Marami naman sigurong pangyayari na kung saan nagkataong magkapareho lang ang dalawang kaganapan. Na coincidence lang. Right, maybe the fact that Alastair wrote about investigating a serial killer of the thread of rapist murders was just coincidentally similar to the recent news about a serial killer of rapists in the city.

Nagkataong may pagkakapareho lang. Na mayroon talagang pangyayari na nakare-relate ang isang mambabasa sa nobelang binabasa niya. Kagaya ng babaeng kinausap ko noon.

Manunulat ako.

Dapat alam kong nangyayari ang mga isyung kagaya nito.

Kaya sana nga, walang bahagi sa nobelang isinumite ko ang may kinalaman sa tunay na insidente.

Sana.

"Ma'am Jasryl?"

"Ma'am?"

"Ma'am Jasryl!" Napaigtad ako nang may biglang tumapik sa balikat ko. Ilang beses akong kumurap noong napagtanto kong kanina pa ako nakatulaa.

"S-Sorry," I apologized to the guy in front of me who was waiting for his book to be signed by me.

"Okay lang po. Thank you po! I really love your works, Ma'am!" I thanked him back and gave him his signed book before he took our selfie. After the last reader, I excused myself to the restroom.

Ilang araw na ang lumipas pero imbes na pagsususpetya ang matanggap ko sa mga tao, mas hinangahan pa nila ako. Kasi nasasalamin daw masyado sa totoong buhay ang mga pangyayari ng mga nobela ko.

Kasi marami raw ang namumulat, naging malaking tulong din ang ikalawa kong libro sa paglutas ng imbestigasyong matagal nang hindi nalulutas.

Yes, on their side, they found it helpful and somehow relatable. But the plot of Alastair's novel was too unique to the point that it exactly matched to the real incident.

Imbes na masiyahan ako, mas nagagambala na ako.

I washed my face with water and faced my own reflection.

But I admitted it, I was somehow grateful. Because of this popularity, this respect and admiration I've been slowly gaining could absolutely lead me toward Estela's acknowledgement.

That's why I wasn't quitting from Alastair yet. May maitutulong din siya sa akin kahit papaano.

I exited the restroom but after a couple of steps I took, I turned around and faced a guy who called me. Nginitihan niya ako pero bigla ring nawala 'yon.

I smiled back.

"Good morning, Miss Writer. I respectfully introduce myself as Detective Yance Serrano." Magalang niyang inilahad ang palad niya sa akin pero natagalan ako sa pagtanggap nito.

I froze when he said Detective. "Good morning din, Sir Yance. A-Anong maitutulong ko sa inyo?"

"None. I went here to see you because I am your fan, Ma'am. Are you the younger sibling of Sir Jensen?" he asked and left me unalarmed when he mentioned my brother Jensen.

Ngumiti na lang ako. Mabuti pa siya, nakikilala niya ako bilang kapatid ni Kuya Jensen.

"Opo, kapatid ko siya. Maraming salamat! Salamat sa pagbabasa ng gawa ko," masigla kong pasasalamat kaya halos mahiya pa si Sir Yance. "No. Ako dapat ang magpasalamat sa 'yo."

He slid his hands inside his jeans' pockets after fixing the collar of his jacket. We continued walking. "Because I read your works, I finally solved the long unsolved case."

Muli akong napahinto at napalunok lalo noong tingnan niya ako. "What do you mean, Sir?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hindi ko nga pala nasabi na ako mismo ang lumutas sa kasong paghahanap sa nahuling serial killer." He shyly chuckled. "Pero hindi ko malulutas 'yon kung hindi ko binasa ang nobela mo."

I was gawking at him. He tapped my shoulder. "Kaya hangang hanga ako sa kahusayang ipinamalas mo sa pagsusulat niyon."

"At kung paano rin nagkataong sakto ang mga clues and theories na mayroon sa bida ng kuwento. Honestly, I just felt like I was the main character when I was following every clue in your work and it matched with the investigation," he added with such blissfulness and success, displayed in his face.

"Th-Then that's very good to know! Kahit papaano kasi, may mambabasa rin akong kayang isalamin sa totoong buhay 'yong gawa ko."

Hindi ako puwedeng magmukhang kabado sa harapan ng Investigator ngayon.

Magpakasisigurado na lang ako.

I did my best to show my smile. "At saka, hindi ko rin inasahang magkakaroon ng malaking tulong 'yong isinulat ko sa panahon ngayon."

"That's not a problem at all. No one expected that to coincidentally happen as well," he said, cheering me up.

No one, yes. No one expected the coincidence of Alastair's novel to a real life case. Not even Alastair.

I hope so.

He then stopped to face me. "Kaya huwag kang magdalawang-isip na magpatuloy. If you love writing, do not stop. Your works are incredibly great, Miss."

"Tama ka," sagot ko saka tumango. Magaganda nga ang mga gawa ko, akala lang nila 'yon.

Akala nila, gawa ko.

He shared more stories about how he solved the case, thanks to how he based on my novel. While I was listening, I could clearly sense how he loved reading my work based on how he could apply the scenarios in his actions.

"Nakikita ko 'yong bida sa 'yo," I commented. Tinutukoy kong may pagkakapareho talaga sila ng bidang investigator sa unang libro ko kasi totoo naman. Parang siya kasi 'yong main character sa Prisoned Imagination.

"Don't kid, he's way cooler, and smarter. No way, ikaw mismo ang nagsabi sa akin?" hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong kaya tumango na lang ako.

When Detective Yance had left, I began to overthink and the thread of suspicions have begun wandering in my mind.

That what if Alastair knew a lot of things every people in this city didn't know yet?

What if controlling me like this was the start of him, reaching his goal? His goal that only he, himself knows?

Nakatanggap na naman ako ng tawag sa kanya kaya kahit namumuo na naman ang takot ko, ginusto ko pa ring pumunta.

Dapat akong pumunta, dapat ko siyang sundin.

"Oh, okay! Great! I'm so proud of you! Expected from my writer!" Ilang beses niya akong pinalakpakan matapos kong sabihin na kagagaling ko sa book signing.

"Hindi ka ba magagalit?" I asked, biting my lips. "Na ako 'yong hinahangahan imbes na ikaw?"

Medyo napaisip siya kaya tumingin siya sa kisame. "No, I'm not mad at all."

"How about you? Are you mad, Jasryl?" I shook my head.

I was guilty.

"Then, are you guilty?" he questioned. Hindi ako sumagot.

Kumibit lamang si Alastair at bumuntonghininga. "I understand. Sino naman ang hindi makokonsensiya." Tumayo siya sa couch para i-pat ang ulo ko. "Kahit na may malaking kasalanan kang ginawa, tao ka pa rin naman."

"So. . . ." My shoulders jumped when he clapped his hands once, walking around me. "Dahil may awa ako sa 'yo. At gusto kitang regaluhan. . . ."

He faced me with a very wide smile. "Why don't you just stay here? With me?"

"H-Hindi puwede," sumbat ko. Puwede ko siyang puntahan dito kahit kailan niya gusto pero hindi ang tumira dito. Hindi ko muna puwedeng iwanan sila Tita.

Hindi pa rin nawala ang ngiti niya. "Bakit hindi? Teka, kailangan ko palang palitan 'yong tanong ko. Para mapalitan mo rin ang sagot mo! Ganoon ba?"

I gasped and it felt like I was being suffocated again.

I was facing a manipulator.

A very intricate human.

A writer who chose threatening and controlling someone to make his novel get appreciated.

Nanginig ang labi ko.

"Fine. Let me change my question." He took his laptop and showed a a familiar website.

The site where the novel Prisoned Imagination was posted.

At ang sumunod niyang hinablot sa lamesa ay ang isang pisikal na libro.

"Would you stay here with me? Or one click to share the link of Prisoned Imagination in the website, you won't be having your next book signing again?

Hindi ko na magawang sagutin ang tanong niyang binago niya kaya nahayaan ko siya sa paglapag ng libro sa ulo ko.

"You see, this is also a physical book I printed by myself. Hawak ko na ang kahinaan mo."

Hindi pa rin ako nakasagot kasi nauubusan na ako ng lakas ng loob para gawaran pa siya ng isang salita.

Ginusto ko lang naman na matanggap at makilala ako ng pamilya ko.

Bakit ko ba kasi ginawa 'yon?

Kung hindi ako nanggaya ng isang nobela porke't hindi na ito kilala, sana hindi ako tinatakot ngayon.

Sana hindi ako nasasakal kasusunod sa kanya.

Pero hindi pa sana ako nakatatapak palapit sa hinahangad ko. Lilipas din ito, hindi ba?

Makaliligtas din ako mula sa taong ito.

Sana.

Huminto na siya sa pagpalo ng libro sa ulo ko kaya nagtama na ang paningin namin.

Those eyes were the eyes of the passionate writer. And these eyes I have, were the eyes of someone who was starving for acknowledgement.

His smile appeared again. "Fear me, I'm telling you to fear me, Jasryl. Kasi kung hindi ka marunong matakot sa gagawin ko, mapapahamak ka."

"Titira ka rito, o lilipat ka?"

Kailangan kong tumira dito.