30 Doors

16th Door

One must always be aware, to notice-even though the cost of noticing is to become responsible."
―Thylias Moss

***

MINALYN

So, we were directed from the 20th floor to the 16th. This is one of the perks of knowing a lot of things -especially riddles. Being strategic in situations like this is vital. The essence of it is choosing what not to do.

May mga naligaw lang talagang tanga sa building gaya ng mga boss.

I should have been the boss.

The answer to the riddle was obviously 'wife'. There is no mail on a Sunday. That riddle was very basic. Parang joke na nga lang 'yan ng dad ko sakin.

I grew up learning the beauty of language. How language can create and destroy the world, how words can destroy a person or even dreams. Language is a powerful weapon for the witty.

My dad was a writer. Mom was a columnist in a local newspaper so I was forced, in the first place I did not want to, to be like them. I was an only child. Walang sasalo sa mga pangarap ng magulang para sa anak kundi ako lang.

I grew up with words. Parang mga sandamukal na libro ang naging kasama ko paglaki. I ended up becoming the weird girl who lived in a perfectly secluded area. I was always alone. Laging nasa trabaho ang mga magulang ko while growing up. I was not pampered very well.

I learned to be independent. Marahil iyon ang naging preparation ko before they got assassinated sa loob mismo ng kotseng sinasakyan namin pauwing subdivision sa Alabang. Both my dad was killed by our driver, who was like a father to me kasi siya ang lagi kong kasama sa bahay tuwing wala ang mga magulang ko.

Kaya siguro ako napagkakamalang cold and may sariling mundo at may trust issues. Someone close to me killed my parents. Kaya it took a while bago ko naging kaibigan sina Rielle at Nyl. Nyl died just almost two days ago. The fear of losing either one of them just triggered me from being so protective of Rielle.

I have had a suspicion who really killed Nyl. I knew it was Mildred. But that bitch went missing. She poisoned the wine. Ramdam kong may alam si Nyl kung sino ang mastermind. Kilala ko si Nyl, kapag may alam itong hindi kayang itago saamin ni Rielle. Tuliro. Hindi mapakali at parang nababaliw.

That moment bago namatay si Nyl, alam kong sasabihin na niya saamin ni Rielle ang nalalaman niya. Kapag nakita ko 'yang si Mildred, dahil pakiramdam ko'y nagtatago lang at gustong takasan ang sisi, babalatan ko 'yan gamit ang cutter hanggang sa umamin siya.

She might have taken Zyril with her. Either Zyril was an accomplice or a victim. Zyril was juvie and an ex-convict's daughter. Ayokong maging mapanghusga pero bakit hindi? The fruit doesn't fall far from the tree.

Kailangang malaman ni Vlad at Andreas ang lahat ng kutob ko. The four of us should really form an alliance. Why Vlad? Because Vlad is one of those guys na pinagkakatiwalaan ko. There is no question about that. If he's the killer, I'll kill him myself.

Why Andreas? I know, somehow, how to read someone's personality. A killer can't be like Andreas na masyadong maingay at exaggerated mag-react. Killer's are silent. Pretentious to be the victim by going with the flow of the flock. Hindi niya sisirain ang laptop ni Vlad kung alam niyang doon magmumula ang pang-uuto niya saamin.