Puppet Town (Cold Case Series 3)

Chapter 13: Skeletons in Whose Closet

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"Ano sa tingin mo ang ginawa mo?! You just ruined our chance of getting back in Everlast!" Sabi ni Mama.

Gone was her calm demeanor— her mask. Akala ko noon, kilala ko na talaga siya. But looking at her now, I just realized this is the real her.

"H-Hindi ko kayang pumatay, Mama. He's my friend and we—" I tried to speak, but my voice will always be unheard in her ears.

"Do not pretend like your hands are clean! You killed your father because he was abusive. And now you will kill again for us to have a new life. Anong mali roon?" Sabi niya.

Napanganga ako. "Mama, naririnig mo ba ang sinasabi mo?"

Napuno ng takot ang Sistema ko. That was my first time telling her something other than approval or apology. It was the same feeling I had when I first came to Esperanza— a feeling so foreign that everything could go wrong.

"What did you just say?" She became analytical all of a sudden.

Napalunok ako. What I'll say next is synonymous to choosing whether I'll face her at last or decide to run away again. I wanted to run... but I realized that no matter how long I do it, dadating pa rin ako sa puntong ganito.

And my feet start to ache. I just can't always run. If I wanted to solve a problem, I must face it. 'Yon ang natutunan ko sa sobra sa isang buwan na paghabol namin ni Roman sa katotohanan. If I didn't follow him, I wouldn't have seen Eleanor.

I took a deep breath. "I can't follow you forever, 'Ma. I have a mind of my own. And according to my judgement, you're mistaken."

She started to panic, and tears fell from her eyes. Itinuwid ko ang sarili. I once promised her to always be there for her, to be the one who will protect her. But that doesn't mean I will tolerate everything. I can still fulfill my promise by protecting her... from herself.

"Look 'Ma, we can start again—even without being reincarnated. What happened before was unfortunate, but it's already happened in the past!" Sabi ko.

Her eyes roam the entire house and even in her panicked state, she started to grin. Sinundan ko kung saan tumigil ang mata niya at nakita ko ang kuwarto na kinalalagyan ni Nanay Lucy. My heart started beating fast when she rushed towards the stairs. I quickly followed.

"Ma, sa 'tin lang ang problema na 'to. 'Wag mong idadamay si Nanay Lucy!" My high-pitched voice cracked.

But once she entered, she quickly stabbed Nanay Lucy on her thigh. Agad siyang nagising at humiyaw sa sakit. Now, I was screaming too as my Mother repeatedly stabbed her in the feet.

"What kind of poison did you put in my Lovelace's head?" My Mother said sweetly.

Nang hindi na ito sumagot, tumingin na sa 'kin si Mama. "Can you repeat what you have said earlier, dear?"

Mariin akong napakagat sa 'king labi hanggang sa malasahan ko ang malansang dugo na umaagos na mula rito.

"Please... leave her out of this. Ako na lang, pakiusap." Napaluhod ako habang patuloy na sa pag-iyak.

"But my love, you know I won't hurt you. Those were only for the bad people." Itinuro niya si Nanay Lucy.

Umiling-iling ako at napasabunot sa sarili ko.

"Aaahhh!" Hiyaw muli ni Nanay Lucy nang saksakin siya ni Mama ng gunting sa braso naman. Nang dumapo ang tingin ni Nanay Lucy sa 'kin, bigla siyang malungkot na napangiti. "I-Iha... tumakbo ka na. Pakiusa—mhhmm!" She kept herself from shouting.