BEGINNING

Our province face now a dangerous person. Lot of reports showed that a man that walk with us is a man who has killed dozens of people in our city. The man was still not captured by the authorities and has its freedom to walk pass people and.... find his next victim until now.

Ang lugar na ito na minsan din naging masaya at malaya ay tila ba naging makulimlim at lagim para sa mga taong nakatira rito. This place was become a haunted place due to its background that marked by a notorious murderer.

"Ang bali-balita ay may pinatay nanaman ang serial killer na infamous sa nickname na alyas 'kidlat'."

"S-Saan daw? M-Malapit ba rito?" Rinig kong tanong ni Rue kay Darla. Inangat ko ang tingin sa kanila at sinarado ang librong binabasa. Nasa canteen kami kaya medyo maingay ang ambiance namin. Lumapit pa ako sakanila para marinig ang kanilang kwentuhan.

"Tama na nga itong usapan. Change topic! Para naman hindi masyadong manginig sa takot si Rue. Look at her!" Nginuso ko kay Darla si Rue na pareho kaming binalingan ng tingin. Ngumisi si Darla.

"Malayo sa atin, wag kang mag-aalala! Nasa kabilang baryo 'yong bangkay! Saka, hindi niyo ba nahahalata? May pattern ang killer."

Natatakot man si Rue pero mas lalo siyang binuhay ng interes sa killer na pinag-uusapan. Hindi na ako nagsalita pero napalanghap ako ng hangin.

"Pattern? Oo! Nahahalata ko nga!" Si Rue na interesado. "Puro mga taong may issue sa politika ang pinapatay ng killer! Baka ang motibo niya lang is mawala lahat ng mga kurakot na politiko?"

Mukha naman pinag-isipan mabuti ni Darla ang sinabi ni Rue. Baka naman 'di ba.

"May point si Rue." Singit ko.

Binalingan ako ni Darla. "Oo. May point nga si Rue. Pero... bakit may batang natagpuan?"

"Baka separate case 'yon, Darla." Si Rue.

Bigla akong natahimik nang maalala ang batang natagpuan sa may daungan at malapit iyon sa amin.

Actually, I was there. I saw the kid bathing on her own blood with her eyes opened. There was a shocked in her eyes. To where I stood there, her sight was on my direction. Seems like eyeing me.

Huminga ako ng malalim para maiwala ang aalalang iyon sa isipan ko. It was a sudden death for the kid and great loss for her parents. The parents...

"Nasa politiko ang mga magulang ng bata, Darla. It seems like the killer's target are the authorities."

Rue point at me as her point was proven.

Umiling si Darla. "Retired politicians ang mga magulang nung bata."

"Pero naging politiko pa rin, 'di ba?"

"Years ago!" Darla exclaimed.

Napakunot ako ng noo sa reaksyon ni Darla.

"The killer's pattern was to eliminate all of the people that were suspected in a crime that was occurred five years ago."

Accident?

"What accident occurred five years ago, Darla?" Tanong ko. Mukha naman hindi inaasahan ni Rue ang sinabi ni Darla.

"The killing of Gomez Family."

The Gomez family.... A forgotten family in our province. Five years ago... nang lumipat at sumubok mamuhay dito ng pamilya ko. It was when my father reassigned location for his job as a policeman.

Wala naman akong masyadong nakalap na impormasyon tungkol sa pamilyang Gomez bukod sa mga alam lang ni Darla. Rue doesn't have a clue about it, though, she was assured that her family knew about the family so tomorrow is another additional information for me. Once darla brought that family background into our topic, it caught my attention. And for that killer, who was given an alyas 'kidlat', I have a feeling that he is a survivor of that family. O baka isang kamag-anak na naghahanap ng hustisya mula sa dahas dahil mahirap maabot ang hustisya kapag ang mga awtoridad ang may hawak. It is a truth. Pero no, I do not want to conclud my idea unless it was given supported evidences.

I felt a damp of lips on my forehead. Napangiti ako at inangat ko ang tingin sa daddy ko na kakauwi lang.

"Dad!" I hugged my daddy. Ngumiti at natawa ang daddy ko.

"How's my little girl?"

Bumitiw ako sa pagkakayakap ko. "Dad, I'm turning eighteen this year and that will be next month!"

Inakbayan ako ng daddy ko at naglakad kami palapit sa kusina kung saan ang mommy ko. Inamoy ko ang aroma ng niluluto ni mommy.

"Kahit ano pang tanda mo, Aliyah. You will always be your daddy's little girl. My little baby..."

Ngumiti ako sa sinabi ni Daddy pero mas lalong lumaki ang ngiti ko nang lapitan ni Daddy si Mommy at inakap siya mula likuran. Bumungisngis ng tawa si mommy at napalo pa si daddy nang subukan niyang buhatin si mommy.

"Nagbigay nga pala ng isang sakong sibuyas si Martha kanina. Hindi naman natin makakain 'yon lahat kaya 'yong kalahating kilo ay pinagbibili ko na sa mga tindera sa palengke. Kumusta ang trabaho, mahal?"

Nakikinig lamang ako sa usapan nila. Minsan ay nakikitawa pa sa mga jokes na sinisingit ni Daddy.

"Dad! How about your cases?"

Natigilan si Daddy sa narinig na tanong mula sa akin. He frowned. Ganon din ang reaksyon ni mommy. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. The case of Gomez Family was over my head and been running on my mind. That family is really intriguing.

Kalaunan din ay ngumiti na lang si Daddy.

"No work in the house, anak. So, let's not talk about my work or any cases you are interested to hear."

"How about the Gomez Family Case? It was a massacre that involved a family of lawyer, right?"

Hindi na naitago pa ni daddy ang pagtataka sa kaniyang hitsura. The confusion and great curiosity has painted all over his face.

"The Gomez family..." Mother sighed.

"'Yong bang pamilyang pinatay five years ago? Limang taon na 'yon. Ang nakalipas ay hindi na dapat binabalikan. It happened from the past, it should be stayed like that."

Nabitawan ko ang mga kubyertos at umayos ng upo. "What about the infamous killer? May pinatay nanaman siya, 'di ba?"

Nagkatinginan sila ni mommy.

"Anak, that's.... something else. It is something to be talked about by the elders. Is there... something wrong?" Napapabaling si Daddy kay Mommy. Takang-taka sa pinag-uusapan namin.

Ibubuka ko na sana ang bibig ko para magsalita pero bigla akong nabingi sa ingay ng mga nagbabasagang mga jalousies sa bahay namin. It was a moment of silence for me when I saw my dad bathed in his own river of life. Mom was able to cover me from the bullets and we ducked under the table.

And there was my dad, his eyes were open looking at me. Shocked in his eyes. Mouth opened, as if there is a last word he wants to say.

I closed my eyes. That's the last memory I wanted to hold on to have my courage to find that killer.