DETECTIVE FILES. File 3 (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER 51: REFUGE

Chapter 51: Refuge

It was like watching everything torn down into pieces. Lahat ng alaala, mabuti man o masama ay tila naglahong lahat sa isipan ko. It was a battle— with me against everyone. Lahat na lamang sila ay hindi naniniwala sa akin. Everyone has turned their back on me. They refused to trust me and believed on what they wanted to believe. Hindi ko inaasahang lahat ng bagay ay mangyayari sa paraang gusto ko but I didn't expect it to turn this way either.

Sinubukan kong kurutin ang sarili ko at nang magising ako kung sakaling isang panaginip lamang ang lahat. I didn't even feel the pain of pinching myself ngunit nagkapasa na ako sa kakakurut ko sa sarili ko ay nasa ganitong sitwasyon pa rin ako. Mag-isa at naglalakad sa gitna ng daan. My tears continue to flow but it was all washed away by the rain. Kung maari lang... Kung maari lang sana na hugasan na lamang din ng ulan ang lahat ng hinanakit ko...

Unlike my tears, the pain despite being washed by the rain still remains. Kahit gaano pa kalakas ang ulan ay hindi nito kayang alisin ang lahat ng sakit sa damdamin ko. I want to keep myself strong kahit alam kong mag-isa na lamang ako but I really need someone. Someone who will believe me. Someone who trust me.

Muli akong napabuntong hininga at tiningnan ang isang tila abandonadong apartment. I've been there ngunit estranghero pa rin ako sa lugar na iyon. Unti-unti ko nang naramdaman ang lamig na dulot ng ulan kaya minabuti kong isilong ang sarili ko. I took the liberty to welcome myself in that old apartment. I didn't take the door but I took the other way. I tried lifting the manhole and luckily it was open. Madilim ang tila maliit na tunnel but it leads towards a door na bahagyang nakabukas. I welcome myself inside at inilibot ang paningin sa loob ngunit wala ang taong inaasahan ko na nandoon.

Naramdaman ko ang panghihina ng katawan ko. Maybe it was an effect of all I've been through at ang paglalakad sa ilalim ng ulan. The floor was wet because of the water that was dripping from my wet clothes. If the hostess of this humble abode would be back, she would know that a lost soaking soul have been here. Sa ngayon ay hindi ko muna iisipin ang magiging reaksyon ng may-ari ng bahay. I spotted the huge bed and didn't fight the urge to lay my body there hanggang sa tuluyan akong nawalan ng ulirat.

I wasn't feeling well ngunit ito na yata ang isa sa pinakakomportableng pagtulog ko. There was a throbbing pain in my head ngunit tila may naaamoy din akong mabango and that scent was enough to make me open my eyes.

Paggising ko ay isang magandang kulot na babae ang natanawan ko. She was holding a tray na may mangkok na umuusok pa ang laman.

"Gising ka na pala," wika niya. Hindi ko alam kung natutuwa ba siya o di kaya ay galit dahil walang kahit anong emosyon ang mukha niya. She put the tray on the table near the bed. "Kainin mo na ito at nang makainom ka na ng gamot."

"Gamot?" Bakit ako iinom ng gamot?

She must have read my questioning look kaya kinuha niya ang isang thermometer mula sa kilikili ko at inihagis iyon sa akin. I flinched in surprise and scowled when I almost didn't catch it. Nang sinipat ko iyon, it says that my temperature was 42°C. What?!

"Gumagawa ka ba ng music video para sa kanta ng Aegis na Basang-basa sa ulan?" I frowned at her joke. I know it was a joke but it doesn't sound funny at all. Bigla ko na lamang naalala na basang-basa pala ang damit ko! I looked at my body under the blanket and —

"W-who changed my clothes?!"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Wala akong panahon na papuntahin pa dito si Gray upang—"

"Don't ever mention his name!" Bahagya siyang nagulat dahil sa reaksyon ko and I felt guilty somehow. Napayuko ako at agad na humingi ng paumanhin sa kanya.