The Other 'I'

30 : Goodbye

It was almost a month ago when the incident happened. The man guarding their rest house who happened to be their uncle, went back with a doctor to check on Ainsley who then lost consciousness. We ended up rushing her to the nearest hospital and almost didn't make it.

Terrence was questioned by authorities about the murders once again and he cooperated. He told them everything from when and where he let his twin stayed in our town in the previous months for a couple of days, without everyone knowing, including their parents. And though he didn't know about his twin's crimes, he later on found out about it a week before he disappeared.

The peeled-off skins of the victims were recovered in an apartment where he let his twin occupy whenever she stayed here. But what's disturbing was that, there were two more bodies found in the house who were also identified as locals in our town. Two girls in the neighbourhood, both had pretty faces like the first two victims and reported missing for almost five months—like what Cali speculated.

The trial for the murder case was still on-going, so to say that Ainsley was then under the custody of the authorities. Their lawyer said that the trial would go a long way and the possibility of losing the case with Ainsley pleading guilty was fifty-fifty. Given that they've been continuously exhausting every effort to dismiss the case, one of which was going for an insanity defence.

So far, the news circulating and reverberating throughout the whole town about the crimes hadn't been good for the Gallevos. It impacted and caused serious damages on their business. Dealing with all that complaints, cancellation and pulling out of projects from current and future investors. It was probably hell: helplessly watching everything they've built for years crumble in just a snap.

"I think you should tell him now."

"I know."

I was then diagnosed with schizophrenia a few weeks after the incident. And though it cannot be treated, I was prescribed and put on a series of medication again for better management. It wasn't any difference from what I'd experience before because aside from the voices, I had episode attacks from time to time but only mild, bearable ones—not like the one in the rest house. And needless to say, I didn't see the hoodie guy or the bloody Cedric since.

Sinulyapan ko ang normal at nasa tabing si Cedric bago nilingon ang nakatanaw sa malawak na ilog na si Terrence, sa barikadang katabi ng Willow tree sa 'di kalayuan.

"Sigurado ka na ba ngayon sa gusto mo?"

A faint smile made its way to crept on my lips. "Yeah."

"Good. Then go ahead." He nodded beside me with a smirk.

Humugot ako nang malalim na hininga at saka tumayo. Mabagal ang hakbang ko palapit kay Terrence hanggang sa daluhan ko siya sa pagtunghay sa payapang pag-agos ng tubig. Ang ilang dahon ng Willow tree sa tabi namin at ilan pa sa kabilang banda ay marahang sinasayaw nang mabining ihip ng hangin.

Sumulyap siya sa akin, ang magkabilang kamay ay nakasuksok sa suot na pantalon.

"May sasabihin ako," panimula ko.

Parehong nasa malayo ang tanaw namin nang maaninag ko ang marahan niyang pagtango. Tila kumikinang ang replika ng kulay kahel na sinag nang papalubog nang araw sa pag-agos ng tubig sa ilog. Tanging lagasgas mula ro'n at iyak lamang ng mga ibong sabay-sabay na nagliliparan ang dinig sa payapang paligid.

"You know how I feel about you, right?" Sumabay sa nagdaang hangin ang tila bulong kong tinig. Sinikop ko ang takas na buhok sa likod ng tainga—hanggang ngayo'y naninibago pa rin sa ikli at gaan niyon kahit halos ilang linggo na ang lumipas matapos ko iyong ipaputol.