Detective Rivalry

Epilogue: Detective Rivalry

Felicine

Seeing someone fall right before your eyes in a height where a chance of fifty percent of survival and another fifty percent of sure death is painful. The kind of pain that will take at least half of your energy.

No one can escape death. That is truly a given. No one at least have lived for a century longer, though there are people who are still living with an age of a hundred.

Death is always present around us, they are just waiting for the right time to take us with them.

"EUDAYME!" I shouted at the top of my lungs while looking down. I can't stop from crying seeing him lying at least 20 meters away from me.

I saw something red above his head. My vision became blurry because of the tears. People wearing uniforms of the same color started to gather around him making me unable to see clearly what had happened right after.

"Let's go down." Aya sa akin ni Cali. Mukhang nahimasmasan na siya sa kung ano ang nangyari kani-kanina lamang. Kalmado lang siya na para bang walang nakakatakot na nangyari. "Can you go down without any support coming from me?"

Pinunas ko ang mga luha na nasa mata ko pati na rin ang nasa pisnge gamit ang kamay ko. Tumango naman ako sa kanya bilang sagot. Nauna na siyang pumunta sa hagdan pababa kaya naman ay sumunod ako.

I may have answered yes to his question but the truth is, I don't know. Hindi ko alam kung kaya ko bang bumaba ng mag-isa rito. Para bang nanlambot ang aking mga tuhod pagkatapos ang pangyayaring iyon pero pipilitin ko ang sarili na bumaba dahil iyon ang sagot ko sa kanya.

Humawak ako ng mahigpit sa railings dahil baka bigla na lang akong mahulog at magpagulong-gulong pababa. Nasa baba na siguro si Cali dahil hindi ko na siya makita. Siguro kung mahulog ako, okay lang dahil wala naman ang lalaking iyon.

I'm almost at the half-way of the stairs. Just a few more steps and I'll have another half. Ibababa ko na sana ang aking paa sa huling hagdan ng mapamali ang paa ko.

"Ahh!"

"Don't tell others the contrary of what you are feeling if they asked you whether you are fine or not." Cali was holding my arm, preventing me to fall completely from the stairs. He was looking at me with his blank expression but his eyes were a bit of colored red. "Otherwise, you might put yourself into danger."

"Thanks." I thanked him and got to my feet. "Akala ko nauna ka na? Bakit mo ako hinintay dito?"

Inilagay niya sa magkabilang bulsa ang kamay at tsaka lumapit sa akin.

"People might buy your lies but not me." He said before starting to walk again.

"Aren't you going to give me your support?" I asked him that made him stop from his tracks. Tumingin siya sa akin at inilabas sa kanyang bulsa ang isang kamay at unti-unti itong itinaas hanggang sa makalevel ang balikat. He clenched his fist and looked at me.

"Go, Felicine. You can do it." Walang buhay na sabi niya sa akin. Napairap naman ako sa kanya. "Was that enough? If yes, then stop staring and start walking. Your knees aren't shaking anymore so let's go."

He started to walk again ahead of me. I chuckled for a moment before following him.

I have never thought that he has humour within him though he used it in a boring way. Akala ko wala siyang alam sa mga gano'n dahil puro pagkaseryoso ang makikita mo sa kanya. Well, looks can be deceiving, I think?

I sighed. Witnessing his boring yet trying hard support made my mind feel at ease. It somehow cured a little bit of my pain that I am feeling.

Hindi naman nagtagal ay nakarating na ako sa pinto at tsaka lumabas. Bumungad sa akin ang isang ambulansiya, isang fire truck at tatlong police car.