Gone in Goroth: a Paranormal Odyssey

Chapter 3: Rough Edges

Chapter 3: Rough Edges

Miki

It's not suicide like everybody thought at first look. The victim was murdered according to the investigation. Kasalukuyang nagu-undergo ng autopsy ang bangkay ni Erin Kaguri as permitted by her grandfather, Senior Timotheo Kaguri. Kilala ito sa university bilang isang dakilang retired guidance counselor kaya ang makita itong nagwawala at umiiyak kanina sa university habang binababa ang bangkay ng apo ay napakasakit panoorin.

Ayon pa sa usap-usapan ay si Erin na lang ang natatanging kamag-anak ng matanda matapos mamatay ang ama at ina ni Erin due to a plane crash 2 years ago. He admits that her granddaughter was mentally unstable and that she was appointed to a psychiatric nursing for almost two years hanggang tuluyan nang gumaling. Magaling na ito kaya hindi nito magagawa na kitilin ang sariling buhay. She's all that he has. Ngayong wala na si Erin, ay hindi papayag ang matanda na hindi mabigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay nito.

"Paano mo maipapaliwanag ang nagmatch na finger prints mo sa murder weapon?" the detective chief inspector asked. The murder weapon he's referring to is the knife found in the crime scene.

This case is very odd. The murderer was obviously very clumsy if he'd leave the murder weapon in the crime scene with his finger prints on it. Isa ito sa mga pinanghahawakan kong dahilan na maaring sinadya ng murderer na palabasing si Liu ang pumatay kay Erin. There is someone behind all these. And I'm afraid that Liu will be held responsible for something she didn't do.

The other thing we have observed ay ang roman numerals na IV cut sa palapulsuhan ni Erin. Is it some form of marking your own victim or nagkataon lang? And why would the murderer do that kung kaya niya namang palabasing nagpakamatay ang biktima without using a knife and that would only cause some doubt na maaring pinatay nga siya?

The chief inspector kept on interrogating Liu. He's chief inspector Tobias Blancho, Sr., based on his pin ID. Magta-tatlong oras na simula no'ng pangyayari kanina. Kanina pa hinihingi ang panig namin. They figured beforehand that I have nothing to do with the incident dahil sa mga kuha ng CCTV cameras na nagpapatunay kung nasaan ako sa mga oras bago natagpuang patay ang biktima. However, mainit ang mga mata nila kay Liu dahil sa mga posibleng ebidensyang nagtuturo sa kaniya: ang hindi niya pagbalik sa klase, ang kuha sa CCTV noong papunta siya sa hagdanan ng rooftop ilang oras bago natagpuang nakabitay ang patay na katawan ng biktima. Lahat ng iyon ay tumutugma. It all points to Liu.

"I-I didn't even remember holding it. Hindi ko magagawa 'yon. Hindi... Miki... Nakita ni Miki... The finger prints- I don't know! Maybe someone framed me! Nagising na lang ako... and I found her. Patay na siya."

Liu looks devastated that she can't even construct her claim correctly. Nandito kami ngayon sa Police Station matapos ang kaguluhan na nangyari sa academy. Miki and I were currently wearing our PE uniform dahil sa mga mantsa ng dugo sa uniporme ni Liu at ang kaunting pagdikit nito sa akin. The image of Liu in bloodbath seems registered in my mind forever; the touch of her shaking hands covered with blood didn't leave my senses.

And I'm still puzzled. It's my first time witnessing something as terrible as murder and my sister is tagged as the suspect. Hindi ko namamalayan ay natutulala na lamang ako dahil sa lalim nang iniisip.

Ang nakapagtataka sa pangyayari ay ang matagpuang walang record ng CCTV ang rooftop mula 7:30 am hanggang mga bandang alas dyes which may result to a margin of error sa investigation. Maaring may iba pang involve na hindi nahagilap ng CCTV.

"Chief, look at the video," a guy interrupted.

Lumapit ito sa table ni chief inspector Blancho at ipinakita ang isang record ng CCTV na nasa laptop nito. Is he part of the investigators, too?