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Chapter 19: The Visitors
"Confusion is the welcome mat at the door of CREATIVITY."
– Michael J. Gelb
Halos 30 minuto ang naging biyahe namin papunta rito sa Brandenburg Gate. Paikot-ikot lang kami sa buong area. Grabe hanggang ngayon hindi ako makapaniwala na nakikita ko na in person ang gate na ito. May kulay na dirty white at parang yung nasa taj mahal ka talaga, iba nga lang style nung taj mahal at kulay. It was one of the landmark here in Germany, and take note one of the best.
Habang kinukuhanan ko ang kabuuan ng gate ay may bigla akong nahagip na flash. Wait nga lang may kumukuha ba ng picture ko palihim rito? Lumingon ako sa kaliwa't kanan pati sa likod ko pero wala namang tao na may hawak na kamera. Mmm, maybe a trick of my DSLR.
Tinawag ko si Kuya at Pia na kasalukuyang nag-uusap.
"Yes Ma'am?" wika ni Pia.
"Kukuhanan ko kayo ng picture." sambit ko. Napakunot noo naman si Pia.
Gosh.
"Marunong ka naman magtagalog diba?"
"Y-Yes, pero hindi m-masyado."
Napatango naman ako. Na-overestimate ko ata siya. Tsk.
"I said, I will took a picture of the both of you." muli kong sambit kaya mula sa walang emosyon nito ay napalitan ng pamumula sa pisngi.
Biglang ipinasok ni Kuya ang cellphone nito sa bulsa at hinawakan ang babae sa balikat.
"Go on Charity." sambit ng aking kapatid.
Napangiti na lang ako at agad na kinuhanan sila ng picture.
"Asan si Papa?" panimula ko sa kapatid nang nakaupo kami sa isang bench.
Hindi ito lumingon sa akin bagkus ay nasa malayo ang tingin nito kaya sinundan ko ang abot ng kanyang tingin. At doon may mga taong nagkakagulo di malayo sa kinauupuan namin.
Agad akong tumayo at tumakbo papunta roon. Narinig ko pa ang pagsigaw ng aking kapatid sa pangalan ko. But the problem, I didn't bring my disguise suit! Sa lahat ba naman ng makalimutan iyon pa? Tsk. bahala na nga wala naman ako sa school eh.
Nang halos abot tanaw ko na ang mga taong nagkakagulo agad kong tinabig ang nasa harap na nakaharang at nasa gilid ko until I clearly saw the victim.
Nakadapa ito. Walang bahid ng sugat o dugo. How come he turned unto this situation?
Lumapit ako sa biktima at hinawakan ang leeg, may pulso pa at sobrang bilis nito. He was maybe running awhile ago or it is a heart failure. Dalawa lang naman ang pagpipilian eh.
Pinagmasdan ko ang mga tao sa paligid na nakatingin sa biktima, inisa-isa ko sila pero walang kakaiba. Inilapit ko ang sarili sa biktima and I can still hear his heartbeat. Tumayo ako at tumingin sa isang babaeng nakaeye glass at mukhang may maibubuga in terms of IQ level.
"Did someone call the police and ambulance Ma'am?"
"Yes and I did it." mahinahon nitong wika.
Tumango na lamang ako at akmang lalapit sa biktima nang biglang sumigaw ang babaeng nakaeye glasses.
"There he is! Mr. Vence Scoutch!"
Lumingon ako sa taong itinuro ng babae. Nakasweater ito at boots na yung parang style lang ni Kaito Kid. Mukha rin namang teenager si Mr. Vence dahil sa gwapo nitong mukha. Naramdaman ko namang may kumurot ng aking tenga, lumingon ako rito. Argh, si Kuya.
"Hard-headed." sambit nito at tumingin sa Officer.
"Mr. Vence!" puna pa ng aking kapatid at ngumiti sa lalaki.
Tila naagaw ng pansin ng aking kapatid si Mr. Vence at ngumiti rin ito sa kanya at dumako sa aming direksiyon.
"We meet again." puna nito.
"Yes." sagot ng lalaki at ibinaling ang tingin sa akin.
"Oh, I forgot. She is my sister, Selene Charity Martin. Charity, this is Mr. Vence Scoutch." ngumiti lang ako sa pulis.
"May kamukha ka di ko lang maalala." sambit ng pulis.
Lumapit ito sa biktima. Of course, Mr. Officer. I am the Detective you had talked last night at the grocery.
"So what this problem all about?" puna ng pulis.
Kahit di siya makatingin sa amin ay alam kong kami ang ibig niyang sabihin.
"It wasn't yet discover that's why we are here to help the case." sambit ko.
Biglang bumaling ang tingin ng pulis sa akin. He is staring on me that it seems he is examining the whole me.
"Talaga? So you are just like Detective Sandra that I had encountered last night?" wika nito.
Lumingo ako as a disapproval. I must act that I didn't know everything.
"She didn't know Detective Sandra, but she can help in solving this case and so do I." sagot ng aking kapatid.
Mr. Vence holds his chin.
"I see. That's good then." sagot na lamang ng pulis.
Maya-maya'y may bigla na lang umiyak at lumapit sa biktima. Isang babaeng sa tingin ko ay na sa 30's na. Niyuyog-yog nito ang biktima.
"Albert please, don't leave me." sigaw at ungol nito habang niyuyogyog pa rin ang biktima.
Lumapit ako sa babae at hinawakan sa balikat.
"Do you know him Ma'am?" wika ko.
Lumingon sa akin ang babae at pinunasan nito ang luha sa mata na umabot na sa pisngi.
"I am Chelsey. And yes, I know him because he is my fiancee." sagot ng babae at bumaling muli sa lalaki.
Nakita ko namang may kinuha si Mr. Vence sa sling bag nito. I stared on it and it was a DSLR and a pen with notebook. He took some pictures to the victim and wrote something on the notebook.
Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at tumabi kay Ms. Chelsey.
"Ms. Chelsey, what do you think why he was lying here on the floor?" sambit ko sa babae.
She sobbed until she spokes.
"We are at the food court for our stop over and then he just felt that he will fell down, but he just ignored it until we came here for our trip. I was in the comfort room when I told him to wait on me, but when I went to get out he wasn't there waiting on me. So I was worried and then now, I-I found him here lying on the floor." salaysay nito.
Mmmm. Base sa salaysay niya may nangyari na talaga sa lalaki before this incident happened. Maaaring may nainom siya o hindi kaya'y may sakit.
"Does he have a ill, doesn't he?" umiling si Miss Chelsey.
Ibig sabihin nito I will choose the other side, he was really did drink something that cause him unconscious.
Naramdaman kong lumapit sa akin si Mr. Vence at bumulong.
"I think the victim was intentionally hit by the one who is responsible of this, base on her narration."
Napaisip ako saglit sa sinabi ng pulis, iyan rin ang iniisip ko eh.
"A-Albert."
Napalingon kaming lahat sa isang babae na my magandang features at blondeng buhok. She was crying also. Nahagip ko namang tumayo si Miss Chelsey at itinuro ang babae.
"She is the one who did it!" singhal nito.
Nabigla naman ang babae at itinuro ang sarili.
"I am not Chelsey, how can I hit him if he is my fiancee?"
Bigla naman akong napaisip. Fiancee?
Lumingon ako kay Kuya at kay Mr. Vence. Mukhang sa ganitong sitwasyon kahit wala kaming sinasabi ay naiintindihan na namin ang isa't-isa. Tumayo ako at pinagmasdan ang dalawa. One of them are lying.
Lumapit ako sa kararating lang na babae.
"Miss, you were saying that you are the fiancee of the victim but Miss Chelsey said it too." panimula ko.
Lumingon sa akin ang babae na pinunasan ang pisngi.
"I'm Kata and I'm saying the truth, how come she is the fiancee if they don't have any connection anymore after Albert broke up on her." salaysay nito.
Lumingon ako kay Miss Chelsey at bakas sa mukha nito ang pighati.
"But why you are 4 minutes late after you know this situation?"
Pinagmasdan ko ng maigi ang babae, may magulong buhok at medyo haggard na face. It seems she was in a trouble before she came here.
"It is because I was been captived by someone and blindfolded me." usad nito habang nakatingin kay Miss Chelsey na umiiyak pa rin.
I suddenly hold my chin at tumingin sa direksiyon ni Kuya na nakatingin rin sa akin.
"Did you know who did that to you?" muli kong sambit.
"No. But we do have a chaos at t–
"Cr–
Sambit ko at hindi na siya pinatapos.
–and it seems she tried to cut your hair right after all because of the small hair on her sling bag at the ziper as the evidence." puna ko.
Biglang natulala si Miss Chelsey pero agad rin itong nawala at humarap sa babae.
"I did it because she tried to kill Albert. No! She really killed my fiancee." wika nito.
Bigla namang namula ang babae at lumapit kay Miss Chelsey na pinigilan naman ni Mr. Vence.
"Are you sure? Or it was you Chelsey." mariin nitong sabi sa babae.
I suddenly excuse myself to Mr. Vence nang dumating na ang ambulansiya at kinuha si Mr. Albert kaya agad naman kaming pumunta sa mga cr ni Kuya.
The last place na magkasama sila ay sa cr and it was a perfect evidence especially I will find that thing. The thing that will prove na isa sa kanila ang nagsisinungaling at kahit base lang sa galaw niya ay nakakalkula ko ng siya ang suspect sa ganitong pangyayari.
Nagkahiwalay kami ng direksiyon ni Kuya, he was on the male cr habang nandito ako sa mga babae.
Inisa-isa ko ang mga cubicle until I saw a red rubber band na nakalatay sa sahig malapit sa paanan ng bowl at nang kinuha ko ito ay may buhok. Ipinasok ko ito sa cellophane.
It is enough evidence na siya ang tunay na suspect. Lumabas na ako sa cr at siya rin namang paglabas ni Kuya.
"I saw this picture on the floor malapit sa last cubicle." sambit nito at ipinakita ang picture.
"Oh, it is the guy and that girl." wika ko.
"Ikaw anong nakita mo?"
I smiled to Kuya.
"A rubber band and a hair." sagot ko at ipinakita ito sa kanya na nakalagay na sa cellophane.
"What do you think about it?" muli niyang sambit.
I slowly walk towards him.
"Let's see Kuya." wika ko at nagpatuloy na sa paglalakad.
Agad akong lumapit sa tatlo na kasalukuyang nakaupo na sa bench na kinauupuan namin kanina.
"Can I see the wallet of Mr. Albert, Miss Chelsey?" panimula ko.
Napailing ito.
"I d-don't know where is the wallet." sambit nito.
"I have his wallet."
Napalingon naman ako sa babae at ipinakita nito ang wallet.
Kinuha ito ni Mr. Vence at ibinigay sa akin. Pinagmasdan ko ng maigi ang babae at si Miss Chelsey.
"The first thing is why I asked about the wallet? It is because we saw a little picture in the male cr which strongly proves that one of you are lying, and of course the one who stole his wallet to keep it." sambit ko.
Bakas sa mukha nila ang pagkagulat. Biglang bumaling ang tingin ko kay Miss Chelsey.
"Miss Chelsey, you said awhile ago that you and Mr. Albert was eating at the food court and he is feeling bad. What is the last food did he eat or drink?"
"It is water." sagot nito.
Bigla akong napangiti. Bumaling naman ang tingin ko sa isang babae.
"Ma'am, how can you prove to us that you are really the fiancee?"
Sa ganitong paraan I can capture her, the suspect.
"We have a picture, it was on the wallet." sambit nito.
Muli akong napangiti. Hinalungkat ko na ang wallet and I was shocked nang nakita ko ang isang ecstasy. It is a harmful and deadful kagaya nung nangyari sa concert ng close up sa Pilipinas. Maraming namatay due to its sensation intake by the user or the victim. 15 minutes and more, that is what how long it runs throughout the body.
Napatingin ako sa lahat na walang emosyon.
Why? I think it was connected to the 2 case few months ago. Mali na'to, may kakaiba na talagang nangyayari even here at wala ako sa Pilipinas or maybe it was the different way?
Umayos ako ng tayo at itiniklop ang wallet.
"There is nothing to do with it, it is you Miss Chelsey who is responsible for Mr. Albert." wika ko.
Mukha naman itong nabigla at agad ring napatawa. She was pointing on me.
"You are just a young girl and came up here to revealed that I am the suspect? How come?" galit nitong wika. I smiled.
"Why? Do you think I just simply revealed it? Of course not, I thought all of it Miss." usad ko at ipinakita sa kanila ang picture, it was Mr. Albert and the girl who had that messy hair.
Ipinakita ko rin sa kanila ang hawak kong cellophane na may rubber.
"It was the rubberband of–
Itinuro ko ang babae.
"It's Kata."
"Ugh, sorry. I forgot!"
"So you messed up with her Ms. Chelsey because she discovered that you put a drug to Mr. Albert's wallet, but she was so scared to tell about it. You prisoned her in the cr and I found this rubberband and a piece of hair, which Ms. Kata owned and it proves her messy hair."
Binuklat ko ang wallet at kinuha ang ecstasy rito.
"In order to hide what you have did, you put the drug to the wallet because you know that she will get it. She is the real fiancee that you can't get right? I see it in your eyes that you still love him." puna ko.
"And–
Iitinuro ko ang sling bag ni Ms. Chelsey.
–you didn't notice the wet on the right side that definitely determined that it was the spoiled water that came from Mr. Albert bottled water."
Lumapit sa akin si Kuya at hinawakan ang aking balikat.
"Let me end this." wika nito at tumingin sa dalawang babae.
"You are not actually went to the food court because how come he will go with you if he knows that he is with his fiancee, right? That's why you put some piece of ecstasy on his water without him noticing it. The bottled water that he used was in your bag. As you can see, it was different with or without the mineral. It became more bigger than the usual." sambit ng aking kapatid at tumingin sa akin.
Kaya pala tutok na tutok siya kanina sa bag ni Ms. Chelsey it is because he found it, what a clever brother.
Minsan nga naiisip ko kung kaya ko lang basahin ang isip ng tao, isa na si Kuya sa mga taong babasahin ko ang nilalaman ng isip.
Lumapit si Kuya kay Miss Chelsey at kinuha nito ang bag. May kinuha siya rito at tumambad rito ang isang mineral.
Napangiti na lang ako. Hindi ko iyon napansin kanina ah.
Maya-maya'y biglang may luha na pumatak sa mga mata ni Miss Chelsey.
"I just did it because he can't love me! He preferred to choose Kata instead of me." halos hysterical na nitong wika.
That's love. Maraming nabubulag, nagpapakamartir at nagpapakatanga. Why they are forcing themselves to those people who cannot give back the love they wished for?. Why can't just they prefer to be happy with friends and family?. Kung sa bagay, what we are before, what we are now and what we will be in the future is because of our choices.
And Miss Chelsey's choice was deadly. Kasi naman, hindi naman talaga love ang may problema but the human itself.
Hinuli na rin si Miss Chelsey at heto kami ngayong apat nila Kuya, Pia, Mr. Vence at ako ang natira habang nakaupo sa bench.
Napadako ang tingin ko kay Pia, ang tahimik ata niya simula kanina?.
"Thank you for cooperating Selene and Ki."
Bumaling naman ang tingin ko sa pulis na nakatingin sa amin. I just smiled to him at tumayo na.
"Asan pala si Papa, Kuya?"
Naramdaman kong tumayo na rin ang iba.
"He went home first dahil may bisita raw na dumating." sambit nito.
Agad akong napalingon sa kanya na dala ang pagtataka sa mukha. Sino kaya? Ilan sila? Anong sadya?
Tila nabasa naman ng aking kapatid ang aking isipan kaya nama'y humirit pa ito.
"Don't think about it too much Charity, you will just make your mind destroy just because of overthinking." wika nito at sumakay na sa sasakyan kasama si Pia.
Pinagmasdan ko silang pumasok na sa loob bago muling nagsalita.
"You know me Kuya even when you will try to stop me, but still I will enter to the hole they have made even it will cost unexpected things." sagot ko rito at sumakay na rin.
Hindi ko na narinig pa ang sagot nito dahil nakatingin na ito kay Mr. Vence.
"Mauna na kami Officer Vence." usad nito.
"Sige, danke [thank you]." wika nito at nagsimula na ring maglakad.
Nandito ako ngayon sa kwarto nag-iisip ng paraan kung paano matutuklasan kung sino ang mga bisita ni papa. Bakit kasi ganito, iba ang pakiramdam ko.
Agad akong lumabas sa kwarto, pupunta na sana ako sa kwarto ni Kuya nang nahagip ng aking mata si Pia na may dalang tray ng pagkain at papunta ang direksiyon nito sa exit ng bahay. Anong gagawin niya doon?
It was just the back of the house at maraming puno.
I decided to follow her hanggang sa tuluyan akong nakalabas sa pinto ng exit rito. Nagtago ako sa isang poste at pinagmasdan si Pia na kasalukuyang may ipinipindot sa isang maliit na touch screen mismo sa puno na nakadikit. Kung di mo titignan ng mabuti para lang itong salamin na design but it was a touch screen na may mga scrambled numbers.
Ing*
Bigla akong naalerto nang may bumukas na lupa na parang nabiyak malapit sa kinatatayuan ni Pia. Biglang iniluwa nito ang isang kulay green na pinto na may maraming halaman sa gilid. Bumukas ito at agad na pumasok si Pia.
What the heck?! May secret passage pala rito? What if, what if nandito ang office ni Papa? So my brother knows it?
All this time, they kept this on me? At bukas na ang alis namin pauwi sa Pilipinas.
Naglakad ako papalapit sa pinto nang unti-unti na itong nagsasara. I will discover that visitors of him and his office. At kung ano ang business niya. Maybe my brother will say that I am using my stupidity again but, it was useful then right?
I just want some clarifications and the truth.
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