Sunshine

XXX

IT'S 4PM. The streets are still not that busy but in an hour or so it will start to get flocked by cars, that’s for sure. Among the few at the moment is a blue sedan that drove slowly, resulting to some cars to overtake it. But no one honked the car. That’s when he knew he wasn’t being a nuisance at the Kahilom river bridge’s flow of traffic.

But that was actually out of the blue sedan’s driver’s concern.

The car continued to drive slowly and took a u-turn when it reached the bridge’s end. Drove slow again, and took a u-turn again when it reached the other end. And then thirty minutes passed.

The car went to a stop. It’s driver, also in blue button-down shirt went out of it.

The breeze is nice, he thought to himself as he walked to the bridge’s railings. He looked down at the river and watched its current. The water’s a little rushing today.

The next thing he looked up is the sky. It’s color reminded him of the rain earlier that he actually forgot about. “Right, it rained when I was driving to here.”

He continued staring at the water below. He wanted to throw something to it and looked around but couldn’t find any. He fished his own pocket―car keys and a phone. He chose to throw his phone and closed his eyes. He felt like the strong wind is also trying to keep it close.

I am here. Trying to repay for all the lives that went with my own useless life.

If that will be enough of an apology.

He thought as he let go of his hands and threw himself at the angry river water.

“CAN you tell me what you saw that day?”

Captain Rivera said after a good evening to a certain Mr. Alfred, 45 years old, and the one who claimed witness to Adrian’s suicide. He was quite taken-aback by the sudden appearance of four people who claimed to be policemen this late at night. But he kept his composure.

“Yes, sure. But I’m not sure if I can actually tell something new. But please do come in.”

Mr. Alfred opened his door wide and let his late night visitors come in. Captain Rivera took the lead and sat on the sofa offered to them, while the three others stayed standing and looked around. Captain Rivera initiated a conversation.

“Can you please enumerate what you saw that afternoon?”

“Yes, sir.” Though he was a little bothered by the people roaming around his house too freely he sat on the chair across Rivera. Though his eyes stayed busy on them.

“I was coming home from work that time and was walking along the Kahilom River Bridge. I stopped for a while and that’s when I noticed a slow moving blue car that kept coming back and forth. It was weird so I kept watching. That went for a while then the car stopped. A man, I assume in his mid-20s went out. He was wearing blue, too. He walked to the railings and stood there for a long time. Afterwards he threw his phone that was from his pocket to the river then he jumped right after. It happened so fast. But I was sure of what I saw because it was just street across.”

Rivera nodded and pretended to jot down notes. The truth is he already know all of this. But he just wanted to see this witness with his team.

“But there is a CCTV in the area, right? You people still didn’t checked it?”

Rivera stopped fidgeting on his notebook and pen and looked at him. “I don’t know why you haven’t been told yet but it happened on a blind spot the camera failed to capture what happened.” He slouched forward. That made their faces closer to each other. “Basically you’re the only one who saw the incident and the only one who can prove it. So I really wish you could tell everything to the best of your knowledge.”

“I am, sir.” Mr. Alfred stood from his seat. With eyes shaking he looked at his visitors and went to open his door shoving them away. “I’m sorry but I think you guys should leave already. As can you see its late and I still have to go to work early tomorrow.”

“Oh, sure. I would like to apologize for the trouble for the last time.”

Rivera and Marie went out first, side by side. Marie whispered, “He’s a drunkard.”

“I know. And there’s a possibility he was just drunk that day and saw wrong. It’s been a week and they still can’t find Adrian.”

“And I think you’re right on that, Captain.” Carlos murmured at the back, getting behind by their walking. His eyes are too fixed on his phone he already stopped walking and just stood behind the now closed door of Mr. Alfred. Juan pulled the stoned Carlos away from the house and back to their car.

“I think we have to go somewhere.”

“WHY can't you trust your own memory? You remembered jumping and you can also remember why. There’s nothing fake here. That is your truth, Executive Master Sergeant Dela Vega.”

Adrian listened to the growing noise of heels clacking on the tiled floor. He stood from the bed he was just sitting on and faced the woman. But the heels was too noisy he can’t help but stare at it. He ended up staring at the black with silver and gold glitters molded perfectly on the feet in front of him.

“Who are you?” Adrian lifted his head. They are now face to face. “And what do you know?”

“Which do you want me to answer first? The who or the what? But okay I can answer both at once.”

She walked to the bed and sat there. Adrian turned to face her again and remained standing.

“Queen’s Spear, that’s who I am.”

Adrian’s eyes grew wide. And yes, that answered all the question he had including those still coming.

“But that’s not how you’re supposed to know me.” The Queen’s Spear crossed her legs and looked up at the now standing stiff Adrian Dela Vega. She smirked at the sight. “I’m the one who saved your life. Remember me that way, okay?”

THE whole car ride is awfully quiet since the Special Task Force Team left Mr. Alfred’s house. Carlos is still staring blankly at his phone while clutching it hard, and Juan who is sitting next to him at the back had his eyes closed while back lay flat on the car seat, his breathing heavy. While on the other hand Marie can’t stay put on the shotgun and Captain Rivera, as the one who had the steering wheel remained his head clear and focused.

“f**k I’m nervous.”

And what Marie said spoke for everyone. And as they can’t decide whether they want to reach their destination as fast as they could or otherwise, the car drove slower than the usual even in the light traffic given it’s already dawn. This could be recorded as Rivera’s slowest driving up to date.

“And I’m scared as fuck.”

But strangely that made Rivera step on the accelerator as hard as he could. Marie squeaked. “Captain?”

“I want this get over with more than anything.” He simply said and continued accelerating and sliding over few cars in front of them. The next thing they noticed is a loud screech of the car’s tires. The engine turned off, and next is the headlights turning off all the light on the place―an abandoned warehouse.

“He picked the right place. Damn yeah.”

Captain Rivera opened the door and went out first. His teammates followed soon after and side by side they went inside the warehouse. The previous image they found on this same warehouse, where Adrian Dela Vega beaten-up someone to its death stayed fresh. Especially now that they’re seeing the same back of a person at this moment too.

“Adrian.”