Never Cry Murder

Epilogue (Part 2 of 2)

"Sisa darating ang araw na 'yan pero napakatagal pa. Let's just cross that bridge when we get there." Aniya kaya naupo ako ng maayos saka napangiwi.

"Wow naman Agapatotoyski, kung maka-We ka, feel mo naman tayo parin paglaki niya." Sarcastic kong sambit sa kanya dahilan para bigla siyang ngumisi.

"Hinahamon mo ba ako Mary Serenity Samonte?" Nakangisi niyang sambit habang unti-unting inilalapit ang mukha niya sakin.

Sa sobrang lapit ng mukha namin, nararamdaman na namin ang hininga ng bawat isa. Bago pa man niya ako malandi ulit, iniwas ko na ang mukha ko saka ngumisi.

"I'm going to need years-worth of therapy after what happened here in Crimson Lake. I'm gonna spend the next few years paranoid and tormented with nightmares after being tortured both mentally and physically. Are you really sure gusto mong manatili sa tabi ko?" Paalala ko sa kanya. Ayokong naman kasing maging bagahe para sa kanya, ayokong maging pabigat. Mahal ko siya pero kaya ko namang mabuhay nang wala siya, di nga lang kasing saya ng nararamdaman ko pagkasama ko siya—Wait. Fuck this shit, I'm going down the cheesy road again! Fuckydy fuck fuck, Ponzi u little piece of shit, u make me cheesy shit. Kill me now! Wait no, don't kill me I'm osummm.

"Oo naman! Teka, akala mo ba ikaw lang? Serenity kailangan ko din ng theraphy! Di nga lang doktor ang kailangan ko... he-he-he." Aniya sabay taas-baba ng kilay niya.

"Kalandian mo Agapito." Napairap na lamang ako.

"Kinikilig ka lang eh." Pasaring ni Ponzi sabay sundot sa bewang ko, "Teka tara na, mukhang magsisimula na ang memorial service." Dagdag pa niya kaya napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako.

The nightmares, I don't know when they'll stop. The horrors I've witnessed and experienced in Crimson Lake will haunt me for the rest of my life. I know for sure that I can never erase those bad memories in my mind. The scars I gained will ultimately heal but the scar in my heart and mind will probably stay for the rest of my life.

I witnessed how things take turn for the worst. I witnessed how friends turn against friends. I witnessed how horrible people can be.

I witnessed friends die and perish. I witnessed how vengeance consumed Dustin, Kirk and the others—I was almost consumed with vengeance and anger.

Pero sa kabila ng lahat mga nakakagimbal na pangyayari, madami parin naman akong nasaksihang kabutihan. Like I said, there's always that silver lining in everything.

"The genius who got to solve my riddles." Napangiti na lamang ako habang pinagmamasdan ang litrato ni Tammy na nakahilera sa park kasama ang iba pang mga litrato ng mga taong nagbuwis ng kanilang mga buhay. Inilapag ko ang mga kulay puting rosas matapos makapagtirik ng mga kandila.

Tammy is one of the reasons why Crimson Lake's secrets were unraveled. When she cried murder, everything ended up like dominoes falling unto each other. True, napakaraming consequences ng ginawa niyang 'yon pero if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't cry murder too. And if I didn't cry murder too, siguro wala paring kaide-ideya ang mga kinauukulan sa kalechehang pinaggagawa ng Jemaima Program.

Okay technically, Tammy wasn't really the girl who cried murder in the first place—but she also lied by telling those kids a made-up story. Wait speaking of the real girl who cried murder, I mean Quinn, kung hindi siya nagsinungaling noon, ano kayang kinahinatnan ng lahat? What if Dustin's Dad was never killed? Will she even meet Tammy? Will Tammy even cross paths with Calix?—Ugh! Okay sumasakit na ang ulo ko kakaisip ng what ifs. The more I think about it, the more I believe that everything-happens-for-a-reason-mantra-crap.