In high school, they say… It's the most memorable part of your life. Ang daming bagay na mararanasan at mararamdaman; ang kaba, ang saya, lungkot, at pagtataka. High school life will offer you different emotions and different tastes of life that you will carry until you die. Tamis ng sandaling kilig, ang pait ng unang pagkabigo, ang malinaw na alaala ng saya.
Pero paano ba mararanasan ang saya ng sekondarya kung ito rin ay nagmimistulang hawla ng mga boses na humihiyaw ng mga pusong nais kumawala.
“Tara na umuwi, may balita na namang kumalat na may nawawalang bata.” Mikaya mumbled and held me in my arms.
I sighed, “Akala ko ba nahuli na ‘yong kidnapper?” I asked.
She shrugged, “Ewan ko ba sa bayan natin.”
I went home after that, I locked myself in my room and stared at my small board. It has different pins, yarns, and pictures that connect with the crimes that our town is dealing with. I was in my 10th grade and yet my curiosity is killing me that's why I started to investigate on my own. I read the information below and think about the motive of these crimes… halos puro batang babae na may edad pito hanggang ika-labingwalo ang sunod-sunod na nawawala.
“What's with these criminals…?” I mumbled to myself as I unbuttoned my uniform.
“Mari, come out! Kakain na,” my tita knocked on my door so I immediately pulled down the piece of cloth to cover the board.
“Kaya umuwi ka ng mas maaga, ha. Kakaiba talaga galaw ng mga tao ngayon.” Tita reminded me, tumango ako sa kanya.
Ang delikado sa labas. It is not safe anymore. However, the danger doesn't scare me… kung para sa buhay ko, wala na akong pakialam…. I lost my parents because of them, I have to find them. I have to find those people who brutally killed my parents.
Nang magpatay ng ilaw si Tita ay palihim akong lumabas sa bahay. Wearing my black hoodie and shorts, I also wore my black boots. Nagsuot din ako ng black facemask just in case someone saw me during my investigation. I also bring my swiss knife as my self defense just in case. Wala na akong tiwala sa pulisya, pera na lang naman ang nagpapatakbo sa hustisya. Nang pinatay ang mga magulang ko, wala namang aksyon ang namamahala. We have a lot of evidence to put them behind the bars, and yet… because of their connections and money, jokes on me, pero walang laban ang katotohanan sa kapangyarihan.
I went to the valley where they found the body of a girl in her teens, she was just thirteen and she was brutally killed. According to the article I read online, nawawala raw ang isang mata ng biktima nang matagpuan. They can't find the said “eye”, the initial investigation says that the murderer might have taken the eye to donate with someone. May puso pala ang kriminal?
I looked around the place and find something to add on my own investigation. Tahimik akong palingon-lingon sa paligid sa pag-asang may makita akong magtuturo sa walang pusong tao na patuloy sa pagpatay ng mga kababaihan sa lugar namin. While walking, I saw something on the ground… It was a piece of black cloth and it had a butterfly design on it, may nakatahi ring initial na paru-paro sa gilid nito. I wore my gloves and took it, nilagay ko sa isang ziplock ‘yon at sinilid sa bag. It was 12 midnight so I decided to go home and examine the cloth I found. I was certain that the red marks on this cloth was a bloodstain.
Sa gabi-gabing paglabas ko sa bahay at paghahanap ng marka ng mga salarin ay palagi akong nakakakita ng isang tela na may marking paru-paro. Is it a group that decides to abduct girls in this little town? Sino ang namumuno? Ano ang dahilan?
Is it the same group who killed my parents?
“Mari, nabalitaan mo na?” Mikay asked while we're eating our banana cue in our favorite place here in school.
