Street Signs

Chapter 3

BRIELLE

After some days of waiting, the autopsy report was now to be declared and explained.

I was with Aunt Yadora and Zayden's lawyer, together with the pathologist, medical examiners, coroner, and polices. It wasn't yet starting, but my whole body was already shaking with nervosity. The paper was held to Aunt, but I didn't dare to look at it. I just waited for someone to explain things.

"According to the report, the victim was stabbed multiple times in all parts of his body, with the use of a sword that was found at the exact place where he died. Five lunges were found at his chest; two stabs at his right and left arms; another two stabs at his legs; three stabs at his back; finally, one stab at his head, specifically at the nasal part," the pathologist discussed.

My heart seemed to stop beating when I knew it. The moment I saw him lying on the street- bloodily, I couldn't move properly, but hearing further details made me totally freeze. I couldn't imagine he suffered terribly. I knew he didn't deserve any of that.

I turned my gaze to Aunt who was teary while looking at the autopsy report. I just looked away when the discussion continued.

They said that nothing more was done to Zay, just the stabbing. But the suspicious thing was that they couldn't trace the killer.

"The sword used for the killing was also examined," police said, "but there's something suspicious... we couldn't find any killer. There are no signs that someone holds the sword. Even on the ground, we couldn't find any footsteps of it."

"What do you mean?" Tita Yadora asked. "Can we see the sword?"

They agreed. Police then came holding the sword and presented it to us. The sword had still bloodstains on the whole blade, even on the grip.

"Excuse me, Sir, with due respect, I don't believe in you," I stood up. "How is it impossible that there's no killer when you can obviously see blood on the grip? Meaning, there's someone who held it. Are you saying that the sword just automatically flew and stabbed my boyfriend? Magic?"

"That's the question, Ma'am, it's really impossible, we couldn't trace an arm of someone who holds the sword."

"Couldn't be traced? That's questionable, Sir. Did you really do everything to investigate things?" I puckered my eyebrows. How the hell they could not trace the killer? Why was it that no one hold the sword if the sword was the one used for the killing? Were they just trying to hide it from us? "Zayden was already dead, yet you're still covering the truth to us? How will he rest in peace if you're doing this to him?" I shouted.

The other cops calmed me and told me to sit down. When I took a seat, I whispered to Aunt Yadora and asked her to pardon me for acting rude. I just couldn't control myself, especially that they were trying to take away justice for Zay.

"We understand because even us, know it's totally impossible. It's the first case that we couldn't find a killer."

"Even a suspect?"

"E-even a suspect..."

I looked at Aunt Yadora and held her hands. "Aunt, let's go home. It's no use for us if we're gonna stay here and listen to their lies."

Her expression couldn't be painted. She was confused and it seemed like she had so many questions she wanted to be answered, yet she went with me. When she finally took her seat at the shotgun's, she remained speechless.

I started driving the car even though the lawyer tried to stop me. "Attorney, you knew they are lying. It's nonsense if we'll go back there," I said.

"But, Ms. Mayton, it's worsening the situation. It's a hard case if only you knew, so we should have a long patience and self-control."

"I know, I know. But can't you see, Attorney? They are fooling us!"

"I agree, but leaving like this is so unprofessional. We just ruined a very basic etiquette. We should go back-"

"Attorney, let her," Aunt Yadora cut him off.

The lawyer didn't speak again, though there was still something in his mouth he wanted to utter out.

"I guess I'm not yet ready for this, especially that I heard their findings. Tomorrow, we'll just go back."

"Ms. Garcia, you should've ready yourself to anything and everything that you will hear. If you'll remain weak and emotionally unstable, we won't win against this. You want the justice, right?"

"We all want the justice, but they are taking it away from us," I interfered. "It's very clear. It's very obvious, they are hiding the killer from us because they maybe know it. I can't deal with this justice system anymore. We better see things ourselves than listen to them. It's just a waste of time."

"Brielle, calm down," Aunt Yadora said. "Even though their findings are unacceptable, they can still help us. We still need them. I'll go back tomorrow, and if you're not okay to lend your ears to them, it's fine that you'll not go with us."

I let out a sigh. "No, Aunt. I'll still go with you."

When the next day came, we came back to the polices and pathologist to ask things for the second time, yet they still told us the same thing: Zayden was killed using a sword, but there's no killer behind it, they couldn't trace it.

I was so full of them, they were going too much.

Even the lawyer lost his patience. He fight for it many times, but he received nothing.

We gained no appropriate answer.

"You're right, we just really wasted our time," the lawyer said as we headed back to the car. "I feel so disappointed in myself. I wasn't able to win this case, I don't know what's happening."

"Attorney, it's not your fault. You did your job. We did our part. It's just them... the problem is in them."

When we finally got into the car, I gazed at Aunt Yadora whose tears were slowly shedding through her cheeks. "I feel so pity of myself I couldn't even fight for my son," she said.

I hugged her. "Aunt, you've done nothing wrong. You actually fought and continued fighting for him. You're a strong woman, Aunt. Don't worry, this isn't ending yet. We'll find justice for Zayden."

I asked Aunt to lend me the autopsy report for some time when we had returned home.

She did lend it to me before going to Uncle Hernan who was looking after Zay.

As I held the autopsy report, I looked at it, read, and examined everything.

The pathologist said things right, but even though he would not say it, it was obvious that Zay was stabbed many times. The question was: why was it that sword was the weapon used for killing and who owned that sword?

I was in the middle of confusion when I remembered the message I had received that was related to Zay's death. If the polices couldn't trace the killer, then it might help me. Nevertheless, there was still a parallel side to that.