DETECTIVE FILES. File 3 (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER 28: DRACULA (Part 1)

Chapter 28: Dracula (Part 1)

A/N: Then there was a stillness in nature as the echoes of that thunderous report seemed to come as with the hollow boom of a thunder-clap - the long reverberating roll which seems as though the floors of heaven shook. Then down in a mighty ruin falling whence they rose came the fragments that had been tossed skywards in the cataclysm.
- a deleted excerpt from the Dracula manuscript by Bram Stroker.

My mind was still wandering while Math, the class president stood in front telling us the plans for the upcoming activities for the month. We were supposed to be discussing about our upcoming activity pero naglalandas ang isip ko tungkol sa kondisyong itinala ni Daddy. Argh! Hindi ko mapigilang mainis sa sarili kong ama. Why does he have to decide about who I will marry? Kahit hindi ko pa alam kung sino ang nakalagay sa ginawa niyang kondisyon, I can't help but make a face. The holographic condition for the will that was personally written by Dad was all destroyed, thanks to Jeremy surprising us. When I asked her about what will we do since it was destroyed, ang sagot niya ang maaring may ibang copy niyon. She will check on the other pertinent papers that Dad left o kahit ang computer sa buhay o sa opisina nito ay iche-check niya upang makakita ng katulad niyon. Unfortunately after getting wet by the coke, she stepped on the paper kaya nagkaputik at napunit iyon. And we cannot do anything to read the other parts of it.

What's worse is that hindi pa niya nababasa iyon kaya hindi niya alam kung ano ang nakalagay niyon. May bahaging hindi nabasa pero sa kasamaang palad, ang bahaging may mga importanteng nakatala ang siyang nabasa at napunit. Sinabi rin ni Atty. Rose na baka may isa pang will na lalabas and if it is dated after the first will, the latest will be used.

"Bestie, galit ka ba sa akin?", Jeremy whispered on my side. Pagkatapos niyang malaman na dahil sa panggugulat niya ay nasira ang isang napaka-importanteng papel ay hindi na siya ngumiti pa. He just sulked on the side, looking very guilty. Umiling ako bilang sagot sa tanong niya.

"Sorry talaga Bestie."

"Actually that was a blessing in disguise. Kung hindi ka nanggulat, I may have been very worried by now after reading the name of my future husband", I replied at bahagyang tinapunan siya ng tingin. Still, it wasn't enough to make him feel better.

"Sorry pa rin", he said at bahagyang inilapit ang bibig sa tenga ko upang bumulong. "Pero sino ba ang mapapangasawa mo?" he smiled curiously ad I glared at him. Chismoso pala talaga ito.

"That's the best part, walang nakakaalam kung sino."

"Ah, mystery guy. Hmm, I like that", nakangising wika niya. "So ibig sabihin, hindi ka galit sa akin?"

"No."

"It was a relief, you know. But your Dad must be very crazy o baka naman balak niyang maging si Kupido. He is matchmaking you to-", ibinitin niya ang sasabihin at tumingin kay Gray. The latter happened to look at him too at nagtaka ito sa paraan ng pagtingin ni Jeremy sa kanya.

"What?", he asked irritated.

"Wala, iniisip ko lamang kung ikaw ba ang magiging future husband ni Amber", sagot ni Jeremy at tumawa.

"Je!" That was embarrassing. I am not expecting his name on that will! And even if I am, this dummy need not to shout it on our faces. It is so awkward!

"Impossible. Amber's Dad is closer to Cooler than me kaya kung may isusulat man siyang pangalan, it must be Cooler's", sagot niya. Namamalikmata lang ba ako o totoong may nakita akong lungkot mula sa kanyang mga mata?

I sighed and considered what he said in my mind. He's right, Dad is closed to Cooler. Actually, Cooler betrayed some mafia transactions before for the benefit of Dad kaya kung may isusulat man siyang pangalan it must be his name. Pero pwede rin namang hindi. I mean, who knows how crazy Dad is. Kahit hindi naman siya ganoon, I cannot help but think that he possibly wrote there a name of his business partner who's about 50 years old and enough to be my grandfather. Pwede ring anak ng kasosyo niya o kaya naman ay kung sinong Poncio Pilato na naisip niya habang isinusulat iyon.