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Chapter thirty-four

COURAGE

The real motive.

Para kaming nakarinig ng bagay na hindi namin inaakalang mangyayari. Si Prisoner four, tulala at naging estatwa sa narinig. Binasa ni Barbie sa amin ang sa tingin ko'y lahat na nakasulat doon sa papel na iyon. Lahat kami'y natahimik at pinoprosesso pa ang mga narinig namin. Napaos na nga siya kababasa niya.

I can't help but feel bad kay Prisoner three, I mean, kay Mary. Nasanay na tuloy akong tawagin sila sa mga prisoner numbers nila rito sa takot na maparusahan ni MC. Andami niyang pinagdaanan na napaka-traumatic. Ang gago ng tatay niya, ang gago ng kapatid niyang lalake, ang gago ni Bastein, mas lalo na si Jeric. Buti nalang talaga hindi ako nadala sa paawa effect niya no'ng gabing iyon. Gano'n pala siyang tao, ang lakas niyang pandirian si Bastein siya naman pala ang may pakana kung bakit nasira buhay ni Mary. Unlucky her, she failed her mission. Iba 'yong napatay niya. Now, ano nga ba talaga ang nangyari no'ng gabing nangyari 'yong brownout? I have a feeling that the survivor will take the secret with him on his grave. That's when I realized we never really solved the second case properly, andami pa ring butas. But the point of the game is to find the IT, not solve the crime. Maybe Prisoner three being the killer was just a lucky guess.

"I can't believe I get to use this today," tawa niya nang marahan habang nakatingin sa papel. Pagkatapos ng mga ilang segundo ay ginusot niya ito gamit ang kaniyang kamao at lumuha. "I'm sorry, Mary."

"So it was her..." hindi makapaniwalang saad ni Prisoner four. Mukhang hindi niya namukhaan 'yong ka-isa-isang biktima niya. Ang malala doon ay nagawa pa niyang makipagtalik dito.

"That's how you know a guy is a piece of trash when he doesn't recognize his victims," President commented in the lowest voice possible. "I always had sensed that he's just like the other guys." She smirked.

Huminga nang malalim si Prisoner four after having a deep thought. "I admit that I was wrong—"

"Oopsy daisy! There's no more time for that! Because it's your turn to answer now, Prisoner four. How well do you know Prisoner eight?" Tawa ni MC sa pagputol niya rito. Halatang sinadya niya ito para asarin. Sa lagay niya ngayon, mukhang hindi siya makakasagot nang maayos dahil sa ibang bagay nakatuon ang utak niya. And that's where the mess begins.

Barbie is one of the people I talk with the most. It feels so jittery and weird that she's up next for the judgment of today's Mental Education. If it's people like Prisoner 11 I wouldn't care about it that much. I wonder how worse can her secret be? Or what if she doesn't have one just like me?

"Is Prisoner eight's blonde hair genetic or dyed?"

"I can't wait to hear hers, she's one of the most popular students in Creighton. Her dark secret probably costs half a million peso." Bulong ulit sa akin ni president. I glanced at her, she looks... excited. Huh, I mean, knowing the dirts of the people you're acquainted with is exciting... isn't it?

"Make it a million, bet," napalingon naman kaming dalawa ni president sa boses na nanggagaling sa likuran namin. It was Azazel, naririnig niya 'yong mga pinagbubulong sa akin ni president. Napatingin tuloy kami sa isa't-isa dahil mukhang pareho kami ng na-realize. Tinarayan nalang niya ito at ibinalik ang atensyon sa harapan, may sagot na si Prisoner four sa unang tanong, ngunit gaya nga ng inaasahan ko, matagal bago niya ito nasagutan.

Dyed. Hindi naging masaya sa sagot ni Prisoner four si Barbie. Hindi ko maalala kung may nabanggit sa akin si Barbie na may lahi siya pero mukhang genetic ang tamang sagot. May masasampolan na ngayon ng punishment.

Lahat kami'y napatingin sa screen nang tumunog ang tunog na nag-iindicate na tama ang sagot ni Prisoner four. As usual, walang naging imik si MC pagkatapos. Uh-oh, her real identity must be her dark secret, maybe?