PROLOGUE
Pilit kong inuubos ang kapeng nasa tasa. Maliban sa hindi ko ito malasahan, panay tapon nito dahil nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang pinagmamasdan ang sarili sa salamin.
It's been what? Five years? Or Ten? I don't even remember how long it was but the memory is still fresh, parang kahapon lang nangyari.
Luminaw sa paningin ko ang lalaking nakasuot nang gray polo shirt na may nakasulat na 'Detective Martin'. Naalala ko na nasa loob ako nang maliit na silid, kung saan puno ito nang salamin sa paligid. As a fan of horror and investigation movies, I know that someone is behind those mirrors. Someone is watching me.
"Pasensya ka na, Miss Villanueva. Alam ko marami kang ginagawa pero kailangan namin nang tulong mo," sabi niya. His eyes are full of hope. Five kids went missing exactly four days ago. Sabi, nag field trip daw. All their classmates went back home, only those five kids didn't make it.
That's exactly what happened to us. But unfortunately, I couldn't think of what exactly happened. Malas nila at wala talaga silang makukuha sa akin.
Bahagya akong pumikit at huminga nang malalim. "I don't remember everything, Detective."
"Small pieces of the puzzle are important. Please, Miss Villanueva. Help us find those kids."
I started remembering the details. Saan nga ba nagsimula ang lahat? Sino ba mga kasama ko? Ano nga ba talaga nangyari?
I wished I could answer all these questions, but I can't.
I went back home without any information from my memory. Ewan ko ba, parang ayaw ipaalala sa akin. I went straight to the shower, and I changed to comfy clothes. Humarap ako sa salamin, habang sinusuklay ko ang aking mid-length wavy hair.
Micol, try to think of something!
Wala talaga. So, I ended up sleeping early. I woke up in a heavy headache. Dumiretsyo ako sa kusina, kung saan nakalagay ang medicines ko, I took two tablets for headache. Grabe, migraines in the morning! Hate this!
While I was still recovering from my headache, a loud bang on my door filled my living room. Pinakinggan ko pa ulit kahit naka-tatlong katok na.
I looked at my piphole, and to my relief, I saw Ivan there, my friend—wala kasing label. I friendzoned him.
"Bakit ka naman kumatok nang ganoon? Gusto mo ba sirain ang pintuan ko?" natatawang sabi ko pagbukas nang pintuan.
"Sorry! Ang bigat kaya nang dala ko." Nilapag niya sa lamesa ang mga dala niyang pagkain.
"Para saan ang mga iyan? Birthday mo ba?"
"Hindi. Wala lang. Gusto ko lang mag-food trip," sabi niya. "By the way, tinawagan ako nang isang Detective Martin kahapon sa work. He is asking for your info. Anong meron? Are you going to jail?"
I gave a sigh. "Wala iyon. Nakausap na nila ako kahapon. They just want me to help them finding five missing kids. Parehas kasi nang sitwasyon namin noon."
"So...?" He waited for my answer.
Nagkibitbalikat ako. "Wala akong nasabi. I don't remember that, 'di ba?"
"Nakalimutan? O pilit kinakalimutan?"
I looked at him. Tinaas lang niya ang dalawang kamay niya, na parang sumusuko na. What he said shouldn't matter to me, but I guess he is right. Because after we ate, I clean my apartment and guess what I saw—my class picture, taken before the field trip.
I immediately went to Detective Martin, and told him the truth.
But as I ran towards the station, a familiar face kept appearing on my head. Hindi ko matandaan kung sino siya at kung bakit ko siya naalala. Mas binilisan ko ang takbo ko pero mas lalo itong pumapasok sa isip ko. 
Huminto ako. Nag-isip. 
I kept running away from my past for the last ten years. I've been hiding myself---knowing that I can't do anything to bring anything back. I was terrified! All of us are terrified!
My head is spinning as if I am pinned into the roulette. All those memories I kept erasing are slowly eating me! It consumed me! 
Ayaw ko na! Tama na! 
We are only high school students who wanted to make our field trip fun. Wala kaming ginawang masama. We're lost and we don't know what to do!
“Villanueva!” I was back to my reverie when a cold loud voice called my name. I looked back and I saw Detective Martin. 
“Okay ka lang? Anong nangyari sa'yo?” he asked. Tinignan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. “Wala kang suot sa paa! Ang daming dugo! Anong nangyari sa'yo?” 
Tumingin ako sa paa ko at wala nga akong suot na kahit ano. I've been running about 15 blocks without noticing my feet. Hindi naman masakit. Hindi ko maramdaman.
“Naalala ko lahat…” sabi ko. 
I know Detective wants to know more and nothing but to find those missing kids--but he never showed interest in my words. Mas inintindi niya ang kalagayan ko. 
“May naalala ako…” sabi ko ulit.
“Alam ko,” sabi niya. “Pumasok muna tayo sa loob.” 
Hinawakan ko sa braso si Detective. “Mamamatay ako kapag sinabi ko lahat.”
“No one will hurt you, Micol.”
At that moment, I knew something was going on. He is not just Detective Martin. He is someone who knows me very well. Pero hindi ko siya kilala.
END OF PROLOGUE