Unbinding Ties of Sloth

Kabanata 13

Lumipas ang mga araw. Hanggang ang ilang araw ay naging lima at naging isang linggo. Tapos na ang OJT namin, wala nga siya noong awarding of certificates. Our adviser asked me about her after the program but I didn't know what and how to answer. Ang tanging nasabi ko ay wala siya at hindi ko alam kung nasaan siya.

I've never been this worried and scared before. Pero habang lumilipas ang mga araw na wala akong balita sa kanya, mas lumalaki ang takot sa puso at isip ko.

Ang dami kong what ifs. Pero ayokong magpaka-negative. Kahit na kung ano-anong kahindik-hindik na senaryo ang nagsusulputan sa utak ko. I've read the latest post from the Info Board of the Academy pero walang article doon ang tungkol kay Joya.

I even reported it to the police. Pero pinagalitan pa ako nong officer because I only know about her name, age, and birthdate. Bukod diyan, wala na akong alam. I gave them her picture hoping it might help in the progress of the investigation.

They promised to do their best to find her. Pero isang linggo na pero wala pa ring update! Are they even doing their job!?

Do you know what's more bothering me? Walang progress ang kaso. Every time I asked kung pinuntahan 'yong address ni Joya, kung tinanong 'yong parents niya at kung ano-ano pa, ang isinasagot sa akin, the investigation is ongoing. Wala pa ring resulta.

Aside from that, dapat daw pamilya niya ang magfile ng complaint kung talagang nawawala siya. Maliban sa akin,  wala naman daw nagreport about a missing person and so on. Oo nga, her family did not contact me.

Madami pang sinabi ang police officer na may hawak ng kaso. Kulang na lang ibasura yong case. I don't think I can take it!

I posted her photo on my social media accounts. Pero dahil nga wala naman ako masyadong friends, wala din. Nagsisisi tuloy ako kung bakit di ko man lang inadd sa fb or instagram 'yong mga kakilala niya. At least para sana may mutual friends kami.

Hays...

Sa tuwing nilalapitan ko ang mga taong nakikita kong nakakausap niya noon, panay iling lang ang natatanggap kong sagot. Ang iba, hindi alam o hindi nila kilala. Seriously?

My last resort was posting her photocopied photos with capitalized MISSING below her name in different places.

Mahigit isang linggo na pero wala pa ding usad ang kaso niya. I was even included in the list of suspects sa pagkawala niya. Funny.  How could I even harm my best friend?

I reported about Lucas and even his wife. Pero ang sabi nila wala naman daw kahina-hinala sa mag-asawang yon. Aside from that, they were out of town last week nang mawala si Joya. But I won't buy it!

Ugh! This whole thing is making me insane and frustrated. I wanted to do my own investigation. But I lack resources. I lack connections. Paano at saan ako magsisimula?

So, I opted for my last resort.
Dionne.

I decided to look for her para humingi ng tulong, since today is Saturday. And next week will be our graduation.

I am not related to her and not even friends with her. I just knew that she can provide the kind of help I needed this time.

Freya Dionne Jacinto has lots of connections aside from the fact that her family owns one of the biggest security agencies in the country.

I'll ask her to find Joya. Her family's men can do it in just a snap of her finger.
I've witnessed it one time. That one night, noong nag-uusap-usap silang magkakaibigan sa paborito nilang tambayan which happened to be just near "my spot". When I mean my spot, it's where I usually sleep during 5:00-7:00 PM.