Nang matapos kami sa Operation: Trespass a Toy Store — 'pag nahuli, ako lang ang dawit, hinatid niya ako sa bahay bandang mga alas-tres nang madaling araw. Thank goodness hindi pa gising si Mama nang ganoong oras kundi patay talaga ako. Simula no'n, hindi na rin ako nakatulog. I don't want that terrfying clown-face in my dreams!
Nai-imagine ko tuloy si Pennywise!
Silence. Nobody dared to respond to Conan's inquiry. Either ayaw nilang sumagot or hindi nila alam ang isasagot. Nasa clubroom kasi kami ngayon para pag-usapan ang nadiskubre namin. Ranpo was sitting on his swivel chair behind the table and slowly pivoting himself. Not to mention that his eyes were closed so he seemed out of the world. Meanwhile, Newt was working on the arrangement of books to a shelf next to the table.
Umagang-umaga bago mag-start ang classes, ito agad ang inaalmusal namin. Ang sarap~
Ang sarap ibaon no'ng salarin para matapos na. Baka kasi mapaihi pa ako sa takot sa clown na 'yon.
Wait, wasn't I the one who asked for adventures?
Parang naririnig ko tuloy si Lady Fate na nagsasabing: "Ngayong binigyan kita, rereklamo ka? E, kung tuluyan na lang kaya kita para wala nang problema?"
I pressed my hands together and closed my eyes. Joke lang po, Lady Fate!
"Teka." It took me a couple of seconds before I gained the courage to break the silence. "Paano tayo nakasisiguro na may kinalaman nga 'tong clown na 'to sa case ni Ava? What if napadaan lang talaga siya at gustong magpapansin sa camera?"
Napatingin sina Conan at Newt kay Ranpo dahil sa sinabi ko. They were probably waiting for an answer since the beginning as well. It was all Ranpo's idea anyway — na may makikita raw kaming kakaiba sa isa sa mga footages. Then, ka-boom! Ayon, may clown nga.
"Ranpo," tawag ni Newt sa kanya dahil mukhang hindi niya ako narinig. Nang-iinis talaga siya, huh.
Agad siya napamulat ng mata nang tawagin ang pangalan niya. He stopped pivoting and looked at Conan, then at Newt — lastly, at me. "Sorry — if it still ain't obvious to you, I wasn't listening. What were you talking about?"
"You know something you still aren't telling us. How did the awful clown became our initial dark dragon?"
I looked confusedly at Newt. Dark dragon? Pinagsasabi nito? Saan bang dimension siya nanggaling?
"Oh, about that—" Yumuko si Ranpo at binuksan ang drawer ng lamesa sa ilalim. He then lifted what he got and tossed the item over the table. "I had a hundred suspects in my head but this was the inference to the best explanation."
"Newspaper?" nagtataka kong tanong nang makita ang item na kinuha niya. I didn't know na uso pa pala 'yang mga dyaryo hanggang ngayon. Madalas kasi ay sa TV at social media na nakakakalap ng mga balita.
"No, Cass. Maybe it wasn't a newspaper. Maybe it was a plastic with abundant words printed on it."
Inirap ko nalang ang mga mata ko dahil sa pamimilosopo niya. Pasalamat siya, wala ako sa mood makipagtalo otherwise he'd have a one-way ticket to hell.
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REVERSE ✓
Mystery / Thriller"The circus is now open! However, the clown was missing; seeking for the next victim." Cassien joined a non-maiden detective club to dislodge boredom from her life and seek for odd adventures like crossdressing and perilous investigations! Whether s...
