I was standing in a huge crowd and the noise has made me open my eyes. Nagtaka ako kung paano ako napunta rito when seconds ago, I was standing in front Mr. Sarmiento's murderous eyes. Kinikilabutan pa rin ako kapag naaalala ko kung paano niya nagawang manakit ng tao nang gano'n gano'n lang. He was not afraid because he knew he could buy justice to be in his side with the snap of his fingers.
Hindi ko napansing umiiyak na pala ako. I can't even find my phone anymore. I must've dropped it somewhere. I don't understand anything anymore.
Nagpapanic ang buong sistema ko. Hindi ko alam kung kanino ko sasabihin ang mga nakita ko o kung papaniwalaan ba nila ako. Napahawak ako sa aking dibdib at pabagsak na napaupo. Humagulgol ako kahit na may mga nagsisitatalon na tao sa tabi ko.
_She's dying. _
No one will find out if I don't say something. Yet I'm scared. Natatakot ako na baka ako lang rin ang mapapasama sa huli. Umiyak na ako ng todo. I've never seen violence before my eyes. The way blood rushes from Ms. Arcilla's head. Nanginginig ang mga kamay kong hinagkan ang sarili.
What have I done?
Suddenly, the lights went off and a video flashed on the big LED screen.
Napawi ang ingay at napalitan ng katahimikan ang paligid sa kanilang napanood.
"Si Mayor Sarmiento ba 'yun?"
"Sino' yung kasama niya?"
"Why is Ms. Arcilla with the Mayor?"
"May relasyon ba sila?"
Halos mapuno ng bulung-bulungan ang paligid. Nakita ko kung paanong sumama ang tingin ni Denmar kay Patricia na halos hindi makapaniwala sa napapanood.
He said something to her that made her run away from the stage. Natapilok pa ito at wala man lang nag-atubiling tulungan siyang makatayo. They were all engrossed by what they were watching.
"Ash, are you alright? You look pale." Inalalayan ako ni Neil na tumayo.
I stopped him and told him to stay with me. I want them all to see the bad in the truth. That who they were siding with was a monster and a murderer all along.
Namali kayo ng pinanigan. You were all deceived.
I heard loud gasped from the crowd when they saw how the Mayor banged Ms. Sarmiento's head on the wall. At kung paano rumagasa ang dugo sa ulo nito. Laizar was trying to stop the video from playing because it may be traumatic to watch.
"I can't believe it," someone said in disbelief.
The rest were crying while some are in disbelief. Some are trying to block their sight to prevent them from seeing someone violate the rights of a helpless person. The rest were on their phone, filming the record. This is reality.
And I'm glad I was able to tell the truth to them.
Hindi ko na nasundan ang susunod na nangyari dahil nagkagulo na ang lahat. Someone called the police, the others called the ambulance. Others went running towards the hotel probably to check up on Ms. Sarmiento.
Pinabalik na rin kami agad sa hotel. They will probably let us go home because of the incident. Inalalayan ako ni Neil patungo sa kwarto ko. Nakita kong tinutulak nila palabas si Ms. Sarmiento na nasa stretcher at walang malay. Hindi ko napigilang mapaiyak.
If I would've have done something sooner, hindi sana iyon nangyari sa kanya. The guilt is overwhelming habang nakikitang pumapatak ang dugo mula sa stretcher na kinahihigaan nito.
"Ash? What happened? Bigla ka na lang nawala sa crowd and when I found you, you're crying like this. Ano ba ang nangyari?" Maririnig sa boses nito ang pag-aalala at di waring may parte din sa kanyang natataranta.
He was checking on me for injuries at doon na ako napahagulgol sa dibdib niya. Naramdaman ko ang mahina nitong pagtapik sa aking likod kahit alam kong gulat din ito sa pag-iyak ko.
"Nakita ko si Mayor, Neil. I saw it with my own eyes. He banged Miss Sarmiento's head on the wall. T-tapos... tapos 'yung du-dugo..." I tried to conceal the fear in my voice pero sadyang hindi ko iyon maitago. I felt a lump on my throat. Ang hirap magpigil ng hikbi.
My voice cracked when I spoke the word blood.
"I-If something happens to her... I'm partly at fault. Hindi kakayanin ng konsensya ko." I swallowed the lump on my throat.
Nandito pa rin ang kaba sa aking dibdib. Pati na rin ang takot.
Kumalas si Neil sa pagkakayakap sa akin at tinitigan ako ng mariin sa aking mga mata. He was dead serious. At kahit pa itago niya ang pag-aalala sa kanyang mga mata, he can't deny the fact that he's worried of me. He was that kind of guy. He has this kind of facade that makes him look firm and unshakeable.
"You saw him, didn't you? You saw him hurt Miss Sarmiento, right?" His hands were on my shoulders. I can feel the warmth coming from both under my sleeves.
Tumango lang ako sa kanya. I wiped my tears as he keeps on looking away when I'm tearing up. He tries to console me pero ako lang yata itong apektadong-apektado pa sa mga nangyayari.
Parang akong naiwan sa sitwasyon ko kanina. Blood on the wall and on the floor. Ang walang malay na si Miss Arcilla and the way I was stuck on my feet with wobbling knees. I thought I was gonna wind up dead. Iba 'yung titig ni Mayor Sarmiento. It was a dangerous sight. Like it was not his frist to do such act.
Naninindig ang mga balahibo ko.
I heard the police ask the coordinators who organized the retreat. Lahat sila ay walang maibigay na matinong sagot, ang iba naman ay umiiwas sa takot na baka madamay rin sila.
I would like to say I was the one who saw them. Who saw him do it to our teacher. Pero heto na naman at kinakain ako ng takot ko.
"I think you should stay with me. He's still on the loose and I can't risk leaving you alone when I know I can protect you enough." Mahigpit niyang pinisil ang aking kamay ans I can't help but to heave a deep sigh.
I don't know how things would turn out after this. If Mayor Sarmiento gets hold of me, I'm dead.
"Pero paano si Miss Sarmiento? I can't leave her just like that." I shifted my gaze towards the exit of the hotel.
Out the door was an ambulance at ipinapasok na roon ang duguan naming guro.
"I don't think it's a good idea to visit her right now." He said.
Hinawakan nito ang aking palapulsuhan at didiretso na sana kami kwarto ko nang may pumigil sa akin.
It was Laizar. He was not wearing his cap so his black hair were down.
"Sir?" I said, confused.
Hinihingal pa ito nang kausapin ko na para bang tumakbo pa ito papunta sa amin.
"You saw what happened, didn't you?" Iyon agad ang bungad na tanong nito sa akin.
Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Natulala habang nakatingin sa kanya at umiwas ng tingin.
"Excuse me, Sir. Would you mind? She's not in the mood to talk about what happened. Tara na, Ash." Sumunod ako kay Neil nang magsimula na ulit itong maglakad.
I bit my lip to stop myself from crying. Laizar looked confused and helpless. I guess he was wondering why I didn't say a single word. Siguro iniisip niyang naduduwag ako. Well, I am.
I'm sorry, Laizar. Hindi ko pa kaya.
"How come he knows about who saw the incident that had happened?" Maririnig sa boses nito ang inis.
"N-Neil, kinakabahan ako." Hindi ko napansing nauutal na pala ako sa kaba at takot.
"There's nothing to fear as long as I'm here, Ash." May diin nitong sabi habang nakatingin sa akin.
Tumango lamang ako at tuluyan nang pumasok sa aking kwarto.
The sound of the siren coming from the police car where until late at night. The fire exit was temporarily shut for further investigation while the students remain in their respective rooms. And for some reason, they didn't allow us to go home. They even told us to not open the door if we heard someone knocking.
Kinakabahan ako baka kasi kung ano ang gagawin nila kapag nalaman nilang ako 'yung nakakita sa nangyari. I don't trust the justice system in our world where humans reign. Doom told me one time that human can be cruelly selfish for self-desire at kung ano pa man. Especially here in our country. Masyadong biased at tanging mga mayayaman lamang ang may pribilehiyong makatamasa ng hustisya even though they don't deserve it.
A knock on the door indicate ls someone was outside. Hindi gunalaw ang mga kasama ko dahil puro kinain ng takot ang mga ito. Usap-usapan pa nga na hindi na nga raw nila nakita si Patricia pagkatapos ng insidente at baka sila naman daw ang isusunod.
They even labeled her as the daughter of a murderer.
They were all huddling together in a corner as if that's gonna do if ever someone breaks in our room.
Tumayo ako kahit alam kong may takot din akong nararamdaman sa akong dibdib. I was only able to walk towards the door because I know it isn't easy to break such heavy thing. As long as I don't open it, I'm sure we're gonna be fine.
"Anong ginagawa mo?" They all were eye-ing me like I'm doing something dangerous.
She said it in a whispering voice, loud enough for me to hear it.
Lumingon ako and they were asking me to get back. The sound of knocking continued and a faint shriek was followed coming from the girls. Napailing lang ako at unti-unting sumilip sa peephole para tignan kung sino iyong kumakatok. I tiptoed a little at unti-unting inilapit ang aking mata sa butas.
My heart was pounding when I saw no one outside. Is someone playing with us? Aatras na sana ako nang biglang may sumilip rin mula sa butas ng pintuan. Nagulat ako at napaatras nang magtama ang aming mga mata. Malapit pa akong matapilok sa biglaan kong pag-atras, buti na nga lang ay nakuha ko pang ibalanse ang aking katawan.
"W-w-who was that?" Nanginginig na tanong ng mga kasama ko sa loob ng kwarto.
Hinihingal akong napalingon sa kanila na halos magsiksikan na sa isa't isa, namimilog ang mga mata habang ang isa naman ay tahimik na nagdadasal sa sulok.
Napalunok ako ng sariling laway habang sinubukang tumayo ng tuwid.
"Yung counselor."
Napamura ako sa sarili. Kung bakit ba naman sumilip-silip pa sa peephole e pwede namang magsalita at magpakilala matapos kumatok.
"A-are you sure?" Her voice was trembling.
Hindi ko na sila sinagot at tuluyan nang binuksan ang pintuan.
Bumungad sa akin ang mukha ng panot naming counselor. Tumaas agad ang kilay nito pagkakita niya pa lang sa akin at namumula ang mukha.
"Bakit ba ang tagal-tagal mong buksan itong pintuan?!" Pabulyaw na tanong nito sa mismong mukha ko.
Tumalsik ang ang ilang laway sa mukha ko kaya napapikit ako't ngumiwi habang pinupunasan ang parteng natalsikan sa mukha.
"Kung sana nagpakilala kayo agad, hindi sana kayo nakatayo ng sobrang tagak dito sa labas." Matapang kong tugon sa kanya.
Lumipat ang tingin ko sa mga kasama nito. Laizar was ther and two other poloce officers
Minamata lang ako ni Laizar at seryoso ang kanyang mukha. For a second, I thougjt I saw Doom in him.
"Aba't pabalang ka pa ring sumagot hanggang ngayon ah?" Itinaas nito ang kanyang kamay sa hangin na para bang nakaambang sasampalin ako nang pinigilan siya ni Laizar.
"Sir, we're here to counsel the students. Not to hurt them. They have suffered enough. And it's not right to hurt students especially you are labelled to be one to teach them proper discipline. Be professional." He walked past him and made his way to me.
Narinig ko ang takbuhan ng mga kasama ko sa kwarto papunta sa pintuan.
Hindi ko naitago ang ngiti sa aking labi. Hiyang-hiya si panot nang sinabihan siya ni Laizar. Tamaan na siya, toto naman e.
Now that Mayor Sarmiento is on the loose and probably on the wanted list, wala na siyang masusulsulan.
"Let's go."
Sa isang iglap, hawak na niya ang kamay ko habang nasa likod niya akong naglalakad patungo sa kahabaan ng hallway.