Across Minds (ACROSS Series 1)

Chapter 16

I was running non-stop since I got down from the taxi that I rode all the way from the office. I didn't know where to go until I heard someone called me. 

"Maggie?" I turned around and saw Jerome, one of his friends.

I was so confused with what happened but I felt anger rose up when I saw him. Ang alam ko kasama siya ni Ace kanina. He was sitting in the stairs and stood up when he saw me. I walked towards him and slapped him. He was dumbfounded.

"Anong ginawa niyo sa kanya, ha?!" I hit him again and again. "Anong ginawa niyo. Kayo ang huling kasama niya hindi ba?"

"Maggie! Hindi siya sumama sa amin!" he said and held my arms to stop me from hitting him.

"What?" I whispered. 

"Totoo na may lakad kami dapat ngayon. But he backed out. May kailangan daw siyang gawin." he said.

"Pero ang sabi niya sa'kin..." I found it difficult to find the words I wanted to say. He lied to me? "Si Ace. Nas'an si Ace?" my body was still shaking

"Maggie..." his voice was sad. He cleared his throat. "Kailangan mong maging matatag."

"Ano bang sinasabi mo?" my voice shake. "Halika ka na! Alam mo ba ang room number ni Ace? Bilisan mo na."

He looked so hesitant before he started walking. When we reached a hallway on the ground floor, I saw Tito Anthony and Tita Alicia sitting on the line of chairs outside. Agad ko silang nilapitan. 

"Tita." I called her. Agad naman itong napatingin sa akin.

"Maggie?" she rose her head and met my gaze. Tears are falling from her eyes. Tumayo siya at agad akong niyakap. "Si Ace. Ang anak ko." she was shaking uncontrollably.

"'Asan po si Ace, Tita?" sinubukan kong lakasan ang loob ko. 

Hindi makuhang magsalita ni Tita Alicia kaya lumingon ako kay Tito Anthony.

"Tito, ano ba?" my voice was getting louder. "Tito!"

"Margaret." his voice broke. 

He looked at the door behind me. Dahan dahan kong binitawan si Tita Alicia bago lingunin ang ang tinignan ni Tito. I felt my world stopped when I saw what was written on the door. Morgue. My knees weakened.

"No. Bad joke." I whispered to myself. "Hindi, hindi. Tita ano ba?!" my emotions exploded. Hindi 'to totoo.

"Hija." Tito Anthony walked towards me and hugged me. I hit his chest. "Tito hindi eh. Magkausap pa kami kanina. Susunduin niya pa dapat ako." my lips quivered. "Ano bang nangyari?" I was scared to know the answers to my questions.

He sat me down on one of the chairs. He looked away before answering me. "Tumawag sa akin kanina ang isang police station sa Tarlac. Ang sabi nila may nakita daw silang sunog na sasakyan sa isang high-way. Nabunggo sa isang malaking puno sa gilid ng daan." his voice was becoming hoarser as he continued. "When they looked inside, nakita nila ang driver ng kotse na hindi na makilala. Sunog na sunog ang katawan nito."