The Search

Chapter 3

After how many minutes, we had finally arrived at the station. The atmosphere inside was totally different. The tranquility there was making me shift my weight from one foot to another.

"The head is coming in a minute," Psalm said, "then we'll start the interview."

I nodded.

While waiting, I was just glancing around the room. I was a bit dizzy, so I was just humming in order to forget it. But as I was singing a hymn, it was still Mommy I could think of. When I was little, she used to sing a hymn for me so that I could get my sleep.

While remembering Mom, the head finally arrived. We exchanged pleasantries before we proceeded to the questioning.

One of the cops who had been part of the investigation in the house was the one who asked me things. "The first thing that's evident to your Mom's death is her chest that was pierced. That means she was intentionally killed," he started. "Pero bukod doon, naghanap pa kami ng malakas na pruweba sa pagkamatay niya. We can think the main case here is robbery, but when we wandered all over your house, there was no sign that it's robbery. Walang sapilitang pagbukas ng mga pinto o bintana. Maayos pa rin ang loob ng bahay." He let out a sigh. "Now, here's the question: mayroon bang kaaway ang ina mo?"

"S-sir, my Mom is good. I-it's impossible na may kaaway siya. Never in my life did I see her fight w-with someone else."

"Baka naman may tinatago ang Mommy mo sa'yo?"

"No, Sir. Who are you to judge?" I asked. "I know my Mom, h-hindi niya kayang magtago ng isang bagay sa'kin. Kami na lang dalawa ang magkasama, and she always reminds me to tell her everything that's bothering me, a-and she'll do the same. K-kung may kaaway man siya, matagal na niyang sinabi sa'kin."

"Well if that's the case, we have to investigate more about this..." The cop was continually speaking, but his words weren't registering in my mind.

"Are you okay?" Psalm asked me in a low tone.

I nodded a bit, then I didn't know what happened next. Nagising na lang ako na nasa isang kuwarto na ako. I wandered my eyes all around before I woke up Psalm who was sleeping right next to me.

Psalm raised his head and wiped his eyes a couple of times. "Gising ka na pala," ika niya.

"Nasaan tayo?" tanong ko.

"We're in the clinic. Ipinadala ka dito dahil nawalan ka ng malay kanina during the interview. Sabi ko naman kasi sa'yo kumain ka muna o 'di kaya'y magpahinga. Tingnan mo kung anong napala mo ngayon."

Hinawakan ko nang bahagya ang ulo kong kumikirot pa rin bago ako nagsalitang muli. "What about Mom? Sinong nag-aasikaso sa kaniya? We need to go to her," I said, as I tried getting up.

Psalm stopped me. "Margot, hindi mo pa kaya. Huwag ka namang makulit. Si Mama na ang nag-aasikaso kay Tita, kasi kapag iniwan kita dito, wala ring mag-aasikaso sayo."

Disappointment ruled over my face. "Masyado ko na kayong naabala ni Tita. Ako dapat ang nag-aasikaso sa lahat ng 'to, pero mukhang ako pa 'tong nagiging pabigat."

"BFF, don't say that. Hindi ka pabigat, okay? We are friends, normal lang na nagtutulungan tayo lalo na sa ganitong sitwasyon. Don't overthink, please. Help yourself instead, magpalakas ka. That's the best thing you can do for us, and of course to your mom."

I let out a sigh.

"About the interview, I told the police to just continue when you're totally fine. Pumayag naman sila dahil alam din nilang hindi mo pa kaya, ikaw lang talaga 'tong nagpupumilit. But don't worry, they are still conducting further investigation. For now, you have to rest. Hindi kasalanan ang magpahinga." He stood up and took the food from the desk and gave it to me. "Ayan, kumain ka muna. If you refused, our friendship is finally over."

I frowned as I took the food. I ate them since I was so hungry. If I would sum up all the hours that I skipped a meal, it was a day already. "After this, are we going home na?" I asked.

"No, not yet. It's night already, just so you know. Bukas na tayo aalis nang maaga para makapagpahinga ka pa. Sakto pagdating natin doon, nakaburol na si Tita."

"Hindi pa ako handang makita siya, BFF. Hindi pa rin nagsi-sink in sa'kin lahat. Hindi ko alam kung hanggang kailan ako ganito. Hangga't hindi ko nalalaman kung sinong pumatay sa kaniya at bakit siya pinatay, hindi matatahimik ang loob ko."

He hugged me. "I'm still here. I won't let you cry alone."

Natapos ang gabing iyon na punong-puno ng kalungkutan ang diwa ko. Hanggang sa makauwi kami sa bahay ay hindi nawala ang lungkot, lalo na't sinalubong ako ng mapanglaw na halimuyak ng mga bulaklak.

Tita Danara, Psalm's mom, hugged me before I could even get in the house. "You're finally home, Hija," aniya.

"Thank you for taking care of this, Tita. I don't know how would I express my gratitude to you and to Psalm. I-it's just that-"

"Shh..." she slightly covered my mouth with her pointing finger. "Don't worry about this, Hija. Parang anak ka na rin sa'kin, alam mo 'yan?"

"Y-yes, Tita. Maraming salamat po talaga."

"No worries, my dear," she smiled. "Halika na sa loob para makita mo na ang mommy mo. She's been waiting for you."

"I guess I'm not ready yet to see her, Tita Danara. Ang sakit pa rin po kasi, baka mahimatay lang po ako ulit kapag sinilip ko siya."

She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Masakit talaga, Hija, pero mas masakit 'yan kung patuloy mong kikimkimin sa sarili mo. Silipin mo na ang mommy mo at baka magtampo pa siya sa'yo, sige ka. Kung naiiyak ka pa rin talaga, let yourself cry the pain."

I forced a smile before I followed her going in. Tita was always on point. I needed to be strong not just for Mom, but also for myself. Ngayong mag-isa na lang ako sa bahay, kailangan kong maging matatag.

As I was walking nearer to Mom's coffin, my tears fell down through my cheeks one by one. Hanggang sa tuluyan ko na ngang nasilayan ang mukha niya, hindi na magkandarapa ang mga luha ko sa pagpatak.

Mommy was still beautiful despite the fact that her makeup was a little exaggerated. She seemed like she was just sleeping.

"Here, drink this," Tita Danara said, as she offered me a glass of water.

I accepted it and thanked her before I looked at Mommy again. But this time, there were no more tears. Ilang minuto rin akong humagulgol at nagluksa sa harapan niya. After drinking the water, Psalm walked towards me.

"I forgot to give you this," he said, as he offered me my phone. "The police saw this on the tiles, beside Tita Liona. Perhaps it's hers."

I took the phone. "No, it's mine," I said before I sat down at the chair next to Mom's coffin. I opened my cellphone, fortunately, there was still two percent remaining in its battery. I opened the gallery and sought the picture of the drawn fang on the tiles.

Psalm sat beside me. "W-what's that?" he asked as soon as he saw the image.

"I saw this the night M-mom died. Naka-draw na lang ito sa tiles malapit sa kaniya, kaya kinuhanan ko na rin ng picture bago pa mawala o mapunasan."

"Wait, I don't understand. Saan nanggaling 'yan?" he asked. "Mom, take a look of this."

Tita Danara looked as well at the picture. Hindi naman naiba sa amin ang kaniyang reaksyon. "What's that," she asked. "Did Liona draw that?"

"I'm not sure, Tita. Basta nakita ko lang po ito, so I took a picture of it. Well, I guess it's a drawing from her."

Psalm held his chin. "It's a good thing that you took a picture of that because during the investigation, hindi na 'yan nakita ng mga pulis. That will be a big help if we'll going to show it to them," aniya. "Dalawa lang kasi ang puwedeng sagot diyan: that drawing is either by Tita Liona or by the culprit."

Well, who knew?