Endless Pen [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER NINE

ATHANASIA'S POV

"Athanasia. Athanasia!" I moved my head to search for that familiar voice. "Athanasia! Follow me, Athanasia! Come to me!" the voice kept yelling those phrases again and again.

"Where are you? I can't see you!" I replied with a loud voice, clearly asking for a response.

I was surrounded by darkness. I could not see a single thing. But the voice... it echoes. "Athanasia! I need you to find me. I need you to come with me. I need you back, Athanasia." The longingness was felt in his voice.

I suddenly felt my heart clench. It's aching yet I don't know why. Maybe it's because of the voice. Maybe because my heart remembers someone that my mind cannot. I then felt my cheeks wet. Tears were unknowingly flowing from my eyes. "Where are you? Who are you?" I asked as I kept on sobbing, making my voice weaker.

"You do know me. You already know where to find me, Athanasia," he said, but instead of a loud voice, it was soft, almost a whisper. "Just open your eyes for me, mi Amor."

And I did. Darkness was then replaced by dim lights coming from my lamps. I'm now inside my bedroom, properly laying down and covered with a blanket.

Bangun.

I quickly left the bed and went outside of my room to search for Bangun who was now standing in the middle of my kitchen. He seemed to be cooking something. I let out a deep breath. I thought he left.

He then spoke without turning to look at me. "I guess I won't really be able to try to persuade you into changing your mind," he calmly said.

"Expound." I completely entered the kitchen. "What do you mean with that, Bangun?"

He let out a deep sigh. Bangun seemed bothered and worried. "I can no longer intervene with your life decisions, Athanasia." He turned to me, staring deeply into my eyes. "Your future is already set. He has successfully entered your dreams, which will make you more determined to find him."

"Is... he... my mission? Is finding him my mission?" Napaiwas ng tingin si Bangun sa tanong ko. Itinuloy niya ang pagluluto.

Pareho kaming natahimik ng ilang minuto nang ituro niya ang orasan kong nakasabit sa pader. "It's already nine-forty-five. I'm pretty sure he's waiting for you."

Agad nanlaki ang mga mata ko saka nagmamadaling kinuha ang wallet at phone ko sa kwarto saka lumabas ng apartment ko. Habang naglalakad papunta sa fast food restaurant na meeting place namin ni SPO3 Benjie ay saka ko lang napansing hindi na ako pinigilan ni Bangun na lumabas at makipagkita.

"I can no longer intervene with your life decisions, Athanasia."

Right... Hindi na siya pwedeng mangealam sa mga balak kong gawin.

"Your future is already set. He has successfully entered your dreams."

Bahagyang bumagal ang paglalakad ko. He has successfully entered my dreams? Para bang may bumbilyang nagliwanag sa utak ko. That voice! He said I know him already. I know where to find him.

If he's the key to making my dreams come true, then I badly need to find him.

I already know him.

Kung tama ang hinala ko, at kung tuluyang magdikit-dikit ang mga piraso ng ebidensya ko... Napatingin ako sa lalakeng nakauniporme't naghihintay sa loob ng restaurant. Then I have found him.

I went inside the restaurant and quickly sat on the chair in front of him. "I'm sorry I'm late. An emergency happened," agad kong paliwanag.

Ngumiti naman sa akin ang pulis. "Ayos lang po, Miss Asia. Kararating ko lang din naman po." Tumingin muna siya sa menu na nakalagay sa may counter bago muling tumingin sa akin. "Nakapaghapunan na po ba kayo, Miss?"

I blinked numerous times before picking up my answer. "Ahm... I haven't." Biglang pumasok sa isip ko ang itsura kanina ni Bangun habang nagluluto. Was that supposed to be my dinner?

"Ganon po ba? Ako rin po kasi eh. Order po muna ako, Miss. Ano pong gusto mong kainin? Sagot ko na po."

Napailing naman ako. "No, please. I'll pay for it."

"Nako! 'Wag na po, Miss. Ngayon lang naman po, hayaan niyo na pong ilibre ko ho kayo. Tinutulungan niyo rin naman ho ako sa kasong hawak ko kaya pasasalamat ko na lang din po," nakangiting wika nito.

Napabuga na lang ako ng hangin. "Sige po. Basta sa susunod ay ako na ang magbabayad."

Nakangiting tumango ito. "Areglado, Binibini! Ano pong gusto niyong kainin?"

"Anything is fine."

Muli siyang tumango. "Sige po. Order po muna ako," pagpapaalam nito saka tumayo para umalis at kumuha ng makakain.

Napansin ko naman ang folder na nasa lamesa. Ito ang folder na nilalagyan ng importanteng dokumento patungkol sa kaso sa Sitio Tumana.

Agad ko iyong inabot saka binuksan. Hindi lang ang misyon ko ang kailangan kong pagtuunan ng pansin. Kailangan ding mahanap ang taong pumapatay sa mga totoong taong bersyon ng mga karakter ko sa mga nobela ko.

Habang binabasa ang bawat dokumento ay mas lalo akong namamangha, sapagkat napaka-totoo ng bawat detalye ng biktima. Ang natatanging kakaiba nila sa mga karakter ko ay ang estado nila sa buhay. Ang iba ko kasing mga karakter ay mayayaman o kaya naman ay may kaya, ngunit ang lahat ng biktima ay mahihirap. Iba rin ang pangalan ng mga magulang ng biktima sa mga magulang ng mga karakter ko.

Talagang ang itsura, pangalan, at uri ng pagkamatay o pagpapakamatay ang pare-pareha.

Pero kung totoong murder ito at hindi suicide, bakit ni isang witness ay walang nakuha ang pulisya? Ang mga imbestigador? Ganoon ba talaga kalinis ang galaw ng killer?

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ako hanggang sa napansin kong nakabalik na pala si SPO3 Benjie sa pwesto niya at matiim lamang na nakatitig sa akin.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just felt like reading it. It might boost my mind or memory," pagpapaliwanag ko saka ibinalik ang folder sa dati nitong pwesto.

Ngumiti lang naman siya katlad ng normal niyang reaksyon. "Ayos lang po 'yun, Miss. Mas ayos nga po eh. Baka mas may malaman tayong lead." Inabot nito ang folder saka siya naman ang nagbasa. "Isang napaka-kakaibang kaso ito, Miss. Na kahit ang mga superior namin eh naiintriga, kaya lang ay walang naglalakas loob na kuhanin ang kaso dahil nga sa kakulangan ng impormasyon."

That made me curious. "So why'd you take it?"

"To get closer to you, mi Amor," Officer Benjie said while still scheming through the papers. The voice, the tone, the endearment. It all made me freeze and shivers went down my spine.

"W-What?" I can feel my whole body trembling with too many emotions.

Inangat naman niya ang kanyang ulo saka nagtatakang tumingin sa akin. "Po?"

I took a deep breath before asking. "What... What did you say? What was your reason?"

Mas lalo siyang nagmukhang naguguluhan. "Ahm... Miss, hindi pa po ako nakakasagot." Mahina siyang natawa saka napakamot ng batok. "Medyo na-distract po kasi sa mga papeles kaya hindi ko ho masyadong naintindihan yung tanong niyo po. Ano po ulit?"

Ilang beses akong napakurap bago tumikhim at inayos ang sarili. "W-Wala. Never mind it. Just continue reading." Tinanguan niya naman ako saka bumalik sa pagbabasa.

Was my mind playing with me? I saw him talk. I heard him speak. I felt the same chills. Were they all just my imagination?

Now, I can no longer distinguish between reality and fantasy. But what if?

What if he's really the one I've been searching for?

I stared at the busy policeman. Is it really you, Zagan?