The Unseen Trial [Ace Lucifer's Series Three] ON GOING

Thirty Eighth Trial

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 

MARCH 8. 

"Where is she?"

Bryson's knees wobbled, and he almost lost his balance when he keeps descending the stairs. Hindi na siya nagulat nang makitang puno ulit ng tauhan nila ang bahay. His father was leading the pack, and her mom was walking back and forth. Si Arrow ang unang nakapansin sa kaniya, but unlike the usual, his face wasn't soft—or friendly. Masama ang tingin sa kaniya.

His father followed Arrow's gaze. Tumingala ito, at sinundan ng tingin ang pagbaba niya. He can't almost focus, and think straight but the sudden mention of Candace's disappearance almost clinked his sanity back to life in an instant. Kaagad na tumubo ang pag-aalala, pangamba, at takot.

Ang pinaghalo-halong nararamdaman ay ang mas nagpahilo sa pakiramdam niya, pero parang baliwala na iyon. He suddenly felt numb. Like he doesn't need to be high from any drugs that he'd been taking for a week just not to feel anything. Parang biglaan. Isang pitik.

But he's... he's grasping his sanity. His right mind—because he has to. He needs to.

Ang mga tauhan sa paligid, ang hindi mapakaling ina, ang mga devices, laptops, computers, at iba pang equipments na nagkalat sa sala ay para bang bigla siyang pinabalik sa unang araw nang mawala si Bella—and a month after her disappearance, her little sister was found dead, in front of their house.

Hindi pa pala tapos... at hindi matatapos. Ang sinabi ng ama niya. Kahit anong oras, anong pagkakataon, at kahit sino...lalo na nag malapit sa kaniya—sa kanila ay hindi ligtas. That mourning is not an option, and should not take over him, dahil walang awa ang mga kalaban nila.

"You're up." Para bang nakahinga nang maluwag ang ama niya nang makalapit siya. Their men acknowledge him in an instant. Labas-masok ang tao sa bahay nila. Pamilyar na pamilyar sa kanila.

Humugot ng isang vial ang ama niya. It has a color of dark violet. It looks think inside the vial. Tinanggap niya ito.

"Sober up, and do your thing." He doesn't have to be told twice. Kaagad niyang binuksan at inubos ang laman ng vial. Using the back of his hand, he wiped his mouth, and almost grimaced because of the bitter taste.

Si Arrow ay masama pa 'rin ang tingin bago nilapitan ang mga tao sa center table. Dalawa pa lang ang nakaupo 'roon. It was their main tracker, surely...tracking Candace.

Then, he spoke to his father when he felt like is mind is not clouded...slowly because of the vial that his father gave. "She might be somewhere, and...she's just roaming around."

Gawain ni Candace iyon. Siguro, dahil ay tapos na ang exam. Baka nagkakamali lang ang ama niya, at ang mga tauhan...si Arrow na nawawala si Candace. It couldn't be. She shouldn't be. She's not one of them. She shouldn't be involved in the first place.

Umiling ang ama niya. Her mom was talking to their men, checking from time to time, like how a biological mother would react, and worry.

"We tracked down the CCTV, and she was last seen at ZNLU."

Sa sinabi ng ama ay nagtakha siya. ZNLU. He was the one who insisted enrolling in that school because that's their territory, and it's a safe place not just for him but to his friends, especially Candace.

"ZNLU? How come that—" napasentido siya. Biglang sumigid ang sakit sa ulo. Epekto ng gamot na ibinigay ng ama niya, at isa pa, hindi naituloy dahil pakiramdam niya ay wala siyang karapatang magtanong.