How To Make A Serial Killer

| 17 : The rope that binds us |

----- CHAPTER 17 -----

"Where are the others? Where's Herb, Julian, and Zambro?" bulalas ko nang tanging sina Ashton, Meow, Micky, at Lindsey lamang ang naabutan ko sa grand fountain ng campus.

I went out of my way just to reach out to them tapos 'di sila sisipot?

"Absent si Herb, himala nga, eh." Napakamot si Meow sa ulo niya.

"I looked for Julian, too. Sabi ng blockmates niya, absent din daw," sabi naman ni Lindsey.

"How about Zambro? I saw him earlier." Napakunot ako ng noo at napahalukipkip.

"Probably with his friend." Ashton shrugged. "Tinawag ko siya kanina pero hindi man lang ako nilingon. Dire-diretso silang lumabas ng campus. Sa tingin ko, narinig niya ako, nagbingi-bingihan lang."

"'Yong member ng Taekwondo team?" tanong ni Meow at tumango naman si Ashton. "Lagi ko rin silang nakikitang magkasama tapos parang malayo lagi sa mga tao. May relasyon ba ang mga 'yon o may binubuong kulto?"

"Pero 'di ba mga lalaki sila?" Humalakhak si Micky habang walang takot na nakahiga sa mismong kongkretong gilid ng fountain.

"Dude . . . Alam kong shunga ka, pero sobra na ang pagiging shunga mo." Lindsey glared at Micky.

Napabuntonghininga na lamang ako. "Look, I don't care kung wala sila rito. Now, listen up because what I'm about to say is important."

"On a scale of 1 to 10?" Ngumisi si Micky kaya napairap na lamang ako.

I fetched out the black card from my pocket and raised it between my fingers. "If any of you gets to receive a card like this, it means you're next."

"Next na?" Nakunot ang noo ni Ashton.

I looked around before facing them once again. I took a few step closer towards them, closing our distance as I tried to explain in a low voice. "Andros lied to us, okay? It was never about selling a security device. It was never even about making a serial killer because there's already a serial killer in the first place. He never admitted, but my gut is telling me that he used us to taunt the Berdugo of Valesca. Jasmine and her boyfriend were killed, and the other day, Kenzo was slaughtered right in front of us. There's a pattern and it involves our biggest sins. It's important for all of us to be careful. Just leave the town if you can."

***

Mabigat ang bawat hakbang at paghinga ko sa paglabas ko ng campus. Natanaw ko kaagad ang sasakyan ni Stu kaya agad akong lumapit.

"May problema ba?" Kunot-noo siyang lumabas ng sasakyan.

Tumango ako at itinaas ang black card. "I found this at Jasmine's locker. Lahat ng target ng Berdugo ay nakakatanggap ng ganito. Be on the lookout."

"How about the others? Do they know?" Halata ang pagkabahala sa kanyang mukha.

Tumango ako. "I already warned them.

"Did they believe you?" he asked.

Napabuntonghininga ako. "Si Micky lang ang hindi naniwala, he thinks I'm nuts. On the other hand, Lindsey got so terrified and went hysterical that we had to rush her to the clinic. Ashton and Meow, well, let's just say those two won't be sleeping any time soon."

"Sina Zambrano?" tanong pa ni Stu pero bago pa man ako makasagot, narinig kong may tumawag sa pangalan ko.

Sabay kaming napalingon ni Stu at nakita namin si Herb na tumatakbo patungo sa direksyon namin. Magulo ang kanyang buhok at hawak-hawak niya ang gilid ng salamin, pinipigilan itong malaglag. Kung noon ay lagi siyang may malaking backpack at yakap na mga libro, ngayon ay isa lamang ang dala niya — isang folder.