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

Chapter 46 - Home

Ilang minuto na ang nakalipas nang makaalis si Darwin pero hindi pa rin nagsi-sink in sa utak ko ang sinabi niya.

"You belong with us, Rainie, because you're one of us."

I knew what he meant by that but how could he be sure? And if that was true, does that mean my mother wasn't a Senshin? Or maybe my father? Hindi ko naman siya nakilala dahil bago pa ako magkamuwang ay wala na siya.

Lalo lang gumulo ang isipan ko. Questions were piling up in my head and I no longer know myself. I just want to go home.

"Meow."

Napatigil naman ako sap ag-iisip nang marinig ko 'yon. Agad kong nilibot ang paningin ko sa kwarto pero wala namang pusa ro'n. Was that Demi? Nasaan siya? O nag-i-imagine lang ako?

The cat meowed again and this time, I stood up to find where she was.

"Demi?" tawag ko. "Nasaan ka?"

Wala na akong narinig na kahit ano at bumagsak ang mga balikat ko dahil katahimikan lang ang sumagot sa akin. I was slowly giving up but suddenly, a white cat appeared right in front of me.

"Meow!" she excitedly purred as she jumped toward me.

"Demi!" sigaw ko at natumba ako dahil sa momentum niya at sa gulat. Muli ko siyang tiningnan at hinawakan para makasigurado akong hindi ito hallucination.

She was really here and she appeared out of nowhere. How did that happen? Paano siya nakapunta rito? Wait, sinundan niya baa ko rito?

"Demi, paano ka nakapunta rito?" tanong ko at bigla naman siyang tumingin sa harapan namin kung saan siya lumitaw. Don't tell me . . .

I looked at her in the eyes. "Sa Black Dimension ka galing?"

"Meow," she replied and it felt like a yes.

Bigla namang kumabog ang dibdib ko. Kung galling si Demi sa Black Dimension, ibig sabihin ba ay nasa loob kami no'n? Kaya ba hindi ko magawang i-summon ang weapons ko?

Naalala ko naman ang unang beses na napunta ako sa Black Dimension. I was with Kyuuya that time . . . and Darwin. That time, hindi ako ma-track ni Ma'am Reina. Huh. Kaya ba hindi rin nila ma-track kung saan ang Shinigami base ay dahil nasa loob iyon ng Black Dimension?

"Meow."

Muli akong napatingin kay Demi. "Nandito ka ba para sunduin ako? Anong nangyari kina Akane at Riye?"

She meowed again. It seemed like she could understand what I was saying or maybe I was going crazy.

Part of me was already accepting the fact that I might be . . . I might really be one of them. I mean, only Shinigamis could navigate in the Black Dimension. Hindi ko alam kung paano 'yon nagawa ni Demi pero . . .

"Meow."

"Hindi ko na alam kung sino talaga ako."

Kahit gusto kong intindihin, kahit gusto kong malaman kung ano at sino ako, ayaw naman magsalita ng mga tao sa paligid ko. Hindi ko na alam kung sinong paniniwalaan ko. They said I'm a Senshin. And this time, they were claiming I'm a Shinigami.

"Gising na siya?"

Napatigil ako sa pag-iisip nang makarinig ako ng pag-uusap sa labas ng kwarto ko.

"According to Seiji. She's been unconscious for two days," sabi ng isa at nagulat naman ako sa narinig ko. Dalawang araw na ako rito? What the? I thought everything just happened a while ago!

"You were holding her tightly, Ichiro. Of course, she'd be unconscious for a long time. I even thought she'd be like that for a week."

"Let's just check."

Panic started to rise toward my throat. Papasok na sila rito.

"Demi, what should we do?" bulong ko kay Demi habang hawak-hawak ko siya.

Pabalik-balik ang tingin ko sa pinto at kay Demi at nagulat ako nang biglang tumalon si Demi sa hangin. Pagtingin ko ay wala na siya sa kwarto.

Napanganga ako dahil sa pagkamangha at gulat pero nauubusan na ako ng oras. I knew where she went and I needed to get there, too.

Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko. I imagined a rift in the air as it opened into an aperture to the Black Dimension. I felt that burning sensation and a gentle pressure surrounding my body. Suddenly, the air in my lungs felt like they were getting sucked out and my my brain was getting squeezed. The next thing I knew, I was already out of that room and I was gasping for air.

I heard the familiar purr of Demi and I called her name. Naramdaman ko siya sa tabi ko kaya dumilat ako at pagtingin ko, sobrang dilim ng paligid at kinilabutan ako sa nakabibinging katahimikan.

We were in the Black Dimension.

Naramdaman ko naman agad ang pagbabago sa mga mata ko. I just knew that they turned yellow.

Tumayo ako kahit na para pa ring sinusunog ang kalamnan ko dahil natatakot akong baka abutan kami ng mga Shinigami. Naglakad ako nang mabilis habang sinusundan si Demi pero ang sakit na ng ulo ko dahil lalong dumagdag ang mga katanungan sa isip ko.

If I could travel through the Black Dimension, that means . . . that means . . . I am really one of them. Was that the reason why I was still alive when Kyuuya accidentally brought me with him here?

The worries and frustration I felt overwhelmed me and tears streamed down my face. I was lost and confused. I don't know who I am anymore. Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko.

Gusto ko lang na makaalis dito. Gusto ko silang makita.

Napatigil naman ako sa paglalakad dahil naramdaman ko ang katawan ni Demi sa binti ko. She stopped walking and I was just about to see why but the approaching footsteps answered my question.

Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Naabutan na ba nila ako? Paano ako makakatakas mula sa kanila? I don't want to be back there anymore.

Palapit nang palapit sa amin kung sino man ang nandoon at halos lumubog ang puso ko nang biglang may humablot sa kamay ko. I tried escaping from his grasp but his strength overpowered me.

"Let go!" I cried as my body trembled. "Ayaw ko nang bumalik do'n!"

He was too strong and I gasped when he suddenly pulled me toward him.

"It's me."

Napatigil ako sa paggalaw nang marinig ko ang boses niya. The terror I felt gradually subsided and it was replaced with a sense of relief. Tuluyan na akong nanghina dahil sa kanya.

"H-hiro," I called as I stifled a sob. Hindi ako bumitiw sa kanya dahil alam kong ligtas na ako.

"Hiro?! Is that Akemi?!"

This time, boses naman ni Akane ang narinig ko at makalipas ang ilang segundo ay sumunod ang pagtawag nina Ken, Reiji at Riye sa akin.

Tuluyan na akong naiyak nang marinig at makita ko silang lima. I wasn't sure where we were but I was glad I wasn't alone anymore.

"We're in the hallway," bulong ni Hiro at na-realize ko na ang creepy hallway papuntang agency ang tinutukoy niya. How did that even happen? "Don't think of anything for now," he said and I felt his hand on mine. "Let's go home."

I see. So I was really home.

***