Case 8: The Mysterious Friends
of Little Sylvia (The Beginning
of Investigation Chapter,
Part Eleven)
ROSALINDA
DMITRIY and I were watching the four of them playing. They were immersed in various games, and Doyle was just going along with them. Even when they played with Barbies or other games typically associated with girls, he didn't mind - he was just having fun with the girls. He's like a big brother playing with his younger siblings. The girls didn't question why he wanted to play with them; instead, they were happy to have him join them and it brought even more joy to their games.
"How old is he?" Dmitriy asked, his gaze on Doyle. "I didn't question his age because he's playing with them, but rather, it's the way he immerses himself so completely, almost as if he's a kid himself."
"Fifteen," I replied, which made Dmitriy turn to me in surprise. "Ayaw mong maniwala? Then, ask him by yourself."
"Why's a child doing in Senior High?" Dmitriy wondered out loud, but I didn't bother to answer him.
My attention returned to Doyle and Sylvia. He was asking her questions again, leaving me puzzled. Why all these questions?
"What games do you usually play with your bull and snake friends?" Doyle asked. I wasn't surprised by his question. I had a theory, but it was still too vague to articulate.
"We always play hide and seek... In house," Sylvia replied, her voice trembling slightly. She couldn't look directly into his eyes and her hands wouldn't stop fidgeting.
"Anything else? Any other activities you and your friends do?" Doyle continued his line of questioning.
"Puppets..."
"Puppets?" Paguulit ni Doyle, na ikinatango lamang ni Sylvia. "How did you guys play? Like, is it kinda the same of bahay-bayahan?" Muli itong tumango na ikinangisi lalo ni Doyle. "So, can you share with me how you guys play it?"
"We were acting."
"Acting?" Tumatango-tango siya. "Okay." Ngunit naagaw ang pansin niya dahil kinukulit na siya ng dalawa pang bata. He turned his head to them with a friendly smile on his face. "Yes, Alexa?"
"I wanna play with you po," nakanguso niyang sabi saka yumakap sa leeg ni Doyle ng sobrang higpit. "My mommy and daddy aren't here yet, I told them I want to play with them with my friends." Aniya saka mas lalo pang yumakap kay Doyle.
"They might get busy all of the sudden and they cannot drop it because it's important, understand them okay?" Wika ni Doyle, trying to make her understand about what they aren't present here yet.
"Okay!" Masiglang sabi niya ipinakita ang isang manika kay Doyle na agad naman niyang itinuan ng pansin. I didn't know he had this side; I thought he was only mischievous, insensitive, and apathetic. But then I saw how gentle, kind, and polite he was with kids.
"Look!" Lea ran towards him, habang tumatalon dahil sa saya. "Look kuya Doyle, I solved the puzzle!"
His eyes immediately landed on the puzzle she had solved, and a faint smile appeared on his face as he gently patted her head. Lea's heart swelled with joy, knowing that she had received his praise. I cannot do what he's doing right now, playing with kids and have a conversation with them - a lot of kids got scared when they are with me or happened to glance at me. I'm feeling like I am a monster - and so they hate me.
When his attention diverted to them, walang tigil sa pagtitig ni Sylvia sa kaniya. Her eyes were secretly asking for his attention, hanggang ngayon ay wala parin itong tigil sa panginginig. Napapatingin ito sa buong paligid na para bang may gustong masipatan, pero hindi ko alam kung ano or sino. She's clearly not uncomfortable in this mansion.
BINABASA MO ANG
Erudition of Doyle: Volume One
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