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Chapter twenty-three

COURAGE

"A prisoner's body has been found in ROOM five by Prisoner three and fifteen! Goodluck, prisoners!~"

Since the light has been restored, I knew I had to count them again. We're nine. Napatingin tuloy ako kay Prisoner four na pawis na pawis. We had eye contact which he broke in just a second. Though everyone's apparently covered in sweat, even me. Nasanay na siguro ang mga katawan namin sa aircon kaya sa isang minutong walang kuryente pinagpapawisan na kami agad. Ang gara nga ng amoy. My eyes locked on my two acquitances, Eden and Barbie. They look confused and worried at the same time; we all nodded in unison, we should do our jobs into finding who that killer is. Humiwalay na rin kami sa hawak ni President.

With the sudden but already expected news of a death of a fellow student, everyone ran as if there was a horse chasing them, lots of slippers clapping on the floor up to the stairs were kind of unpleasant to the ears that's why I had to cover my ears on our way to Room 05.

Everyone's nightmare happened once again on the fourth day of our stay. But luckily, today's case will be easier as the primary suspects are...

"Prisoner three and Prisoner fifteen," calling the attention from behind, everyone made way for me to get near the primary suspects. "Hmm, how odd."

"What's odd?" he asked.

I did not answer his question yet peeked on the door and choked on my saliva after seeing the lifeless body of Prisoner five on the bed.

He wasn't the dead body I was expecting. Naalala ko pang nagsalita siya bago mag-brownout kanina. Gives me the chills.

The position of the body was horizontal on the bed, meaning, he is in the middle— as if cutting off two sides of the bed. Hands are raised as if he was surrendering. His right side of the face was pressing on the bedsheet while his back is facing us. Most precisly, his bottom part. There were unbelievably lots of bloods on the head area; clearly seen from outside as the sheets and pillow cases are dirty white. Strangely, the pillow cases doesn't have any blood in it, nor a splatter. It's been long since I've witnessed a bloody crime. Rest in peace.

But I must get to business. Looks like Prisoner three has been taunted by the current situation hence Setsuna is the only suspect I could talk to properly. The woman is shivering despite the hotness of the current atmosphere.

"Teka lang," Prisoner two stopped me from entering the premises. "You're a spy. Wala kang karapatan mag-imbestiga. Don't ya think so?" Sa pang-asar na tono niya itong sinabi. While some don't seem to be that irritating, but they most definitely agree.

Huh, I guess I'm guilty until proven innocent then? Tumango nalang ako at isa-isa silang tinignan kung may kakampi man sa akin.

"I agree," may kung sinong halimaw ang nagsabi nito malapit sa pinto. "I suggest you stay out of this, Prisoner six." aniya Setsuna. Sa tono niya'y mukhang seryoso siya at hindi nakikipagbiruan.

"But why? I was the most help in the first case! How could everyone treat me like this just because inakusahan akong espiya?" it was like I was almost pleading to death. Hindi ako masyadong umiiyak pero sa mga sitwasyon na ganito parang ang sarap lumuha eh.

Lahat napatingin kay President nang siya'y bumuntong hininga. "I think she still has the right to meddle with the case don't you guys think? Also, aren't you guys hypocrites for treating her as if she's a monster pero kayo rin— ay hindi rin— kayo ay mga umamin nang kriminal kanina 'di ba?"

"H-How about this? She can look outside... p-pero bawal siyang tumapak sa loob." suhestyon ni Prisoner three. I guess ginagampanan na niya ang role niya bilang Vice.