29| t r u c e
"OK! I'LL TAKE THAT OFFER" nakahinga ng maluwag si Astrid nang tanggapin ni Seelie ang alok niya na makipag tulungan upang mahanap ang Dad nito at mailigtas ang iba pang miyembro ng AKT.
Ang buong akala niya'y mahihirapan siyang makipag usap dito. Alam niya ang galit na pinanghahawakan ni Seelie para sa kaniya.
In which she clearly know the reason why.
"Deal?" Tanong niya sabay lahad ng kaniyang palad sa harap ni Seelie.
Tinignan iyon ni Seelie na animo'y nag dadalawang isip kung tatanggapin ba nito ang palad niyang nakalahad.
"Deal!" Sagot nito at inabot ang palad niya.
Agad na binawi ni Seelie ang kamay nito.
"Ok then, first thing's first. Can I have your brooch I just need to ..." hindi natuloy ang sasabihin niya nang biglang nag salita ang lolo ni Seelie sa likuran niya na siya namang ikinagulat niya.
Bigla siyang napalingon at nakita niya ang matanda at si Felicity na katabi nito. Pareho silang naka-kunot noo.
"What are you doing?!" Felicity mouthed.
" What is going on here? Seelie are you drunk again?" Tanong ng matanda.
"What would be the best reason on why should I get drunk?" Seelie sarcastically answered.
"Then explain to me what happened to these pieces of broken glass?" Seryoso ang tanong nito.
"I accidentally hit the cabinet I was just practicing my swing," tinignan siya ni Seelie like she was asking for a backup to vouch her from her grandfather.
"Um. Yes! She was just practicing her swing na kwento niya nga sa akin na mahilig siya mag golf," pagsisinungaling niya.
"Practicing golf? Inside this house? Really Seelie?" Ani ng matanda.
"Don't worry about it Lo, aayusin din naman ng mga katulong natin 'yan," walang pakeelam na wika ni Seelie.
Umalis siya sa harapan ng lolo nito.
"Hey! Are you coming with me or not?" Seelie asked.
Suddenly Seelie stopped in midway.
"Take your pet if she also wanted to join," she added. She was referring to Felicity.
Tinignan siya ni Felicity at akmang susugurin si Seelie ngunit sinenyasan siya ni Astrid na huwag.
Sabay nilang dalawa sinundan si Seelie.
"Excuse me and thank you," ani nilang dalawa sa matanda at naglakad papunta kay Seelie na naglalakad sa harapan ng kanilang grand staircase.
"That bitch, may araw din 'yan sakin," ani ni Felicity na pigil ang galit.
"Don't mind her! You know her attitude is problematic plus we can't afford to lose this investigation. We have come this far," aniya habang sumusunod sa likod ni Seelie.
Palinga-linga pa si Astrid sa paligid niya. It was completely different from the last time she set foot inside Gov. Vlad's mansion.
The sea of crowd and their reverberating murmurs and incoherent voices subjugated the whole mansion traversing from every corners but now it feels like she entered a cemetery.
It was so quiet. That the only thing she could hear is their footsteps and the tinnitus that is slowly growing inside her ears.
The lavish decorations, lights, and shinning trinkets that covered both the mansion's ceiling and floor was completely removed. Not even a single trace of decors can be found.
The mansion turned into a plain, bland, colorless, and blank canvas which emanates an unfathomable poignancy.
Astrid coughed a bit just to make a little sound.
BINABASA MO ANG
Make Up, Murders, And Macchiato
Mystery / ThrillerAstrid is a retired modern day Sherlock Holmes / Nancy Drew who stumbled on the gruesome murder of an unknown killer roaming around their university. She was then forced to instigate an investigation together with the one whom she hated the most- Ka...
