The Enigma of Erald

CHAPTER SIX: Just As Planned

ERALD

WE MAY have foiled the K-OS Club's plan, but their bomb threat caused the cancellation of the club fair at the open area. Many were disappointed by the student council's decision, but the safety of students was their primordial concern. As an alternative, sa kani-kaniyang clubroom itutuloy ang recruitment.

What happened after I defused the bomb? Dumating ang security personnel ng Clark High para siguruhing ligtas ang mga estudyante. The bomb squad was called immediately. They detonated the ominous package. Doon namin nalamang pulbos at hindi pulburang pampasabog ang laman nito.

We were tricked by that rogue club. Halos himatayin na ang ilang estudyante sa takot. It turned out that they had nothing to fear in the first place.

The next targets were the landmines. Kagaya ng bomba, peke rin pala ang mga 'to. Sa oras na matapakan ay maglalabas lang ng puting usok. Contrary to the threat, there was no actual explosion.

We've been had. Twice! Kahit pala nagkamali ako ng pinutol na wire o kung may nagmatapang na tumakas, no harm would come to us. They managed to deceive us with the use of theatrics.

Remember the broadcast earlier? The student executive committee who acted swiftly found no one in the broadcasting room. Sa kanilang pag-iinspect, tanging isang CD ang nakalagay sa player. It was perfectly timed to play at exactly eight o'clock.

Kamangha-mangha. Pinag-isipang mabuti, pulido ang trabaho, at walang iniwang ebidensya ang mga tauhan ng K-OS Club. They almost committed the perfect crime, if only their bomb "exploded."

I couldn't help but let out an inaudible giggle. My decision was right all along. Hindi ako nagkamaling lumapit sa kanila para mai-set-up ang palabas kanina.

Hindi ko alam kung coincidence na nakita ko a few days ago ang advertisement ng kanilang club sa bulletin board noong magdidikit kami ng poster ni Charlotte. After seeing their "work of art," an idea popped in my head. Tinandaan ko ang contact number na nakalagay sa papel at tinawagan sila pagkatapos para malaman kung kaya nilang gawin ang request ko.

Almost everything was scripted. Sila ang naghanda ng pekeng bomba at landmines habang ako naman ang nagplano kung saan dapat ilagay, kung saang booth ipadadala ang kahon, kung anong oras magsisimula ang palabas at kung paano mare-resolve ang kaso.

The only part of the plan that I didn't think of was the code. Ang sabi kasi nila sa akin, magbibigay sila ng instruction. Hindi ko alam na gagamit sila ng Morse code para itago ang hint kung paano i-defuse ang bomba.

I also considered in our script on how those students would react. Alam kong kapag narinig nilang may bomba, magtatakbuhan sila palayo. Kaya sinabihan ko ang mga tauhan ng K-OS Club na itago ang mga landmine sa lupang pwedeng tapakan.

Could I apply as a director of a theater play or movie? Everything went smoothly, but with some minor glitches along the way. Dalawang araw ko ring pinag-isipan kung paano dapat gumulong ang mga eksena. Basta ang bottomline: I should be the one to defuse the bomb.

Looking back, tama rin na hindi ni-reveal sa akin kung ano ang arrangement ng wires na dapat putulin. Totoong nahirapan ako sa pag-solve ng clue. No one would suspect that everything was staged. But that may not be true. I could feel that someone got suspicious of the circumstances and saw the truth in my little play.

Unfortunately, all my efforts were in vain.

Matapos ang insidente, wala ni isa sa mga estudyante ang nagpa-member sa club namin. Their minds were still preoccupied by the hoax bomb threat. They did not pay attention to the man who saved them.