Tantei High (Erityian Tribes, #1) | Published under Pop Fiction

Chapter 33 - Third Case: Black Dimension

He pointed his gun to me. Parang na-drain lahat ng dugo ko sa katawan. Hindi ako nakagalaw dahil kaharap ko ang isang taong may hawak ng baril at anytime ay pwede niya yung iputok sa akin. Pero napansin kong napangiwi siya at napahawak sa sugat niya sa tagiliran na gawa ni Ms. Reina. I used that moment to move away from him but I halted when I heard his voice.

"Move and I'll make sure I'll bring you back to them as a dead body."

I gripped my bow while I helplessly looked at him. I couldn't move any longer.

"Good girl," he said. "But I'm really itching to kill somebody right now because of that fucking bitch." Bigla naman siyang ngumiti sa akin. "I guess you'll be a dead body, after all. Di—"

"Kill her, and I'll kill you, too."

Hindi naman ako nakagalaw nang marinig ko ang boses na 'yon. My body was trembling badly and hearing his voice stirred my emotions.

The Shinigami glared at him but he immediately pulled back.

"She wants to see you," the one who saved me said. "Return this instant."

Pagkasabi niya no'n ay bigla na lang siyang nawala at naiwan kami ro'n ng isa pang Shinigami. He kneeled in front of me and I looked at his face intently. Doon ko napansin na may sugat siya sa kanang pisngi pero parang wala lang sa kanya.

"D-Darwin," I called and I felt a lump in my throat as I stifled a sob.

"Rainie," she called back but I didn't know what was going through his mind. He had the same expression I saw the last time.

"S-so, you're a Shinigami?"

"And you are a Senshin."

We were silent for a few seconds and we were just studying each other's face. Hindi ko alam kung ano ba ang dapat kong maging reaksyon at dapat kong sabihin. According to history, Senshins and Shinigamis have been in war for centuries but here we are, a Senshin and a Shinigami, who were once normal humans and seatmates.

"You should go," he softly said. "Baka may makakita pa sa'yo."

"But . . ." My voice trailed off. Napatingin naman ako sa paligid. "N-nasaan tayo?"

Ngumiti siya sa akin. "Black Dimension."

Kumunot naman ang noo ko. I think I heard that before. Is this a different dimension?

"Yes. This is a different dimension."

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko nang marinig ko ang sinabi niya. Alam ko sa sarili ko na nakasarado ang isip ko, yet nababasa niya pa rin? Akala ko si Hiro at si Mr. President lang ang nakakagawa no'n pero pati rin si Darwin?

"T-teka. Paano ako makakabalik doon sa mansion nina Ma'am An—!"

I couldn't finish my question because my ankle throbbed painfully and my body felt burning. Parang gusto ko na lang mawalan ng malay para hindi ko maramdaman ang sakit ng buong katawan ko.

"Still clumsy as ever," he said with a gentle smile. I was about to counter him but he suddenly lifted me. Kung anu-ano naman ang pumasok sa utak ko. Paano kung dadalhin niya na pala ako sa base ng mga Shinigami? Paano kung tutuluyan niya na pala akong patayin?

"Darwin, ibaba mo na ako. Kaya ko namang maglaka—"

"Halos hindi ka na nga makakilos tapos balak mo pang maglakad?" sabi niya naman kaya natigilan ako. "Isipin mo na lang na ito na ang huli nating pag-uusap at ito na rin ang huling tulong na maibibigay ko sa'yo."

I suddenly felt the same sensation I felt a while ago. Pagdilat ko ay nandito na ulit kami sa garden ng mansion ni Ma'am Ana at binaba niya ako mula sa pagkakabuhat niya sa akin.

"A-anong ibig mong sabihin?" tanong ko sa kanya dahil sa sinabi niya bago kami umalis sa Black Dimension.

"Rainie, you know our situation," he said while looking straight ito my eyes. "The next time we' see each other, we're enemies."

After that, the Black Dimension opened and he vanished from my sight.

Naiwan akong nakatulala ro'n at hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa lahat ng nangyari. Seeing him felt surreal. Knowing that he's a Shinigami felt like a dream. I didn't know what to feel anymore.

"Nee-chan!"

Napatingin naman ako kung saan nanggaling ang boses ni Riye at nakita ko siyang tumatakbo sa direksyon ko kasama si Reiji. Napaupo silang dalawa sa tabi ko.

"What happened? You look terrible," Reiji commented as he touched my arm and I winced when he accidentally nudged my wound.

"Oh my gosh, nee-chan. Your muscles are damaged but your left foot looks worse. Your fibula and Achilles tendon are in bad conditions."

Pagtanggal nila sa sapatos ko ay napaiwas agad ako ng tingin sa paa ko dahil sa itsura no'n. There were cuts and bruises all over it but what bothered me was the swelling. Buti na lang talaga at nandito si Riye at Reiji para i-assist ako pero bigla kong naalala na nasa gitna pa pala ng labanan sina Sir Hayate kaya bakit nandito sina Riye at Reiji?

"A-anong nangyari sa loob ng room? Kumusta sila?" tanong ko habang ini-inspect ni Riye ang paa ko at bigla na lang siyang napatigil. Maging si Reiji ay napatigil rin sa pagtingin sa braso ko.

"They lost," Reiji said. "The Shinigami got the statue."

Lalo lang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko sa narinig ko. Lima silang nandoon sa isang kwarto at isa lang ang Shinigami pero natalo pa rin sila? Hindi ko ma-imagine kung gaano siya kalakas para matalo sina Sir Hayate. Nakakatakot.

"Nasaan na sila?"

"Kausap sina Ma'am Ana."

"Reiji, dalhin na natin si nee-chan kay Miyu. She really needs an immediate treatment."

Binuhat naman ako ni Reiji at mabilis kaming nakarating kay Miyu pero bago pa ako makababa ay nakaramdam ako ng matinding sakit kaya napasigaw ako. I could hear Riye and Reiji calling my name but I couldn't control my body. The pain overwhelmed me and then suddenly, everything went black.

***