Identical Plot (Wicked Writer Series #7)

Chapter 3

“What made you so tagal?” maarteng tanong ni Jeymie nang makarating ako sa Norville’s Place. The biggest mall not just in our city but in the whole region of Mizasa De Or. And the same mall where my book signing is held.

“Stop asking me questions. I’m not in the mood,” wala sa wisyo kong sagot sa kan’ya. She just rolled her eyes on me as a response.

“Typical Melly,” I heard her mumbled in a manner that sounded like she know me well. Well, you don’t know me really, bitch.

“Just hold my bag, will you?” I commanded and she immediately rolled her eyes again before reaching it. Ngunit saglit s’yang napatigil nang mapansin ang puting Channel na handkerchief na nakabalot sa pulsuhan ko. Tumatagos rito ang kaunting bakas ng dugo na dulot nang ginawa ko kanina. She was about to open her mouth to react when I cut her off first.

“Speak once again, Jey, and I will not invest in your planned business.”

“It’s almost 2, Miss Jamez,” Shella, my editor welcomed me in a stressed tone after I reached the venue.

“Traffic,” maikli kong sagot sa kan’ya. But she just shook her head on me and guided me to the backstage.

And from the backstage, I took a peak on the numerous crowd waiting for me. And with that view, I let out a mischievous smile. Finally, there’s no Elly in here. The spotlight is mine.

“Umakyat ka na Miss Jamez,” muling wika ni Shella. Tipid lang akong tumango sa kan’ya saka sinenyasan si Jeymie na hawakan lang ang bag ko.

But before I took a step, I tightened the handkerchief around my wrist in an elegant way where the blood stains will be no longer visible. I don’t want to bombard social media and the writing industry with an article that says, “Melly Jamez, a newly-rising author planted theories in her fan’s minds that she was about to commit suicide after coming to her second book signing a with a handkerchief wrapping her wrist  that shows visible blood stains.”

I brushed off my thoughts and finally made an elegant entrance that made the crowd went wild. They welcomed me with loud applause, yells of admiration and appreciation, and eyes that expresses their love towards me. Bagay na kailanman ay hindi ko naranasan at mararanasan mula sa mga magulang ko dahil palaging si Elly lang ang nakikita nila.

And now that Elly is nowhere to be found, it is undoubtedly my time to be found as someone who’s witty, talented and best at something. My time to satisfy myself with attention and praises that are my parents adequacy.

I held my head high as I took a seat in my designated table with my name and book’s title printed and stood above. And the feeling of being finally ‘someone’ creeped in to my system. So this is how it feels like to be seen. It’s addicting. Like an illegal drug, I want more.

“Hi Miss Jamez!” A teen-age girl who seems like she’s just on her 14’s was the first one to come to my table with my book entitled “A kiss of Crimson” on her hands.

“What’s your name?” I asked with a stoic face regardless of her delighted face.

“Kelly,” she answered with a wide smile. Opposite to her reaction, I grinned at her. Playful life.

I gestured Jeymie to hand me the sign pen inside my bag before I took my book from her and signed it. I even wrote “Playful life” beside my sign.

“Thank you so much po! You’re so pretty!” masaya n’yang wika matapos kong pirmahan ang libro n’ya. Tipid lang akong ngumiti bilang tugon sa kan’ya. Her angelic smile resembles Elly’s. And I hate it. I don’t like her as a person. Not as my fan though.

After that girl, my fans continued coming into my table with my book on their hands. And because I have a name to furnish and make it shine, I was forced to exhibit my feign-sweet-smile and demeanor voice. Glad I didn’t throw up during the whole duration of book signing. Indeed a life of pretention.

***

Alas-sais na g hapon ng matapos ang book signing. At walang tigil sa pagsasalita si Jeymie habang inihahatid ko s’ya pauwi dahil hindi s’ya sinundo. Kung wala lang sana s’yang kwenta para sa ‘kin ay walang duda na hinayaan ko lang s’yang mag-taxi.

“Your twin sis wasn’t found pa talaga?”

“Oh my god!”

The car’s wheels made a deafening noise of screeching after I suddenly pulled over. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel while I am catching my breath from an abrupt eruption of rage.

“Have I given you the permission to speak about that?” puno nang panggigigil na tanong ko sa kan’ya. Dahilan para lalong gumuhit ang takot sa mukha n’ya.
“No. I’m so sor-”

“Out,” tipid ngunit puno nang diin na pagputol ko.
“What?”

“Get out!”

“But Mels, there’s no tao here,” Sa kabila nang takot ay nagawa n’ya pang magreklamo sa maarteng paraan.

“I don’t care, bitch,” I don’t care whoever the bitch is. As long as they’ll speak a piece of Elly, I despise them and shut them off. I have no damn care about that Elly and never will have!

“Oh my god, Melly don’t leave me!”
I pulled the car’s steering wheel once again and left Jeymie in the middle of nowhere with my hand waving in the air outside my window. I don’t want to do something about her. After all, she’s still useful to me.

Ilang kilometro mula sa lugar na pinagbabaan ko kay Jeymie ay maingat akong lumiko sa isang masukal na bahagi ng kagubata na malayo sa sibilasyon. I made sure that no one saw me before I entered the Norville’s largest forest. Canaria, the rumored cursed forest.

Ni isa ay walang nagtatangkang pumasok sa kagubatang ito dahil takot sa lumang kwentong-bayan na ang lahat nang pumapasok sa kagubatang ito ay hindi na nagagawang lumabas ng buhay. Sabi-sabi ay may naninirahan daw rito na isang halimaw. But not me. I’m too millennial to believe in some deep-rooted comical folklore. But there’s one part from the folklore which I believe. Halimaw. Monster...it’s real. And it resides in this forest.

Ipinarada ko ang sasakyan sa isang masukal na bahagi ng kagubatan at tinakpan ito ng ilang tuyong dahon ng saging bago ko kinuha ang emergency flashlight at supot ng groceries na pinamili ko kanina upang magsimulang maglakad papasok sa gubat.

The setting sun and the gradual darkness it brought didn’t even bother me along the existing eerie ambiance of the forest. I’m a walking destruction to begin with. The one that I walked on, passed on and touched on are the one that bends itself in a sickle of terror. I’m the fear giver after all. Not the receiver. There’s no way I’ll be.

Matapos ang ilang oras na paglalakad, ay tuluyan nang naglaho ang liwanag nang marating ko ang isang cabin. Madilim ito kung tanawin sa labas. Pero sa pagpasok ay bubungad sa ‘yo ang nakakabulag na liwanag.

Napangisi ako nang marinig ang isang sigaw na halatang namimilipit sa sakit. Oh girl...

After I opened one of the cabin’s door, the view of her, lying in the cold floor with poor-teary eyes welcomed me.
“Hello there little missy,” I uttered with a mischievous smile.