Misrouted Whim (Misery's Advent Series 1)

Chapter 15

Enide

The image of the scars tore my mind open, haunting the following nights that for once had kept me restive.

If there's anything my system could pore over, it's the irrepressible increase of avidity in knowing Clíodhna and all the bits of things about her. From the woman's life chronicles until to her unaccountable displacement. Noong araw na iyon ay hindi na muling napag-usapan pa sa pagitan namin ni Clío ang tungkol sa paksang iyon. As if that revelation was just a passing joke to quickly dispose of.

Parang hangin lang na dumaan ang mga araw at nanatiling tahimik si Clío tungkol dito.

Nothing left me no choice but to take action myself.

"Sim, may findings na ba kayo sa history ng background niya?" aligagang tanong ko.

Tumatalbog ang isa kong binti sa sementadong lupa ng bakery—katapat mismo kung saan lumalabas ang lahat galing sa university exit. It did nothing but add more fuel to my unremitting collectedness. Simeon held the tip of his pen on the side of his forehead, mien of struggle was evident to his slanted eyebrows. "Unfortunately, kahit isang info tungkol kay Clío—wala. What's more unnerving is... wala siyang kahit anong digital footprint na iniwan."

The man then spun the laptop around for everyone to see—not a picture or data was visible.

The monitor only shows: data not found. Isang pagod na singhap ang tumakas sa labi ko nang maisandal ang likuran sa monoblock chair.

Mula sa harapan ng bakery ay bumalik ang dalawa pang kasama namin—sila Misha at Aznar na may kanya-kanyang dala. Four bottles of soft drinks and two plates of assorted pastries. "Kahit public records? Imposibleng wala iyon. Kahit nga yung mga nari-raid na drug vendors nakikita pa 'eh!" Misha added herself into the topic.

It had me narrowing my eyes—offended by the last input. "Clíodhna is different from those people, Misha. Let's not have her link to that," depensa ko at umiling.

Napansin ko ang pagtama ng mga ni Yvonne at Simeon, laman ng repleksyon ang saglit na pagsang-ayon sa sinabi ni Misha. Don't tell me they think the same way, too?

"As much as I want to pull away from Misha's assumption—totoo ang sinabi niya. We could've found something like a voter's registration information, her birth certificate..." Yvonne countered, waving her palms to the air as if to heave the helplessness from this case. "or any documentation na magsasabi kung saan siya galing or what life did she have before moving in this place."

Simeon took a long gulp from his drink before fixing his still posture. A tempest of the dry afternoon rushes across everyone's hair. "Was there anything na sinabi niya sa inyo? Kahit isang hint tungkol sa buhay niya o pinanggalingan niya?"

It was now Aznar's turn to twist the table around. His nails taps on the plastic armrest his chair provided, giving out a familiar tune. "If I can remember, her reason for moving here is the cost of living and especially, for employment. Lumipat siya kasi mas murang maghanap ng titirhan dito. The salary is slightly higher here unlike her former job," the man disclosed in which not once got me up-to-date. Natahimik ako sa bagong impormasyon na narinig.

How come I was the only one who wasn't aware of Clíodhna's resettlement?

I remained mum for it made my heart sullen.

"Sinabi niya ba kung saan siya dating nag-trabaho? Her old address, maybe?" Yvonne continues to probe—squeezing all the data one could manage to milk from. The man couldn't urge his mind further to pick up any valuables that may help, but alas, Aznar only shakes his head along with Misha. "Wala 'eh. Sobrang bago pa lang kasi ni Clío noong panahon na iyon. Two months pa lang ata siyang nakatira sa bayan kaya medyo naiilang pa siya mag-kwento," dagdag ni Misha bago umusli ang ibabang labi.