Last Day at St. Louie

16 - The Dead Man's Journal

"Congratulations, dear engineers. You just killed someone."

Hindi na nagulat ang mga kabataan noong marinig nila ang malalim na boses mula sa speaker matapos nilang lumabas sa Arts Building.

"You made us choose!" sigaw ni Kingsley.

"You chose," sagot ng malalim na boses sa isang nakakalokong tono. "My dear engineers are not righteous individuals anymore. Oh wait, have you ever been?"

Walang sumagot. Walang nagsalita.

Tahimik na nagpahinga ang lahat sa labas ng building. Kinailangan din nilang tumigil dahil lumuluwag ang panyong nakatali sa hita ni Arkin kung saan patuloy pa din na umaagos ang dugo.

"Let me see." Lumapit si Felicity at naglabas ng isa pang panyo. Binalot niya ang ilalim ng hita ng binata at hinigpitan ang pagkakatali ng panyo.

"You're making me sad, engineers. You really don't care about other people as long as they don't affect you. You don't even blink even when they're dying. You just continue living your life. That's the kind of monster that you are."

"Tama na!" malakas na sabi ni Paul. "Please. Just tell us what you want us to know. We're sorry if we did something to Lance Peña. Nobody wanted him to end his life."

"Oh really?!" Tila dumagundong ang galit na boses mula sa speaker. "You're sorry if you did something? You're not sure? You still don't know why you are here?"

"P-Paul, let's not make them mad," bulong ni Lia sa binata. Binigyan niya ito ng makahulugang tingin na nagpapa-alalang anumang segundo ay maaari silang humandusay sa kanilang kinatatayuan.

"Did you know that Harold Sison was the breadwinner of their family? His father died of Covid and his deaf mother was so happy when he finally got a job. He was supporting all their financial needs and even his sister's online classes. What a very responsible son, right?"

Pare-parehong natigilan ang mga kabataan.

"What would happen to the deaf mother and college sister now that you have killed Harold Sison? See? You don't think things through. You, yourselves, justified your own actions by thinking that you eliminated a horrible person. Are you thinking that the society should thank you? You are murderers!"

"N-No..." Naitakip ni Lia ang mga kamay sa sariling mukha. Ngayon lamang nagsi-sink in sa kanyang isipan ang nangyari, ganoon din sa ibang mga kabataan. Dala ng takot at pagkataranta kanina, ngayon pa lamang nila naiisip ang bigat ng desisyong ginawa nila.

"Come on, my dear engineers. You should have critical thinking skills. You should always consider different factors in decision making. What happened to your brains?"

"It doesn't change the fact that he's a rapist!" hindi napigilang isigaw ni Ella.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," mapang-asar na sabi ng boses na nagmumula sa speaker. "That is, if you make it alive till night."

Pare-parehong nakayuko ang mga kabataan maging ang dalawang pulis. Wala na muling narinig mula sa speaker at katahimikan na ang namamayani.

"I-I'm sorry," mahinang sabi ni Hailey. "You had to choose because of me--"

"Stop it, Hailey," walang lingon na ani Kingsley. Nakasubsob lamang siya sa sariling mga palad. "I was the one who made the choice."