Behind all Lies

Lies: 1

Silence speaks very loudly but it is amazing how many people don't take the time to listen.
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Sari

IPINATAWAG ako ng boss ko na agad ko namang sinunod. Pag pasok ko ng opisina nito ay inutusan nito akong umupo.

"Sir," tawag ko rito na halatang tensiyonado at hindi mapakali. Nakailang balik na rin ito kalalakad kaya tuloy kinabahan ako.

"What is it this time, Sarita?" May pang uusig ang mga mata nitong nakatingin sa akin ngayon.

"Hindi ko po alam ang ibig niyong sabihin, sir." Lito pa rin ako. Wala naman akong naiisip na kasalanan ko.

Nakita ko ang boss ko na may kinuha sa drawer nito at saka iyon ibinagsak sa ibabaw ng mesa nito. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng mabasa ang malalaking letrang naka sulat dito.

Military exercises to be banished. Dead soldiers toll around the world fluctuating.

It was an article that I've made a month ago. Napalunok ako ng mag taas ako ng tingin sa boss ko na hanggang ngayon ay mainit pa rin ang mata sa akin.

"I really think there's more of a story here," I said, keeping my voice as low and patient as I could. Nanatiling nakatayo ang boss ko sa harapan ko, naka pamaywang na tila ba ubos na ang pasensiya sa akin.

"If you'll just look at the—"

"I've given you as much leeway as I can, Sarita." Hindi ako nakaimik. Boss Jack was a middle-aged, balding, and always looked tired. The staff could always tell his stress-level by how high his sleeves were rolled upon his arm. This afternoon, they were already up past his elbows.

"I'm really sorry about your brother, Sarita. All of us are really sorry. I offered to give you personal days last month if you needed—"

"I don't need personal days." Naging malikot ang paningin ko. Tingin ako ng tingin kung saan-saan para lang mawala itong pait na nag uumpisang kumain sa pag katao ko. "I just need to be able to do my job. And I'm telling you that I can find out more about that accident. There's more going on—"

"This is a local paper, Sarita and I've already given you more inches than we can spare on military issues. I'm really sorry about your brother's death, but you can't devote all your time to whatever conspiracy you're trying to dig up about it." Pinal nitong sabi. Alam ko namang hindi tama ang ginagawa ko. I'm an editor or a Travel magazine and for the past five months, I wasn't myself.

"It's not about Fredrick's death. Something strange is going on here, and no one is talking about it. Kung makakapunta ako ng Istanbul ay mas lalo kong masisiyasat ang bawat galaw ng mga gangs and mafia's doon. It's still a Travel article, though." Kibit balikat kong paliwanag sa boss ko. Sa katunayan ay nakakuha na ako ng ticket ko papunta roon, hinihintay ko na lang ang travel visa ko na ma-release. Papasok kasi ako sa bansa na yon as a tourist and not as a journalist.

"Sari, this isn't a debate. I'm telling you this flat out." Lahat naman sila ganyan eh. Para akong isang balo na iniwanan ng minamahal. Every one of them would think I was overcome by grief and acting like an irrational child. They would feel sorry for me. They wouldn't respect me.

But still, this story would never come out.

"Can't you see how the government looked at the article? Most of the politicians raise questions now on how do the government took care of their soldiers. See how the UN now putting this topic in their talks?" Pangungulit ko pa rito pero umiling lamang ito, tanda na sarado na ang usapan at hindi na iyon mababago pa ng mga paliwanag ko.