The Double-Cross

The Double-Cross: Chapter 4 - A Grisly Encounter On The First Day

THE DOUBLE-CROSS

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Ashi

My eyes squinted, trying to look again if what I saw is really a knife, but then- it is. It wasn't that big, wasn't too small neither. Hindi ito mukhang partikular na kutsilyong makikita sa kusina, kung kaya kapansin-pansin. It has holes on the side, and the handle is color red which matches the color of his jacket.

He's not wearing a school uniform.

Is he also a transferee?

An outsider?

"Just do what I say. If you find him, make sure you'll get rid of him, because if you don't... I'll do it myself."

Why am I having an ominous feeling suddenly? Well, who wouldn't feel this way when you saw someone holding a knife inside a school premises?

And what does Vex mean by that? Was it just by locking the student in the abandoned building to reflect from his mistake, or my guts are right that it means something else?

"Shit," I mumble to myself as the uneasiness I feel increases every tick of the clock. I couldn't hold myself, tapping my foot on the cement incessantly and biting my nails as I watch the guy walk away. "I'm going to look for a bathroom," paalam ko kay Reed at Taleigha. Hindi ako kinibuan ng mga ito dahil okupado sila pareho sa pagbabahagi ng kwento. Agad naman akong umalis at nagtungo sa eskina.

Nasundan pa ng paningin ko ang lalaki. Pero naging mabilis ang paglalakad niya na nawala na ito sa paningin ko. Did he notice me following him? Saan naman ito nagtungo? There's no way he could do that, vanish into a thin air.

"Hindi kaya ay nagtatrabaho iyon dito?" tanong ko sa sarili. "Pero may kutsilyo?" I really tried hard to convince myself. But again, Vex's voice echoed in my head. What is wrong with me?

Kasabay ng pagiging balisa ay ang pagpasok ng kung ano-anong palaisipan sa aking ulo. Kasabay na ro'n ang palaisipan kay Vex. What he said to the person he was talking to on his phone this morning, who might it be?

I don't want to think of it that way. However, my brain couldn't resist the idea.

Inutusan niya ba ang taong ito? O, siya mismo ang nakasuot ng dyaket na iyon?

I stop walking and my thoughts were interrupted when I saw a door beside me. Ang pinto na iyon ay mula sa gymnasium. It looks like an exit door of the building.

Maybe, he walks in here, that's why he disappears?

Huminga ako nang malalim bago buksan ang pinto. When I already did, I peeked inside but I couldn't see anyone there. Hindi ko makita ang lalaking sinusundan ko.

I gaze one more time, and found no one still. I stepped away from the door, and stare at it as if I've lost my mind.

"This is nonsense," natatawang usal ko sa sarili ko. I looked around, even peeked at the broken window of the abandoned building and found no one still. "I'm just overreacting," usal ko muli sa sarili. I tried to convince myself that it has nothing to do with Vex. That lasted for, I think, longer than I have anticipated. When I finally get a grip of myself, I decided to go back the bench where Taleigha and Reed await.

As I make my way, there was an abrupt noise behind me as if something had crashed on the floor.

Natigilan ako at mabilis na lumingon.