Puppet Town (Cold Case Series 3)

Chapter 09: Eighteenth Day

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I was hiding in an alley.

"Renée, where are you? Please come back, I miss you."

A woman's voice echoed in the surroundings. It was so sweet, so calming. After all, the voice grounded me in my ruthless world.

But now, the voice did nothing but send chills down my spine.

The buildings started to crumble. Like a sand castle, the building's fragments flew in the air. My heartbeats increased until I could feel it throbbing in my head. Napatingin ako sa kalsada kung saan patungo ang eskinita. She could be there, waiting for me. I can't let myself be exposed in the open.

But... the buildings that served as my hiding spot could serve no longer any minute from now. Every part of me is shaking, but I can do nothing. I cannot hide any longer.

I need to face her.

Iniisip ko pa lang pero nang imulat ko ang mata, natagpuan ko ang sarili sa gitna ng kalsada. Nakita ko agad siya... ang taong matagal ko nang pinagtataguan. Nakatalikod siya sa 'kin habang patuloy pa rin sa paghahanap. Pagkatapos ay napatigil siya sa paglinga.

I stepped closer to her, even though my feet felt like lifting a rock. Lumingon siya sa direksyon ko at para na akong nananalamin. I saw an older version of myself smiling back at me. And just like that, the courage I built vanished.

Hindi ko pa pala kaya.

Sa bawat hakbang niya papalapit, mas lalo akong nasasakal. Pagod na akong magtago, pero mukhang wala akong ibang pagpipilian.

Magtatago na sana uli ako. Ngunit parang buhangin na tinatangay ng hangin ang mga gusali. I took a step backward, and before she could get close to me— I ran. Kahit hindi ako lumingon ay sapat na ang mga yabag niya para mapagtanto kong hinahabol na niya ako.

"Stay away! Please..." sigaw ko.

Her voice echoed in my mind. "You know you can't escape, my child. Your father is waiting for us already. You know we have to do it."

Pagkasabi niya 'yon, nakita ko si Papa na nakatayo sa direksyon kung saan ako patungo. He looked like a zombie with all the stabs in his stomach. Ang kaniyang walang buhay na mga mata ay nakatingin sa 'kin.

I screamed.

Bumangon ako mula sa pagkakahiga. My alarm clock has been ringing for 10 minutes, but I ignored it. Hinawakan ko ang dibdib na siyang parang kagagaling lang sa karera. The buildings crumbling like sand could have been my sign that everything was a dream, but when I was there, everything felt too real.

Nilibot ko ang kuwarto at naghanap kahit sa kasulok-sulukang parte nito. I partly opened the curtains to see if there was someone outside. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag pagkatapos makitang wala naman.

The gradient of blue and orange already colored the sky. And the setting sun's golden color reflected my skin. There was only silence in my room. Kaya nang may kumatok ay sobra akong nagulat.

"Good morning, I guess?" sabi ni Roman nang mapagbuksan ko siya ng pinto.

Tinignan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. "Hindi ka pupunta?"

"Saan?"

Tinitigan niya lang ako, pagkatapos ay nasapo niya ang kaniyang noo. "Seriously? You're not aware on whatever's happening on your surroundings? Magpapakain uli ang mga Aromin. Kailangan nating dumalo."