On Her Hands

Chapter 12- Acquaintance

It was an exhausting day indeed. Ala singko na ako nakauwi sa unit ko at sinalubong ng walang hanggang sermon ni ms. Collins. Pero alam naman na nya na wala na talaga syang magagawa pa. Mabuti na lamang din at nalusutan namin sina mark at Andrew kanina. Again I don't really want to plant a seed of doubt sa mga kasamahan ko sa club but I have no choice. For now I cant trust anyone. Im not sure really. Mataman kong itinapat ang mata ko sa metal tube sa tapat ng pinto ng unit ko a sound blared followed by the clicking sound. And once again sinalubong ako ng malinis at madilim na silid. Para akong baliw. Agad kong nilampasan ang living room at saglit na napatigil sa tapat ng kwarto ni Alistair. For a moment there I wanted to open that room and reminisce but I have to fight myself not to. I know I should move on. Damn! Why do I have to think of that man?! May mas malaki akong problema oh! But damn. With the urge I opened the door and the sight of his clean empty room greets me. His well made bed seems to call me to come near and lay on top of it. I sighed and slowly put my hand inside my pocket to caress his bracelet. Alistair is just part of my memory now and thats the reality I have to consider.

              Gaya ng palagi kong ginagawa I started my day with... Nothing. before Alistair came gigising lang naman ako at papasok but when he came I already have to wake up earlier than usual to prepare and knock his light out till he wake up and prepare as well. I had to clean up and adjust and last but definitely not the least I have to endure my remaining times with him. I sighed and stared at the gloomy bowl if cereal infront  of me. I really have no idea how many times do I have sit here and compare my life before and after Alistair came. Geezzz! Hindi na ako toh! Damn!

Bahagya pa akong napa igtad ng bigla na lamang tununog ang connector ko. Only to find out that Shimmy is asking for a video call. I breathed a sigh and spoke.

"Rook. Confirm the call. "
I spoke  and with that a holographic image of shimmy appeared infront of me blocking the view of may black vintage wall clock.

"hey sizzy! "
she greeted with wide sparkling smiles. Too energetic for 4 am in the morning. Tsk. This girl.

"what do you need? "
I said and placed my spoon inside my mouth.

"wala naman. I just saw you were online so I called you. "
She answered with a wide grin on her face. Mukang kanina pa sya gising base na rin sa buhok nyang naka ayos na naman at mukang tad tad na naman ng make up. Typical shimmy.

"don't waste my time. Shimmy. "
I retorted making her to pout. Cute.

"okay okay seryoso na. I did some research and i found out that the fraternity gang alpha kiaro have hidden members. Weird. I just managed to crack the outer layer of their system pero hindi ko na napasok yung mas malalim pa but its already enough para malaman ko na may iba pang member ang alpha kiaro maliban sa mga documented. I will send you the other details. "
With that she hang up. A file was instantly sent to my account and I opened it with a trembling hand. And she was right. May list ng mga characters na naka indicate sa file. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng mga ito at wala akong idea sa kung paano ito ma de decode. Instead of wasting my time to some kind of code tinungo ko na lamang ang website na tinutukoy ni shimmy.                
       The website is built with lots of security systems and codes that are really hard to crack. And honestly sa mga panahon ma ito I have no choice but to ask a help from a friend.

             "hindi muna ako makaka pasok ngayon ikaw na lang muna ang bahala dyan sa school. "
I said as I step consciously at the cracked pavement thats been hella slippery from the downpour last night

"hey! Hindi ko kayang i handle to ng mag isa lang! Tapos si Jed parang galit pa ata sa akin. Asan ka na ba?! "
Sagot ni shimmy sa kabilang linya. Kasalukuyan ko syang binibilinan dahil kailangan kong puntahan ng personal ang isang ' kaybigan'.

"mabilis lang ako. Baka mamayang hapon o tanghali ay maka balik na ako. Just give me a heads up at wala kang pag sasabihan na umalis ako"

"eh anong sasabihin ko? "
She sounded so frustrated.

"sabihin mo may sakit ako. Bahala ka na. "
I hissed and I heard her grunt.

"teka andito na ako ibaba ko na. "
I said at ibinaba ang tawag ng hindi man lamang inintay ang sagot na. I immediately turned off my phone and connector and any kind of gadget. May pag ka strikto din kasi ang isang toh.

Tumigil ako sa tapat ng isang bahay kubo na na napapalibutan na ng mga lumot at baging. Mukang malapit na ring bumigay ito dahil sa pag kakahilig. Walang malapit na bahay ang nakatayo sa bahay kubo but I doubted Kung tatagal ang taong toh na may kasamang ibang tao.

Lumapit na ako sa tapat ng kubo at tinapik ng tatlong beses ang maputik na lupa. Mula rito umangat ang isang tila parihabang metal.na kulay puti na may kulay pulang buton sa ibabaw. I pushed the red button and a faint sound of metallic sound blared as I felt how the very thing where my foot is set became void and hollow. I squished my eyes shut as I realized what will happen next. Isa ito sa. Mga dahilan kung bakit ayaw na ayaw ko ang pumupunta sa bahay ng taong toh. Napapa aga ako! Isang malakas na sigaw ang umalingaw ngaw sa bibig ko ng maramdaman ang marahas na pag tama ng hangin sa muka ko bunsod ng pag kahulog mula sa butas na hindi ko na matandaan kung gaano kalalim. Sigaw lang ako ng sigaw at wala akong ibang naririnig kundi ang pagtama ng hangin sa tenga at muka ko. Jusko! Ayoko na! Kung hindi ko lang talaga kaylangan ng tulong nya!

OOtmatiko akong napa mulat ng maramdaman ang unti unti kong pag bagal hanggang sa tuluyan na akong maiwang naka suspend sa ere at sa ilalim ko ay isang aparato na nag lalabas ng isang malakas na magnetic force para makontra ang mass ko at ang mass ng mga molecules sa paligid kasama na ang hangin dahilan para maging zero gravity ang area ng aparato. Hindi na nakakapagtaka ang talino ng taong ito dahil sya ang tumulong sa akin ng mga panahong kaylangan ko ng ganitong klase ng tulong. Talagang namamangha lang ako.

Mula sa dilim lumabas ang isang lalaki na nasa late 50s na ata kulay puti ang karamihan sa hibla ng buhok nya at naka suot na rin ng makakapal na salamin. Suot suot nya pa rin hanggang ngayon ang kulay puti nyang lab gown at gloves.

"still wearing that greasy eye glasses prof? "
I asked casually as I watch him walk to the apparatus and slowly pull its lever down dahilan para unti unti rin akong maka baba hanggang sa mailapat ko na ang paa ko sa metal na sahig.

"dr. Cero. "
I breathed.

"anong ginagawa mo dito? "
His husky voice spoke. Wala paring nag bago.

"dederetshohin na kita. Kaylangan ko ang tulong mo. "

Tumitig sya sa akin na para bang humahanap sya ng kasinungalingan mula sa akin. He's always been like that. And I guess he will never change.

"that should be hard enough for you to come at this place. I see. "
He nodded while massaging his beard.

"i have a website here and I want you to hack it for me. It is protected with layers of security systems and I know of all people you're the only person I know who have the capacity to crack it. Right? "
I said desperately. I dont know. I just feel like there is something here that i need to know more than the fact that it has something to do with my club.