LORELEI

Malamig na simoy ng hangin ang bumalatay sa aking katawan matapos kong makalabas ng dormitoryo. It was past 1:00 o'clock in the morning and my fellow dorm mates are in their sweetest dreams right now, I think so-or not. Bisperas ng Pasko na pala bukas ngunit parang hindi ko maramdaman ang diwa ng kapaskuhan.

Hanggang 12 midnight lamang nakabukas ang mga poste ng ilaw kaya dinala ko ang aking cellphone upang ipang-flash light. Napakalamig. Tumataas ang aking balahibo sa tuwing humahampas ang malakas na simoy ng hangin sa aking balat. Also, the soothing feeling of this peaceful surrounding is somehow eerie to me.

Hindi ko alam kung saan ako dadalhin nitong mga paa ko but I know that something thrilling is waiting for me.

Hinayaan kong dalhin ako ng mga paa ko kung saan nito gusto. Wala naman sigurong makakakita sa akin dahil mahimbing na natutulog ang lahat.

I was walking with deep thoughts throughout the whole time. Biglang bumugso ang malakas na simoy ng hangin dahilan para mapahalukipkip ako. Lumalangitngit ang mga dahon na aking natatapakan. Ito lang ang tangi mong maririnig bukod sa huni ng mga insekto at ibon sa paligid. I didn't know I would end up in this forest. I roamed my eyes around and thoughts starts engulfing my sanity.

This forest was put in restriction due to the incident happened a year ago. I don't know the whole story, but since napaka-bilis lumipad ng tsismis, malamang ay nakarating sa akin ang ilang impormasyon patungkol sa pagkawala ng isang Grade 10 student na babae. Sabi ng iba ay baka kinain raw ng mababangis na hayop ang estudyanteng 'yon. Mayro'n namang nagsabi na baka nahulog raw ito sa isang trap o butas at hindi na naka-ahon pa. That was a lame conclusions for me though.

Anyway, ayon sa imbestigasyon ng mga pulis-maaaring nakikipag-kita ang estudyanteng 'yon sa isang tao-particularly sa isang lalaki dahil napabalitang may boyfriend raw ito na taga-ibang school na sa kasamaang palad ay hindi pabor sa magulang ng babae. Patago ang bawat pagkikita ng dalawa at sa forest nga na 'to ang palaging meeting place. The police come up with the thought na baka nagtanan ang dalawa. Maaaring sinabi na lamang nila na ang duguang uniporme na nakita nila sa forest ay kagagawan ng mabangis na hayop.

This boarding school was all-girls-school, that's why it is understood that boys are prohibited to enter inside the school's jurisdiction, except for the forest ofcourse-it's not under the school's surveillance anymore. I know I will sound ridiculous if I'll say that even the security personnel, teachers, and any other staffs here are all girls. But still, my dad-which happened to be not my real dad enrolled me in this weird boarding school and I didn't have the guts and courage to complaint. Even though I have found out na hindi siya ang tunay kong ama hindi nabawasan ang respeto na mayro'n ako para sa kaniya. He was still the one who provided my needs throughout and I thanks him for that.

Well, moving forward. The lost student was considered as dead by the police because of the bloodstained uniform they have found in the forest. Hindi na nag-pagawa ng search ang head ng school para hanapin ang bangkay at hinayaan na lamang na maglaho ang issue sa paglipas ng mga araw. Maybe gusto na nitong matapos ang issue upang hindi na makalabas pa at baka ika-sira ng image ng school.

But as for my abatements, it's either his boyfriend planned the murder and leave the bloodstained and wrecked uniform of the student so it will look like na inatake ng mabangis na hayop ang dalaga, but what could be the possible motives of him doing that? Knowing that girlfriend niya 'yong babae. Maaaring nalaman niyang tinu-two time siya nito kaya naisipan niyang patayin na lamang ito para hindi na mapunta sa iba. It was a lame conclusions pero tinitignan ko pa rin ang side na 'yon. Even the small things counts sabi nga nila, so I wouldn't set aside that probability.

I snapped nang makarinig ako ng pagbagsak mula sa isang puno. Agad kong itinututok ang ilaw sa parte kung saan ko narinig ang tunog. Lumapit pa ako ng bahagya upang mas malinaw kong makita kung sanga ba ng puno iyong nahulog. Wala naman akong sakit sa puso but napahawak ako sa dibdib ko nang mapagtantong hindi pala sanga ng puno iyong pinanggalingan ng tunog.

I-it was a snake! I think nahulog ito mula sa puno! What the-?!

"N-no! Stay there! Do not come near me!" I hysterically said as the snake crawls toward my direction. The snake was hissing as if it was saying it was my end. N-no! What am I thinking?!

I tried to step backwards but I already felt my knees trembling so as much as I want to move, I fell out of the dry leaves. I just felt my eyes dropping liquids. I cover my face using my hands as I feel the snake crawling through my feet. Mas lumala ang panginginig ng mga tuhod ko.

Hindi ako pwedeng mamatay rito! Ayokong matulad sa sinapit ng estudyanteng iyon na hindi nabigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay! No!

I heaved a deep sigh to earn some courage. You can do it, Lorelei! You won't die just because of a snake!

I open my eyes and almost scream when the snake crawls into my chest! Oh men! What would I do?!

"Y-you wouldn't gonna hurt me right?" I calmly whispered to the snake as if it was going to answer my question.

The snake just move it's head as if saying 'no' to my question. Iling ba ang ibig sabihin ng pag-galaw ng ulo niya? Iling na ibig sabihin ay hindi? Naintindihan niya ba 'yong sinabi ko?!

Nakahandusay ako habang naka-tungkod ang mga kamay ko sa aking likod. Naka-stretch ang mga paa ko kung saan nando'n ang ahas. Magka-level na ang aming mga ulo at mataman itong naka-tingin sa akin. The snake move it's tail as if it was telling something to me. It's tail was continously pointing the place where it was fell a while ago. I just stared at that place. Huli na nang mapagtanto kong gumapang na sa masukal na bahagi ng forest iyong ahas.

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako ng malalim at tumayo. Pinulot ko iyong cellphone na nabitawan ko kanina. Pinagpag ko ang sarili ko at tinungo iyong pwesto na pinagbagsakan ng ahas. I really thought it was my end.

Inilawan ko ang parteng iyon ngunit wala naman akong nakitang kakaiba. Puro tuyong dahon lamang ito at ilang mga maliit na sanga ng puno. Tinignan ko ang oras sa aking cellphone at past 2 na rin pala. Hindi pa naman nagliliwanag kaya gusto kong matapos itong sudden investigation ko since naumpisahan ko na rin naman, tatapusin ko na.

Sinipa-sipa ko iyong mga dahon hanggang sa lupa na ang makita ko. Sa dami ba naman ng puno rito malamang ay natakpan na ng mga tuyong dahon ang lupa. Nahalukay ko ang isang lumang-luma nang notebook. Pinulot ko ito at binuksan ang unang pahina. Itinutok ko nang mabuti ang flashlight roon at binasa ang nakasulat. Base sa font nito, mukhang uling ang ginamit na panulat dahil medyo magulo iyong pagkakasulat ngunit nababasa ko pa rin naman.

All of you have been fooled,

So never let your gormless brain rule,

Play my game, lure me out

Start searching now, my whereabout

Ito na siguro iyong hinihintay kong clue na makakapagturo sa murderer.

I stared at the message.

All of you have been fooled? If I will going to rephrase this sentence using my point of view, it will become all of us have been fooled? Now, what does this message trying to imply? Nalinlang kami? Nalinlang saan? So never let your gormless brain rule? Obviously, ang sentence na ito ay supporting details ng nauna so wala naman sigurong masyadong deal rito. Play my game, lure me out? Start searching now, my whereabout? Ang sentence naman na ito ay tungkol sa isang laro at paghahanap. Inaasahan ba ng taong nasa likod nito ang presensya ko ngayon? O matagal na itong naka-plano?

Well, ang una kong kailangang isipin ay kung saan ako magu-umpisang maghanap? Knowing the fact na napakalawak nitong forest?

Napatitig na lamang ako sa notebook na hawak ko. Inilipat ko ito sa ikalawang pahina. This time, hindi na uling ang ginamit na panulat. It was blood, I know this is blood!

Memaaiauetetnpht.

That was the message written on the second page of the notebook. I've tried to read it pero walang sense ang kinalalabasan. Memaaiauetetnpht? Ano bang mayro'n rito? Kahit basahin ko 'to nang pabaligtad wala pa ring sense eh.

W-wait! Bakit nga pala alam ng ahas na iyon ang kinalalagyan ng notebook na 'to? May utak na ba ang mga ahas ngayon? O kasali iyon sa laro ng murderer?

Inilipat kong muli ang pahina at 'gaya ng kanina, dugo na naman ang ginamit na panulat rito.

I am the track of every long-wheeled vehicle

Sometimes, I am the mournful death's platform of every brainless people

What am I?

Umupo muna ako at isinandal ang ulo sa puno. Kanina pa pala ako nakatayo at nangangalay na ang mga tuhod ko.

I concentrate my mind to only one thing and that's the notebook. Obviously, this riddle is a clue para masagot ko iyong cipher. Now, kailangan ko nang masagot 'to para matapos na itong investigation ko. Unless may susunod pa rito?

I am the track of every long-wheeled vehicle

Sometimes, I am the mournful death's platform of every brainless people

What am I?

Long-wheeled vehicle? It could be a bus? Airplane? Truck? Pero sabi long-wheeled vehicle raw eh? Uhm, yes mahaba na ang bus kung titignan pero ano bang vehicle ang-

"Oh my God! That's it! It's a train! And rail road is the pathway of every train!" I exclaimed.

Tinignan ko naman ang ikalawang sentence para masiguro ko ang sagot. Mahirap na, baka magkamali pa.

Sometimes, I am the mournful death's platform of every brainless people

Who could be the person behind this game? He/she for sure has an onerous personality. I wonder if what would happen if I finally meet him/her?

Anyway, sigurado na ako na rail road ang sagot. Minsan ang trip na pagtambay ng mga tao sa rail road ay siyang nagiging sanhi ng kanilang masalimuot na kamatayan. Kaya niya siguro nasabing brainless people ay dahil katangahan naman talaga ang pagtambay sa may tabi ng rail road o minsan ay sa mismong rail road pa dahil lang sa tinatawag nilang 'trip'.

Now, what is the connection of rail road sa cipher?

Think, Lorelei, think!

Rail road?

Rail road?

Wait!

Something pop up to my mind and remember na parang may nabasa na akong ganitong cipher.

"What is it again? Rail... Rail fancy? No! Rail fear? Hindi, hindi! Rail?... Aha!"

That's it! I knew it already.

I fastly click the memo on my phone and start typing.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ngayon ko lamang naalala ang rail-fence technique na 'yan. Dahil ba sa gutom o pagkaantok kaya hindi maayos na nagfa-function ang utak ko?

It doesn't matter anyway. What matters right now is to decipher this cipher. After that I can finally went back to the dorm and sleep afterwards.

Rail fence technique is the simplest cipher in which the plaintext is written down as a sequence of diagonals and then read off as a sequence of rows.

Memaaiauetetnpht would become.

M e m a a i a u

e t e t n p h t

Meet me at a nipa hut?

The murderer wants to meet me?

But what if the murderer harmed me? I only have myself and my phone, nothing else. What if this game be the cause of my death?

But malapit na ako sa climax. Hindi ko malalaman kung sino ang nasa likod ng pagpatay sa grade 10 student na iyon kung hindi ako magpapatuloy.

I shook my head to stop the hesitations. I need to continue this for the sake of that student. I want to bring her the justice.

You shouldn't fear death, Lorelei. Death is inevitable, and you have nothing to do about it.

I finally stood up. Nagpagpag lang ako sandali at isang minutong nanalangin. I know I don't often pray but I need His help right now. I need His guidance.

Afterwards, I start walking. I need to trust myself. I need to know the truth.

Hawak ko sa kaliwang kamay iyong notebook. Nasa kanang kamay ko naman ang cellphone ko na nagsi-silbing flashlight. I need to find that nipa hut before ma-low batt itong cellphone ko. It still has 43% and it was past 3 already, I need to hurry up.

Napaka-lawak nitong forest, paano ko mahahanap ang nipa hut na iyon? I stopped when I remember something. Baka nasa next page ng notebook na ito ang hint para malaman ang whereabout ng murderer?

Binuklat kong muli ang notebook and turn it to the 4th page. I knew it.

Now that you have decipher the cipher

I guess you're ready to meet the murderer

Now, go back to where you are a while ago

Count 13 trees straightway to find the final blow

I roamed my eyes around. I suddenly got goosebumps. Nakikita ba ako ng murderer ngayon?! Sandali akong natigalgal sa kinatatayuan ko. Anong plano sa akin ng murderer?!

I shifted my direction to where I was a while ago. Sa tabi ng punong pinagbagsakan ng ahas. Kung dito ako magu-umpisa, itong punong ito ang magiging number 1. Malalayo ang agwat ng bawat puno pero 'gaya nga ng sabi ng murderer, I should count trees straightway so I would be able to see the final blow-which is to meet him/her.

Nagsimula na akong magbilang. Bawat punong tatapatan ko ay siyang magiging bilang ko. I continue walking so as to reach the final tree, which is the 13th tree.

When at last, I reached the last tree-a seemingly simple but enchanting nipa hut caught my gaze. I can't help but to stare at it with amusement. Maliit lamang ito pero parang napaka-gandang tumira doon. Kulay mahogany ito na medyo kuminang-kinang. It was made up of bamboo but yet it looks like it was made of bricks.

I walk straight to it without even thinking that I finally reached the final blow-to meet the murderer. Inilawan ko ang nipa hut gamit ang aking cellphone. Ang ganda talaga. I can't help but to feel felicitate. I feel like I have been bewitched by this nipa hut. Oh no! What's happening to me?!

I suddenly freaked out from the amusement nang bumukas ang pinto ng nipa. A figure with svelte body appear. Hindi ko pa naitataas ang ilaw sa mukha ng pigura kaya I still don't know kung ano ang itsura nito basta one thing I am sure about-sexy ang babaeng 'to-at siya na nga ang hinahanap kong murderer.

I took a deep breath before shifting my gaze to the figure's facade.

And swear, I was left flabbergast the moment I see her face.

"Surprised?"

She smirked. She stared at me like I was so stupid that I didn't figured out that she was the murderer-that she could be the murderer.

"Please, come in. I have been waiting for you so long, Lorelei. I didn't know you will consumed much time to finally meet me up. Hindi ko alam na kinakalawang na pala ang utak mo kaya matagal bago ka nakarating dito. But anyway, I'm glad that you conquer your fear for you to meet your final blow. I'm not saying that this would be your end but parang gano'n na nga."

With that, hinigit niya ako papasok ng nipa. She tied me in a wooden chair and put out the gun in her pocket. I guess, this will be my final blow. Sana ay patahimikin ka ng konsensya mo, Jamie Santiago. Then she banged the gun to my forehead.

"No!!!"

"Hey, Lorelei! What's happening to you?! Lorelei!"

I heard Loki's voice beside me. A hint of disquiet can be sense through his voice.

I unconsciously touch my forehead. I know I felt a gun banged through my forehead. What happened?

"Is there a problem Mr. Mendez and Miss Rios?" Asked the teacher. I shook my head.

"None ma'am. Sorry for the interruption."

The teacher nodded and continue discussing. Loki look at me.

"Are you on drugs, Lorelei? Did you just solve a crime in your head?" Loki said as a matter of deduction.

"H-hah? No, ofcourse not. Why would I?" I defend and avoid his gaze.

This was our last subject in the afternoon and we still have 15 minutes before lunch.

Nasa bandang likod kami nakaupo, sa may tapat ng bintana. Obviously, we are seatmates.

"Don't lie to me, Lorelei. You can't fool me." he insisted, staring infront.

I just rolled my eyes heavenward. He knows I can't win against him.

"So what if I did?" I questioned. Looking into his face. He met my gaze but I fastly pretend that something caught my attention infront.

I just heard him smirked with a sound.

"Who's the murderer? Jamie?"

I look at him with a shocked face. How did he knew that?

"Based on your reaction a while ago, astonishment was plastered all over your face, meaning you have found out the most shocking scenario throughout your living years. Since, I hefted you much with investigation of crimes, I think you even prompted to do investigations in your head. And Jamie is the only person I can think that is committable of a murder." He nonchalantly brag, explaining how he come up with that abatements.

I then again avoid his gaze. Ayoko nang makipag-argumento sa kaniya lalo pa't mas lamang siya sa akin kung pagba-basehan ang deduction reasoning.

"You just have a phantasm, Lorie." He adjourned the conversation using that one sentence.

As on cue, the teacher leave the room as well as our fellow students.

The two of us remain. Minutes later, he finally stood up.

"Aren't you taking your lunch? You sure consumed much mental energy with that investigation of yours." He slightly beamed.

I felt a strange feeling on my stomach. Sigurado akong hindi iyon dahil sa gutom. Mas lalo pa iyong nadagdagan nang i-offer niya sa akin ang kaniyang kamay. Waiting for me to accept it like she was asking me for a dance.

What are you thinking, Lorelei?

I sheepishly smile before accepting his hand.

It's now or never, Lorelei.

End...

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