I had asked myself once about the meaning of life.

Do we exist just to suffer, or to die? To keep secrets? I don't know. Walang sinuman ang nakaaalam kung ano ang dahilan kung ba't tayo nabubuhay sa mundong ito.

Pero sa oras na ito, alam ko kung ano ang dapat kong gawin, at iyon ay ang malaman kung ano ang dahilan kung ba't nandito ako sa Arcana, sa ilalim ng tirik na araw, habang hinahanap kung saan matatagpuan ang Computer Science laboratories.

Kung wala ka ba namang mapa ng buong campus, siguradong aabutin ka ng siyam-siyam oras na maligaw ka rito. This university has everything. And what I mean about everything, it has every courses, every buildings, and every accomodations a college student would need to use.

Computer technology is one of the in-demand courses right now.

How ironic na kahit na Information Technology ang course ko, hindi ko pa rin mahanap yung computer science lab. I hate the fact that they separated our building into their laboratory. Bakit kasi may stigma na namamagitan sa computer science students mula sa aming mga IT students?

I somehow feel a huge difference between our course even though we shared mostly the same lessons. Nasasabi ko ito sa sarili ko dahil maging sa university na pinasukan ko bago rito ay may ganito ring sitwasyon.

Computer science students were looked upon by most of the other courses. Iniisip nila na one step above ang mga com-sci students kumpara sa amin, na medyo aminado ako, na mahirap nga ang karamihan sa lessons nila.

That's why I understood the fact that whoever that Ray is, siguradong maalam siya at marami siyang nalalamang bagay para gamitin laban sa mga taong walang alam sa ginagawa nila.

He must know how to code, how to find information about someone else. But why can't he try looking for Casey with the talents and skills that he has?

If I were him, I would have hacked all the CCTV camera around the vicinity and checked every recording of what happened that day in Dormisteryo.

However, while I'm busy walking at the sidewalk around the campus, I also thought of what happened with the investigation. For sure even the police force would do a thorough checking of Dormisteryo and they might as well checked the CCTV footages, pero kataka-taka naman talaga kung wala silang nakitang bakas ng kapatid ni Kesha.

She couldn't just disappear like that. She's not a magician of some sort. How could it happen?

Naalala ko tuloy yung misteryosong pangyayari na naganap sa isang hotel sa ibang bansa, when that poor woman started acting mysterious inside the hotel elevator and ended up being found dead inside the hotel's water reservoir later on.

No one knows what really happened. Pero magiging ganito rin kaya ang kaso ng pagkawala ni Casey?

Only time will tell unless someone would do something to investigate more than what was done already. Mukhang kulang pa ang lahat ng naisagawa ng mga pulisya, hindi pa sapat ang mga nakalap nilang impormasyon.

Or maybe, just maybe, Cris was right. Maybe the people inside unit 16 might have been hiding something from us. Something that they're too afraid to reveal from others.

And like what Azi told me as well, I could never trust people in Dormisteryo. Pero bakit? Ano bang itinatago nila at bakit hindi ko sila mapagkatitiwalaan?

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. I can't answer my own questions like this. I'm just overthinking.

I stopped walking and decided to take some rest. Tama nga si Martin, if you don't have a map and you're new in Arcana, then you'll definitely find yourself lost in this campus.

I found a bench nearby and I went there to sit down. Nang maupo ako ay agad kong naramdaman ang ginhawa. I felt so relieved that I almost forgotten the anger that I was having earlier.

"Ano kayang gagawin ko ngayon," bulong ko habang pinapanuod ang mga estudyanteng naglalakad sa harapan ko.

They looked so busy. Iba talaga ang unang araw ng klase.

"Kent?" I heard a familiar voice, but this time it came from a friend.

I looked into the direction of the voice. "Clyde?"

Clyde walked near me. "Anong ginagawa mo rito? Akala ko may klase ka?" umupo siya sa tabi ko, habang hawak-hawak ang isang libro, most probably a novel he was reading.

"Ah, vacant time, mamaya pa next class ko, ikaw ba?"

He opened the book and started reading. "Likewise, vacant din. Pero maya-maya lang magsisimula na ulit next class ko," aniya.

"I see. Ngapala, Clyde. Saan ba rito yung Computer Science laboratory?"

"Lahat ng mga laboratory matatagpuan lang sa northwest nitong campus, kung ako sa'yo, kukuha ako ng mapa ng Arcana. Nasa southeast tayo ngayon," ang sabi ni Clyde.

"Bakit kasi nilayo nila yung computer science laboratory mula sa information technology building?" ang tanong ko.

"Well, they put all the lab works in one location, para hindi na maligaw ang mga estudyante. Besides, nandoon din yung museum nitong Arcana para doon sa mga projects ng mga estudyante na worth i-showcase sa museum," ang simpleng sagot ni Clyde.

"Makes sense, in a way," bulong ko.

"Bakit mo naman hanap yung laboratory nila? Di ba IT ka? You have your own computers sa room ninyo," tumingin siya sa akin.

I want to blurt out that I'm looking for someone who might answer my questions, pero gaya nga ng sinabi ni Cris sa akin, I should not be helping them, and I must collect information from them.

Napakamot ako ng ulo. "I'm interested on joining clubs."

"Talaga?"

I smiled. "Yup."

"Wala pang club activities ngayon since kasisimula lang ng second semester, pero magkakaroon din naman agad next month. Kung sasali ka, mas magandang agahan mo na mag-submit ng application, marami ang sasali sa mga club dito," dagdag pa ni Clyde.

"Ikaw ba, saang club ka kasali?"

He laughed. "Stating the obvious, sa editorial team ako nabibilang. Hindi siya technically a club, pero member ako ng school paper," he nodded his head.

"You totally love books and writing no?"

He closed the book and leaned on his back. "Yes, I'm addicted of it. Hindi ko kayang palipasin ang araw na wala akong nababasang libro," he closed his eyes. "Masyado kasing active yung imagination ko, nakikita ko, nararamdaman ko kung ano yung nangyayari sa kuwento na binabasa ko."

"Kung gano'n, mahilig ka rin naman sa libro, kung magsusulat ka ng storya, ano sa tingin mo ang ending ng story sa kaso ng Dormisteryo?" I asked him.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked on his book. "If I would write a story about Casey's disappearance?" he slowly turned and face into my direction. "I'm sure mahahanap din si Casey."

"Sa tingin mo anong nangyari sa kaniya?"

"I don't know," he answered then he stood up. "Oras na ng susunod kong klase, Kent. Mauna na ako," he then started walking away, leaving the question in a trail of uncertainty.

"Sige," pahabol na paalam ko sa kaniya na mukhang hindi na rin niya narinig.

Wala ba talaga siyang alam sa nangyari?

If only there's a way that I could read between the lines. Baka nagawa ko nang malaman ang sikretong itinatago nila. Sa ngayon hahayaan ko munang palampasin ang mga bagay na ito.

One thing is for sure though, alam ko na kung saan matatagpuan ang Computer Science laboratory...

~~~

The computer science laboratory was not that far. Ilang minuto lang naman at nakarating din ako sa northwest square ng Arcana at doon ko nakita ang mga gusali kung saan isinasagawa ang mga lab works ng mga iba't ibang kurso rito.

I even found the biggest building at the center of it, iyon yung tinutukoy ni Clyde na museum dito sa Arcana. It's so huge that I can even compare it to the administration building.

Hindi talaga patatalo itong Arcana kumpara sa ibang college university. It already have everything that a student would love to experience.

"Now, time to find that person," bulong ko.

I can only remember Ray's facial features. May suot siyang reading glasses gaya ni Kyle and they looked partners in my eyes. Mukhang nagsasabwatan nga silang dalawa sa tingin ko.

Iyon nga lang, hindi ko alam kung paano ko sisimulan ang kumprontasyon na gagawin ko sa kaniya. Should I act like I can threaten him to do something? Or should I be gentle enough to let him know that I don't mean any danger at all.

Gusto ko lang naman malinawan sa mga katanungan ko.

I started looking for the computer science laboratory and I found it behind the museum. Doon ay may malaking gusali na bilugan ang hugis kung titingnan mula sa itaas, at sa harapan nito ay may mga halaman silang naka-display para sa mga estudyanteng may gustong pagka-abalahan.

I went inside the building, no one took notice of my ID lace even if I'm wearing an Information Technology lace.

Pagpasok ko sa loob ay may nakita akong mga estudyanteng may dalang tablets, yung ilan sa kanila may kaniya-kaniyang sukbit na flash drives sa ID lace nila, and they all looked expensive to my eyes.

May mga nakasalubong pa akong mga estudyante na nag-uusap tungkol sa mga programs nila na kailangan nilang i-defense sa thesis, and I'm so confused of what's going on.

Hanggang sa hindi ko na lang namalayan na sa kaiikot ko sa loob ng computer science building ay narating ko na ang pinakaitaas na floor nito. There are three floors in this building with four huge rooms in each floor na puno ng mga computer stations.

And on the third floor, may hagdan na patungo sa rooftop. I was about to go up to the rooftop but I noticed that there's one single room in this floor that was closed to the students.

Binasa ko muna ang nakasulat na sign sa labas nito, it's some sort of clubroom. Iyon nga lang at walang nakasulat na pangalan ng club doon. Tama nga si Clyde, they must have been lying low for now since the second semester just recently started.

Akma ko na sanang lalagpasan yung pintuan na iyon para magtungo sa rooftop but I noticed something white inside. Yung tipong mula sa labas, kung sakaling mapapatingin ka sa loob ng bintana, makikita mo yung faint color ng object sa loob?

I have noticed something like that. And that white color resembles one thing, it's like a mask that was familiar to me.

Coult it be...

I tried to open the door and surprisingly found it unlocked.

Nang buksan ko ang pinto ay agad kong nilapitan ang puting bagay na nakapatong sa ibabaw ng drawers. To my surprise, it's not the mask that I saw the brief thief was wearing, but it was still a mask that resembles the mask worn from the movie, V for Vendetta.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito? Off limits pa talaga ang mga clubroom ah," I was shocked to hear someone when the door opened behind me.

Napalingon ako at nagulat sa sinuman ang nasa harapan ko ngayon. It was a girl wearing a computer science lace, she's the same height as mine, at may mahaba siyang buhok na abot hanggang balikat.

"Sa IT department ka ah? Anong ginagawa mo rito?" she asked me.

Napakamot ako ng ulo. "May hinahanap kasi ako," ang sagot ko sa kaniya.

"Anong hinahanap mo rito?" she asked me, frowning.

Pakiramdam ko ay uminit ang ihip ng hangin. Ano ba yan, ba't kasi walang nakabukas na aircon dito. Or was this feeling just because of this girl in front of me.

"Ah, may tao akong hinahanap. May kilala ka bang Ray?" ang tanong ko sa kaniya.

"Maraming Ray rito, anong apelyido?"

"H-hindi ko alam, pero matangkad siya, may suot siyang reading glasses. At pagkaka-alam ko, Computer Science student siya."

She slowly closed her eyes, as if she's trying to remember every Ray that she knows in there department. "Mukhang si Ray Jacinto ang hinahanap mo, siya lang ang kilala kong Ray na nagsusuot ng reading glasses, anong kailangan mo sa kaniya?"

Why does she need to ask me why I have to? Obviously, it was none of her business. I asked her a question first, dapat sinagot niya na lang ako kung saan matatagpuan si Ray, o Ray Jacinto according to her.

"Personal reasons," ang sabi ko na lang.

"Okay. Pero wala si Ryu rito, baka nasa second floor siya, sa room two. Busy yun sa ginagawa niyang program," ani ng babae sa harapan ko. "Lumabas na tayo, baka mahuli ka pa ng mga professor namin dito, malintikan ka pa."

"Pasensiya na, wala kasi akong kilala rito," humingi ako ng pasensiya sa kaniya at agad na rin akong lumabas.

She followed behind me and closed the door. "Ayos lang yun, pero sa susunod, kung may hinahanap ka, magtanong ka na lang sa mga estudyante rito. Magkakakilala naman halos ang lahat dito."

"Bago lang ako rito eh, transferee."

She nodded her head. "Gano'n? So kaano-ano mo si Ray?"

"Wala, hindi ko siya kaano-ano."

"Ahh, akala ko kasi kamag-anak mo siya," ang sabi pa nito sa akin. "Ngapala, I'm Sally. Sal na lang for short, I'm actually one of the club members kaya may access ako sa clubroom namin."

"Kaya pala," bulong ko. "I'm Lu-" I paused. "Kent Harada."

She smiled. "Kent, nice name ah?" she offered a handshake that I willingly accepted. "Anyway, samahan na kita Kent sa second floor. I'll look for Ray for you."

I just smiled back.

And so we went downstairs together, marami siyang nakuwento tungkol sa club nila, at sa kung ano ang project na binubuo nila para sa semester ngayon. According to her, they were creating an application for the Arcanians, students of Runic Arcana, as what they call.

A social media app that only students in Arcana can create an account with. Hanggang ngayon daw ay dini-develop pa nila yung app that maybe would be finished sometime this year or next year according to what they had estimated.

Unfortunately, Ray is just a normal student in their department. Kilala lang ni Sal si Ray dahil isa si Ray sa mga madalas nilang iniimbitahan na sumali sa club nila. Unfortunately, despite how much effort they had done, hindi nila maisali si Ray sa club nila.

"Ewan ko ba riyan sa Ray na yan, masyado kasing elitista. Pakiramdam niya kasi siya yung pinakanakatataas sa lahat," komento pa ni Sal. "Pero tahimik ka lang ah, gusto talaga namin isali si Ray sa club kasi magaling siya, masungit nga lang-charot!"

Ang jolly ng personality ni Sal kahit na hindi ko siya lubos na kilala, it felt like she knows me more than enough. Pero sa sobrang jolly niya, hindi ko siya masabayan, I tend to respond to her by nodding, fake laughing, or even small comments when she were asking me something.

Patuloy lang ang gano'ng eksena hanggang sa marating namin ang second room sa second floor. The door was closed, as what they were following, since air-conditioned ang computer laboratory nila para sa mga computer station.

Sal knocked on the door before opening it. Wala naman masyadong tao sa loob, pansin ko iyon dahil wala naman masyadong ingay doon.

When Sal opened the door, she peeked inside and looked for Ray. "Good afternoon, puwede maka-istorbo, may I ask where's Mr. Jacinto?" ang tanong ni Sal sa mga estudyante sa loob ng computer laboratory.

I was just standing behind her, hindi ko kita ang mismong laman ng computer laboratory and I don't have an estimate on how many students were there as of now.

"Saan siya nagpunta?" tanong ni Sal sa kung sinuman ang nasa loob. "Ah, sige sige salamat."

Sal then closed the door and looked back at me. "Umuwi na raw si Ray, emergency daw. Ano bang kailangan mo sa kaniya, gusto mo sabihan ko na lang siya bukas na hinahanap mo siya?"

"Ah wag na, alam ko naman kung saan siya nakatira," aniko. "Malapit lang siya sa tinitirhan ko."

Her eyes widened. "Totoo? Don't tell me sa Dormisteryo ka nag-i-stay?" she asked me, curiously.

Her eyes were glimmering as if she's totally interested to know the answer on her question.

"Oo, bakit?"

She held my hand and pulled me somewhere away from the crowd of passing students. She then whispered something on my ear. "Doon kasi may nawalang estudyante na dito nag-aaral, nakita mo na ba yung mga missing poster sa bulletin board?"

"O-oo, alam ko na nga na may gano'ng nangyari."

She then continued whispering something on my ears. "Sikreto lang to ha, wag mo ipagsasabi, pero sabi nila may sa maligno raw yung dormitoryo na iyon. Totoo."

I almost flinched upon hearing what she said. Talking about supernatural, again, I don't believe there's something like a force of supernatural spirits inhabiting the dormitory.

"Sabi nga nila, pero parang wala naman," dagdag ko pa sa kaniya.

She slowly retreated and fixed her hair. "Who knows? Baka meron, baka wala talaga. Pero di ba nga, nawala yung babae, at hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin nila nakikita yung taong iyon. For me, isa lang ang puwedeng maging dahilan no'n."

"Kaya rin siguro doon nag-stay si Ryu, baka gusto rin niyang malaman ang sagot sa nangyari," she was almost done fixing her hair. "Pero para talaga sa akin, naniniwala akong may kung ano sa dormitoryo na iyon na hindi maipaliwanag na puwedeng maging dahilan kung ba't nawawala yung babaeng iyon."

"To see is to believe," bulong ko.

She smiled at me. "Totoo, to see is to believe nga. O siya sige na, babalik na ako sa next class namin. At sa susunod, Kent, wag kang agad na papasok sa clubroom namin ah. Kung may gusto kang itanong, o may balak ka mang sumali sa club, heto number ko," she pulled out her phone from the pocket of her uniform and gave me her number.

I saved her number on my phone and thanked her in return. "Salamat sa tulong," ang sabi ko sa kaniya.

Sally smiled and walked away, leaving me alone with my own thoughts. Posible kayang may supernatural entity nga na nasa Dormisteryo?

If there's indeed a mysterious entity lurking in that dormitory, what danger could it possibly bring to its inhabitants?

I started having some ideas on whether that theory is plausible to think of. Hindi naman yata kinain ng anumang halimaw si Casey, hindi ba?

I know it's too farfetched, but what if Sally might be right?