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Chapter ten

COURAGE

With his body facing the ground, still wearing his uniform; his face at our direction, there was no blood involved. But I knew he was dead the first time I saw him because I couldn't sense him breathing any more. Plus, there were excess saliva around his mouth. He must ate something that lead him into this position.

Bago pa magsi-akyatan ang iba pa, I started examining the body myself. I took a glance at the person behind me first, she gave me a look. A look that seems like she trust me with this. How odd. I firmly squatted para makita ko nang maayos at malapitan ang itsura niya.

Let's see what we've got in here. His body doesn't smell, so this body is probably resting here less than 24 hours. I presume he took a substance before waving to his death. With his widely opened mouth and his opened eyes (probably in shock); I closed his eyes using my left hand. "Rest in peace."

I do not know him personally, but my heart breaks knowing in such a young age, he died. Marami pa siguro siyang pangarap na gustong matupad— pero sinira lang ng pangyayaring ito. Once we get out of here, sisiguraduhin kong pagbabayarin ko si MC sa mga ginawa niyang kasalanan.

Sinimulan ko nang kapain ang katawan niya. Nagsimula na rin si president na maghanap ng posibleng clues dito malapit sa katawan. We minded our own businesses.

May nakuha akong isang pirasong yuping papel sa bulsa niya. "Sorry?" Takang pagkabasa ko sa nakasulat dito. 'Yon lang 'yon? Hmm, it could be his or the last person that saw him alive.

"W-why are you touching the body?" I knew that person was talking to me with an obvious reason, kaya liningon ko siya at nakita ko nang naka-akyat silang lahat, gulat na gulat. It was Prisoner 3; nag-sign of the cross pa siya sa harapan ko.

Some probably suspects me to be the criminal, they were giving me dirty looks that I almost got offended. Understandable, kapain ko ba naman ang katawan ng namayapa na walang bahid ng takot sa mukha ko. Ayaw kong mag-explain. "To gather clues and find the suspect, you?"

"What..." ayun lamang ang nasabi niya at natahimik na ulit. Isa-isa kong tinignan ang mga umakyat para tignan ang katawan, hindi ko makita si Setsuna at Barbie. Now I'm curious.

Tumayo na ako at kinuha ulit ang walkie-talkie sa bulsa. I had no time to argue with them. "A paper with just sorry written on it. Nakita ko sa bulsa ni Gyan, it could be his or his girlfriend's. Over."

"Look," binulsa ko na ang walkie-talkie ko. "Alam kong sobrang nakatatakot ang mga pangyayari ngayon, pero walang magagawa ang takot na 'yan kung sobrang halaga ng bawat segundo rito. Nakakalimutan niyo na ba? Kapag hindi natin nahanap kung sino ang mamamatay tao mamamatay tayong lahat maliban sa kaniya?"

May nag-ayos ng lalamunan niya kaya sa kaniya naman ako napatingin. It's Prisoner 5. "But girl, how can you be so sure na mahahanap natin ang criminal na 'yan?"

"I did not say I was sure, my point here is let's have the teamwork, okay?"

"Nothing will be impossible kung magtutulungan tayo sa paghahanap ng mga gamit na posibleng ginamit sa pagpatay." Ayaw kong magtunog mayabang kaya nagdugtong ako.

"Okay, may point ka beh," sagot niya sa akin.

"Nakakatakot... hindi natin napansin na wala siya, kulang ng isa..." kumento ng isang lalaki sa likod. Tumango ang mga nasa tabi niya.

"Next time bilangin kaya natin ang isa't-isa tuwing may pagpupulong?" suhestyon ni Prisoner 12.

Nginitian ko nalang sila bago umalis pababa para hanapin sina Setsuna at Barbie. I realized I was just wasting time there.