Not Today

Epilogue

Lately, I’ve been suspicious.

“Even if I turn myself in, it’s a dead end, Cha.”

What escalated almost two weeks ago was too much of a coincidence.

The night I turned my father in, he was shot dead as he was escorted to the police car.

It all happened so fast that I still can’t place the right emotion for this last moment with him—grief.

A part of me was guilt, and the other a thirst for justice.

Uncle Luthor comforted my mother when she started crying, “I’m sorry, Stacey.”

They had begun covering Dad’s coffin with dirt. 

I thought my cooperation with Ysmael’s uncle would save my father from his deathbed, but it proved that whichever side I turn I’d end up getting the same result.

I gently patted Calyx’s back, my younger brother, when he started crying as well.

“Even if I turn myself in, it’s a dead end, Cha.”

For the past week, I’ve started to think that there is a mole in the police department.

Mostly, I shrug the thought off, thinking maybe there’s not much to what Dad had said. Being suspicious is one, but thinking a spy is amongst the police? There’s a big difference.

And honestly, I had chosen to consider the probability of my thoughts.

The weeping dominated the place as the last pile of dirt covered everything. Perhaps all our closest relatives and family friends did, except for me.

The visitors said their condolences, so did my friends.

I saw Uncle Luthor coming my way.

Is it really possible that there is a spy among Uncle’s men? I asked myself.

Or god forbid, him?

“I’m really sorry for what happened, ija.” I quickly closed my eyes from these thoughts.

I smiled weakly at him, then stared willingly at his eyes.

Still, it can be him, can’t it?

Whoever it is, there is not much I could do for now.

I am powerless at this point. I could try, or die trying.

But come a day, I’ll find out.

Justice will come our way. I’ll make sure of it.

Just… not today.