Depression Plutus (Curse #4)

CHAPTER 10 Second Victim

OTTILIE VIRSES POV 
 
 
 
I woke up with a terrible headache, like my head was about to burst. Everything around me was spinning. When I tried to move, I realized I was hanging upside down like a bat. My arms were tied tightly to my sides, and the rough rope hurt my skin.
 
"Ano 'to?" Pagpupumiglas ko.
 
Taragis talaga 'tong si Plutus!! Last time ibinaon niya ako sa hukay, ngayon binitin naman ako patiwarik?! Pakiramdam ko nasa ulo ko na lahat ng dugo ko sa katawan.

Ilang oras na ba akong nakalambitin dito? 
 
"Plutus!" Galit na sigaw ko. "Plutus, ano na naman ginawa mo sa'kin, letse ka talaga!"
 
Right on cue, he appeared, dragging a chair across the grass with an annoyed expression. His eyes were still red and swollen from crying earlier, but he still looked arrogant as he sat down, crossed his legs, and folded his arms.
 
Parang déjà vu ang puta.
 
He sniffed dramatically before speaking, "We need to talk about what you did to me."
 
"Pakawalan mo muna ako dito!!" I demanded, struggling against the ropes that only tightened with my movement. "Mamamatay na ako dito, ano ba!!"

My head felt like it was going to explode from all the blood rushing down. Nahihilo na ko, pakiramdam ko mahihimatay na ako any time.
 
Plutus wagged his finger dismissively. "Uh-uh, not until we settle this."
 
"Ugh..."

Nahihirapan akong magfocus kay Plutus dahil sa pagkahilo. Para akong lasing na ewan.

"May saltik ka?" Nahihirapan na sabi ko. "Hindi mo ba nakikita na malapit na akong mamatay dito?"
 
"Wasn't the older brother to blame for Setsuko’s death?" he asked, as if this were some normal, casual conversation. "Not the war, but him."
 
I blink through the dizziness.

Taragis talaga ng lalaking 'to! Hindi pa din ba siya maka-move on sa palabas kanina? Oh come on, this guy has really some screw loose.

Pero ano daw sabi niya?
 
"Pinagsasabi mong animal ka!" Gigil na sabat ko habang nilalabanan ang pagkahilo. "Sinisi po pa 'yung kuya. Parehas silang biktima ng war. Kung walang war mamamatay na sila?!"

Plutus shook his head slowly. “Seita was selfish. He let her die from starvation. He refused to go back to their aunt’s house for help, and he didn’t do enough to feed her. He could’ve stolen food for her.”
 
"Alam mo, bumalik kana kang sa pinanggalingan mo," reklamo ko dito, pilit nagpupumiglas. 
 
“Twelve years old lang si Seita, you dummy! Oo may mali siya pero bata lang siya. Ano naman kayang gawin ng isang twelve years old boy sa gitna ng war? His mother died, and he didn’t even get the chance to grieve properly because he had to stay strong for his sister. Hindi nga din niya alam kung nasa'n tatay niya eh."
 
Plutus became quiet, resting his chin on his fingers while thinking deeply. Meanwhile, I felt like I was about to pass out from hanging upside down for too long.
 
Finally, Plutus sighed dramatically.

“Okay, fine,” he muttered. “They were both victims. It’s tragic.” He even made the sign of the cross and whispered something like a prayer for the siblings. “And it was based on a true story too.”
 
Literal na nagdidilim na ang paligid ko, nararamdaman ko ng tumitirik ang mata ko sa sobrang hilo. Bago pa ko malagutan ng hininga, naramdaman kong ibinaba din ako ni Plutus sa wakas. Hinayaan ako nitong nakasalampak aa damuhan habang kinakalagan ako sa pagkakatali. 

The shock of it made me gasp, my lungs burning with relief. He kneeled beside me, untying the last of the ropes as I lay there, staring up at the night sky full of stars.

Nang bumalik na sa normal ang paghinga ko, may narealized ako.
 
"Alam mo ba," nanghihina kong sabi, "it’s easy to blame someone who makes bad decisions when they’re desperate. But in those moments, it feels like it was the only choice they can make."
 
“Yeah… I guess their bond as siblings was beautiful, even with all the tragedy.” He stretched his arms above his head. “I already miss my six brothers.”
 
I snorted, still too tired to get up. "I hate you." 
 
With that, Plutus shot me a look, "The feeling is mutual," then turned and left me lying there in the grass.
 
May saltik talaga ang lalaking 'yon. Muntik na akong mag-agaw buhay kanina. Akala ba niya kakalimutan ko na lang basta 'tong ginawa niya sa'kin ngayon?

Hah! Maghintay lang siya at makakaganti din ako. 
 
~~~
 
Kinabukasan kahit masama ang pakiramdam ko, pinilit kong pumasok. Himala nga na wala si Plutus sa paborito niyang pwesto tuwing umaga habang nagkakape. Dumekwat lang ako ng tinapay sa ref bago ako pumasok para may laman kahit papaano ang tiyan ko.
 
Kasalanan ni Plutus kung bakit hindi na ako nakapaghapunan kagabi. Makakaganti din ako sa asungot na 'yon, hintayin niya lang. Nang makarating ako sa school, kapansin-pansin ang kakaibang kilos ng mga estudyante. Madami sa kanila ang nagbubulungan habang naglalakad papasok sa building ng school. 
 
Nang makapasok ako sa loob ng classroom namin, napansin kong namumugto ang mga mata ni Dylan habang hinahagod naman ni Jenna ang likod nito. Pagkalapag na pagkalapag ko sa bag ko, agad ko silang kinalabit. Sabay naman silang napalingon sa'kin.
 
"Napapano ka, Dylan?" Takang tanong ko sa kan'ya. 
 
Tila namungay naman ang mga mata ni Dylan at tanging pag-iling na lang ang naisagot nito. 
 
"Hindi mo ba nabasa sa school forum?" Tanong ni Jenna sa'kin na ikina-iling ko lang.
 
I shoked my head. "Hindi ako active sa social media. Bakit? Anong nangyari?" Tanong kong muli. 
 
Napabuntong hininga na muna si Jenna bago ito nagsalita. "Si Lucas Raven ng soccer team, natagpuang patay kagabi sa sports field." 
 
Silence.

The words hit me like a punch to the stomach. My body froze while my mind struggled to process what she just said.

Dead?

Lucas Raven?

Cold sweat ran down the back of my neck. Slowly, I turned my head toward the window. From there, I could see the sports field in the distance. A section of it was blocked off with yellow police tape while police officers and investigators moved around the area.
 
That’s the crime scene.
 
Nagyari na naman.

Jenna’s voice pulled me back to reality.

“They said one of his legs was missing when they found him,” she whispered quietly, almost afraid to say it out loud.
 
Napapigil hininga ako sa sunod na sinabi ni Jenna. Ayokong mag assume, pero mukhang naulit na naman ang nangyari noong nakaraang buwan. 
 
"How could something so horrible happen to my idol?" Sisinghot-singhot na  sabi ni Dylan.
 
I barely heard him. My thoughts were racing while fear and anger crawled under my skin.

Why now?

Why again?

My hands clenched tightly into fists on my lap. I could feel bitterness rising in my throat. Akala ko si Elena na ang una at huling biktima… pero may panibago na naman.

Jenna leaned closer and lowered her voice even more.
 
"Hindi lang 'yan ang unang beses na nangyari dito sa campus. May second-year student din na namatay last month. They said her heart was missing."
 
My chest tightened painfully.

I knew exactly who she was talking about. Because that girl was my best friend. And it wasn’t just murder. They were killed by the same person.

I was sure of it.

 
To be continued...