Surging Of Affliction (WWS)

Ang Simula

"Have you heard the gossip about the haunted book, Raj?"

Detective Raj who just got out of his bathroom wearing his bathrobe brushed his hair up. He walked towards his fridge and looked at the man who was sitting languidly on his couch. "No. What about it?" he asked. He looked at the man again with knitted brows. "And just fucking stop eating on the couch!"

Agaran namang nilagay ng lalaki ang chichirya na hawak-hawak niya sa mesang nasa kanyang harapan bago ito sumagot. "Heard about the author whose book was like a prophecy," he answered, emphasizing the word prophecy. "Everything... as in everything that was written on it happens, Raj! At isa pa, the author died of suicide. Isn't it scary?"

Detective Raj snorted and glared at the man. "Gossips lacked evidence. This is what you get from watching too many horror movies, Lessandro," tugon nito sa lalaki. "If the book was like a prophecy, then he should have seen his own death and he should have known the reason why he killed himself and avoided it as much as possible."

Ipinatong ni Lessandro and kanyang paa sa kalapit na mesa ng sofa na kanyang kinauupuan. Seryoso itong tumingin sa detective. "He foresaw his death and wrote it in his book."

Detective Raj glared at the man.

Ngumisi si Lessandro. He held his right hand up. "I swear! Hindi ako nagsisinungaling," panunumpa pa nito. "The author published his short story on his website before he committed suicide. It was detailed. From the way he died, to how it felt... like he had experienced death before killing himself. It was too pragmatic to be called a fiction. He wrote his death like it has to be done. Moments later after he published the story on his website, he jumped on his building's rooftop. Durog ang katawan nito nang matagpuan ng kapulisan." He wiggled his body as he brushed his hand against his arms. "Who knows? Maybe his soul came back and killed the people who might be the cause of his death. Ang sabi pa nga ng iba ay totoong mga tao ang mga nasabing karakter ng nobela. All of them were murdered like how it was described on his novels. The novel was still ongoing and was being updated."

Raj sat next to Lessandro. Binatukan niya ang lalaki nang malakas. "If you told me that you're getting married, I could have believed that. And more terrifying cases exist and all of them are merely gossip," panimula nito. "There are some who reap someone's gut, eat human flesh, make human centipedes, and one was an insane painter who uses real blood as his lacquers. Ang iba sa mga kaso ay aswang daw ang gumawa then detectives, later on, found out that it was the syndicates who reap the victim's guts. Marami rin ang naniniwala na aswang ang pumatay sa biktima at ang kumain sa lamang-loob nito. But it was proven with testimony and evidence na sindikato ang salarin."

Lessandro rolled his eyes. "Well, this is different."

"How was it different?" tanong ng detective. "Isn't it absurd to believe that a mere human could see what is bound to happen? Naniniwala ka ba sa manghuhula? Palagi ka ngang na-i-scam ng mga ganiyan, hindi ba?"

"Yes... I mean no, but..."

"This is different? Ano bang klase ng rason 'yan, Attorney?" tanong ng detective. "Abogado ka tapos naniniwala ka riyan kahit wala kang patunay na totoo nga ang nakalap mong chismis? You know exactly that rumors could be fraud. Twisted, even. Hindi rebisco pero may pasobra." Tumawa ito. "Para ka na ring humarap sa hearing tapos ang ipinasa mo bilang ebidensya ay screenshot. Lutang lang?"

Lessandro picked up the pillow and threw it on Raj's face. "You're such a downer, motherfucker! You're spoiling such thrilling gossip."

Raj cackled and kicked his best friend's waist. "Stop believing those things, Sandro. People spread rumors for clout. If you believe it, ano na lang ang pinagkaiba mo sa mga taong nanghuhusga sa mga artista kahit wala pang ebidensya? You despised them but what you're doing right now reflects their attitude. That's hypocrisy, Leandro. And for fuck's sake, let that child rest in peace."

"Pero kung totoo?"

"I told you that it isn't possible."

Lessandro was about to refute again when Raj's phone rang.

Raj got up.

The buzzing noise from the other line irritated Raj's ears. Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga bago nagsalita. "What is it?"

"We have a new case, Sir and it needs an abrupt investigation. Kailangan ka namin dito."

Raj clenched his jaw. "Wala bang ibang tao riyan? I am on vacation leave, Celeste. Baka nakalimutan mo?"

"Others refused to take the job, Sir Raj. Please... nakakaawa ang biktima. His body was..."

"Alright. I'll be there. Stop guilt-tripping."

Raj ended the call and sighed. His vacation leave had just started yesterday and now Celeste, his partner, called him for work.

Ang malala, hindi siya makahindi sa babae. Binusted na siya nito't lahat-lahat ngunit hindi niya pa rin ito mahindian!

Raj knows that Celeste already has her special someone whom Celeste loved dearly at hindi siya 'yon. Yet, he kept on pursuing her.

"Si Celeste? Ano'ng sabi? Did she finally realize that-"

"Cut the crap. May nobyo na si Celeste," Raj cutted him off.

Lessandro chuckled. "Mag-asawa nga naghihiwalay pa, mag-nobyo at nobya pa kaya na wala pang sinumpaang pangako sa simbahan?"

"For the love of God, Lessandro, they are in love! You've seen it too."

Lessandro cackled. "I do and I know some of you exactly believe that we all fell in love at least once or twice not that it matters anyway. But do you really believe that love is something that would stay permanent? Or perhaps, constant? Does even love exist at all, or is it only an absurd ideal that people like to believe because it makes them happy?" pigil ang tawang tanong nito. "Atheists don't believe in God and so does Science. They don't believe in Him because they are afraid of something that they couldn't explain. They couldn't explain His existence so they resort to ignorance. But some of these people believe in love because it makes them feel good. God, love, and air. We could see none of these things but they believe the latter two because it makes them alive and happy, but question the former because it confuses them. And for the record, Celeste is an atheist."

Detective Raj glared at Lessandro.

Lessandro scratched his head. "What I am saying is that, people tend to follow and believe what makes them happy rather than staying with people who confuse them. Make Celeste happy and question her boyfriend's love for her. Maybe in that way, you could steal her and make her yours."

Detective Raj rolled his eyes. "Tigil-tigilan mo 'ko Lessandro sa pangbi-brainwash mo. I have no intention to be a relationship wrecker, Lessandro. I told you that I'll leave her alone and I'll do it."

Tinaas ni Lessandro ang kanang kilay at natatawa na tinanong ang detective: "Lulubayan pero isang tawag lang kakaripas agad ng takbo pabalik? Niloloko mo ba ako, detective?"

"This is different, Lessandro. This is work related. Let's be professional."

Lessandro rolled his eyes. "How was it different?" tanong nito na may halong pangungutya. He was copying Raj's tone when he argued with him earlier. "You're on your vacation and you can choose not to go if you want, detective. Porque ba'y tinawagan ka, nakalimutan mo agad na naka-vacation leave ka? You even promised you'd treat me a whole goddamn lavished vacation, Raj! Akala ko ba friends over hoes?"

Raj glared at Lessandro. "You know what? I'd appreciate it if you shut the fuck up. I'll treat you the other day," he said and left.

Detective Raj entered his room and changed into his uniform. He took a deep breath while looking at his reflection in the mirror.

This is another stressful case to solve.