"Eva Marie Salazar. May bisita ka." Mangiyak-ngiyak akong tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo sa sulok ng seldang pinagtapunan saakin saka nag-patianod sa warden patungo sa kung sino mang bumisita saakin.
"T-tita Belen..." I murmured when I saw Trix's mom. She looked so devastated and pissed....at me.
And the second I knew, her right hand met its way to my face.
"Walang hiya ka! Paano mo nagawang patayin ang... anak ko?! Wala kang puso! Nilahat mo pa ang mga kaibigan mo! Demonyo ka! Demonyo!" And she slapped me again as I continued on crying. "Wow! May gana ka pa ngayong umiyak?! Gayong ikaw ang dahilan sa pagkasawi ng mga taong tinuring kang kaibigan!" And I received another slap. Nakakatatlo na siya but I remained still and crying.
"Ma'am that's enoug-"
"Hindi! This is not enough! Hindi ba't modelo ka?! Iyan ba ang gusto niyong tularan ng mga taga hanga niya?! God Eva! You're the least person I'd suspect of doing this! We treated you like a family! Kami ang naging sandalan mo simula nung itakwil ka ng mga magulang mo! Do you know the feeling of having to go home dahil kumalat sa media na patay na ang anak ko?!" Baling niya sa mga pulis. "She desreves to be beheaded in front of everyone! A public execution!" She growled as she slapped me again.
"Ma'am, I am her lawyer and I could sue you right now if you don't stop! Wala pang trial kaya hindi mo pa siya pwedeng ganyanin. She is yet to prove her innocence in front of the law so if you may, leave Ma'am. Condolence for the loss of your daughter but you have to go Ma'am." Singit ni Attorney Ferrer. Tita Belen left while giving me a "You-Deserve-Hell" look as she walked out of the door. "Leave me and my client." Sinunod naman agad nung mga warden ang utos ni Attorney kaya we were alone.
"A-attorney.. Salam-"
"Did you do it?" Malamig niyang tanong.
"Att-"
"Did you do it Eva?!" And I stiffened once again. "Spill the beans Eva. Ikaw ba talaga ang gumawa sa mga kaibigan m-"
"Of course not damn it!"
"Any alibis or witnesses?"
"None. We were alone that night." I answered honestly as I started crying again after remembering my friends' bodies soaked with blood.
"This is going to be a hard case Eva. Tell me what hapenned that night." Buntong hininga niya.
"We were enjoying oursleves with beers when we ran out. I volunteered to get a new case of canned beers since lasing na ang mga kasama ko and when I returned, I saw all of them lying around the camp fire we built, soaked in blood. And the next thing I knew, I collapsed." I tried to narrate them without stuttering.
"Eva... They found a drug in your body." He informed na nagpatigil sa ikot mg mundo ko. "A drug that attacks some parts of the brain, making you unable to remember all that hapenned. And I doubt na iyon lang ang epekto nito." We were both breathing heavily. "So... It's either you really killed all of them and you forgot about it, or.... You witnessed the crime but you got drugged so you can't remember what hapenned that night." He added.
I was drugged? If yes, then who would do such thing? Kaming pito lang ang nasa isla na iyon! Tapos... Imposible namang ako kasi hindi ako nag du-drug... Hindi nga ba ako ang salarin?
I don't even remember taking mysterious meds!
"Excuse me." Attorney begged pardon as he answered his call. Mukhamg importante so I waited until he's done. "Eva... I have two news from my informant. A bad one and a good but could be a bad one too."
"W-what is it attorney?"
"The bad news is... The judge who would be handling your case was paid. In short, whatever you do, you'll still be convicted of the crime even though you have the strongest evidence."
"What?! Who would want me in jail?! That's rubbish attorney! They are depriving me of my rights! What about the good news?" Napa-hilot ako sa sentido ko.
This nerve wracking.
"I tasked one of my private men to the morgue where your friends' bodies are located. And one of those bodies is not real." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa narinig ko. "It was an artificial body."
"Wh-what?! Tapos di man lang napansin ng authorities?!" I growled.
"Remember, the fact that your conviction is paid, someone wants you in jail real bad Eva. Kaya hindi imposible na kung sino man ang nasa likod nito, binayaran rin niya ang hospital upang manatiling tahimik. I'm afraid this is even complicated than I thought. I can't help you with this." Nanatili muna akong tahimik habang pinoproseso ng utak ko ang mga nangyayari.
"That someone set me up." I started crying.
"Hey Eva, it's okay, hindi man kita matulungan sa korte, I could help you naman sa paghahanap ng nag set-up sayo."
"That's not my issue attorney." I stated after every sobs. "That night... we were alone. So if totoo man iyang sasabihin mo... someone betrayed us! May nagtraydor sa ilang taong pagkakaibigan namin!" Sigaw ko saka napahagulgol muli. I can't believe this. Who do such thing?
We were happy. Wala kaming mga away-away.
That night... Leon was silent throughout the night at mukha siyang lion kung makatitig.
Si Vince naman at si Pia ay parehong nakatuon ang pansin sa mobile legends. To the point na magiging magkagalit kayo pag dinistorbo mo sila. Especially Pia. Warfreak iyon.
Si Sue naman, just like Leon, she was silent too. Ni hindi nga siya maingay nung nagsiinuman kami.
Si Trix... Well she may be a brat but she is not a killer. Hindi niya iyon magagawa.
Si Jenn ang pinakanaunang nalasing nung nag iinuman kami kaya imposibleng siya rin.
Well... they all can be suspected of having the potential to be the killer pero hindi eh. Kilala ko sila.
Was it me all along?
Sayang. If only I could go to the morgue, I could tell which is which. Baka malaman ko pa kung sino ung tinutukoy nilang napalitan ng artificial body.
But there is a part of me saying na wag kong alamin. Cause it would only hurt me.
But then again, ako lang din ang kawawa kung mag-tatagal pa ako rito.
"Bye attorney."
"Sorry talaga Eva. I couldn't do anything to get you out from this prison." And then I light bulb lit on top of my head. "What's wrong Eva?" Attorney worriedly asked, probably saw the change of my expression.
May tila kaseng boltahe ng kuryente ang bumuhay sa utak ko.
"Nothing attorney. At wag kang mag-alala I don't blame you. Infact, you have done enough." I forced a smile as I bid my farewell kasabay ng pag-hatak sa akin ng mga pulis pabalik sa seldang pinaglagyan sakin.
"To get you out from this prison."
To get me out. To get out! That's it!
Attorney said it himself, wala na akong pag-asa para makalabas dahil bayad na ang desisyon ng judge. So... I need to break out from this prison. Kailangan kong makatakas!
"Salazar, sa isang araw na raw ang trial mo. Pinapasabi ng abogado mo." Tugon saakin nung isa sa mga warden.
Walang saysay ang trial kasi hindi sisipot si Attorney.
Pero magandang pag-kakataon ito. Everyone would be busy that day.
I got to give this a shot.
•••
"Pwede bang tumigil ka sa kakaiyak?!" Bulyaw saakin ng isa sa mga cellmates ko na hindi ko alam at bakit nilagay na ako dito kasama nila. Hindi pa nga ako nakukuhanan ng testimonies eh!
I knew I promised myself not to cry but I suddenly remembered my friends. We would be celebrating my birthday. Yup, birthday ko ngayon. Week lang kasi ang agwat ng birthday namin ni Trix. I find it ironic that I would be in a trial during my birthday. Mamaya na kasing hapon ang schedule ko para sa 1st trial- which I would lose no matter what.
"Salazar, may bisita ka." Sumama ako sa warden patungo sa visiting room and there I saw Demi.
"Eva!" She hugged me and cried like a baby. "I know you did not do it. Wag kang mag-alala, you are innocent!" She stated like she was so sure.
"Demi, wag ka ngang umiyak." Napangiti ako ng mapait. Demi was really never my friend. Our relationship with eachother is just an employer-employee connection. Pero pag kailangan mo ng karamay, she's always there to lend some of her time. "Demi, if I don't make it alive-- since there are people wanting me to be executed in front of ev-"
"What the hell are you saying Eva Marie Salazar?!" She cutted me off which I didn't mind.
"I just wanna say, if ever... I'll have all my money and properties transferred to you since I don't have any family lef-"
"Di ko tatanggapin." Pagputol niya muli saakin. I held her hand and wiped the tears that went rushing out from her round eyes.
"You have no choice." I smiled. "Nakausap ko na kahapon si Attorney. You have been a great Assisstant to me Demi ever since my first day as a model. And I thank you for that." And then she started crying like crazy again.
But call me weird pero I saw faint grin when she looked down.
Pero siguro ay dahil pagod lang ako at nakaka-kita ako ng kung ano-ano.
"Salazar, 2 minutes left." Said the warden who's in charge of the visiting area.
"Demi, I have to go." Ngumiti ako ng mapait saka nagpahatak sa tagabantay kahit todo hila saakin si Demi na nagsisigaw ng "Wala siyang kasalanan mga inutil!!!"
"Ang ingay ng kaibigan mo Salazar." The police assigned in our cell judged as he locked me inside.
"Sana all may dalaw. Ano? Huling dalaw na ba yun?" Pang-aasar saakin ng mga kasama ko rito sa selda. They all know that everyone wanted me to die in their eyes. Funny to see my fans turn into my haters.
I just sat on the corner again and stayed silent.
•••
"Tangina! You were my idol!"
"Kadiring babae! Akala ko pa naman siya na ang pinakamabait! It turns out pati mga kaibigan niya, pinaslang niya!"
"Mamatay tao!"
"Nakakadiri talaga siya! Alam mo ba, bali balita ay ginahasa niya daw ung dalawang lalaki na kaibigan rin nila? Kadiri talaga! Malanding mamamatay tao!"
The last one made me laugh kaya natahimik lahat. The polices who were escorting me stopped walking too, probably got scared of my sudden burst.
"Malanding mamamatay tao ba?" I asked the bitch who said it as I stared at her intently.
"H-hoy! Wag ka ngang nag yayabang-yabangan jan! Killer ka na ngayon! Hindi na modelo!" Nauutal niyang sigaw kaya mas lalo akong natawa.
"Killer? that's the point bitch. I can now kill." I was holding my tummy due to exaggerated laughs. I wiped my watery eyes and smiled on the girl. "Want to be next in my target list?" And then she took a step back away from me— looking like a kid who just saw a ghost.
"That's enough Salazar. Your words may be held against you in the eyes of the law." Tila nahimasmasan ang mga pulis at saka lang ako tuluyang ipinasok sa isang gusali kung saan merong korte. "Dito ka muna." One of the police told me as he gave me a phone.
"You can call anyone you want." He told me and smiled creepily saka ako iniwan sa loob ng isang silid.
He looked weirdly familiar.
Hindi pa nakaka-isang minuto ay may tumawag saakin. It was an unregistered number pero sinagot ko parin.
"Count to ten." Tugon nung nasa kabilang linya.
"Wh-"
"Now!" Sigaw nito kaya napabilang ako.
"One."
"Good. Count while I'm speaking."
"Two."
"When that reaches ten,"
"Three."
"Lie on the ground as low as you can."
"Four."
"While facing the clock." Wala sa sarili akong napatingin sa direksyon ng orasan.
"Five."
"And then count to Five."
"Six."
"Tapos saka mo hanapin ang daan palapit doon."
"Seven."
"There, you'll find a small door."
"Eight."
"Salaza- who gave you the phone?!" Another police just arrived and saw me. I thought it was allowed?
"Nine." Tugon ko kaya napataas ang kilay nung pulis.
"Now!" The one on the phone exclaimed kaya tumalon ako sa sahig at humiga roon, my front faced down.
"An-" the police was interrupted by the sound of gunshots and the sudden brown out. I counted one to five and started crawling towards the clock. It was a good thing I laid down pointing at the clock's direction. The lights were still off and gunshots were still heard.
Natigil ako ng maramdaman ko ang pader kung saan naka bitin ang orasan. The caller said that there's a small do-
Twitch
Binuksan ko ang nahawakan kong pintuan sa sahig. I think it was a vent. Even though I wasn't sure if iyon nga ang tinutukoy niyang pintuan, pumasok pa rin ako. It was dark inside bit I just kept on crawling until I got a glimpse of light. Dumiretso na ako saka binuksan ang isa pang vent and found myself in an empty road. What...the....hell? Paano iyon na-link hanggang dito. I could see the upper part of the building I came from at may kalayuan iyon!
May isang Montero ang biglang pumarada sa harap ko and rolled down the window revealing Leon's face!
"Y-you!! Ik-"
"I am not a traitor. Come with me and you'll understand everything." Leon answered like he knew something kaya sumakay na ako but I kept my distance which made him sigh. It took us an hour to get where he wanted to take me. It was in hotel. Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko- labag man sa kalooban ko ay hinatak niya ako papunta sa kung saan.
"Asan mo ako dadalhin?!" I growled but he didn't bother looking at me and kept on walking habang hatak-hatak ako. I was about to slap him when he opened a room and revealed-
"Eva..." all six of my friends murmured. They were all there looking at me— whose mind is blown.
"What the hell..." I whispered.
"Eva... Someone's meessing with us.. You see... Each of us went to different places.." Tila naiiyak na panimula ni Jenn.
"Eva, who were you with in Trix's island?" Leon asked when Jenn cried.
"Wha-what?! You guys!" I stated. Nagkaamnesia ba sila?
"You are wrong Eva. You see, the same day you went there, all of us went to different places too... thinking that we're with everyone else."
"I d-dont get it..."
"Eva... You did kill six people..." nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Vince. "But those were not us... You killed them because they were different people."
Ano daw? Naguguluhan ako!
"You were drugged Eva. They made you think that they were us! Someone's playing a game on you! You probably got out from the effect of the drug they gave you so you saw through their act! That's why you killed them!" And then, I started to understand everything.
"The same goes with us. We had the same situation. We got convicted of the crime... we really did." F*ck