Erudition of Doyle: Volume One

CHAPTER 36: CASE VIII - THE MYSTERIOUS FRIENDS OF LITTLE SLYVIA

Case 8: The Mysterious Friends
of Little Slyvia (The Hidden
Memory Chapter, Part One)

ROSALINDA

"That idea of yours really makes me want to puke," kunot-noo kong sabi, na mas lalo niyang ikinatuwa. "I don’t like being clingy or trying to get someone’s attention just to get them. I would rather be ignored."

"Come on, Rosalinda. He might look like a rock, without a care in the world, but I’m telling you, he’s such a baby!" Natatawa niyang sabi, napapatakip pa ito ng bibig habang tahimik na tumatawa. "You’ll know what I mean if you start hanging out with him every day," dagdag pa niya. Well, based on how Harley acts around Augustus, I can imagine it.

"I don’t believe you." Kahit alam kong tama siya, I’m not going to act like a clingy person just to get his attention. "Let’s drop that idea of yours and focus on what we’re going to do this week. You must have forgotten that this week is the school’s festival club," pagpapaalala ko sa kaniya.

"Oo nga pala, noh? Wala pa tayong nagawa sa plano natin," ani niya saka siya tumayo mula sa kaniyang kinauupuan. "It’s already too late; our plan isn’t going to work now."

Napatingin ako sa pintuan nang bumukas iyon. Nakabalik na ‘yung tatlo, may dala-dalang mga papel. Para saan naman ang mga ‘to?

"We seemed to interrupt your conversation," bungad ni Harriet, may seryosong ekspresyon sa mukha.

Umiling ako. "Don’t mind it."

"Since both of you aren’t always around—especially you, Doyle, because you got kidnapped—we decided to take care of the club. Both the president and vice president weren’t around," ani Harriet, saka inilapag ang mga papel sa lamesa sa harapan ni Doyle. "These are our contestants. We told them to create a short story that’s appropriate for all ages, lalo na dahil pwedeng makapasok dito ang ibang tao o estudyante, lalo na ang elementary. That’s why we prohibited them from creating anything graphic or inappropriate for kids. Malay mo, makikinig ang mga batang ‘yon sa atin," mahaba-haba niyang salaysay.

"So, we’re doing a storytelling session in our club?" Patanong kong sabi, saka tumango si Harriet bilang sagot.

"We’ll have a little storytelling in our clubroom, but first, shall we decorate our room?" Harriet suggested, but Doyle refused.

"Let’s just start your little storytelling—no need for decorations in our clubroom."

Clark stepped in front of Harriet. "Decorations can help engage people to enter our clubroom. Also, we have to attract people for them to come in and listen to the narrator. We need as many listeners as possible to get votes for our contestants. Let’s hide the authors’ faces to avoid biases."

"To avoid biases?" pag-uulit ko.

"Yes. Our authors, especially the two male authors, are attractive. We don’t want listeners voting for them because of their looks."

"Did you tell them not to tell others that they’re going to be our contestants?" tanong ko, na sinagot ni Clark.

"Yes," aniya. "We told them beforehand, and I hope they follow the rules."

Tumango lamang ako at tiningnan ang buong paligid, inagaw ko mula kay Doyle ang mga papel. Naka-print ang limang maiikling kuwento. "Let’s just do simple decorations, but make it dreamy," mungkahi ko, at sila nama’y sumang-ayon, maliban kay Doyle. He didn’t reject my suggestion, but he didn’t show any reaction either.

"Let’s get started then!" masiglang wika ni Harriet, kasabay ang pagbabago ng usual niyang ekspresyon sa mukha. She’s very excited, like a child who got what she wanted. "Oh! Clark, since you brought your projector, can we use it to light up the ceiling with a design filled with stars, as if we’re in space or something?"