REVALAUN

She invited me to her home. The scent of coffee wafts through the air with the aroma of delight. The thought of freshly brewed coffee was a delight, but grew nervous and confused at the idea that I'm drinking coffee with a woman who bear the same name as a fictional character. Not just any fictional character, but one from the Dying Moon, written by a murderer.

She even offered me a cup of coffee!

Napaupo ako nang maayos nang makita ang pagtitig niya sa'kin. Is she real? Am I imagining things? What the hell am I doing here?

Siguro nawalan ako ng malay at nanaginip lang ako. Siguro 'yon nga. 

"What brings you around here?"

How am I supposed to explain how I came here? Kani-kanina lang ay nasa harap ako ng mga kaibigan ko tapos bigla na lang babago ang lahat sa paligid ko, at natagpuan ang sarili ko dito.

There must be a more logical explanation. I can't just move to one place to another!

"Hindi ko alam kung paano ko sasagutin ang tanong mo," I confessed, scratching the back of my neck. "I might even be dreaming right now for all we know."

Napataas siya ng kilay sa sinabi ko.

I looked around her kitchen, trying to find anything to make a conversation out of. Natuon ang tingin ko sa isang kuwadro sa pader.

"I like that painting," I said, pointing a finger at it. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang tinuro ko. "It looks so realistic."

The painting was of a café near the ocean, and the moon above gave an ethereal look to the entire scene. The moonlight, as bright as a flame, made the sea shimmer with a shimmering glow on the water like a pale band of silver.

"Pinangarap ko na magpatayo ng café. That's how I imagined it to look like." Ainsley started explaining. When I look at her, I saw a faint smile on her face. "I wanted it to be a place where you can get a good book to read, a place to go when you feel lost, and drink a cup of coffee in peace."

"That sounds great. Bakit hindi mo..."

"Ginawa?" Tumawa siya ng mahina. "I lost sight of the reason why I wanted it in the first place."

I was surprised by a loud thud coming from behind me. It sounded as if a large object had fallen from somewhere. Napalingon ako para sana tingnan kung saan nanggaling ang tunog na 'yon. Nagulat ako nang pabagsak na binaba ni Ainsley ang tasa niya.

Nang magtagpo ang mga mata namin, napansin ko ang pagdilim ng ekspresyon niya.

"I heard something."

"It must be rats," she told me, which sounded more of an excuse. "I just saw one yesterday. Don't worry about it, Revalaun."

The sound of my name from her mouth made me shiver. Her rosy lips pursed into a smile after she called me by my name, the way it rolled on her tongue is like that of a soft sound yet loud enough for me to hear in this proximity.

Why am I this nervous when she only mentioned my name? Wait a minute.

Napakurap ako. "H-How did you know my name?"

I don't recall telling her my name.

There was another loud thud. Nang marinig ko 'yon, tila naputol ang kung anong mahika na nagpipigil sa'kin.

When I heard another thud, my body instinctively turned to the direction where the sound came from. Sinundan ko ang tunog, napunta ako sa hallway hanggang sa dumating ako sa harapan ng isang pinto na gawa sa kahoy.

Thud! There it is again.

Nanatili akong nakatayo sa harapan ng pinto. Nang ibinaba ko ang tingin ko, napalunok ako. Naistatwa ako sa kinatatayuan nang makita ko kung ano ang lumalabas mula sa ilalim ng pinto.

Blood. Red, and thick blood coming out from behind the door.

"I told you not to look." Someone said from behind me. Ramdam ko ang presensya niya at naririnig ang mabibigat na paghinga niya sa likuran ko.

Napatingin ako sa bandang kanan ko, sa sahig kung saan nakikita ko ang kanyang anino. Pumikit ako nang maramdaman ang muli niyang paglapit.

"You should take my advice. Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

I'm still looking at her shadow, the sudden movement from her made me jolt from where I'm standing and I realized too late that she was carrying a bat. She swang it with a force enough to knock me out.

The moment the wooden bat made contact with the side of my head, I didn't feel pain of any sort, all I felt was that of a languid feeling like I was being pulled out from the depths. My lungs felt tight and I clung to something when I felt the rush in my chest. My skin's crawling with the sensation of the rush. It was terrifying.

Mabilis ang hininga ko tila kakaahon ko lang sa pinakamalalim na parte ng dagat.

I was out of breath at mabilis ang pagtibok ng puso ko. So fast that it hurts.

"Revalaun!"

"Kuya, gising ka na!"

Napatingin ako sa dalawang tao na tumawag sa'kin at napakurap nang mapagtantong hindi ako nag-iisa. Napahawak ako ng mahigpit sa malambot na kumot na nahawakan ng kamay ko. Napalibot ako ng tingin.

White walls. White, everything. Nasa ospital ba ako?

"Kuya, ayos ka lang ba? May masakit ba? Kuya, magsalita ka please!"

Narinig ko ang pag-iyak ni Penelope. Napapikit ako ng marihin at nag-pokus sa paghinga ko. I grabbed unto the blankets and tried to do the breathing exercises I did with Penelope when she was young.

Napansin ni Penelope ang ginagawa ko. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko at marahan na pinisil iyon. Pareho ng ginawa ko noong inaatake siya ng asthma.

"Revalaun, anong nangyayari sa'yo?" Gavin knelt beside me, a worried look on his face.

Napahinga ako ng malalim at napangisi sa kanila.

"Anong ngingiti-ngiti mo diyan?" Nagulat ako nang hinampas ako ni Penelope ng unan na nakuha niya mula sa may paanan ng kamang hinihigaan ko. "Tinakot mo ako ng sobra-sobra tapos nagawa mo pang ngumiti? Gago ka!"

"Penelope."

"Gago ka, Kuya!" Humikbi siya. "I thought I was going to lose you, too."

Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya. I pulled her into my arms and hugged her. She was crying on my shoulders and I was too shocked to see her that way.

My sisters rarely cried.  

"I told you, didn't I? It's too dangerous! Tingnan mo kung ano ang nangyari sainyo." Kumalas siya sa yakapan namin at tiningnan ako sa mata. "Just quit your job. Drop everything even that stupid book you're working on. Look at where that brought you. You almost died!"

"He didn't come close to dying though." Gavin butted in which earned him a glare from my sister. He held his hands up then looked away.

"Penelope, whatever happened at Psyche isn't related to what I'm doing," sabi ko.  

"Oo nga, Penelope." Gavin came to my defense. Nanatili siyang nakatalikod sa amin. Nakita ko ang pag-angat ng kamay niya at ang pagtingin niya sa relos na suot.

Umiwas si Penelope sa kamay ko nang sinubukan kong guluhin ang buhok niya. Padabog niyang kinuha ang jacket niya sa may paanan ng kama na hinihigaan ko. There were still tears in her eyes, her cheeks were red and her lips were pressed together into a thin line. 

The way she looked at me, she's silently asking me to take her seriously.

"Penelope, saan ka pupunta?" Pahabol na tanong ko. She was walking too fast and before I could stop her, she already reached the door. "Penelope!"

The door closed shut behind her. She didn't even tell me where she was going.

"Hayaan mo na muna ang  kapatid mo, intindihin mo na lang ang pinaghuhugutan niya," sabi sa'kin ni Gavin at hinila ang maliit na upuan palapit sa kama ko. "Your sister was scared shitless when we brought you back unconcious. Pagkatapos ng nangyari sa kakambal niya, pakiramdam ko natatakot rin siya na pati ikaw ay masaktan."

Naiintindihan ko na kung saan humuhugot ng galit niya si Penelope, galing 'yon sa takot niya na mawala ako. Tanging ako na lang ang meron siya, ako na lang ang pinanghahawakan ni Penelope.

Napahawak ako sa ulo ko dahil sa biglang pagkirot. May benda pala ako sa ulo.

"Ah, right. I was hit by a baseball bat." Natatawang sambit ko na ikinakunot ng noo ni Gavin.

"What are you talking about?" Gavin asked, his brows knitted together in confusion. "No one hit you with a baseball bat. You passed out from fatigue and hit your head."

Nahimatay nga ako. Ibig sabihin panaginip lang 'yon?

"Malakas ata ang pagkakauntog ng ulo mo kaya nagkakaganito ka. Kawawang bata!"

I was more freaked out when Gavin leaned forward and tried pulling me into a hug.

"What the fuck, Gavin. Get off!"

"Alam kong mabigat ang pinagdadaanan mo ngayon, Revalaun," he said, dramatically putting a hand on his chest. "That calls for a brotherly hug."

Akmang yayakapin niya ulit ako, kahit mahina pa ay sinubukan ko na ipagtulukan siya palayo. He was so persistent, I had a hard time pushing him away from me and tried to stop his arms from enclosing around me.

Napasigaw ako na 'tama na!' at kasabay ng sigaw ko ay ang biglang pagbukas ng pinto. Pareho kaming napalingon sa pinto.

"What the hell?" It was Detective Blythe Davis.

When Gavin realized who it was, he immediately pushed me away and tried to act like nothing happened. Muntik na akong mahulog sa kama dahil sa ginawa niyang pagtulak sa'kin. Galit akong bumaling sa kanya.

"Davis, ikaw pala." Gavin act cooly. He even leaned on an invisible wall which was stupid.

Another visitor came inside, and stood beside Davis with a grin that annoyed us.

"Hindi ko alam na may lihim na pagtingin kayo sa isa't isa,"Taylor said, grinning.

"We don't!"

Masama namin siyang tiningnan. Natigil lamang nang hinampas ni Detective Davis sa dibdib ni Gavin ang dala nitong brown envelope.

"That's the analysis report  for the crime scene at Tartarus." Detective Davis said and then pointed at the envelope.

I heard Gavin gasped. "Did you really have to do that?"

"Sorry, nalakasan ko," Detective Davis apologized. She didn't sound apologetic at all.

Nakahawak si Gavin sa dibdib niya, namimilipit pa sa sakit. Gavin opened the envelope, revealing papers inside. He scanned through them. If that was given to me, it'll bore me to death.

"They found a gun discarded in the trash?" Gavin let out an exagerrated gasp. Kumunot ang noo ni Gavin, naging seryoso ngayon ang tono niya. "Sinali niyo sa mga ebidensiya, para saan?"

"Don't you find it odd?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Detective Davis. "It looks like you're the one who's losing your spark."

Detective Davis turned to Gavin with a disappointed look.

"The gun must belong to someone who wants to get rid of it," she explained, "He could be a witness or a third party behind the break out."

"Paano ka napunta sa konklusyon na 'yan?"

"Because there's no way Riley Hyde could do it alone, ang bombing at ang pagtakas niya sa kanila. I'm suspecting na may accomplice siya, an insider na posibleng tumulong sa kanya. And that gun's disposal  can't be overlooked.

Tumango si Gavin at napatingin muli sa mga papel. Nagkatinginan kami ni Taylor, namamangha dahil naririnig namin ang dalawang detective na nag-uusap patungkol sa kanilang imbestigasyon.

"You're right." Gavin finally gave in. "Come to think of it, walang gano'ng karaming oras si Hyde para ihanda ang mga materyales na gagamitin niya. Base sa nagather ng forensics, it would take her some time to make these homemade bombs she used."

"And that means someone else could've prepared it for her, and that someone, siguro sa kanya rin ang baril na nahanap ng forensics. There's no way those killers would use a gun to kill someone, may sariling paraan sila ayon sa mga profilers."

"Bottle containers filled with gasoline. Slow burning fuse. Fuse residue. Cloth fabric soaked in slow-burning chemicals." Gavin mumbled under his breath but we heard it clearly. "The ballistics said the bomb was made out of materials na maaaring nakuha ng culprit mula sa internet? This is going to be a problem, kung hahanapin natin kung sinu-sino ang nagpurchase ng mga materials na pinaggamitan para gawin ang bomba, hahaba lamang ang list of suspects natin."

"That's enough, we'll talk about that later. Tawagin mo na ang doktor at sabihin na gising na si Revalaun Gio," utos ni Detective Davis kay Gavin.

"Medyo masakit pa 'yung pagkakahampas mo sa'kin." Gavin was dramatically clutching his chest and his face showing tremendous pain but we saw through his act. Sinusubukan niyang takasan ang utos ni Detective Davis. And Detective Davis couldn't care less.

"Scram, Marco!"

"Oo na, ito na. Geez, hindi ka mabiro." Gavin was mumbling under his breath hanggang sa makalabas siya.

Detective Davis clicked her tongue, shaking her head. Humarap siya sa'kin. "So, Revalaun Gio, how are you feeling?"

"Like I've been hit by a truck."

Ilang sandali nanatili ang katahimikan sa pagitan naming tatlo. Ang malas lang at naiwan ako kasama ang dalawang 'to, one of them I'm not really friendly with and the other who doesn't talk much.

Sana bumalik agad si Gavin, hindi ko kakayanin ang awkwardness kung magpatuloy pa 'to.

"Why do you think someone would help the Killer Doll?" I asked.

Diretso niya akong tiningnan, matagal na para bang nakikipagtalo pa siya sa sarili niya kung sasagutin niya ako. I know she doesn't like me, but would answering my question a nuisance?

She responded. "Because some serial killers have fans, admirers who would grovel at their feet. This may sound tedious but it's true."

Hindi ako makapaniwala. May mga tao ba talagang nahuhulog sa mga gano'ng klase ng tao?

"Paano nangyari 'yon?"

"Akala ko alam mo," she snickered, "Considering your own father is also an atrocious criminal."

"Blythe Davis," Taylor warned, his voice colder than usual.

"Sorry," Detective Davis mumbled. Again, she didn't sound apologetic at all. "But it's true though, even your father has fans who are morbidly drawn to him. I thought you knew since some of them offered help to you and your sisters, am I right?"

Nanlamig ako sa sinabi niya. Tama siya, may mga tao nga na gustong bumigay ng tulong. Ang iba ay halos ipagtabuyan kami pero may ibang tao na pilit na tinutulungan kami ng mga kapatid ko. I thought that was kindness from all the detestation. Kaya pala ayaw tanggapin ng mga kapatid ko, alam nila kung para saan ang tulong na 'yon.

Paano nila tinutulak ang sarili na hangaan ang gano'ng klase ng tao.

"Why do people like my father have supporters?"

Taylor  was the one who answered. "Some people prefer deviants. They seem more compelled to the mystery behind the character and the violence surrounding them."

Tiningnan ako niya ako diretso sa mata.

"Some people like the darkness."

***