DETECTIVE FILES. File 1 (Published under PSICOM)

CHAPTER 25: CAMP OLYMPUS (Pandora)

"It's a picture rebus. 3 pictures, the first one was a painting and a sculpture, the second one was a basketball team at ang pangatlo ay mga nakakalat na bagay", wika ko. Kumunot ang noo nito bago nagsalita.

"I don't get it. Enlighten me please."

"That's simple. The first picture is Art since painting and sculptures are known artworks. The second is team and the last one is mess. If we combine those three words, we'll have Art, Team and Mess."

Ngumiti si Gray. "It's Artemis then, the Greek goddess of moon."

"Yes, and the picture hint, the second picture was encircled so I guess it was the hint to the next place kaya nagpunta ako doon sa may basketball ring and the sticker was up in a tree again."

"Don't tell me umakyat ka na naman?", nakabusangot nitong wika. "Iisipin ko na talaga na may lahi kang unggoy."

I laughed at his lame joke. "Sorry to disappoint you ngunit this time ay hindi na ako umakyat. I got the sticker with another picture in it on the side. It was a ring around a circle."

"It must be Zeus. Kapag nakakita ka ng circle with a ring around it, you'll remember the planet Saturn, the hint you said was a circle before a ringed circle so the planet before Saturn is Jupiter, which is also the name of the Roman counterpart of Zeus." Ngumiti ako sa kanya. He's right on his deduction.

"And then? Where did you find the sticker?", tanong niya.

"I don't have to find it. The facilitators have it. Remember what Ma'am Saderna said?" He shrugged his shoulders.

"She said it's a cycle. The end would be the same place", nakangiti kong wika. I can still remember her exact words.

Ngumiti si Gray at ginulo ang buhok ko. "As expected, ang galing mo." He keeps on messing my hair. Inis na iniwas ko ang ulo ko.

"Stop it, hoy ano ba! Stop it, nakakapagod magsuklay, aray!", I tried to push away his hands ngunit makulit ito. Patuloy lang siya sa ginawa kaya binato ko siya ng bottled water ngunit hindi siya natamaan.

"You can't hit me", nakangising wika niya. Tumayo ako at pinulot ang bottled water upang muling ibato sa kanya. Tumakbo na siya palayo habang tumatawa. So childish! And there's no way na hahabulin ko siya! Masakit nga paa ko diba?

It was already dark at malamig ang paligid. Nasa kanya-kanyang tent na kami at naghahanda na para sa hapunan. Even Athena's students were preparing for their dinner. Nakakatuwang isipin na nagkasabay na nagcamp ang Bridle at Athena. I lay down on my tent. My body is tired and my foot is aching, but I am very happy. Naging malapit ako sa ibang mga kaklase ko. Sila na ang lumalapit sa akin at kinakausap ako. I can hear the sounds of the crickets and other insects outside. Maliwanag ang buwan at malamig ang simoy ng hangin. Sinulyapan ko ang paa ko. It was swollen at masakit iyon. Ah! Kung hindi ba naman ako nataranta dahil sa ahas, hindi sana ito mamamaga ng ganito. May papalapit na yabag sa tent ko at may nakita akong anino. I want to lay here peacefully.

"Tao po, narito po ba ang mahal na prinsesa?", narinig kong tanong ni Gray mula sa labas. I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Wala", sagot ko. Ayoko siyang pagbuksan. I'd like to spend my night alone kasama ang binabasa kong classical novel na Guillever's Travel.

"Tao po, hindi po ako aalis hangga't hindi ako pinagbubuksan ng mahal na prinsesa", wika nito. Naiisip ko ang nakabusangot nitong mukha habang nakatayo doon sa labas ng tent. I sighed at bumangon. I've got no choice kundi pagbuksan ito. Knowing Gray, malamang hindi talaga iyon aalis kapag hindi ko pinagbuksan.

"What?", tanong ko at bigla na lang siyang pumasok. May dala siyang maliit na palanggana at bimpo. Umuosok pa ang tubig na nasa palanggana kaya nahulaan kong mainit iyon. "Akala ko ba walang tao rito?"