Teen Murder Spree

chapter five

v. real or not?

Heloise

"Wala kang ibang pagsasabihan ng nakita mo kundi isusunod kita sa mama mo!"

Bigla akong nagising sabay upo mula sa pagkakahiga habang hinahabol ang hininga ko. Napabaling ako sa orasan at nakitang mag-aalas dos pa lang ng umaga.

Bumangon ako't bumaba ng kama saka tumungo sa kusina para makapag-hilamos.

The trauma I had from my father still haunts me even until now all I ever knew was to keep my silence.

It's just still a part of me like a scar I can never heal from. Not even time can do the trick.

Hindi na ako nakatulog pa ulit kaya nanood na lang ako ng T.V. When it was already 7 a.m, I went to prepare my breakfast.

'Maaalalang noong nakaraang linggo lamang ay pumukaw ng atensyon ng mga mamamayan ng Ghillore Valley ang hinihinalang pagkitil ng sariling buhay ng dalagang estudyante na 'di umano'y tumalon mula sa Twin Bell Towers. Kinilala ang biktima bilang si Mikayla Diaz, dise-syeteng taong gulang at isang mag-aaral sa Ghillore Public High School. Sa ngayon ay patuloy pa rin ang imbestigasyon ng pulisya.'

I turned the T.V. off.

It's been a week since the death of Mikay. It took a couple of days before the authorities confirmed her identity and they had no idea how to tell it to her worried mother. They knew the news was too depressing for the sick mother so the whole neighborhood had to plan an assembly just to be there for her because what's more painful than seeing a mother grieve the death of her beloved daughter?

Mabigat ang pakiramdam na tumungo ako sa school. Habang naglalakad sa hallway ay ramdam ko na agad ang pag-iba ng paligid. It was as if the atmosphere felt weird, and blue especially that everyone already knew about Mikay's death.

The school offered a mass for Mikay and everyone was obliged to attend and since then, everything and everyone felt unhappy and subdued.

I wonder what the bullies are thinking right now. How do they feel about knowing that the person they have been bullying for years is assumed to have committed suicide?

Do they regret every single thing they did?

Do they wish to have never said a single shit about her?

Is their guilt slowly creeping up their heads?

Napabalik ako sa huwisyo nang makasalubong ko si Chantria. Mangiyak-ngiyak itong naglalakad. Nang makita naman nito ako ay dali dali itong lumapit sa'kin.

"We really have to do something about this curse thing," iyak nito. "I don't wanna die. I . . . I have dreams, I'm going to be a trophy wife . . . I . . ."

Napabuntong hininga na lang ako saka ko siya kinaladkad papuntang classroom.

"You see, class, healing is actually not linear. One day you'll think you're finally getting better, it doesn't feel heavy anymore but then at one point, it all comes crashing back down at you. Much painful, much heavier."

I slept all throughout the classes. Simula kasi nung nangyari kay Mikay ay hindi na ako nakakatulog pa ng maayos tuwing gabi kaya binabawi ko na lang dito sa school.

Pagkatapos ng klase ay napagdesisyunan naming magkita ulit sa library.

"Asan si Charles?" Tanong ko nang mapansing wala siya.

"Absent pa rin," sagot naman ni Cameron.

"E, si Naomy?"

"Ganoon din. They haven't shown up in class after everything that happened. I heard naospital si Naomy dahil siguro sa stress."

I breathed.

Out of all of us, sina Charles and Naomy ang halatang pinaka-naapektuhan sa nangyari kay Mikay . . . but probably in different ways.

"Kamusta pala si Timothy? Sana nandito rin siya kasi kasama rin natin siyang naglaro nung cursed game," Abi asked, shifting the topic.

"He's gotten worse. Mas lalo siyang naging aggressive to the point na kinailangan ko pang lumipat ng bahay," sagot naman ni Tobi. Saka ko lang din napansing may mga bagong pasa ito sa mukha.

"What do we do now?" Chantria whined.

"Are we seriously into that curse shit?" Bulalas ni Tobi.

"Mikayla died exactly as the first victim, okay? How is that not normal to you?" Cameron argued.

"And ya'll are believing a curse is real, how is that normal either? Kung paniniwalaan natin yan, mas lalo lang magkakatotoo yan!" Tobi insisted.

"But Mikay did mention something about dying the exact same way as the initial victims." Sang-ayon ko na rin kay Cameron.

"Can anyone still recall the whole article?" Tanong ni Abi.

"Chantria, ikaw nagbasa nun 'di ba? Naalala mo pa ba?" Ani Cameron.

"I was just reading, not memorizing." Chantria shrugged.

"Guys, chill," singit ni Tobi. "This is probably just one, weird coincidence. Mikayla is obviously depressed with all the bullies and poverty. Sobrang posibleng magawa niyang kitilin ang sarili niyang buhay."

"You know what, Tobias? Kung ayaw mo talaga maniwala sa curse, fine, suit yourself. But don't you know na sa mga movies, inuunang i-kill yung mga 'di naniniwala?" taas-kilay na hamon ni Chantria.

Hindi namin inaasahan ang pagtahimik ni Tobi kaya halos lahat kami ay sabay na napatingin sakaniya.

"P-Pano ba kasi tapusin ang curse na 'yan?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Titiklop ka rin naman pala"

"Oh my gosh!" Biglang bulalas ni Chantria na ikinabigla naman naming lahat "Of course! The only to way to break the curse"

"What?" Halos sabay naming tanong.

"True love's kiss!"

We all groaned.

"Halika nga dito, Chantria, pektusan kita one time lang." Kunot noong bulalas ni Cameron.

"Ang ganda mo na sana, e," rinig ko pang dismayadong sambit ni Tobi.

"What? True naman ah!" depensa pa ni Chantria.

Bumuntong hininga na lang ako saka umalis. I don't have time makinig sa pagtatalo nila.

But I have to think. If the curse is real, that means the next death would be the same as the second victim.

✘

Classes went on despite the gloomy atmosphere at blanko lang ang utak ko sa buong oras ng mga klase.

Aside from being all confused from everything that's happening, I'm also all nervous and anxious about this thing that I planned. I know I'm not supposed to do this right now but I have to. I've already made up my mind.

Hanggang sa dumating na rin sa wakas ang oras ng dismissal.

I'm usually always the first one to leave the room, but this time, I patiently waited for everyone else to go out.

Nung nakita kong lumapit si Keith kay Abi at mukhang nagpapaalam itong maunang umalis ay bahagya akong natuwa. Perfect timing.

Everyone went out until it was finally just me and Abi.

I took something out from my bag saka ako tumayo at naglakad papalapit sakaniya. Mukhang napansin naman nito ang presensya ko dahilan upang lumingon ito sa'kin.

Abigayl gasped.

⋘ to be continued... ⋙