TIMELESS SERIES BOOK 1: TWICE UPON A TIME

PROLOGUE

Vivi, where are you?" Jepoy called his girlfriend's name in exasperation. His baritone voice echoed in the pool area despite his attempt to tone down since their graduation rites were still ongoing.

"Vivi, malapit ka ng tawagin sa stage," sambit niyang muli habang naglalakad papunta sa kabilang dulo ng pool kung saan nakalagay banda ang mga benches. Alam niyang napaka-importante para sa kanyang nobya ang araw na ito, kaya medyo nagtataka siya kung bakit biglaan itong nawala at saka pinapunta siya rito. Pero naisip niya rin na baka napakahalaga rin ng pag-uusapan nila dahil masyadong agaran. Ayaw niyang maging rason na naman ito ng hindi nila pagkakaunawaan, kaya agad siyang tumalima.

He sat on the nearest seat to wait. He grabbed his phone and heave out deep sighs of concern.

["Vi, nandito na ako. Asan ka na? Nag-aalala na ako sayo."]

After a few seconds, he heard upcoming footsteps behind him, and his lips instantly formed a smile. He was about to turn in that direction but his relief turned to utter shock when a sudden, fatal blow in the head made him succumb to darkness.

----

"Fuck," Anas ni Jepoy habang sapo-sapo ang kanyang ulo na tumitibok sa sobrang sakit. His sight was hazy and the surroundings looked dreadfully surreal. After a few seconds, he regained his clear vision somehow and the previous events that led to this incident flooded his mind.

"Aaah," impit na ungol niya. Parang pinipiga ang ulo niya sa sakit at nang itataas na sana niya ang kanyang kanang kamay, nagulantang siya sa kanyang nakita.

"What, wh- why am I holding this?" Nanginginig niyang sambit. Sa kanyang kamay ay isang kutsilyo na may kung anong basang likido. Madilim ang paligid kaya hindi siya makakita ng maayos. But he already felt the wrenching horror in his stomach due to the deadly, metallic tang filling his nostrils.

"Thi- this can't be blood," he prayed. He grabbed his phone and turned on the flash, and he stopped breathing when the light came in and his nightmare came true. Yes, the flash confirmed that the thick liquid in the knife was indeed blood. He quickly let go of it as morbid thoughts of possibilities sucked his strength. He scanned the surroundings and he realized that he was still in the pool area.

"Please, just keep Via safe, please," he prayed while trying his hardest to stand despite the persistent aching of his head. He wanted to leave the area as soon as possible so he could check if Via was unharmed and then report the assault to the police. But he halted in his tracks when he saw something lying on the floor. The nearer he got, the more nervous he became. Pero noong naaninag na niya ang tsokolateng buhok na nakabuhaghag sa sahig, doon na siya halos mawalan ng ulirat.

"Th- this can't be happening," gatal na saad ni Jepoy habang hinihiling na sana bangungot lang ang lahat. Pero ang nakahandusay na bangkay ng kanyang minamahal ay nagpabalik sa kanya sa mapait na katotohanan.

"Vivi, no, please, no," tumulo na ang mga luha ni Jepoy. Agad niyang pinakiramdaman ang pulsuhan ng dalaga at wala siyang maramdaman kahit isang pitik.

"No, God, please, help! Help!" He screamed for assistance as he tried what he could do to revive her. He wanted to collapse when he saw numerous stab wounds in her chest and she was basically drowning in her own blood. Her fair, impeccable complexion turned to ghostly white, and smears of red painted hopelessness on this tragic night.

Parang tinakasan na ng bait si Jepoy habang humahagulhol at iniisip kung ano dapat ang gawin niya. Alam niya sa sarili niya na wala na ang kanyang nobya, pero hindi niya kayang tanggapin ito. Hinubad niya ang kanyang toga pati ang kanyang polo at pilit na itinapal ito sa mga sugat kahit na parang tumagas na halos lahat ng dugo sa kanya.

"God," Jepoy muttered on the brink of losing his sanity. He then performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, giving his all in every pump and gush of air he breathed into her.

He was breathless and felt his consciousness slowly evading him.

But even if he felt like giving every ounce of life he had into her, Via remained unresponsive- dead.

"Aaah," Sigaw ni Jepoy na puno ng paghihinagpis. He didn't care about everything in the world now. The pain and shock he felt made him so numb to the core that he had even forgotten the throbbing of his head.

"Vi, why did this happen? Who did this to you?" He embraced her body and snuggled on her neck, never minding the stench of blood or the morbid texture of her skin. No matter the form, she was still his Vivi, the love of his life, the woman he planned to spend his whole life with.

"Vivi, mahal na mahal kita. Huwag mo akong iwan," patuloy ang kanyang paghagulhol at mas hinigpitan pa ang yapos sa kanyang nobya. Nakuha ang kanyang atensyon sa papalapit na alingawngaw ng ambulansiya at kapulisan.

"God, they are here," Jepoy whispered with a hint of hope. Maybe they could resuscitate her there. Maybe because of the strength of their love, a miracle would occur. As a man of reason, he knew it would be illogical, but love set aside all right judgment.

Agad na lumapit ang mga paramedics para buhatin ang katawan ng kanyang nobya. Mayroon ding lumapit sa kanya at sinuri ang kanyang sugat at binigyan ng agarang paunang lunas. Inanyayahan nila siya na sumama papuntang ospital para masiyasat ng maigi ang kanyang kalagayan, pero sinabi niyang mas kailangang unahin ang kanyang nobya at dapat gawin nila ang lahat para maligtas ito.

Nakasalampak lang si Jepoy sa sahig, nakatulala at hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa nangyari.

Maya- maya pa at dumating ang kanyang ama at kapatid, at nakita siya sa ganitong kalagayan.

"Son, what happened here," tanong ng kanyang ama na puno ng pag-aalala. Si Yuki naman ay inalalayan siya upang makaupo ng maayos.

Impit na iyak lamang ang tanging naisagot ni Jepoy kaya niyakap na lamang siya ni Armando at Yuki. Tanging iniisip niya ngayon ay si Via. Niyaya siya ng kanyang ama na pumunta sa ospital para bantayan ang kalagayan ni Via at para ma check din ang ulo ni Jepoy. Nang makarating sila doon, dumeretso sila agad sa emergency room kung nasaan si Via.

Pero ang gabuhangin na pag-asa ni Jepoy ay tuluyang inagos noong nakita niya sa labas ng silid ang magulang ni Via, naghihinagpis. Pakiramdam niya ay pasan niya ang buong mundo habang dahan- dahang binuksan niya ang kurtina at nakitang nakataklob na ng kumot si Via. Dahan dahan niyang inalis ang naka talukbong na kumot at nang makunpirma ang kanyang pinakamasamang bangungot, nawalan ng lakas at napaluhod sa sakit. Niyakap niya ng mahigpit ang walang buhay na katawan.

"Vivi , no, please, you promised me," his body trembled uncontrollably as this might be the last time he could hug her.

"Diba sabi mo, magsasama tayo habang buhay? Sabi mo pa nga na pagkatapos nating makapasa sa bar exam, ikaw na mismo ang mag po-propose sa akin. Tas magtatayo tayo ng sarili nating law firm diba? Please, Vivi, you can't leave me," paos na ang tinig ni Jepoy sa walang tigil na pag-iyak at pagsusumamo. Maging ang kanyang ama at kapatid ay hindi napigilan ang pagtulo ng kanilang mga luha sa trahedyang kanilang nasaksihan.

Naging mahalagang parte na rin si Via sa kanilang buhay at tinuturing na rin nila itong parte ng kanilang pamilya. Biglang dumating ang mga nars at iba pang tauhan at sinabing kailangan na nilang kunin ang bangkay para sa autopsy. Ayaw pa sanang bumitiw ni Jepoy pero nakiusap ang kanyang ama na kailangan nila itong gawin para malutas ang kaso. Habang papalayo ang katawan ni Via, napaupo na lamang sa sahig sa paghihinagpis si Jepoy.

Via is gone. Pinilit na pakalmahin ng ama at kapatid si Jepoy at inalalayan sa paglabas ng Emergency Room. Ngunit nang makalabas ng Emergency Room, mga pulis ang bumungad sakanya.

"Mr. Jepoy Salcedo, inaaresto ka namin sa salang pagpatay kay Ms. Victoria Renee Madrigal."