Chapter 24

Andrius Lexton's POV

"Yes, mom..."

As we descend in to our car, someone knocks on the door.

"Yes, my Tonton, dear?" My mom said as soon as she open her window.

"Hehehe, pwede po ba akong makitulog sa inyo ngayon?" Napaingos ako sa sinabi niya.

"Sure, Tonton dear. Get in..."

He happily open the door beside me and sit. I secretly glare at him, he just smiled cheekily. This is our time, my mom and I to bond. But then I realize that something's off with him. I just let him for now. There is always next time. 

"Did something happened again?" I asked, whispering. He just smiled and stayed silent. 

I did not asked again. I won't pry more if he doesn't want to say something. I know it's hard for him to tackle if it is about his family. My family is already in chaos, hindi ko na gusto pang dagdagan ang problema ng pamilya namin.

"I'll tell you when—"

"You don't have to. Just focus on studying and let them be. Everything will fall into there right places soon." He nodded his head and look outside.

"Is there any problem at the back?" I smiled at her and shake my head. 

I looked at Clinton beside me. It's very unusual for him to be this quite, and that makes me conclude that there is something wrong. 

"Go to your room now and rest. Goodnight to you two, my dearest." She gave us kisses on our forehead. 

She leave us on the living room. After I heard her door lock, I looked at Clinton take a deep breath.

"Kumain ka na?" Naglakad ako patungo sa kusina, naramdaman ko naman ang pagsunod niya. 

I stop in front of the refrigerator and open it. There are snacks in there. Mom didn't cook tonight for we accept Aunt Izeah's dinner invitation.

"Ito na lang Maja Blanca ang kainin mo. Hindi kami nagluto, so be—"

"This is fine," kinuha niya ang tupper ware ng Maja sa kamay ko at kumuha ng kutsara. 

Nakasunod lang ang bawat tingin ko sa kaniya habang ginagawa niya 'yun. Nang makaupo na siya ay umupo na rin ako sa harap niya. He slowly took a scoop and shove it in his mouth. He tardily eat it. 

"You know..." He looked at me, "I'm tired of being a Cameron."

Napangisi ako sa sinabi niya. Kung pagod na siya sa apelyido niya, mas lalo na ako. 

"Mas lalo naman ako."

Napangiti siya at yumuko, "Kung pwede lang talaga tayong pumili ng mga magulang, nuh?" 

"Palit na lang tayo," I jokingly suggest.

"That's more like it."

We both laughed at that. 

"Finish your food, I'll go check my mom upstairs." He smiled and nod.

I'm about to descend when I got halted from where I stand. Nagkatinginan kami ni Clinton at sabay na tumakbo patungo sa itaas kung saan ang kwarto ni mommy. 

"I-Is that a gun we just hear?" Clinton breathlessly asked as we run faster just to get on the second floor where my mom's room is.

My heart keeps on pounding fast, not because I am running but because of nervousness. 

As soon as we're in front of my mom's room, we stopped.

"I-Ikaw ang k-kumatok. T-Tutal mama mo n-naman ang nasa loob..." Clinton keeps on stuttering that makes my heart even more faster.

"H-Huwag kang m-mautal!" I nervously hissed at him.

"Nauutal ka rin n-naman, a!" 

Damn...

Napalunok ako at kumatok. No one answered. Alam kong hindi pa tuloy si mommy dahil kakarating lang namin. Kung hindi niya narinig ang katok ko, mukhang nasa banyo siya ngayon at naliligo.

"H-Hindi naman galing dito 'yung narinig natin kanina 'di ba?" 

Hindi ko na hinintay pang sumagot si Clinton at pinihit ang siradura. Pagpihit ko ay siyang pagguho ng mundo ko.

"M-mom....?"

"T-Tita..."

She was lying on the floor, dead. While holding a gun. Her blood creates a pool where she's laying.

__

"Adie!" 

Naalimpungatan ako dahil sa sigaw na 'yun. Napaiwas ako dahil sa lapit ng mukha ni Clinton. 

"Ginising kita dahil parang nananaginip ka nang masama," Bumalik si Clinton kung saan siya nakaupo. Nakita kong narito na pala si Brimme, nakaupo sa single sofa sa gitna namin ni Clinton.

"It was nothing..."

But it isn't nothing. It was something that remains unspoken, unanswered.

"Anyways, tutal nandito na naman si Brimme, simulan na natin ang chismis!"

Huminga ako nang malalim at umayos ng upo. I look at Brimme and nod at her. She does the same.

"So ayon nga, hindi natin makakasama si Damon or Dane ngayon dahil hindi ko alam kung saang lupalop ng mundo siya ngayon. Nag-text lang siya na—"

"Sabihin mo na, may gagawin pa ako," She impatiently said.

"Oh, right. Here," Mayroon siyang inilapag na envelope sa mesa na nasa harap namin. Am I that occupied to not notice that he had this brown thing?

Nagkatinginan kami ni Brimme. I let her open it and spread what's inside. 

"I-Is this..."

Gulat kaming nakatingin sa mga larawan. Well, except Clinton who already knew what's inside the envelope. I saw Brimme's hand trembling while holding the photo of her beloved cousin's grave. 

Ang mga larawan ay si Sheiha. Dumudugo ang ulo habang nakatali ang mga kamay at paa. In the photo, she was barely breathing. Ang suot na damit niya sa litrato ay iyong kaparehong damit na ginamit niya noong araw na kinuha siya. May litrato rin kung saan nasa isang malaking hukay siya at tinatabunan ng lupa. The last photo was Sheiha's grave. May lapida pang nakalagay sa ibabaw ng lupa kung saan siya inilibing.

"Is this... Is this what you mean?" Tiningnan ko si Clinton nang nanlalaki ang mata sa gulat. 

What he asked earlier was... Tiningnan ko ulit ang mga litrato. Kaya niya nasabi at natanong ang mga bagay na 'yun dahil may pinagbabasehan siya. He had basis! 

Napatingin kami kay Brimme nang magsimula itong umiyak habang nakatingin sa mga litrato. 

"H-Hoy.... Bakit ka umiiyak?" Nilapitan ni Clinton si Brimme at inaalo ito.

Napapikit ako sa nakikita. Umasa ako na buhay pa siya. Umasa kami na buhay ka pa, Sheiha...

"Hoy, Andrius! Bakit umiiyak ka rin???!!!" Gulat itong nakatingin sa 'kin habang inaalo pa rin si Brimme na umiiyak na nang malakas.

Umiwas ako nang tingin at pinahid ang luhang tumakas sa mga mata ko. My anger is starting to raised. Sheiha's death is brutal, I can't seem to stand how much pain she felt that time. 

"Bakit kayo umiiyak? Ah, alam ko na. Masaya kayo dahil alam nating buhay pa si Sheiha." Tumango-tango pa ito, "Kailangan lang natin siyang hanapin. Pero atleast alam na natin na buhay pa siya at mahahanap pa natin siya." 

Nagkatinginan kami ni Brimme at nagtatakang tiningnan si Clinton. Nakangiti itong nakatingin sa amin.

"What... What do you mean?" Brimme stand on her foot, so as I. 

"Eh...?" I think he's confuse why there's anger in my and Brimme's eyes while looking at him. 

"Buhay pa si Sheiha? Anong ibig mong sabihin? This photos you gave was..." She can't barely stare nor look at those photos.

Nagtataka namang tiningnan ni Clinton ang mga litratong kanina pa namin tinitingnan.

"Oh, damn it." 

"Buhay pa si Sheiha but this photos proves that those jerks buried her alive!" Nanggigigil na bulyaw ni Brimme at hinawakan ang kuwelyo ni Clinton.

"N-No... There was a mistake–shit, your c-choking me!" Protesta ni Clinton.

"Stop it," Kinuha ko ang kamay ni Brimme sa kwelyo ni Clinton at inilayo ito sa lalaki.

"Hindi dapat ang mga litrato na 'to ang nakita niyo. Damon told me not to let you see this, damn!" Isa-isang kunuha ni Clinton ang mga litrato at isinilid ulit ito sa envelope. Tinupi niya ito at nilagay sa bulsa ng jacket na suot. May kinuha siyang envelope na katulad niyong isa at iyon ang binuksan at inilapag niya. 

There we saw, Shieha. Picking vegetables, drying some clothes, and sweeping. Nasa malapitan ang kuha na para bang mayroong nagbabantay sa bawat galaw niya. The last photo I saw was her, looking innocently in the sky. 

"That's not all." Tiningnan namin si Clinton nang umupo ito pabalik sa inupuan niya kanina.

He look at us seriously. His eyes are fuming mad but with sympathy.

 "Damon also said that she lost all her memories." 

He stare at us.

"Sheiha had an amnesia."