Fate Fools

Encounter 19

Alliance
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"Next, tell me about the Nuremberg Code. Ms. Aquino," Ma'am Diaz, our teacher in Practical Research called out.

The latter stood hastily but no word came out her mouth.

"Uhm," she uttered while looking anywhere as if she could find answer that way. Siya 'yong classmate kong palaging nabibigla sa ganito kaya siguro nangangapa ng sagot.

As impatient as she is, our teacher seemed annoyed by my classmate's action lalo na nang sabihing hindi niya matandaan kaya pinaupo na ito.

"Gosh, are you old enough to forget our lessons?" she remarked with her infamous expression.

Maingat ko namang binuklat ang notebook na nakapatong sa desk at pasimpleng tinipa sa nakatagong cellphone ang tanong ni Ma'am.

"Anyone?" tawag niya ulit pero walang nagtataas ng kamay. 'Pag nawalan 'yan ng pasensya siguradong magtatawag na lang siya ng kung sino. Graded pa naman ang recitation pero hindi ako nakapag-review dahil sinorpresa niya kami. What a pleasant surprise for a great student like me!

"One of the earliest ethics code, set of 10 research ethic principles written in 1947 for human experimentation," sagot ni Vanjo sa kabilang linya. Wala akong makapitan pero dahil matalino pa rin ako, naisip kong kasabwatin si Ivan.

Ka-chat ko siya kanina bago mag-start ang klase at vacant daw nila kaya naabala ko siya. Pasimple kong tina-type ang mga tanong at sinasagot niya 'yon on-call.

I can hear his voice through my bluetooth earphones that I managed to hide through my long hair. Para akong spy. Cool.

"Yes, Ms. Samaniego?" Agad akong napatingin kay Ma'am Diaz at sinalubong niya ako ng matamis na ngiti pero mataray na mga mata. Sabi na eh. Buti na lang handa ako.

"Nuremberg code is one of the earliest ethics code. It is a set of 10 research ethic principles written in 1947 for human experimentation," I answered confidently. Lalong tumamis ang ngiti niya pero hudyat pala iyon na hindi pa ako makakaupo.

"Then, kindly give me one element of the code," she followed-up. What the hedge. My confidence suddenly drained but I didn't make it obvious.

"One element of the code?" pag-uulit ko sa tanong, hoping that my accomplice from the other line would hear.

Tina-type ko lang ang mga tanong kanina dahil baka mahalata ni ma'am kung salita ako ng salita habang nakikinig. Mahirap na, she has ears like dog's. Kahit bumulong ka sa may pinakalikod ay maririnig niya.

"One element of the code is," pag-uulit ko dahil walang sumasagot.

"Yes, just one element of the code," I can sense my teacher's impending irritation dahil paulit-ulit ako.

"Ehm, an element of Nuremberg" pagtikhim ko at pag-ulit na naman sa tanong. Kunwaring nag-iisip.

"Yes, element of Nuremberg Code, ilan beses mo pa uulitin? Were my words not clear enough Ms. Samaniego? If not, you are free to get you're bag," She let out another infamous expression, senyales na nauubusan na ng pasensya.

Ano yun? Isip Shin.

Sa ilang segudong pagkalkal sa isip ko ay wala akong nakuhang sagot. Medyo na-pressure pa ako ng ilapat ni Maa'm ang pen niya sa score sheet. Patay zero pa nga.

"Ms. Samaniego do you know it or not?"

Napaglapat ko ang mga labi at bahagyang napayuko.