The Missing Hands

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Nang makarating na sa greenhouse #12, napahawak ako sa mga tuhod ko habang habol-habol ang hininga. Marami nga talagang pulis ang nandito, to the point that we can barely see the crime scene. I can hear the sound from the shutter of a camera, and its flashes have reached my sight.

Nagsimulang maglakad si Kith papalapit doon. Nataranta naman ako sa kanya. Andaming pulis, baka mapagalitan siya! "U-Uy, anong ginagawa mo? Mapapagalitan ka riyan, eh!"

"Relax,"

Is he for real? We're near a crime scene right now and he's telling me to relax?! Tinakbo ko ang kaunting distansya namin.

"Hija, hijo, bawal kayo rito. Bumalik na kayo sa classroom niyo at 'wag munang lumabas."

Gusto kong sigawan si Kith, 'See? I told you so!'

May biglang nagpakita sa tabi ng pulis na naka-black leather jacket. "It's alright, Roxas, this is my son."

Namilog ang mga mata ko. This man in front of us is Kith's father?! Oo nga... When you look at them for a while, you'll be able to distinguish the similarities!

"What's going on, Dad?"

Inakbayan siya nito at naglakad sila papalapit sa crime scene. Sumama na rin ako at nakabuntot lang kay Kith. There is a 'CRIME SCENE DO NOT CROSS' tape surrounding the greenhouse.

Nang tuluyan na kaming makalapit, natakpan ko kaagad ang bibig ko. I feel like throwing up. There lies the lifeless body of Nikki Vidal, her head has been smashed, and blood is all over the place. And what I really noticed is the fact that her hands are gone! Pinutol ang dalawa niyang kamay!

Nanginginig akong lumayo roon at umiwas ng tingin. It looks like I won't be able to sleep well tonight. I didn't expect that she'd die like this! I thought of the possible causes of death while we ran here, but this is certainly not one of them!

"Hey, ayos ka lang?"

I looked at Kith, and I couldn't say a word. Hell, I couldn't even breathe!

Hinawakan niya ang magkabila kong braso. "Uy, sumagot ka naman."

"Mukha ba akong maayos? I just saw a bloody dead body!"

Tinawanan niya ako. "Well, you better get used to it. It seems like we'll be seeing more of this from now on."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "What the hell are you saying?!"

His arms fell to his sides, and he shrugged his shoulders. "It's just my hunch,"

"Pulis pala tatay mo?" natanong ko, out of curiosity na lang din.

"Nope, he's a detective."

For the nth time, my eyes widened. That's such a cool job! Siguro kaya siya interesado sa mga crime scene ay dahil sa tatay niya? Maybe, maybe not.

I mustered the courage to go near the crime scene again to look thoroughly at Nikki's dead body. I can barely recognize her face. Her uniform is full of blood, and I can see her brain already. Dahil pinutol nga ang mga kamay niya, nakikita ko na ang mga buto sa mga braso niya.

Naduwal ako kaya agad akong tumakbo palayo roon. Sumuka ako sa malapit na halamanan dahil hindi ko na talaga mapigilan.

I have not seen anything as brutal as that in real life before!

Nang matapos na sa pagsuka, bumalik ako sa kung saan ako nakatayo kanina at may nakatakip na na puting tela sa katawan ni Nikki. Now, I could look freely at the surroundings without wanting to vomit.