Past Life

Chapter 5-Crime

Tulala. Ganyan lang ako buong magdamag. I'm about to punch Lee on the face! Balak ko na ring sabunutan yung magandang buhok ng Barbie na yun. But I can't do it. I'm not that type of girl. And even if people do hurt me, I will not hurt them back. I am not like them. But still, a part of me hopes that Lee will be back to me. He said he likes me, right?

"Always the wrong choice." I heard Rake's voice in my mind but he's not around. Iyon yung sinabi nya sakin nung araw na nagconfess ako kay Lee.

I know this moment will happen. I already watched it in the movie screen. But no matter how sure you are that certain things are going to happen, you are not prepared for how it will feel. I accept him for being a bad boy. Can't he accept me for being a bit conservative? At ano nga naman ang laban ko sa Barbie na yun? Makinis, matangkad, maganda, sexy. It's really hard to avoid insecurities! Like duh!? Every boy in the campus is admiring that Barbie! Alien na lang ang hindi magkakagusto dun. I sighed and look at the stars. Hoping that I may see answers from them.

It's night. And our house is glowing in the dark. Thanks to my mother. Her past life is cute, star, my favorite shape.

I decided to take a walk around the town. It is calm and silent unlike my mind, weary and preoccupied. Nakalayo na pala ako nang hindi ko namamalayan. Everything is at peace until..

Until I heard a scream. A scream of fear and terror. It came from the only house at the end of the street. 

I feel shivers. At ayoko mang aminin, nanginginig na ang mga tuhod ko. What should I do? Should I run and save myself or should I put myself in danger and save the victim?

Is this the crime that the movie showed me? I feel more scared and terrified. I never thought I would be this scared in my life. The place is so dark and still. That's the only house in this area. I took the first step towards the house. Am I committing suicide? I don't know. I just want to save the victim. I took the second step and then the third. Maybe I am here for a purpose. Maybe I am here to save the life of that person. At hindi ko na binilang ang mga lakad ko. I run at the direction of the house. At habang papalapit ako, maslumalakas yung tibok ng puso ko. Mas lalo akong kinakabahan. All I can hear is my heartbeat. I don't try to look back. I may stop if I do. I may back out. And in every step I'm taking, I hear the scream getting louder, getting more terrified. I hear a voice begging for help. I hear sobs. I hear suffering.

I saw something in the house: Light. Fire. The house is burning. Just like what I saw in the movie.

I am just 3 meters away from the crime scene.

3

2

Then I feel a hand in my mouth. Someone pulls me to the tree. I'm dead. Don't please. I just put myself in danger trying to save someone who is in danger. I never expect this scenario to happen. I tried to resist but he's too strong.

I heard a one last scream of terror. A shout that fades easily. She's dead. The victim is dead. I felt shivers down in my spine.

"Just keep quiet. I'll bring you out of here."

Wait, what is he doing here? Rake? Here? With me. In a tree. Inches away from my face.

At may narinig akong kaluskos.

"We should go now." Rake whispered. At sinundan ko sya. Silently, we walked away from the house, from the screams of terror. I feel my hands trembling. What happened to the victim? Why did the suspect kill her? Why?

We run and run and run. We don't wanna be the next victim. We stopped at a park. Buti na lang marami ng tao at maliwanag na dito. Hindi naman na siguro kami masusundan. We seated on a bench, tired of the escape.

"Why are you there?" sabay naming tanong. Nanginginig pa rin ang mga tuhod ko.

"Napadaan lang ako/I want to be alone" We smiled. Sabay na naman kami.Gosh! We just came from a crime scene. How could we smile like this?

"You first." he told me.

"I'm so preoccupied. I decided to take a walk. Dinala ako ng mga paa ko dun sa lugar na yun. Then I heard a scream, a terrifying scream." At naalala ko na naman yung sigaw na yun. I feel scared. That scream is full of fear and hopelessness. How could someone do such thing? "But I do nothing to stop it." I said. I've never been this guilty all my life.

"Kung nadun tayo wala na rin tayong magagawa. Yung owner ng bahay na yun ay isang palaka sa past life nya. Kaya niyang dilaan at ipoison yung killer nya kung gugustuhin nya. Pero she's not able to defend herself tayo pa kaya na walang attack skills ang past life? It would be a suicide."

I dropped my jaw. The girl who ate the insects outside the movie house.. is now dead.

She's dead. And I do nothing to stop it.

But that got me thinking. He's right. It would be a suicide.

How could a man be so cruel? Who is the villain behind this?

"Stop worrying. We will give the justice she deserved, someday." He comforts me.

"Someday." I whispered.