Chapter 23: Dead People

I have to say that it's been a while since the last time I have heard anything regarding those blue crystal-like things that was in front of us right now. I grabbed a pack from the bag that Gray was holding at hindi ko mapigilang manggalaiti habang mahigpit na hinahawakan iyon. This thing is worst and fatal. A beautiful blue object which is a personification of death. I cannot blame Victoria's friend who mistook it as diamonds. This thing is really pretty, shining all the way. Unlike the previous form that we encountered before, this one is a bit bigger than it is. Oo nga pala, they have different versions of these. They even got one in liquid form. Staring at it, I can't prevent myself from being furious. This thing costs so many lives including Dad's life!

"Drugs?", Victoria asked at kinuha ang inihagis ni Gray sa kama. She examined it closely at bigla na lamang napasimangot. "Naloko si Dior sa bagay na ito? Wala itong kwenta!"

"Yeah, it seems like that but these things have a very high market value. You'll be surprised to know how much it cost."

"Talaga? Magkano?"

"They cost lives. Lives of many people", sagot ko sa kanya. Her eyes stared at me intently at inaarok ang iniisip ko. She said her friend got it from a businessman. Kahit kailan ay hindi mabuti ang pagnanakaw but for now, I will consider this as a blessing in disguise. "Saan niyo ito nakuha?"

"Sinabi ko na sa iyo na wala akong kinalaman. Kung gusto niyo itanong natin kay Dior. Ang sabi niya sa akin ay napansin niyang may kausap na manghuhula ang businessman kaya hindi nito napansin ang pagkuha niya sa dala-dala nito", she replied lazily and yawns. I know that style. She wants to make an impression that she's sleepy so that we will leave. We could pero may kailangan pa akong itanong sa kanya.

"Manghuhula?"

"Hmm", she said, nodding her head. "Sa pagkakatanda ko sinabi niyang may peklat sa mukha ang manghuhula na kausap nito."

Peklat sa mukha? Hindi kaya iyon din ang manghuhula na nakausap ko kanina? Kilala ko ba siya? Is that why she approached me?! She didn't approach me randomly but she really meant to see me and talk to me! And oh, gave me something! The box! Right! The box!

But I... I threw away the box! Ano ba ang laman niyon? Death threat? Drug samples? I need to get that box and remember where I have seen the girl! I have a feeling that she's not bad. I mean, I had a feeling that she's not part of the organization. Napatingin ako kay Gray at agad na hinila siya palabas ng bahay ni Victoria.

"The box! I need to get the box!" My voice is filled with worry. Posibleng wala na ang box na iyon ngayon unless the garbage collector comes late tonight.

"Box? Anong box Amber?", naguguluhang tanong niya sa akin. There's no need to give him the exact details. Sinabi ko na lamang na nilapitan ko ng babae at binigyan ng box but I ended up throwing it away. "We need to retrieve the box bago pa mawala iyon sa tinapunan ko!"

He hesitated for a while ngunit sa huli ay sinamahan niya ako. I'm sure he knows how eager am I to retrieve it kahit pa nangako ako sa kanya na lalayo sa kapahamakan. But in this case, I am walking closer towards it. That box could be a trap or one to save lives. Alam kong hindi titigil ang organisasyon sa paghabol ng buhay ko and continue chasing for me. One day I will stop running away from them and fight instead.

"Huwag na kayong bumalik dito", sigaw ni Victoria at agad kaming nakarinig ng tunog ng lock. Tsk. I don't mind going back here whenever I need to.

Nang makalabas kami ng apartment ay agad kaming sumakay sa kotse ni Gray. "That girl is weird."

"And you're weird too. You're acting so cool when she pointed a gun at your head", wika ko sa kanya. Didn't he blabber all the time kanina? He also quibbled about the phone. He doesn't look like he's afraid to die in her hands.

"I have a hunch that she's harmless."

Harmless? A hunch? Since when did Cooler's gut feel gets into him? Hindi ba't sinabi na rin niya sa akin dati na huwag basta-basta magtitiwala sa hitsura ng isang tao?

"You're breaking your own belief, you know", I commented at tumingin sa labas ng kotse. Why do I have feeling that he likes her?

"But I really felt it. Yes, she punched me really hard in the face but when she grabbed me, she held me softly na para bang takot siyang hawakan ako. And oh, her skin is so smooth and-"

"Gray!"

"No, don't take it that way!" What the hell?! Ano ba ang iniisip niya tungkol sa pagkakaintindi ko sa sinabi niya?!

"What?"

"Ang ibig kong sabihin ay wala talaga siyang balak na saktan ako. The gun isn't even loaded with bullets. I can free from her grip anytime kanina pero-"

"Pero pinili mong manatili dahil yakap-yakap ka niya mula sa likuran, only that she's pointing an unloaded gun at you, ganoon ba? You're the worse! Did you stay still because she's naked under her robe and you can feel her body poking behind you-"

"Shit!" Bigla na lamang siyang napa-preno and it made a loud screeching noise. Mabuti na lamang at hindi gaanong maraming sasakyan doon. Namumula ang mukha niya dahil sa hiya ng tiningnan ako. "Hindi no! Don't make me look like a pervert bastard!"

Napayuko ako. Have I gone overboard? I sighed and mumbled a sorry na ako lang ang nakakarinig. Bakit ba ako nag-iisip ng ganoon? He's not like that, I knew it. I raised my head higher this time at tiningnan siya. "Sorry."

He pouted his lips at tumango. Muli niyang pinaandar ang kotse at tinahak ang daan patungo sa bookstore na sinasabi ko. When we arrived, I was lucky that the garbages were still there. It's already past 10 in the evening at may mga tao pa doon. I took all the courage to search in the huge garbage bin, not minding the people who were looking at me. Ngayon lang siguro sila nakakita ng babaeng nakasuot ng Bridle uniform pero nangangalkal ng basura. Gray was standing beside his car and he was surprised to see me over the trash can.

Yeah people, don't look at me like I'm looking for leftover foods because I'm not.

Napansin kong umalis si Gray mula sa kanyang kinatatayuan at pumasok sa loob ng katabing convenient store. I had a hard time looking for the box dahil trumiple yata ang dami ng basura na nandoon. Pinagpatuloy ko lang ang ginagawa and when I finally found it, I almost shouted Yes! Nabasa ng kaunti ang box at medyo mabaho. I looked around looking for Gray at saktong kakalabas lang niya ng convenient store. He walked straight towards me at kinuha ang box mula sa kamay ko. Ipinatong niya iyon sa hood ng kotse at hinawakan ang dalawa kong kamay.

"G-Gray?"

Walang sabi-sabing inilabas niya ang laman ng supot na dala. It was an alcohol. He opened it and pour its contents on my hands. He rubbed my hand using his hands at patuloy lang na ibinuhos ang alcohol sa kamay ko.

"You dummy! You should have bought disposable gloves first bago ka sumugod doon", he scolded me. Halos mangalahati na ang laman ng alcohol ng matapos niyang hugasan ang kamay ko. He also poured some on the box. "Ang tanga mo din kasi minsan. Paano na lang kung makakuha ka ng sakit mula sa pangangalkal mo doon? You know you can get so many diseases. Haay, ang tanga-tanga talaga!"

I raised my brows at him. "Magtira ka ng alcohol upang pang-mumog mo. Tatlong beses mo na ako sinabihang tanga!" I grabbed the box from him.

"Ano ba ang laman niyan?", he asked me.

"I don't know. Maybe something important." I looked around the area kung naroon ba ang babae kanina but seeing no sign of her, I open the car's door at pumasok sa loob. "Let's get going."

Sumunod sa akin si Gray at agad kaming bumalik ng Bridle. It's already late pero nakapasok pa rin kami sa main gate ng skwelahan. We bade goodbyes to each other at kanya-kanyang diskarte kung paano makakapasok sa mga dorm namin. Before he left, Gray made sure that we both have each other's number. Tinawagan ko naman ang mga roommate ko at nakisuyo na magpabukas sa houseparent. Since it's past curfew time, pinagalitan pa ako ng houseparent ng dorm and logged for late arrival.

I let all her words passed my ears at nang pumunta na ako sa kwarto namin ay tulog na si Therese samantalang may ka-videocall naman si Andi. I went to clean my body and changed into my pajamas.

This day has been tiresome but still I can say that it's a good one. Kahit ito ang unang beses na wala si Daddy, my day still passed with a smile plastered on my face. It's so sad to think that it isn't like how my birthday before goes. Kung hindi lang siya pinatay ni Detective Tross! If only he wasn't involved in the organization!

Speaking of the organization, nilingon ko ang box na nasa gilid ng kama. I got it from a "soothsayer" who happen to talked with an organization's member at ninakaw naman ng kasamahan ni Victoria. I took a deep breath bago ako naglakas-loob na buksan ang box. I felt my own hands shivered as I got a familiar thing inside. It was something that I have already seen before. Something that caused complications. Something that I lost and now I have it back again on my possession.

***

"Bestie, nakikinig ka ba?", Jeremy asked at mahinang tinampal ang noo ko. Nasa classroom kami at naghihintay sa subject teacher namin at abala siya sa kahahasik ng lagim niya. My mind was again wandering off at marami akong iniisip. Nang mapansin ko na nakatunghay din sa akin sina Math at Gray ay pinilit kong ibaling ang atensyon ko sa kanila.

"What did you say?", I asked Jeremy.

"Sabi ko sino ang may sabi nito", he paused and cleared his throat and made his voice manlier than his usual pitch. "Subukan mo akong kalimutan! Lalabas ang baho mo!"

"Eh? Sa anong palabas ba kasi yan Jeremy? Kay Coco Martin ba yan Probinsyano ba?", tanong ni Math but Jeremy shook his head.

"Kay Dingdong ng Alyas Robinhood?"

"Eenk!"

"Baka sa movie ni John Lloyd."

"Mali."

"Sirit na kasi! Kaninong linya ba kasi yan?"

"Edi kay DEODORANT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Subukan mo akong kalimutan, lalabas ang baho mo!", he laughed so hard again while we all face palmed.

"Malala ka na talaga!"

"Eto seryoso to, tanungin kita Math", he said and faced Math on his side.

"Sure. Ano?"

"Kapag nagbangga ang Truck at Bulldozer, saan ka?"

Math flipped her ponytail. "Sa bulldozer kasi mas malaki yun. Paniguradong sira ang truck."

"Ang bobo! Dapat tumabi ka! Ano, susulong ka sa bulldozer edi patay ka! Hahahahahahaha!" His laughter filled the room at maging ang iba naming kaklase ay natawa na rin sa kanya. I don't know if they are laughing over his joke or his laughter.

I felt Gray gently nudged me by his elbow. "Kanina ka pa wala sa sarili. I'm sure something is bothering you."

"Wala."

Tiningnan niya ako ng matiim. His gaze tells me that he doesn't believe when I said that nothing is bothering me.

"What's inside the box?", he asked again. Kinabahan ako dahil sa tanong niyang iyon at tinimbang ko ang mga bagay-bagay sa sarili ko. Maybe it's about time to share some things to him. Posibleng maging kaalyansa ko siya at maaring matulungan niya akong mag-isip. Tumayo ako at hinila siya patayo kasama ang bag ko. Math and Jeremy was surprised to see us but they didn't say a word. Lumabas kami ng silid at hila-hila ko pa rin si Gray who still have no idea why I pulled him out.

Nang makarating kami sa likod ay saka ko lamang siya binitiwan. I made sure that neither Math nor Jeremy was following us. When everything was cleared, hinarap ko siya.

"Please check your body if Math bugged you", seryoso kong wika. Kahit nagtataka ay sumunod pa rin siya.

"None. Anong problema Amber? You're acting weird", wika niya sa akin.

"Gray... Naniniwala ka bang bumabalik ang mga patay?", my voice cracked and I sounded so tensed. I knew it.

Pinipigilan niya ang kanyang pagtawa. "That's ridiculous."

"That's exactly what I thought too! Pero Gray, someone who have died right before our eyes came back!"

His face becomes worried at napuno iyon ng kuryosidad. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Do you remember my roommate in Athena? We saw her died! Parehas nating nakita iyon! But.. but she's back", I began crying so hard. I still haven't forget about the brutality of Phobie's death! She was strapped with bomb and seconds before she exploded she told us about the name of the organization and jumped out of the car where she met her tragic death.

But she's back. She was that soothsayer o baka nagpapanggap lamang. That is why she's very familiar! She's Phobie minus the Gothic and creepy looks. Walang makapal at maitim na eyeliner sa mukha niya. Hindi rin siya nakasuot ng itim na lipstick.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin Amber?", he asked confusedly.

"S-she's the one who gave me the box." I tried my very best to deliver my words clearly kahit umiiyak na ako.

"Anong laman ng box?", he asked at mahigpit na hinawakan ako sa magkabilang braso. "Tell me what's inside the box."

"H-her Death Notebook."

It was the thing that she left me. The thing that told me about how the Genesis started. The thing that I thought Zywon stole and he also lost it at inisip niya na si Khael ang kumuha mula sa kanya. But now, nasa akin ulit iyon at galing ulit kay Phobie. Ibig sabihin, siya ang kumuha ng notebook kay Zywon. Ahhh! Everything has became complicated! Did she fake her death? Are we being played again?! If yes, wow. Well played.

"Binasa mo ba ang laman niyon?", he asked and I shook my head. I'm too shocked about all my realizations. Pinlano ba nila ang lahat ng ito sa simula pa lamang? Pinaglaruan ba nila kami sa palad nila?

But she looks so worried and eager when she wanted to talk to me yesterday. Did she survive and wants to tell me everything through her notebook again? Ngunit sino ang maari kong mahingan ng tulong?

Si Gray? He can but I know he will be sick worried about me. Si Khael? No. He almost died and I cannot let that happen again. Cooler is great but he's also worried about me. Isa pa ay missing in action siya these past weeks. Si Ryu? He's a devil and I am not sure if he is willing to help. Si Jeremy- No! Definitely no! Hindi siya pwedeng madamay dito, ni hindi niya pwedeng malaman to. The reapers are the best choice but there's no way they will help me since I am not part of the mafia. Si Zywon- right. Maybe Zywon.

"I need to see Zywon", wika ko at nagmadaling tinakbo ang direksyon ng dating lagusan.

#

-ShinichiLaaaabs