Chapter XII
1065 Words
Rosette came down to the kitchen and saw Sally sitting in a chair while having her favorite tea.
Rosette stopped in front of the table. "Sally, have you seen Collin?" she asked softly.
The woman protruded her lips as she tried to remember something. "He was there when you were talking to my father." Sally pointed her finger and her eyes followed it.
Rosette stared the backdoor and felt a sudden blow. "You mean, he heard us talking?"
"Your voice isn't that low, that even I heard it from here." Sally blew the smoke that's coming from her tea and carefully sipped the green liquid. "So, Yes."
Her heart softened as she thought about the words that she said earlier to Sally's father. "Sorry."
The woman put down her cup and stared at her. "Stop blaming anyone for someone's death. We all value life but there are just some who can't stand the pain anymore and decide to end it. You can't understand that unless you are in their shoes," Sally said.
Rosette inhaled deeply. Her shoulders stiffened as she tried to hold her patience. "I know the difference between a weak person and a strong one. Anie is a strong woman, you know that." She pointed down a finger on the table as she was stating her observation. "Despite all the loss, she managed to live and endured all the pain instead of giving up to follow her children. And just because of that melody..." Her mouth suppressed her words.
Rosette had to be careful with what she says. No one knew who turned on the melody, and everyone in the island could be a suspect.
"And what do you know about the melody?" Sally raised her brows, she was like demanding her for an answer.
"All I know is that there is a hidden truth behind it." Rosette dropped her shoulders momentarily.
Sally's sharp laugh echoed in the kitchen. "You mean to say, you do not know that a broken melody can turn on anybody's suppressed anxiety?" She covered her mouth to stop her laugh from escaping but of no avail.
"That is not true." Rosette shook her head. She could not find a word to justify her belief but she knew that something was odd with the melody.
"Yes, it is. And that's probably the reason why they chose the easiest way they knew to cease the pain." Sally moved her brows and continued drinking her tea.
"Maybe?" She gave up the fight, but it did not mean that she would gave up on finding the answers. "And what about the girl? Who is she?"
"She's just from the neighborhood," Sally answered. Her eyes were fixed on the tea she was sipping.
"Really? Because I haven't seen her anywhere." Rosette smiled sarcastically.
"Enough of this topic, okay?" The clinking sound followed as Sally dropped the tea cup to its saucer. "If you are looking for your boyfriend, try to find him in his room. Have you checked it?"
Rosette bit her lips. She felt dejected at Sally's sudden outburst. "I'll check it. Thanks," she said as she retreated.
She ran towards Collin's room. The coldness from the steal knob crawled up to her as she discovered that it was open. "Collin? Are you there?" Rosette called out when she peeped in the room.
Silence was deafening as she entered. There was no sign of Collin nor any movement inside the bathroom. Still, she continued searching for her boyfriend inside.
Her heart banged her chest when she noticed the droplets of red liquid on the floor. Rosette followed the traces of it until she found herself facing the bathroom door. She hurriedly turned the knob and tried to open it. But it she failed. The door was locked.
"Collin, are you there? Collin? Collin! Please, open this Goddamn door!" She kept on knocking the door and calling out his name. Her hands started to feel the pain from hard banging. Droplets of her sweats trailed from her forehead down to her cheekbones. and jaw.
"Collin, please..." Rosette cried out.
She wiped her wet eyes and rushed to her room to get the pins. She frustratingly pulled out everything she got from her luggage and threw them on the floor. Ten minutes had passed and she almost gave up searching .
She grabbed a handful of her hair after pulling the last shirt, emptying the luggage. She paused to think. Then, something flashed in her mind.
Rosette went back to Collin's room and pulled out the pins from her back pockets. She inserted them to the keyhole and managed to open the lock.
"Collin!?" Rosette slammed the door open.
The bathroom floor, stained with fresh blood, greeted her sight. She turned her head in every corner of the bathroom to find Collin, but his figure could not be found. Tears streamed down her face.
"Where are you? Please, tell me. Tell me that you are fine," she whispered as she sobbed.
And like an answer to her prayer, her eyes caught the red stains on the mirror. She read it soundlessly with her lips.
"If you want to find him alive, look for him after five. Not six nor seven, but the number is even."
Sh*t! Where to?
She searched the whole room to find another clue, but nothing was there. It was already five in the afternoon and Collin was still missing. She came down again to the kitchen and asked Sally.
"Where. Is. Collin. Please!" Rosette interjected.
"I'm not a place for the lost and found, Miss Tagimacruz. As you can see, I'm busy here." Sally showed her the knife she was holding and chopped vegetables. "Look for him with your eyes, not with your mouth."
As you can see, I'm busy here... Look for him with your eyes, not with your mouth.
The lines kept repeating in her head like a broken melody. Rosette remained motionless.
After a while, she chanted the words that bugged in her mind. "See. Six. Seven." Her eyes can see and after seven, there is eight--an even number. She gasped when she solved the puzzle, eyes widened.
"Thanks!" Rosette shouted as she removed her sandals and ran outside. Totally disregarded the time, whether it was five or six, seven or eight... All she wanted was to see him with her two eyes. And confirm his safety.
- Writer
