Dark Fairytale (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 5: Unearthed from the Ruins

Chapter 5: Unearthed from the Ruins

Soundtrack: What Have We Become - The Sweeplings

I sat across Detective Penber in Uncle William's library. He studied me through his cup of coffee and that made me feel uncomfortable. I felt so out of place sitting in the library with Uncle William and the detective. But I somehow knew that I should be here. I had to know what was going on.

"I still disapprove of Emily's presence here, Detective. She's only seventeen years old. I don't think she should be listening to this kind of thing," Uncle William said while giving me a stern look.

Subalit hindi siya binigyan ng pansin ni Detective Penber at sa halip ay nagpatuloy ito sa pagkilatis sa akin. Nang mapansin niyang hindi na ako kumportable ay ibinaba niya ang kanyang tasa ng kape sa desk at saka nagsalita.

"You look like your mother," wika niya.

Wala akong naisagot sa Detective. Bagama't hindi ko makakalimutan ang mukha ng aking ina, hindi naman parati na may nagsasabing may pagkaka-hawig kami. At sa tuwing naririnig ko ang tungkol sa kanya, ang gabing nakita ko siyang duguan ang aking naaalala.

"Oh! For God's sake! You've never even met Eleonor!"

I turned to Uncle William whose look of distaste was plastered on his face. It had been a long time since I'd heard my mother's name.

"That's true. But I had the files in my hands and I spent sleepless nights reviewing it. That's why I could say with confidence that she has her mother's face," agad na sagot ni Detective Penber.

Kahit na hindi maganda ang ipinapakitang pag-trato sa kanya ni Uncle William ay nananatili pa rin siyang kalmado at propesyunal. Ni hindi rin siya nangingilag o natatakot sa presensya ni Uncle William na madalas maramdaman ng mga tao sa paligid nito.

"Go to your room now, Emily. You're not needed here," utos ni Uncle William sa tonong walang magnanais na sumuway. Ngunit naiiba si Detective Penber sa mga taong nakakasalamuha niya. Tila wala itong takot at hindi kumikilala sa anumang uri ng kapangyarihan.

"A massive fire happened in Eremitia few months ago," sa halip ay wika ni Detective Penber. Katulad ko ay agad ring napalingon sa kanya si Uncle William. Kung mayroong mga bagay na agad na nakakakuha ng aking atensyon, isa roon ang apoy.

"And what does it have to do with us?" Hindi siya nito nilingon at sa halip ay nanatiling nakatingin sa akin ang detective.

"And the mansion that was eaten by fire had a massive library. We were able to get some important files with the help of classified personas. And do you know what we found in that library?"

Walang nagsalita sa amin at sa halip ay nakatingin lang kami sa kanya at hinihintay ang kanyang susunod na sasabihin.

"It was a library full of dead people's names and their information. They were like trophies to brag about. A collection of achievements. We weren't able to retrieve all those in the collection but we found your parents' names, Harry and Eleonor Devereaux, in the files."

Hindi ko alam kung saang bahagi ng puso ko nanggaling ang nararamdaman kong matinding galit dahil sa aking narinig. Naikuyom ko ang aking mga kamaong naka-patong sa aking mga hita, na tila ba nais nitong lumipad at atakihin ang mga bagay sa aking paligid. Subalit sa kabila ng lahat, alam kong walang patutunguhan ang galit na iyon. Wala na iyong magagawa pa at wala nang mababago sa mga nangyari na.