Trigger and Bullets

bullet 2 - losing grip

Happiness is a chase

Like trying to surpass the sunset.

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Bullet two

"Dana, I wanna drive," I said while forcing to look not so damaged. Sumandal siya sa kotse at umiling

"No, minor ka, Venice. Masisibak ako sa trabaho kapag pumayag ako," wika niya, makikita sa mukha niya ang pagmamatigas.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Just this once...please," I almost pleaded. When I opened my eyes I saw her face soften. "Please...' bulong ko ulit. Before I go mad and show how pissed I am.

She stepped away from my car and fished the key from her pocket. "The last time I gave up on that 'please' of yours ibinunggo mo ang Porsche mo sa puno." She remembered, ginaya pa niya ang pagsabi ko ng 'please'. She placed the key on my palm.

"Take a cab, Dana," I ordered and her eyes turned to slits. "Kung ito lang ang paraan para maibsan ka. Huwag mong patayin ang sarili mo, isipin mo trabaho ko ang nakasalalay dito," she warned while she left me and my car.

Dana was my personal guard. She was five years older but I considered her the only person who could really 'connect' with me, who pushed to connect with me. Ayaw niyang tawagin ko siyang Ate Dana. Isa siyang trained agent at ni-hire siya ng mga magulang ko para may magbantay sa akin. Noong bata pa ako hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kailangang may kasama akong tao na may nakatagong baril sa ilalim ng damit. Not until today. Na-realized ko kung gaano ka-messed up ang mundo. I had been a witness to a killing. What an exciting event to jot down on my diary!

Pinaandar ko agad ang Lambhorgini once I got in. I hit the pedal causing my car to whoosh in the open school parking lot. This was what I needed; an escape.

Sa side mirror nakikita ko ang taxi na bumubuntot sa akin. Sigurado akong si Dana iyon at sigurado rin akong minumura na siya ng taxi driver dahil kailangan nila akong sundan. Mabuti at hindi gaanong marami ang motorista kaya malaya akong nakaka-overtake. I revved the engine more nang nakikita ko na ang daang lilikuan ko. I stepped a little on the break and spun the car for a drift then revved again making the car purr as it invaded the straight road.

I kicked off the mental images of the lifeless man on the floor. Pinipigilan ko ang pumikit dahil nasa daan ako. "He didn't even have the time to tell us his name," I whispered. His name is Luis Mariano, the police who responded after that incident told us. Lahat ng estudyanteng nasa loob ng silid kung saan naganap ang pagpatay ay kinolekta at ipinunta sa isang conference room para usisahin.

All were in the state of shock. Hindi lahat nakuwestiyon dahil pare-pareho lang ang mga sinasabi nila. Sa pagkakaalam ko ako lang ang may ibang napahayag tungkol sa insidente. And damn this life... no one believed what I honestly told.

"Ms. Venice Fronda, wala kaming nakitang baril sa sahig. Dalawang beses na namin hinalughog ang kwarto ngunit wala talaga ang tinutukoy ninyo," niwika ng isa sa mga pulis.

"But I saw a gun!" naiirita kong isinigaw. Ako ang pinaka matagal na sumalang sa interogasyon sa aming lahat. The possibility that the murderer was inside the room would be high kung nahanap nila ang baril. But they didn't even believe that I saw a gun. "Siguro masyado ka lang nasindak sa mga nangyari. Kinapkapan at tiningnan na po namin kayong lahat, walang baril, Ms. Fronda." The police was impossible! Sinong hindi masisindak kapag nakakita ka ng sumasabog na ulo? And that won't make me craft a story. Buhay ang nawala, seryosong bagay iyon and I wanted to help but they didn't believe me.