The Sleuth Project ✓

Chapter 23: The Sleuths' Dispute

/23/
The Sleuths' Dispute

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SERA'S HANDS shook fervently until she couldn't properly hold her phone anymore. Outside, the sky had turned dimmer as she slowly raised her head — only to see that Queenie was now frowning at her as well.

Just at that moment, the school bell suddenly rang to signify that their classes were done and that they were officially dismissed. Maingay at masaya ang lahat as their classmates eagerly stood up from their seats — already preparing to leave the class in a rumble of chatter.

"Anyare sa'yo??" Concerned na tanong ni Queenie na napatayo na rin at inaayos ang kaniyang mga kagamitan. Sera opened her mouth, trying to speak, but then eventually shut it close.

Dahil dito ay mas lalo lang kumunot ang noo ni Queenie. Her thick eyebrows were now also furrowed together, and her lips curved upside down. "Ano bang nangyayari sa inyo, para kayong mga—"

Queenie's sentence abruptly ended when she realized that her phone too, like Sera, seemed to have vibrated; coming from the front pocket of her old, worn-down backpack. Raising an eyebrow, she unzipped the front pocket and pulled out her phone.

"That's strange. Usually wala namang nagte-text sa akin ah." Queenie remarked jokingly.

"Queenie I don't think you shou—"

Before Sera could finish her warning and before Queenie could open her phone, a loud gust of wind blew through their classroom's long line of wide windows. Thunder crashed into the sky, and bright lightning almost blinded their eyes.

A few screams came from some of their startled classmates as they all whirled around, turning their heads to the windows.

Nang nahimasmasan na yung iba ay tumakbo ang mga ito para isara ang mga bintana ng kanilang classroom, including Rein, Ann and Jarrell who felt compelled to help as they were the officers of the class.

Sera on the other hand, stayed put in her seat, as if the message she had received bothered her more than the storm.

Meanwhile, Queenie squinted her eyes as tried to fix her frazzled hair. This was impossible though as the strong breeze was blowing every piece of paper in the room — even making the books on their desk bust open as the pages flitted by. As the wind raged on, professor Airyn's pen holder on the teacher's desk rattled; and the posters on the bulletin board flapped rapidly.

Despite the chaos, Queenie, who now gave up on her wild curly strands that were flying everywhere, turned once more to her cellular device.

"NDRRMC kaya yung nag-text? Mukhang may bagyo eh." Queenie frowned as she opened her phone. But before she can finally view the text message that she had received, Sera snatched her phone from her.

"Hey!" Queenie exclaimed in surprise as Sera viewed the text. "Seriously Sera, ano ba nangyayari sa'yo? Para kang sinapian." Reklamo muli ng dalaga, before peeking from behind Sera's shoulder.

Nang naisara na ang mga bintana at medyo kumalma na ang kanilang classroom, ay hindi na maipinta ang mukha ni Queenie. "H-Hindi ba kayo 'yan??"

"It is." Sera said breathlessly, before taking a deep breath and giving back her phone.

"Listen, Queenie, both of us received the same text." Sera said grimly, before glancing towards the others. "If this pattern goes on, then we can deduce that the others would receive it too. Worst case scenario? The whole class receives it."

Queenie's lips trembled at the thought.

"Snap out of it Queenie!" Sera snapped. "Kailangan nating mag-isip ng palusot just in case na mangyari 'yon."