DECODE

CHAPTER 3; The Chronicler

ASHER

A post about our club came to my notice and I immediately hunt down the person behind it, which after only a few moments came.

The knock echoed inside the clubroom. I turn off my laptop and look at the door.

"Come in." I said as I wait to see the person who's behind that creative blog.

The door slowly flung open, and a man appeared in plain sight. He's a skinny man, with the same height as mine, have a long messy black hair and a camera hanging upon his neck. He is wearing a reading glass with a red frame. His composure seems cool, but there's that cold stare from his brown eyes.

"Hello, Ash." he said as he walk towards me. I noticed his movement is so quiet. His eyes didn't leave mine.

"You're the person behind that post?" I asked. He sit on the chair that was designed for the clients to sit on. He smiled at me.

"Yes. The only person behind that." Silver said. This guy is Silvester Vernon, the known photojournalist in our campus, and the very person who first published a story about me in the school's newspaper. He's not just a photojournalist, but also the editor in chief of the school's newspaper. He's also the head of the campus journalism team, The Hermes Prophecy.

"You're really good with camera. I admire those shots of yours in the post. Come to think of it, you're the person I heard when I heard the clicks when we're walking yesterday toward here. You've been taking pictures of us all day." I said. He chuckled.

"Yes. I'm taking pictures of you yesterday. Upon hearing the news that someone was found bleeding in Class 11-D, I immediately ready myself to take photos of your club doing your job. I followed you throughout your investigation. And I decided to take pictures secretly, to surprise you on that post. I'm very pleased you like the post." he said and slightly bow to me.

"Well, the truth is, we need someone who will constantly post the adventures of our club. A blogger, who will make a blog post for our club. But we need a man, who's independent. What I mean is, not under another club." I said as I look directly to his eye. He smiled.

"I can do that. I am willing to write and post blogs about your club. I would love to do that."

"But you're under the journalism team. You're the head of that team."

"But that doesn't mean I can't make the blog you need." he said as he stare directly to my eyes. I leaned onto my chair and cross my legs as I think about the circumstances at hand.

"I know you can do that. But I want someone, who can accompany the club and take pictures of the things we did every time a crime happened inside the campus. In other words, we need someone who can serve for the club full-time." I said. He leaned on his chair and crossed his legs too.

"Well, I know that too. You want a chronicler for your club. But I just told you, I can do that, even though I'm part of the journalism club. In fact, I have a proposal for you that, I know, will really help your club." he said that made my forehead wrinkled.

"What is that?" I asked. He look at me directly to my eyes.

"Well, it's that, I want you to make me a part of this club, and I'll be your club chronicler. And also, I will give space to your club in the school's weekly paper and school's radio station." he said. My forehead wrinkled more.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He leaned forward to me, as he answer my question.

"I want to be a part of your club. Make me a part of your club, then you have your chronicler. I know you want your club to be known throughout the campus. And I can help you with that through publishing stories about your club's activities in the campus newspaper. Not just that, but your club will have special slot for our radio drama stories featuring the cases your club solved. All of it will happen if you accept my offer. Make me a part of your club." he answered.

I just look directly at him. What's gotten into him? I know the club need exposure for other students to acknowledge us, but his offer is so good I can't settle the idea that there's something more behind that.

"What do you want? I know, there's something more behind that. You can't just offer that thing just for you to be a part of my club. So, what's your ulterior motive?" I asked as my eyes became a squint as I look at him. He just sit there, cool and calm.

"I have no ulterior motive, Ash. I just want to be a part of this club, also to be your chronicler. I love mystery, and I love writing mystery stories. And being your chronicler will fulfill my dream to write a very realistic nonfiction mystery story. I just want to fulfill that ambition of mine." he said. I just listened to him.

"Well, let me consult it first to my vice. Since we're the only people that consist this club, I think, I should here her says first. I liked your picture on that blog, but who knows, she didn't like that. So, thank you for this opportunity of knowing you. I'll call you once we have decided if we will take you as our chronicler or not." I said. He smiled and bow slightly.

"Thank you, Ash. Mind you, I can also be a detective like you and your vice, not just only your chronicler. I'm pretty confident I can be of big help to your club in solving cases." he said with the air of pride and a smirk plastered upon his face. I just smirk too.

"We'll know it soon, once Zay decided to accept you as our chronicler." I said. We shook hands and he bowed slightly again before he turned to left. It didn't took him five steps away when the door slammed open and hit the adjacent wall of it. Silver and I looked at the door immediately.

I recognized Zay on the doorway, hands on her knees, shoulders heaving and panting as she sweat in front of us. She look directly to me. I stood from my seat and immediately walk towards her. My brows knitted at her state.

"What happened to you? You look like you went through four mountains before you came here." I said. She frowned to me as she straighten herself. She wipe the sweat on her brows before answering my question.

"I...ran from the grade ten building. S-Something happened there." she said, still trying to catch her breath. My jaw clenched upon hearing her second sentence. I saw Silver, sternly looking toward Zay. His arms were crossed in front of him.

"What happened?" I asked.

"S-Someone died. He fell from the third floor!" she said. The news shocked me that it made me stand there frozen for some seconds. My jaw tightened upon hearing her news.

"Let's go! Let's see the thing you're saying!" I told her. I was about to run when someone clutched my wrist.

"Can I come and take pictures of your club? Also, maybe I can help. This will serve as my test if I will pass to be a member of your club." Silver said. I look directly to his eyes, assessing him if he has some ulterior motive. Seeing none, I slightly nod at him. He smiled at my approval and we all run towards the grade ten building.

My mind wanders at the possible scenarios I will see at the grade ten building. What evildoing happened this time? Who was killed this time?

We can see the crowd gathering from a distance in front of the grade ten building. My heart beats faster, anticipating to what I will see next. We pushed ourselves through the crowd for us to have a better look of the thing they're crowding. We pushed some more until we reached the front of the crowd. My eyes fell immediately to the thing on the floor.

A man was there, back on the floor, lying lifeless. A pool of blood was present under his head. He was lying on the solid cemented ground in front of the grade ten building.

"Don't come any closer to the body! Move backward! Call the faculty and the police!" I shouted. The students crowding the scene moved backward.

"Someone already called the faculty. What do you think happened to him?" Zay asked. I scan the body lying on the floor. I saw his name tag, Japeth Barameda. He's no doubt a grade ten student based on the patch on his breast pocket.

I leaned closer to the body, and noticed something other than the body on the cemented ground. My forehead wrinkled upon noticing soils and small sunflowers on the cemented ground, scattered around the body. There's also a broken pot around the body. Hmm...

"What do you think happened?" I heard Silver asked as he took photos of the crime scene. I straightened myself and look at Zay and Silver. They both look at me, anticipating the thing I will say. A smile formed on my lips.

"I don't know." I said and turn my back to them. I heard the two of them groan upon hearing what I said.

I look up to the grade ten building. The building was consist of five floors, which the last floor is the rooftop. The rooftop is an open area, no coverings on it. Also, there's some small railings on the edges of the rooftop to prevent anyone from falling. I believe those railings is up to my waist high.

"Zay, where is this man fell from?" I asked as I look up to the grade ten building.

"From the third floor of the grade ten building. Why?" she answered.

"Third floor...well, it's quiet high already. And to think that he fell to this concrete floor made his fall more fatal. But I wonder why he fell?"

"It's an accident, Ash?" Silver asked. He's finished taking pictures and now beside me and looking up at the grade ten building too.

"From this point, yes. If he was pushed from that floor, other students will saw the crime. It's not suicide. It's improbable for someone to commit suicide from a part of a building where so much obstacles can delay their plan of committing it."

"But what about that broken pot? It seems off." Zay noticed. I smirked.

"Yes. That's the first thing I noticed. A broken pot scattered on this floor around the body. This is what I want to ask. Nakita n'yo bang nahulog s'ya?" I asked.

"Well, I heard a loud thud. Then we all came here and found this." Zay said.

"You also heard this broken pot?" I asked. She nodded. I fell in deep thought.

"Na!" someone's voice shouted. The three of us all turned to see a skinny man, wearing a reading glass that have two big lenses. He seemed shaking as he look at us. The three of us walk toward here that made him step backwards.

"Anong nakita mo?" Silver asked immediately. The young man looked at him with hint of uneasiness and fear.

"What's your name and what did you see?" I repeated. The man straightened himself before he answered our questions with a shaky voice.

"A-Ako si Steven Labenta. K-Kaklase ko po si Japeth. N-Nakita ko s'ya kaninang lumabas. N-Nasa loob ako ng classroom, sa last row. Nakikita ko ang hallway mula sa upuan ko. Nakita ko si Japeth na lumabas ng classroom, may kausap s'ya sa cellphone. Nagmamadali s'yang lumabas at parang kinakabahan s'ya. Hindi ko pinansin noong una. Pero noong binalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya, nahulog na s'ya. Napasigaw na lang ako sa takot." the man said. I nodded.

"Wala ka bang nakitang tumulak sa kanya?" Zay asked. Steven shook his head.

"Class hours 'yon. Wala lang kaming teacher kaya wala kaming ginagawa."

"Kilala mo ba ang tumawag sa kanya?" Silver asked again. Steven shook his head again.

"Nakatalikod mula sa akin ang phone n'ya. At hindi ko narinig na binanggit n'ya ang pangalan ng kausap n'ya." Steven said. I fell in deep thought as I learned what he had witnessed. I have a feeling about this case. This case isn't just a normal case. This is somewhat planned. By whom? That's what we'll find out.

"We're the police! Give way! 'Wag kayong lumapit sa katawan!" I heard the familiar voice again of Inspector Marcus Marion. The three of us turned as they approach the cold body of the victim. Beside him is the head of the school, Mr. Orson. Mr. Orson is red and sweating as he mumbles words and rants.

"Ash! Nandito ka ulit! May panibago na namang nangyari sa campus n'yo. Pero mukhang hindi na kailangan ng utak dito. Base sa mga narinig ko, nadulas daw ang batang ito mula sa third floor ng building na ito. That means, this case was qualified as an accident." Inspector Mar said. I look at him in the eyes.

"I don't think so, inspector. Kasingtaas ng baywang ng isang estudyante ang pasimano doon. Malabong malaglag agad s'ya kung sakali. And also, the day is sunny. There's no possible thing that produce something that will cause his slip. Hindi basa ang pasimano dahil hindi umulan kaya walang magiging dahilan ng pagkalaglag n'ya." I argued with him as the constables cordoned and control the students swarming the crime scene. Inspector Mar, think about what I have just told him.

"Kung sabagay, tama ka. Walang kahit anong pwedeng maging rason ng pagkadulas n'ya dahil hindi basa ang pasimano dahil hindi umulan. Ibig ba sabihin nito, may tumulak sa kanya?" he said. I shook my head.

"This guy hear told us everything that he had witnessed. He told us that the victim went out of their room on his phone, talking to someone. And then a few seconds later, saw him fell. He didn't saw anybody there that can be the one to push the victim over that windowsill."

"Eh paano kung tinulak ang biktima tapos biglang tumakas agad?"

"That's impossible. As I told you, the windowsill is as high as the waist of a student. They can't just fall easily in a slight push. You must throw them over that plant box for you to successfully kill someone through falling from the third floor."

"Kung ganoon, hindi ito aksidente. It might be a suicide."

"Hindi din, inspector. If I were a suicidal person, I'll kill myself through jumping from the rooftop to the ground. I want a few moments alone before I die." I said that made the inspector chuckle. I heard Silver chuckled too.

"Kung ganoon, anong gusto mong palabasin?" Inspector Mar said. I look at him straight to his eyes.

"I just want to tell you that this case, might be a murder case."

★★★

Someone died again in our campus. He's Japeth Barameda. He died through falling from the third floor of grade ten building. Someone witnessed the crime, but saw no one who can be the one to push Japeth over the plant box. We barely have clues and leads to this case. But one thing is for sure, the case is a murder.

We're walking towards the classroom of Japeth, 10-C. Silver, Zay and I already started our investigation. Inspector Mar is also trying to question every people who knows Japeth, asking if he have someone bad blood with.

"Go, ask Japeth's classmates. They might shed some light in this mystery. I will try to look for his phone." I told Zay and Silver. They agreed and started talking in the 10-C class while I started to search for the phone.

If Steven, who's sitting in the last row in their room, can see the fall of Japeth, that means Japeth fell just in front of their classroom.

I went towards the plant box in front of the door. I look down and saw that the outline of the body on the cemented ground is directly situated under the spot where I am now. So this means, this is where he fell. This is where Steven saw him, talking with someone in his phone.

If he's talking to his phone, when he fell from here, then his phone must be somewhere in this area.

I immediately search for Japeth's phone in the plant box and after a few seconds, I found it hidden on the leaves of a plant there. I used my handkerchief to cover my hands as I pick up the phone. The screen was cracked, probably because of the impact of it's fall. I tried to open the phone, and gladly it opened. But the thing is, there's a password needed to unlock the phone.

I can do nothing about the password now. I will let the police do the job. I wrap the phone with my handkerchief and keep it in my pocket to give to Inspector Mar later. I turned and saw Zay and Silver going out of the room. I walk towards them to ask about their investigation. Pero napatigil ako nang mapansin kong sobrang linis ng pasimano. Hmm...

"Ash, nakita mo na ang phone ni Japeth?" Zay asked. I nodded at her.

"Yes. It's in my pocket. What happened on your investigation there?" I asked.

"Nalaman naming may girlfriend si Japeth. Her name is Mykhaela Amalayan. She's absent today." Silver said.

"We also learned that Japeth has one enemy. He's Kurt Tagle. They were rivals in Mykhaela's love. Sabi sa akin 'yan ng best friend ni Japeth na si Luis Monaco. Ilang beses na daw nag-away ang dalawa dahil kay Mykhaela." Zay said. I nodded in their reports.

"And also, one more thing. Luis told me that the locket of Japeth that was a gift from her girlfriend on their first monthsary was missing that made Japeth mad these past few days. Sinisisi n'ya si Kurt. Iniisip n'yang si Kurt ang kumuha. Pero hindi naman talaga si Kurt ang kumuha." Silver added. I think about the facts they reported to me. I think, I'm having the grasp for this case. I already made theories and now, I'm going to see what theory fits the facts I have.

"Thank you for your help. Kindly go back to Inspector Mar, and give it to him. Tell him to unlock this phone, and check the last person who called Japeth before he fell. I'm going to the rooftop." I said as I handed them the phone I found in the plant box. The two of them looked at me wondering what will I do on the rooftop. But before they can voice it out, I already answered their questions in mind.

"I just want to check something." I said and turn to leave. I went directly to the stair towards the fourth floor.

I ascended the building and found myself in the hallway of the fourth floor of the grade ten building. I walk quietly as I observe the windowsills there. My mind was baffled when I found out that they are all clean. I went to the fifth floor, the rooftop. There were no roofs here, so it's scorching hot. There were no windowsills too, just small railings on the edges. Also, since there is no windowsills up here, the plants were on the floor, arranged neatly in every side and corner.

I walk around the rooftop, looking at every side and corner of it. I am looking for something here. I'm sure, I can find it here.

My heart leapt in joy upon laying my eyes on the floor on the left side of the rooftop area. There's this circular trace of water there, and also dirt formed in circle as if something with circular base was removed from there. I smiled. I look down from the rooftop railings toward the ground floor and smirk upon seeing that my position was directly above the crime scene. Now, now, it's getting clear to me.

Now, one thing is left unsolved. How did the body fell facing up? In my theory, the body would be lying flat, face on the ground. But the body's position is flat, back on the ground. How is that happened?

I walk toward the exit of the rooftop as I think about that fact. Paano nangyaring nakatihaya ang biktima, hindi nakadapang bumagsak?

I descended the building as I grasp for the answer that will complete this case. I went back to the crime scene, where Zay and Silver is, together with Inspector Mar.

"Ah, Ash! Buti dumating ka na. May nakita kaming bagay na nadaganan ng katawan ng biktima." Inspector Mar said upon seeing me. I look up to him and asked what is that thing they found.

"It's a locket. Base sa impormasyon nitong dalawang ito, nawala ang locket na binigay kay Japeth ng girlfriend n'ya. Lagi n'yang sinisisi ang isang lalaking kilala sa pangalang Kurt. But what a surprise finding this locket here." he said and showed me a ziplock where a locket was in there. I took it from him, and examine the locket. It was broken, but I can see the picture of a girl and Japeth there.

"Sa tingin mo, nagsisinungaling lang kaya ang biktima na nawala ang locket n'ya para masira ang pangalan ng Kurt na kaaway n'ya?" Inspector Mar asked. I did not answer.

If Japeth is lying about his lost locket, then it would not be here. He will keep it away from the eyes of anyone. He won't just bring that locket around if he want his classmates to buy his story. I know, there's something more about it...something like it was used in other purpose...but what?

Then a sudden realization hit me. Now I see. That's the part this locket took in this case. That's the role of this locket in this case. Now, I know who's the killer. Now I know who's the person who killed Japeth Barameda that tried to disguise this case as an accident!

★★★

Silver, Zay and I were all sitting in our chairs, me on my usual swivel chair, Zay and Silver I'm front of my desk, inside our clubroom waiting for the person we invited here to come. Everyone is quiet. The only noise that can be heard inside is the tapping noise my finger made on my desk. I'm eager to pin the culprit of Japeth's case now. I am excited to rip off the mask that person wear.

After a few more seconds, a knock echoed in the room. It made the three of us look at the door. Silver and Zay seemed energized upon hearing that knock.

"Come in!" I shouted. The door slowly flung open, as a man slowly entered the room. I smirked upon seeing the man who entered the room.

"Pinapatawag n'yo daw po ako?" he said. I nodded and stood up from my seat and walk toward him.

"Yes, yes. We called you here, to discuss something. Come sit on this chair." I said as I guided him to a chair. He sat on it and I remain standing.

"A-Ano pong pag-uusapan natin?" he asked. Zay and Silver is just watching the scene. When he heard no answer from the two, he divert his gaze to me. I smirked at him.

"Well, we're talking about how you murdered Japeth Barameda, and made it look like an accident." I said and push the lock button of the doorknob of our clubroom. I saw the color drained from his face as I lean onto the door and smirk at him. He tried to speak, but no words came.

"Don't deny it, Mr. Luis Monaco. You killed your own friend." I said. His jaw tightened upon hearing my remark. His expression changed into anger as he look up at me. I can see his veins popping out from his head.

"Anong sinasabi mo?! Anong kalokohan 'to?!" Luis yelled fuming in anger. I just stare at him sternly.

"Well, it's no joke. You killed Japeth. I see through your lies already. You can't deny it now." I said. His fist clenched as he look at me. I didn't budge.

"Well, first is you stole his locket. You stole it and made it look like Kurt, the enemy of Japeth, took it. You poisoned his mind, making him believe that Kurt is the one who really stole it, but it was you. Then, after that, you started to plan how to get rid of him. You want to have a clean breast of getting rid of him, that's why you intensified their war through that locket, but seeing it failed pushed you to do the deed on your own.

"You don't want to be subjected and be jailed through a crime, that's why you planned the crime and made it look like an accident. You did a very good job killing him from the rooftop." I said. I saw his eyes widened upon hearing my remarks. He tried to speak, but fell silent.

"You killed him through dropping a pot on him that made his fall. First, you called him on his phone. I remember Steven, one of your classmates, saw him went out of the room, on his phone, talking to someone and looked like very worried. Then he went directly to the plant box. From that point I can say, whoever called him made him act like that. And between you and Kurt, you're the most probable person to call him since rivals don't call each other through phone and made one of them so worried about the other.

"Assuming you called to him, saying that you will commit suicide by jumping from the rooftop, will lead him to go to that plant box and look up to you. Then, while you're peering down from your position up on the rooftop, you waited for him to stick out his head for you to see, where he is. And then, upon seeing where he is, you positioned yourself just above him. But you did not immediately drop the pot on him since you know his body won't be positioned on the expected position of an accidental fall.

"That's why you dropped something that made him look down from looking up at you. And the thing you dropped is his very own locket." I said and throw up my pen in the air from my pocket. Luis' gaze followed the falling pen until it hit the ground.

"See? Normally, people will follow something falling with their eyes, until it hit the ground. And that's what happened to Japeth. He followed the falling locket that made him look down the ground floor. And when he looked down, you grabbed that chance to drop that pot to him that hit the back of his head and made him fall over the windowsill. That's why, the body is lying with soils and a broken pot around it." I said. Luis gritted his teeth as he look down the floor.

"Akala namin noong una ay aksidente ang pangyayari. Pero hindi umulan para maging madulas ang mga pasimano. I also found that the pots on third floor and fourth floor that were designed on the windowsills of the hallways were all complete. That means, the body didn't bump the pot when he fell that cause it to fall and break too. But when I searched the rooftop, I found a spot where a pot was once placed there. And that's just above the crime scene.

"You killed him by dropping a pot to him that made his fell. That's why there's this small soil stain on your uniform. Sa may bandang laylayan. Hindi mo ito nakita kaya hindi mo nalinis agad. And another proof of your involvement in this crime is the victim's phone. It's now on the hands of the police and sooner or later, they will open it and found that you were the last person who talked with the victim through phone. It's a total checkmate." I said.

Luis hold the spot where I noticed the stain from the soil when I guided him to the chair. His hand clenched to a fist that grip the uniform tight. Silver and Zay just watch me pin him in his crime. Silver took photos of the deduction show.

"Ang akala ko, makakatakas ako. Pero hindi pala. Ang galing mo. Tama lahat ng sinabi mo. Lahat ng ginawa ko mula sa umpisa ay nasabi mo ng tama. It is as if you were there when I did all of those things. Kakaiba ka. Ang galing. Napahanga mo ako." Luis said and look up at me with a bitter smile. I just look at him sternly.

"Why? Why did you kill your own friend?" Zay asked. Luis leaned on his chair and cross his legs as he answered her question.

"Why? Why did I kill him? Simple lang. Dahil wala s'yang kwentang kaibigan! He's not a real friend. Ginagamit n'ya lang ako. Nakikilala lang n'ya ako kapag may kailangan s'ya, pero isinasantabi kapag wala s'yang kailangan! Noong inabangan kami ng grupo ni Kurt, iniwan n'ya lang akong nabubugbog!Wala s'yang kwenta!" Luis said with full of hatred.

I unlocked the door, and two constables entered the clubroom. Inspector Mar entered the clubroom too. Kanina pa sila naghihintay sa labas.

"Naresolba mo na naman ang kaso. Salamat." the inspector said. I nodded and smile to him.

"That's nothing, inspector." I said as they bring Luis out our clubroom.

★★★

"Thanks for your help, Silver, in this case." I told Silver when the case was solved. Zay, Silver and I were all sitting in the clubroom, talking while killing time.

"That's nothing. Did I pass my test?" he asked. Zay and I glance at each other.

"Absolutely!" we both said. Silver leapt in joy as we accepted him as the third member of the club.