The Horseman's Code

Chapter Two: Voyage Until Sundown Part 1

Chapter Two: Voyage Until Sundown Part 1

Lutheia Nicole Alvarez 

"Dito na lang po!!" Para ng isang estudyante ng Volmino High kaya bumaba na din ako ng jeep. 

Pagkababa ko ng jeep ay bumungad agad sakin ang mga estudyanteng papasok sa Volmino High. first day of school.

May Isang oras pa naman bago mag simula ang klase kaya dumaan muna ako sa coffee shop para bumili ng Mint chocolate chip frappe at Ensaymada. 

Reading while drinking your favorite drink in a quiet place is quite relaxing.

Akala ko malulugi na ang shop na to ng dahil sa nangyaring krimen dito last week. but it was the opposite.

Mas lalo pa itong dinumog ng mga tao lalo na ng mga kabataan kesyo ang lupet daw at kung ano ano pang post ang nakikita ko sa social media.

After 30 mins napag desisyonan ko ng pumasok at baka mahuli pa ko sa klase. Pag dating ko naman ay mahigit kalahati na sa mga kaklase ko ang nandun na. 

Iginala ko ang mga mata ko para humanap ng magandang pwesto at nakita ko naman na may dalawa pang bakante sa likuran kaya tinungo ko na yun.

"Hi? may naka-upo na ba sa tabi mo?" I asked the woman in glasses. She stared at me for a long time as if she's thinking then she nodded.

Uh... Did I pass the qualities for her 'Ideal seatmate'?

"I'm Lutheia Nicole Alvarez" I extend my hand as a greeting but she just looked at me and stared at my hand. 

Nginitian ko na lang sya at pagkatapos nun ay binaba ko na ang mga gamit ko at tahimik na umupo.

Volmino High is quite nice for a public school. Volmino high is better than the private school I used to attend. Idagdag mo pa na isa din itong boarding school.

Pati mga anak ng mayayaman sa laguna ay mas pinili na mag aral sa Volmino High kesa sa ibang private school... The Quality Of Volmino High. 

"Hi! may nakaupo na ba sa tabi niyo?" A man appeared out of nowhere.

Umiling lang ako at sinabing "You can have that seat." agad naman itong umupo sa pagitan namin at sakto namang tumunog ang bell .

"I'm Gremoir Montes" He said then he smiled at me "Lutheia Nicole Alvarez" pagkatapos nun ay hindi na kami nag kibuang tatlo.

After the first period sinabihan kami ng Prof. namin na humanay at pumuntang School Gym para daw sa Opening remarks ng Dean at Orientation

When we arrived at the gym I saw Azrael who was just next to us in the queue. Our eyes met and I smiled at him.. Azrael ignored me.

"Do you know him?" Gremoir asked me "Azrael? we met by accident last week at the coffee shop" Wika ko at tumango tango naman si Gremoir at parang nag isip pa ito.

"Do you mean.. the coffee shop that was the talk of the town last week because of the poisoning case?" Tumango na lang ako at lumapit pa si Gremoir para bumulong "Azrael is well known for the cases he solved... even the dean honored him for a case he solved for the school"

I'm quite surprised even though I already know that Azrael has a knack for solving cases.

"Kaibigan mo ba siya?" Interesadong tanong ni Gremoir hindi ko alam ang isasagot kaya umiling na lang ako.

well he ignored me.. so I'm assuming we're not friends based on that.

Dumilim ang paligid at lumitaw ang mukha ng dean sa projection screen ng gym dahil hindi daw kasi ito makakapunta. may mas importante daw itong dadaluhan.

"Hello my dear students of Volmino High I hope you enjoyed your vacation..but we need to remove the word vacation from our minds and insert the word study. You should study hard and work hard not as a student but as an individual......." Maikli lang ang attention span ng isang tao kaya di nag tagal ay umingay na ang paligid.

Nawala din ang attention ko sa dean dahil  may nakita akong dalawang pigura ng tao na papalapit sa projector pero pagtapos ng ilang minuto ay umalis na din sila.

"E-Enjoy the school yea-ahxajsdasg" Nabalik ang atensyon ng mga estudyante ng biglang mag glitch ang video sa projector screen.

The Dean's face disappeared on the projection screen and was replaced by a blank screen. Pagtapos ng ilang segundo ay nagbago din ito. 

A silhouette of a man..

"Greetings! I'm the representative of The Seals... was our last school year too boring for you?" A distorted voice said. 

Nag sigawan naman ng "Oo" ang mga estudyante at makikita mong nag tataka naman ang mga guro sa paligid..

"I think this is not included in their School Orientation." Bulong ni Gremoir ng mapansin ang mga reaksyon ng mga guro.

"You don't have to worry anymore! The Seals are here to give spice to our boring school year~ This time you will be surprised and you will definitely scream this school year!" Nagsigawan naman ang mga estudyante sa paligid kaya napatingin ako kay Azrael na kasalukuyang seryosong pinapanood yung video.

"But not now... We must prepare first for the obstruction to the plan because we don't want to mess up the fun for the students. but as a greeting gift. We, The Seals prepared something for you!" nag sigawan ulit ang mga estudyante kaya napatingin ako sa mga student police at papalapit na sila sa projector para patayin ito.

"Tentententen~...... A Treasure Hunt! but we won't give you a map. we will show you a following image for a clue that will lead you to another until you reach the hidden treasure! Sounds fun right?"

Agad ko namang nilabas ko ang cellphone ko para makuhaan ng video ang mga ipapakita nilang images mamaya. Pero saktong sa images na ay biglang pinatay ng teacher ang projector.

"ANO BA YAN? KUNG KELAN NANDUN NA EH." sigaw ng isang estudyante kaya nagsunod sunod na din ang mga reklamo ng mga estudyante.

Pero wala ding nagawa ang pagrereklamo nila dahil pinapabalik na kami sa kanya kanyang silid aralan.

"Hey will you meet me after class?" I was startled when Azrael appeared out of nowhere. "Where?" I didn't bother to ask him 'Why' dahil alam ko na agad kung ano ang  kailangan nya sakin.

"I'll wait for you..outside of your classroom" tinanguan ko na lang siya at umalis na para bumalik sa classroom.

"Hmmm? I see.." Gremoir said in teasingly voice kaya naman inirapan ko siya. "Stop that Gremoir. It's not what you think. " tumango tango lang ito at tumawa.

Walang katapusan na introduction ang nangyari samin ngayong umaga at buti na lang ay half day kami dahil para lang daw sa Introduction at Orientation ang first day.

Time flew swiftly, and each subject's introduction was over before I knew it.

"Lutheia! May naghahanap sayo sa labas." I almost forgot that Azrael was waiting for me outside the classroom so I quickly arranged my things and went out.

"You have a video about what happened earlier right?" bungad sakin ni Azrael kaya tumango ako.

I was already expecting this because I saw him earlier looking at me while I'm taking a video about the images.

"Pwede ba akong sumama?" Tanong ko sa kanya at tumango ito. I also don't have anything to do and I'm also curious .. about the Seals. 

"So.. Where do we start this voyage?"