Joy Has Gone

Chapter 28: The Cabin in the Woods

Chapter 28
The Cabin in the Woods

Few hours ago. . .

GUILT IS an incredibly powerful emotion. There is a wide range of things to feel guilty about — from feeling guilty about eating the last piece of neon balls in your plastic cup to feeling guilty about someone you hurt in the past.

Jonas is experiencing the both of them, but he's been dwelling on the latter part. He's not that sad, he's not that upset. Instead, he's ashamed of himself. Sobrang nahihiya siya sa sarili niya. Ayaw niyang makita siya ng kahit na sino dahil pakiramdam niya, wala siyang dapat na iharap sa mga ito. He's anxious, he's frustrated.

Hindi niya alam pero 'yung mga halo-halong emosyon na nararamdaman niya ay unti-unting nabubuo sa loob niya at nagpapatong-patong. Hindi na niya alam kung ano pang gagawin niya sa sarili niya. A girl died because of him. Walang ibang ginawa sa kanya ang babaeng 'yun kundi ang hangaan siya pero sa sobrang gago niya, iniwan niya ito habang pinaglalaruan ng mga demonyong lalaki. Demonyo rin naman siya kung tutuusin dahil sa ginawa niya, 'yun ang tingin niya sa sarili niya.

Guilt can well up inside and built over time, most especially if we never admit to ourselves that we were at fault. Jonas admitted it already, he's at fault; he's the reason why Charity died. The truth is, she didn't kill herself, but instead, he did. He let her made a noose and put it around her neck, then hanged herself at the ceiling of her dark room. He's a fucking asshole for letting that happen!

Hindi lang naman 'yun e. Jonas is also one of those stupid teens who bullied and killed Joy — either accidentally or not, it doesn't really matter. They took their life. He's the one who was keeping a tight grip on her legs while his friend Punch was assaulting her. He could've stop him, he could've stop them, but he didn't. He's really a fucking asshole for letting that happen.

Akala niya, dun lang matatapos ang lahat ng kasalanan niya. Pero hindi, he did something terrible to his friend Jace. He loves him so much as his big bro pero hindi niya akalaing siya mismo ang magpapahamak dito. He wept as the memory flashed on his head.

Matapos muling atakihin si Jace ng kanyang sakit at manatili sa ospital ay agad na kinausap siya ni Percy. Aligagang lumapit ito sa kanya. Nasa taas sila ng rooftop ng building kung saan madalas magkita silang tatlo at pag-usapan ang misteryong bumabalot sa kanilang lungsod. Humahangos ang binata at may dalang puting folder na may mga lamang papel na animo'y mahahalagang dokumento.

"Ano'ng balita, Percy? May nangyari ba?" tanong ni Jonas. "Hindi ko alam kung dapat kitang isali dito, pero baka matulungan mo kami. This is about Joy, she's alive!"

Bakas sa mukha ni Percy ang gulat ngunit tila hindi niya muna ito pinagtuunan ng pansin. "Dude, this isn't about her, but Jace. I know this is weird but he's the one who's been killing our schoolmates!"

"Ano? Paano nangyari 'yun?" bulalas ni Jonas.

Inilabas ni Percy ang mga laman ng folder at pinakita dito ang mga litratong kuha muna sa CCTV kung saan kitang-kita ang mukha ni Jace. "Matagal ko na 'tong gustong ipakita sa kanya pero natatakot ako na baka hindi niya kayanin."

"H-Hindi siya 'yan. . ." hindi makapaniwalang usal ni Jonas.

"Possible, Jonas. Pero tingnan mo 'to, I got this from the hospital." Agad naman ipakita ni Percy ang medical records. "This is Jace's records. Dude, he's sick. Hind niya alam na siya ang pumapatay. Hindi totoong nagba-blackout siya, hindi niya lang talaga maalala ang mga ginagawa niya sa tuwing pumapatay sya! Dude, we have to do something pero natatakot ako na baka masaktan natin siya."