13: Annoying Topic

(This chapter contains some information about various poisons that are pure deadly and lethal.)

◆◆❃◆◆ᴍᴏᴏɴ's ᴘᴏᴠ◆◆❃◆◆

(9:45 August 17, 2019, same location.)

"I think you are descendants of a spirit turtle." sabi ko dahil hindi ko maiwasang hindi mairita. Nagelevator na nga sila, ang bagal pa nila. Kakainis!

Pero ang mas nakakainis, ngumiti lang at mukhang naaaliw sila Andrew at headmaster sa sinabi ko. Iniwas ko na lang ang atensyon ko at tinuloy basahin ang librong 'The Pheonix and the Turtle', na sinulat ni Shakespeare nang may nilapag ang headmaster sa meeting table. Hindi ko sana papansinin pero nung naamoy ko ang kaunting amoy ng--lason. At nung nakumpirma kong mga lason iyon, ako namang si tanga, parang batang lumapit sa mesa na nakakita ng mga bagong toys na regalo sa kanya.

"Belladonna." sabi ko at halata siguro sa mga galaw ko na parang excited pa ako bagama't ang nasa harap ko na ay lason. Information about this poisonous plant curculates my mind, and I couldn't control shameless mouth to say all of it.

"This plant more commonly known as Deadly Nightshade, which was used in the 18 or 19th century as a pain reliever, muscle relaxer and - of course - a cosmetic for women, as when drops were rubbed into the cheek would create a blush effect and when added to their eyes would cause the pupils to dilate. They say, a single leaf - if ingested - is lethal." sabi ko habang pilit kong ayusin ang sarili ko na umayos dahil nakakahiya na ang attitude ko lalo na't kasama ko at nang nakakairitang tumawa na headmaster.

"Good explanation. However, what is its antidote?" ramdam ko ang hamon sa tanong ng headmaster. Tss. Is he underestimating me? Underestimating this bookworm huh?

"Poisons are said to be the perfect tool for assassins, some are silent, others untraceable, almost all are lethal. This belladonna is a poison known since 18th century. I didn't hear anything about finding an antidote for this." tinignan ko silang lahat sa mata habang seryoso kong sinasabi lahat ng ito. Kita ng isa kong mata ang pagkamangha ni Derek at Sniper, ngunit nakangisi lang sakin ang dalawang natitira.

May kinuha nanaman sa bag na dala ng headmaster si Andrew habang nakagloves na rin. I didn't noticed na nakagloves na pala siya.

Dahan dahan niyang nilagay ang isa pang nakakalasong halaman sa lamesa, which is a monkshood, also known as wolfsbane.

"This poisonous plant is Monkshood, also called wolfsbane." sabi ko at nilibot ko naman ang paningin ko at nakita kong natigilan ng kaunti si Sniper. Maybe he knows how dangerous and lethal this plant is.

"Isn't Aconite comes from the plant Monkshood and is almost untraceable during postmortem - as having absorbed the poison by merely touching the leaves with your bare hands - it quickly causes a rapid heart arrhythmia, asphyxiation and finally suffocation? " nalipat naman sa kanya ang atensyon at pati ako ay napigilan ang sarili na ipakitang namangha ako.

"You're right. Although beautiful, small doses cause a slow painful death over 2-6 hours, with large doses causing death instantly. This plant can can be used to torture the enemy with its slow death." sang-ayon ko sa sinabi niya. Pagkatingin ko sa headmaster ay nasesense ko na pagtritripan nanaman niya ako.

"Don't ever think to trick me again Headmaster. I am warning you." cold kong sinabi nang magsasalita na sana ang headmaster at napangiti na lang siya sa inasal ko. Instead, he looked at Sniper's direction.

"Wow. I didn't expect that to you Sniper! Parang may katapat na rin sa wakas ang bookworm natin Andrew ah?" sabi ng headmaster sabay akbay kay Andrew at nahihiya-hiya pang napakamot sa ulo si Sniper habang naibaling nanaman sakin ang topic. Hindi ba talaga ako titigilan ng headmaster? At ang mas malala, kinakampihan pa ngayon ni Andrew ang HM. Anak ng?!

"Kunti lang po ang alam ko sa mga yan, headmaster." sabi ni Sniper na nakangiti at ang nakakairitang tawa nanaman ng headmaster ang umecho sa tenga ko. Arrrrrrgh bwisit naman Sniper! Kahit hindi kita close, please naman, wag ka nang mahiya masyado! Mas lalong naeenganyo ang headmaster na asarin ako eh!

"Hmm...what is the difference between arsenic and antimony?" tanong ng headmaster kay Sniper matapos niyang makarecover sa kakatawa. Pinagtuonan ko na muna ng pansin ang Belladonna at ang Wolfsbane na nasa mesa habang nakikinig sa paliwanag ni Sniper.

"Arsenic, a common metal on the periodic table that was virtually undetectable as a poison until the discovery of the Marsh Test in 1836. Up until the 1950's, arsenic was used in a variety of household goods including wallpapers, paints and even cosmetics but was phased out as long exposure caused jaundice and skin rashes, with high doses of arsenic resulting in a slow painful death by cause of, vomiting, diarrhea, and internal bleeding usually with a few hours." kahit na nakatuon ang pansin ko sa mga lason sa harap ko, kita ko sa peripheral vision ang kalmadong mukha ni Sniper habang nagpapaliwanag at ang tahimik  na Andrew at Derek.

"While antimony, similar to arsenic, Antimony is a common metal on the periodic table, and although it causes sweating, vomiting and cardiac arrest just 30 minutes after ingestion, it is easy for the intended victim to spot owing to it having an acrid metallic taste and, like arsenic, it can be detected during autopsy as it irritates the lining of the alimentary tract." I was about to touch a leaf of belladonna when the headmaster pulled my hand, pinipigilang hawakan ang dalawang lason na kinainis ko naman. Bakit hindi na lang niya ituloy ang pagtatanong kay Sniper? Nananahimik na nga ako dito eh.

"Seems like Ms. Bookworm wasn't listening? Are you angry that you have already an equal in mastering poisons?" I immediately shot a deadly glare towards Andrew when he said that. But instead he just shrugged.

"Who's not listening?" agad ko namang inayos ang tayo at postura ko at nakaharap na sa kanila habang pinipigilan ni Andrew na tumawa.

"Tama ba lahat ng sinabi ni Sniper, Ms. Bookworm?" kung hindi talaga titigil sa kakangiti ang headmaster, hindi ko mapipigilan and sarili kong magalit kahit na nasa harapan ko ang apat. Letse talaga. Why can't they see that they are all boys while I am the only girl here?! Argh stupid companions.

"Yes. They are all right. Both arsenic and antimony are part of the periodic table of elements." mabuti na lang talaga at nakamaskara ako kung hindi ay makikita nilang namumula na ako sa galit, leche flan.

"If you don't mind me asking, what is Cyanide and ​Dimethylmercury?" tanong samin ni Andrew habang nakatingin sakin tas kay Sniper. Is he testing us?

"​Dimethylmercury is an organic chemical compound with very few useful applications. It is a colourless liquid which is one of the world's strongest known neurotoxins, whose symptoms don't become apparent until months after exposure, with lethal doses being as little as 0.1ml. On 14th August 1996, chemist Karen Wetterhahn spilled a few drops on her latex gloved hand and promptly took the necessary precautions, but it wasn't until April 1997 that the symptoms - loss of balance and slurred speech - occured, later developing into resistance to pain, and leaving her in a vegetative state. She died ten months later." Sniper was the first one to answer the question. Hindi ko talaga maiwasang hindi mapatango sa lahat ng sinabi niya.

Ms. Karen Wetterhahn was a chemist and she was studying some chemicals when she unknowingly spilled the said poison. Sniper really knows what happened and what are the symptoms that killed Ms. Wetterhahn. Impressive.

"Cyanide is a chemical-compound commonly found in a wide variety of fruits, apple pips, almond and apricots stones, as well as tobacco, which is safely excreted via the urine in small doses. For humans, 1.5mg per kg of body weight is a lethal dose with death occurring in minutes. Cyanide is recognisable by its bitter almond smell and primarily causes the body to stop producing its own energy, with further symptoms including hyperventilation, dizziness, nausea, headaches, convulsions and death." diretso kong sinabi pagkatapos magpaliwanag ni Sniper.

"Hmm. In your own opinion Snipey and Moon, what chemicals and toxics are the most deadly?" tanong HM habang nakangiti nanaman saming dalawa. Hindi ba siya nagsasawang ngumiti? 

"For me, Polonium. It is a radioactive poison with no cure. It was famously used on the former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko whose cup of tea was spiked with a dose 200 times higher than that which is fatal, even though a single gram of polonium 210 could kill 10 million people and is 250,000 times more potent than hydrogen cyanide, which is used in gas execution chambers. Polonium causes a slow but complete breakdown and failure of the internal organs owing to its radioactive compounds. Litvinenko died three weeks later." nakangiting tumango sa sagot ni Sniper ang headmaster at lumipat naman sakin ang tingin niya.

"Mercury, a metal on the periodic table, which is commonly used in car batteries, thermometers and as with Mozart, a cure for syphilis, and although harmless if touched, it can be lethal if inhaled or ingested. Symptoms include rashes, muscle weakness, memory loss, numbness and issues with sight, hearing and speech, with the latter stages of the poisoning resulting in excessive sweating, rapid heart-rate, hypertension and - finally - death. Although organic mercury is commonly found in tuna and swordfish, it can be potentially deadly over long period of time. For me, Mercury is the very deadliest since it can be found everywhere." pagkatapos kong magsalita ay lumapit si HM kay Andrew at may binulong sandali dito. Tumango naman si Andrew habang pumunta sa elevator at kita ko ang pagkaseryoso niya bago nagsara ang elevator.

Ano kayang nasa isip ng dalawang iyon?

"Snipey, buddy, saan mo iyon natutunan?" mahinahong tanong ng HM kay Snipey kuno. Tingnan mo nga naman. Kapag kila Sniper, Derek at Andrew, ambait niya. Pero saken, pagtritripan pa ako. May galit ba siya sa lahi ko?

"Nagbasa basa lang ho ako." aba magalang si Sniper. So...

...HINDI AKO MAGALANG KAYA PINAGTRITRIPAN AKO NG HEADMASTER?

"Hmm...ganun ba? Anyways---oh Lucas. Ba't antahimik mo?" wait what? Lucas? Oh, I remembered. Derek Lucas P. Maneduil is his full name. Ngayon ko lang narinig na may tumawag sa kanya ng second name pero kita sa itsura ni Derek na ayaw niyang tinatawag siya sa second name niya lalo na nanggaling ito sa HM.

"May iniisip lang ako headmaster. Pero..." nilipat niya ang tingin sa headmaster at tumigil ito sakin.

"...why are we talking about poisons?" a ear piercing laughter came from the headmaster made me walked a few meters away from them.

"Ang...OA-hahaha...mo naman..hahahaha...Moon." sabi ng hm habang pinipigilang tumawa sa tanong ni Derek at sa paglayo ko.

"I am not overreacting. I was just distancing myself so that I would not become a deaf person just because of your laughter." pati si Sniper ay napatawa ng mahina sa sinabi ko. Nakakabingi na at nakakasawa marinig ang pagtawa ng headmaster eh. Bwisit.

"Now now now. Derek, bakit poisons and pinaguusapan natin? Not because I wanted to trick Moon myself but I want to see that all of you have good knowledge about poisons. And thank Moon and Sniper for sharing their thoughts. So...for you, what's the deadliest poison in the world?" isang ngiti pa talaga na makikita ko sa mukha ng headmaster, mag wawalkout na talaga ako.

"Me? I think, Botulinum Toxin is the most poisonous substance known to man. It is estimated that a single teaspoon of botulinum toxin would be sufficient to kill over 1 billion people. The toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum which can be found worldwide. Botulism has been used as a method to murder people on a number of occasions through purposely contaminating food. Ironically, botulinum toxin has found a role in medical and cosmetic world.It is used to treat excessive sweating,migraine headaches and unsightly wrinkles on lady's foreheads in the form of botox. It was estimated that one gram of the toxin was enough to satisfy the worlds annual requirement for botox. How funny." literal na tumahimik kaming lahat pagkatapos naming pakinggan si Derek. H-How come? Naalala ko ang botulinum toxin na nakalagay sa book na binasa niya nung nagstay siya sa dorm ko pero hindi ibig sabihin na naaalala niya lahat ng information na nakasulat about it!

"Wow. Lu-- I mean. Wow! Derek! Hindi ko alam, you have that hidden knowledge. Kung hindi ka napagiiwanan, bakit mo tinanong na 'bakit poisons ang pinaguusapan' natin?" kunwaring napapahiyang sinabi ng headmaster kay Derek habang bigla naman siyang nagkaroon ng interes sa flooring. Tsk. Wala na bang mas aakward sa sitwasyon namin ngayon?

"Kaya ko lang naman sinabi yon, hindi dahil sa napagiiwanan na ako, kasi hindi ko naman gusto itong sabihin, pero mabilis akong magsawa kapag iisang topic lang ang pinaguusapan. Isa pa, maglulunch time na. Hindi ba ninyo tinitignan ang oras?" hindi ko naman mapigilang hindi matawa. Oo nga naman hahaha. He's right. It was already 11:17.

Nung nakaramdam ako ng weird gazes at my direction, tinaas ko ang paningin ko na sana ay hindi ko ginawa.

All I can see, they are giving me some weird looks.

What the packing tape?

ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ...