Puppet Town (Cold Case Series 3)

Chapter 15 (1): An Eternal Dance

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"...hindi niyo ba naiintindihan o sadyang wala lang kayong pakialam? Hindi naglayas ang anak ko! Nawawala siya! At alam kong ang mga amo niyang Fabros, ang may pakana n'yon!"

Nilipat ni Aurelia sa ibang channel ang pinapanood. Isang babae ang muling nakatayo sa rooftop at tumalon ng building. Agad akong napapikit nang maramdaman ko ang aking panginginig. I know... it's only a show. But I don't think I can ever watch one again.

"These shows always failed to capture the essence of ending one's life— when hope is no longer in the eyes. And despite the fear, one is being driven by the thought of finally being in peace," reklamo niya at muling inilipat ang channel.

"Aurelia, you must not take those things lightly. At isa pa, paano mo nakakayang manood ng mga gan'yan pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari sa 'tin?" sabi ko.

"I love seeing hopeful people not get what they want— it shows the reality of life. And those dark shows, even though exaggerated, often depicts them beautifully."

Bahagya akong lumayo sa kaniya. Ang seryoso niya pa nang sabihin 'yon. "Are you okay?"

Napatingin siya sa 'kin at bigla na lang humagalpak ng tawa. "I'm just joking! You should have seen your face, it's silly."

Aurelia has a dark humor. At alam kong hinding-hindi ako masasanay rito. "...that's not funny though. Ikaw na mismo ang nagsabi, nasa seryoso tayong sitwasyon."

"For someone who just lost her best friend, you seem to be doing fine," she said.

Malungkot akong napangiti, ngunit hinayaan ko lamang na mamuno sa 'min ang katahimikan. Who said I'm doing fine?

Everlast was a cult of people who yearned for a new life— and Eli was the last person I expected to be a part of them. She has it all: A loving family, A rich status... and freedom. Kaya gabi-gabi kong iniisip, may hindi ba ako nalalaman?

She had always been there for me when I didn't even know she was suffering inside—napakamakasarili ko.

Inalala ko lahat ng mga pagsasama namin, pero wala pa rin akong maisip na dahilan.

"I don't know what to do anymore," sabi ko pagkatapos ng mahabang katahimikan. "Lumipat ako rito dahil dito siya lumaki. Lahat ng mga galawan ko ay laging nakabase sa kaniya."

Ngayon naiintindihan ko na ang sinabi ni Carlos sa 'kin.

"Telling her to leave was like telling her that the world she's ever known wasn't real."

Eleanor is the world I've ever known... but now she's gone and I don't know how to function anymore.

Nakatitig na naman sa 'kin si Aurelia. I saw her body shiver. When she realized I was watching, she calmed herself and later on, started to speak.

"You remind me of myself from years ago," paninimula niya.

Ako naman ang napatingin sa kaniya. Ngumiti siya nang mapait.

"I lost my everything two years ago when my parents left me. At alam mo ba ang rason kung bakit nila ako inabandona? Dahil daw sa hindi nila ako makaya. They still provide me with everything I need but... that's not enough," sabi niya habang nakangisi.

People do cope differently. Malungkot kong sinalubong ang kaniya at nag-aalangang inalok siya ng yakap. She laughed softly and put my arms away. "Hindi ko 'yon sinabi para kaawaan. What I'm trying to say is... I understand what you're feeling. You're not alone in this."