THE TOOTHPASTE poured my mouth as my hand moved the toothbrush back and forth over my teeth. The mirror before me showed my insipid woke-up-like-this, drowsy face. Who starts their prologue at the female lead brushing her teeth? Yes, it's me, babies! I'm the author of my own story.
But perhaps, no.
"Today is the best day!" Palagi kong sinasabi 'yan sa halos araw-araw na gumigising ako sa umaga. Yet no matter how desperate I am to drift my boring life to something adventurous, iisa lang talaga ang cycle ng buhay ko.
School, bahay, school, bahay. Repeat that again and again. Parang sirang plaka na nakakainis lang panoorin.
Nang matapos akong mag-toothbrush, inasikaso ko na rin ang sarili ko nang makaligo — sana all naliligo, 'di ba? Dumiretso ako sa living room namin para asikasuhin naman ang mga dadalhin ko sa school. I crossed path with my mother, who's laying on the couch, comfortably watching some morning news from the TV.
Medyo nagulat ako sa isang balitang narinig ko. May isang estudyanteng babae ang nasagasaan sa kahapon Crocus street — who was also studying in the same school as mine. She was hit-and-run whilst crossing the road and her body was left at the pedestrian lane. There was no eye witness in the incident. But there was an "ear witness." Before she got hit by a car, she was talking to a friend through the phone.
"Puro kasi cellphone, ayan tuloy naaksidente ka," I heard my mother mumbled with an annoyed expression.
Umagang-umaga, ang ganda ng bungad, 'no?
Palihim ko siyang sinamaan ng tingin — mahirap na baka dukutin niya ang mata ko mamaya. How could she be heartless, not even feeling a bit bad about the tragedy of the poor gal? Nasagasaan na nga 'yung tao, sinermonan pa siya.
Kalma, self. Tandaan mo, she's your mother. Then, I heaved a unobtrusive sigh. Buti nalang 'di ako nagmana sa kanya.
DING DONG! DING DONG! DING DONG!
"Wait lang!" sigaw ko. That gal pushing the door bell was so impatient. I hurried outwards whilst my bag was hanging on my shoulders then briskly wore my black shoes.
I heard the annoying metallic sound that our gate makes whenever I swung it open. Kailan kaya kami magkakaroon ng gate na hindi natunog 'pag binubuksan?
"Ang bagal mo."
A petite girl was waiting for me outside, has a silky hair and that permanent bored look on her face. Parang kahit end of the world na, hindi pa rin magbabago ang expression ng mukha niya. Minsan nga, napapaisip ako, that she was just forced to befriend me because nobody would do so — parang naaawa lang sa 'kin, hehe.
Well, it's better to have one friend than no friend at all!
Lumapit ako sa kanya at inakbayan siya. "Wow, Maisie, ang laki mo na, a!"
I often tease her about how lacking was she of heights. Hindi naman siya nagagalit so I guess we're good? Maliban na lang siguro kung kinikimkim niya lang sa loob ang galit niya. That's more terrifying. What was the term? Nasa loob ang kulo?
"Shut up, Cassien."
Sabi nila, masama magalit ang mga tahimik.
Pinagdikit ang dalawa kong palad at ipinikit ang mga mata ko. "Sana hindi galit si Maisie. Gusto ko pa ng mahabang buhay," I mumbled.
"Ano'ng binubulong mo r'yan?" Maisi asked. Nang imulat ko ang mga mata ko, nagsimula na siyang maglakad na para bang may balak pa yata siyang iwan ako. Sorry na, Maisie!
As usual, we walked together to school. Tahimik lang kami ni Maisie. Kahit anong attempt ko na gumawa ng lasting conversation, I get the feeling that she doesn't want to talk kahit hindi naman siya bad mood.
"Have you heard?"
Finally, someone spoke! Teka — it wasn't me. Kung hindi ako, imposible namang may ibang magsalita sa 'min dahil kami lang ang naglalakad dito sa pavement. Napalingon ako sa kanya at tiningnan ang itinuturo niya.
"Ang alin?" tanong ko at tinitigan ang pedestrian lane.
"May nabangga ditong babae kahapon. Senior highschool na rin. Na-comatosed pa nga raw siya."
Ah! The gal from the news earlier! I nodded repeatedly. "Hit-and-run daw. Narinig ko sa balita kanina. May kausap raw kasi yata sa phone kaya hindi nakita ang kotse. Kawawa naman si Ate. Tinakbuhan pa ng driver."
When I look at the scene of the accident, I realized that something was off about it. If she got hit by a car, why was she—
"You better be careful, Cassien."
I was shookt. Did I hear it right? Maisie just told me to take care! Kahit pala parang mala-bato ang puso ng babaeng 'to, may nakatagong marshmallow sa loob niya. I am so touched!
"Of course, Maisie! You, too. Ang dami nang accidents na nangayayri ngayon. I wish this town won't be as worse as Ranshin."
*
AT THE library, thank goodness, everyone was observing silence. May mga bookworm na dumiretso rito after ng classes nila para makapagbasa. May mga nag-aaral naman. At may mga nagse-cellphone, syempre — ang iba'y tinatakpan pa ng libro para 'di sila mahalata.
At ito naman ako, nag-aayos ng mga libro. Some students took a bunch of books from a shelf and returned it improperly. They never learn! Why am I doing this? Well, our class was assigned to help the librarian today after classes soooo! My classmates chose me to be the sacrificial lamb. Little did they know, I enjoy the job.
Nasa dulo ako ng library ngayon — between a shelf and a wall. Well, dahil sa taas ng mga shelves, of course there were ladders everywhere. I was climbing down to one but my foot slipped.
Holy cow. AHHHHHHH—
THUD!
Ang sakit ng pwet ko!
Wait, what? Tumatagos ako sa pader?
Okay, okay. What happened? Let's recollect! Bumababa ako sa isang ladder, wasn't I? The shelf was in front of me whilst the wall was in my back. Then I fell to the wall and—
Viola! There was a secret door. A rotating secret door on the wall!
My mouth gaped as I try to get to my feet. Everything in here was dark. Ang tanging liwanag lang ay ang nanggagaling mula sa labas — which was the library that I fell from and where I came from. Lumabas muna ako at pinagmasdan ang rotating door.
I pushed the other side and it closed. Hindi nga halatang may secret door dito. It was really in an amazing disguise. Awesome! Tinulak ko naman kabila pang side and it opened again.
Bakit may ganito rito sa library? Who on Earth was behind this scheme?
Tumingin-tingin ako sa paligid ko para makasigurong walang makakakita sa 'kin. Duh, this is a secret door on the wall! Kaya dapat secret lang talaga! And I don't definitely want others to discover this. When the coast was clear, I entered the secret lair once again.
Everything was black. But thanks to the light from the outside, I saw the parallel side of the entrance. There was an armchair.
Teka lang, self!
I think I trespassed a shouldn't-be-tresspassed place. This is probably a torture room! How did I say so? Kasi, 'di ba, sa mga upuan kadalasang tino-torture 'yung mga tao? Ta's idagdag mo pa 'yung concept na isa 'tong secret room. See?! This is a perfect candidate for torture rooms! Ang dilim pa!
Dilim? Hold on a second, there must be a switch for the lights somewhere. I ran my hands through the wall and—
I didn't feel anything at all. Just a flat creepy wall.
Jusme! Ito na ba 'yung adventure na hinihintay ko? Why did fate give me something so eerie?!
"Hello? Anybody home? Any . . . people? Ghost? Any corpse? Alien?—"
There was no response and just complete silence. Maybe I should report this to the council? Malay mo, bigyan pa nila ako ng reward kasi isa pala 'tong room na ginagamit para sa mga krimen o illegal na bagay.
Yosh! My life begins now!
Creeeeaaak!
I heard a door was being swung open. Tumingin ako sa pinagpasukan ko kanina but it was still, just the same way I left it. Where was the other door?! Maingat akong tumakbo palabas at agad na isinara ang secret door. I didn't look back — terrified of what I might saw. May tao ba do'n kanina? Or was it a ghost? Do they even exist?
Ayoko na ring mag-stay do'n dahil baka may kamay na humigit pa sa paa ko. Spare my life, kami-sama!
I stood before the door, having my back to block it. After a short span of time, I heard a knock from within — inside the secret room. There was someone knocking! Dahil nakaharang ang katawan ko sa pinto, that someone couldn't plausibly open it. Paano kung itulak niya? E, 'di talsik ako?
What if it's a serial killer — waiting for a high school girl to be trapped inside and be the next victim?
"Lady Fate, please, 'wag naman gan'tong adventure!" I heard myself murmured.
Before I knew it, I found myself falling towards the bookshelf. Tinulak ako ng pinto!
Oh, no. Mali, mali. Someone pushed the door kaya nasubsob ako!
"Cassien Agreste?"
My ears heard a male's voice. It doesn't sound like a predator, old man. Baka hindi naman talaga siya torturer or a serial killer? And how on Earth did he know my name? I thought I was a nobody!
I quickly stood up and confronted him. Napakurap pa ako ng ilang beses para siguraduhin kung sino 'tong nasa harap ko.
He was a classmate of mine — that typical sort of guy whose eyes were as blue as the sky. His black hair was shoved to the right side, making his face look plainer and neat. And that rosy lips smiling down at me looked very soft. The most mesmerizing was his specs with semi-rimless frames.
"R-Ranpo Kuroba, right? Hello!" bati ko. I waved my hand and smiled awkwardly. Pagkatapos, agad kong tinuro ang pader sa likod niya where the secret door was situated. "Galing ka ro'n?"
He looked back innocuously and returned his eyes to me. "From a wall?" tanong niya at sabay tawa nang mahina. "What do you think I am? A ghost that passes through a wall?"
"From a secret door po," sagot ko sa pamimilosopo niya and faked a smile.
He chuckled and patted my head. "Your imaginations are rather exquisite, Miss Agreste. Have you ever met or consulted a doctor?"
I knitted my eyebrows. Feeling close? Kung maka-pat ng ulo ko, akala mong isa akong pusa! At sinasabi niya ba na gumagawa lang ako ng kwento? Duh, I saw him with my own naked eyes and they weren't lying!
Then, I put both of my hands over my waist and scoffed. "Sorry, Mr. Kuroba, ha. But I know what I saw. I've been there with myself. Alam kong may secret room d'yan, I discovered it by myse—"
"All right, then."
Nagulat ako nang hawakan niya ang magkabila kong balikat. He pulled me to confront the secret door. I was about to resist but he already pushed me. My face slammed at the rotating door. Due to the force, the door swung open. Nang tuluyan itong makabukas, muntik na akong mawalan ng balanse dahil sa pagtulak niya.
"Seriously, have some manners!" I touched my nose and chekced it thoroughly. "Walang-hiya, parang mapapango pa ako ro'n, a!"
"This is the secret room you're pertaining to, huh. You aren't wrong after all."
I told you so! Hinarap ko siya but then before I could even speak back, someone pulled me from the dim. Is this his accomplice?
"Hoy, hoy! Bitawan mo 'ko!" I tried resisting but the person behind me was muscular enough to overpower me. "What are you airheads gonna do with me?!"
They made me sit on the armchair. Damn, ito na ba? Ito na ba ang katapusan ko? Ganitong kaikling adventure lang? Jusme, gusto ko pang makatakas dito!
"TUL—"
Before I could even shriek for help, the lights switched open and conquered every corner of the room. I roamed my sight around and met three different guys.
"Sino kayo?" I asked but then I gave Ranpo an apologetic look. "Sorry, Ranpo. Kilala pala kita. These two blockheads aren't familiar to me."
There was guy with a white eye patch on his left eye. He was also wearing a black overcoat and our school uniform underneath. Nakatayo siya sa gilid ko at nakatingin sa 'kin.
Ang weird, 'di ba? Bihira ka na lang makakita ng mga taong nagsusuot ng eye patch at itim na overcoat.
And the other guy was a blonde. Nakaupo siya sa isa pang upuan sa kaliwang side ko. He has a pair green emarald eyes. Just like Ranpo, simple lang rin siya. Walang ibang kakaiba maliban sa blond niyang buhok.
They don't look like bad guys.
"Ranpo," the eye patched guy called out. "How did this princess get in here?"
Princess?
My classmate smirked whilst pushing the secret door closed. "She stumbled and fell from a ladder."
"Nakita mo 'yon?" tanong ko kanya. I covered my face with my hands and frowned. Nakakahiya!
"Eh~ What should we do, President?" the blonde asked the eyepatched guy. Wait a minute! Di-dispatch ba ba nila ako?!
Now now, I'm picking up some pieces. Member siguro sila ng isang gang ta's itong weirdong lalaki'ng 'to ang president. Wait, sorry, did I say gang? But they don't honestly look delinquent!
Holy cow, looks can be utterly deceiving!
Na-realized kong hindi pala ako nakatali or anything. Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo at aakmang lalabas na pero hinarang ako ni Ranpo. I thought he would say something pero inunahan na siya no'ng eyepatched guy. Somehow, it looked like they were stealing spotlights from one another.
"This princess must've mistaken Hell as a wonderland."
Wow, ha. I feel flattered being called a princess pero natauhan ako sa sinabi niyang Hell. Don't tell me I wasn't mistaken that this room is used for torturing people?
"Hell?" nagtataka kong tanong. "Ano'ng hell? Are you gonna kill me? Torture me? Huh! I'm not intimidated!"
Sinubukan kong itago ang kaba ko. They would even target me more if I was a scaredy-cat. I didn't ask for this sort of way to dislodge boredom!
"Torture you?~" the blonde asked and smiled meaningfully. Subsequently, Ranpo and the weird guy laughed softly. I smell psychos! Patay na 'ko. I hope Maisie will pick up my bones later!
"We're detectives and you're in our clubroom," sagot ni Ranpo. Nakaharang pa rin siya sa pinto kaya hindi ako makalusot.
Teka, ano raw? Detectives? This is a detective club?!
Halos maghugis puso na ang mga mata dahil tuwa. Oh, my! I found something worth trying! Totoo ba ang sinabi nila? Are they actual detectives? Solving crimes and mysteries?!
"For someome who heard such absurdity," Ranpo continued, emphasizing the last word. "You're rather excited."
"I'm soooo glad I met detectives today!" I exclaimed at tumalon-talon. Bukod sa gumaan ang pakiramdam ko at pagkawala ng takot na baka katapusan ko na 'to, I felt the excitement to discover something. This is the start of my lifeeee! Finally!
It was the eye patched guy who spoke first. "Do you have a case that bothered you?"
"Yes, pero hindi case 'ko. It is about the accident that happened yesterday. Narinig niyo ba 'yung balitang nabangga ang isang estudyante rito do'n sa Crocus?"
I've been dying to know something about the accident. Whether it was just my overreaction or not. Maybe these detectives could give light to my bewilderment.
The three exchanged quick glances, as if they just conversed telepathically. Nanaig ang katahimikan sa paligid nang ilang saglit. It gave me a brief moment to scan the surrounding.
This room was empty. Except from the chair that I sat upon earlier. However the most eye-catching thing was the door on my right side. Dahil nakaharap ako sa pinto na papunta sa libarary, it was on my left but if I turn my back against it, it'll be on my right.
Ha? Ano raw?
Wews, parang nag-explain lang ako ng isang walang kwentang bagay.
I wonder what's behind the door, nonetheless. Could be the comfort room — pero nakapagtataka kasi bakit wooden door? 'Di kaya mabilis mabulok 'yan dahil mababasa?
Teka, clubroom ba talaga 'to? Seryoso?
"What about the accident?" the blonde inquired, breaking the silence.
I shrugged. "I don't know. Pero sa tingin ko may kaunting kakaiba lang sa aksidente. Or baka normal lang 'yon? Gusto ko lang malaman kung baka—"
"Don't beat around the bush," the president cut me off. "Spill."
"Is it completely normal that you got hit by a car whilst crossing the pedestrian lane pero your body was left at the pedestrian lane — mismo? 'Di ba, dapat tatalsik siya? Kung 'di man malakas ang impact ng kotse at 'di tumalsik, paano siya na-comatosed?"
Their lips formed a smirk. Somehow, medyo natakot ako sa aura na ine-emit nila. What now? Tatakbo na ba ako? Did I say something that triggered their pycho-side? Should I pray now?
"We'll be glad to take that extraordinary case, Princess."