Save Me, Heal Me

Chapter 4

Ngayon lang yata ako nakaramdam ng gaan ng loob at walang sakit sa katawan. Kagabi lang kasi siguro ang pinakamahaba kong tulog kaya napasarap din ang gising ko ngayon. Medyo good mood pa nga ako eh.

"Good morning, Detective," bati nung isang pulis.

Nginitian ko naman siya at binati. "Good morning," tsaka ininom ang hot coffee ko.

Nagtungo agad ako sa table ko at sinimulang basahin ang mga kaso ngayon. Wala naman akong magagawa, wala pa rin si Andrei dahil laging late naman 'yun. Hanggang sa maubos ang kape ko, wala pa rin siya.

"TULONG! TULONG!" Nabulabog kami nung may biglang sumigaw sa loob.

"Bakit? Anong nangyari?" tanong ng isang pulis.

"M-may nakita po akong bangkay ng babae s-sa palayan namin!" natatarantang sigaw ng lalaki. Naka-

suot pa ito ng boots na tulad sa  sinusuot nila sa palayan.

Tarantang-taranta siya, hindi niya alam kung sino ang lalapitan niya.

Lumapit sa matanda si Detective Dan.

"Huminahon ho kayo. Sabihin niyo po sa amin kung saan at kailan niyo nakita ang bangkay," mahinahon ngunit puno ng awtoridad na tugon ni Detective Dan.

"S-sa palayan namin! S-sa Sitio Kalayaan! Kanina, nakita ko iyong babae!" tarantang sagot ng matanda.

Tinawag ni Detective ang unit namin at naghanda na. Hanggang ngayon wala pa rin si Andrei.

"Team! Let's go!" sigaw ng head namin, si Detective Dan.

Agad naman silang sumunod sa head, ganun din ako. Posible kasing konektado ito sa serial killing na nagaganap ngayon.

"Hoy! Tagal mo! Halika na!" sigaw ko kay Andrei nung prente siyang pumasok sa loob ng quarters.

Sumunod naman agad siya dahil hinatak ko.

Sinama namin ang witness para matunton ang lugar ng pinangyarihan. Mahigit 20 minutes ang layo ng lugar mula sa head quarters, kaya bilib naman ako sa tinakbo ng matanda. Sa sobrang takot at taranta niya siguro ay nakalimutan niya ng sumakay.

Nang makarating kami doon, halatang secluded ang lugar. Tanging malalawak na palayan lang ang makikita sa magkabilang gilid ng maputik na kalsada.

"Dito po," sabi nung matanda, kaya huminto ang van tsaka kami bumaba. Tinuro nung mama ang kinalalagyan ng bangkay.

Agad kaming nagtungo sa tinuro ng matanda. Sobrang maputik kaya hinay-hinay kaming naglakad patungo sa kinaroroonan ng bangkay.

Nandoon nga ang katawan ng isang babae, nababalutan ng putik ang ibabang bahagi ng katawan nito. Nakapantalon ito at puting blouse. May nakasabit pa na ID sa leeg niya. Tinignan ko iyon.

Mikaela Corazon. She's a call center agent.

"Tawagin niyo ang kapitan o kung sino man ang namumuno sa lugar na 'to," utos ko sa isang pulis na kasama namin na nagsuri ng bangkay.

"Tinawagan na po namin, Detective. Papunta na po sila rito kasama ang pamilya ng biktima," paliwanag niya.

Nang hinawakan ko ang bangkay, malamig at medyo nanigas na ito. Ilang oras na ang nakakaraan simula nung mamatay siya.

Her face was covered in dirt, as long as her lower body and clothes. The look in her face looks like she was struggling to survive. She's frowning in pain.

She must've been reported missing already. It must've been 24 hours since she got missing and it's possible that it's also been 24 hours or so since she was killed. Poor her.

Binarekadahan na rin ang lugar upang walang makapasok sa crime scene. May mga tao na rin kasing nakikiusyoso sa amin.

"Bro, may gunting," sabi ni Andrei at tinuro ang gunting sa bandang uluhan ng biktima.

Kinuha ko iyon habang suot ko ang gloves ko. May kaunti pa itong buhok na natira. Nilagay ko agad iyon sa ziplock  plastic bag.

"It's the same method. But this time, the suspect left an evidence," sabi niya at tinuro ang gunting.

I checked her hair. The girl's hair was cut unevenly. It seems like she used to have a long hair, as shown in her ID picture, but it was cut short by the suspect. May mga stab wounds siya sa likod that directly hit her organs. We also checked her ankle, and it's there.

She's the fifth victim.

"Aahhh!! Anak ko!" napatingin kami sa likod  sa mga kapulisan nung may sumigaw.

She's wailing in pain as soon as she saw the body. Bigla siyang lumuhod habang inaalalayan siya. She's punching her chest and bawled her eyes out. Pati ang kasama niya umiiyak na rin.

Siya siguro ang ina ng biktima. Kasama niya ang asawa niya na umaalalay sa kanya. At ang isa pang lalaki na kinakausap ng pulis, siya siguro ang kapitan.

Lumapit kami sa kanila. Pinabayaan namin ang kapulisan na kumuha ng litrato sa crime scene pati ang mga evidences.

"Misis. Positibo po ba kayo na siya ang anak niyo?" mahinahong tanong ni Detective Dan sa ina ng biktima.

One thing I admire of the police. Despite the situation, they try to understand and be gentle to the family of the victim or suspects. And that's the important part. The last thing that the family wants is to be scolded or shouted by them.

"Iyan. Iyan po ang suot niya bago siya umalis papunta sa trabaho," sabi nung nanay habang tinuturo ang anak. Umiiyak pa rin siya habang inaalo ng asawa niya. Napapakit siya nang makita ulit ang kalagayan ng anak.

It's always been the man who comforts a woman everytime they cry. I bet it's already given that a man must protect a woman. But that's not always the case.

"Was she reported missing?" I asked their Chairman.

He nodded. "Opo. More than 24 hours na po," sagot niya.

And that confirms my deduction about the time of her death. The police took note of the information.

I let them do the interview. Habang si Andrei tumulong na buhatin ang bangkay. Nagpunta ako sa palayan, hindi malayo sa kinaroroonan ng biktima ngunit wala akong nakitang iba. Naglakad-lakad ako sa tabi ng kalsada, hanggang sa makarating ako hindi malayo sa crime scene. At tama nga ako, nandito nga ito.

"Dextrose," I said as I saw it. I took a picture of it before placing it in a sealed plastic bag. Now we got more evidence, all we have to do is to check who owns it.

Bumalik ako sa crime scene. Malapit nang matapos ang investigation. Nahatid na rin ang bangkay sa morgue. Pati ang mga tao ay umalis na rin. Bumalik kami sa station kasama ang witness at ang pamilya ng biktima.

They will  undergo interrogation once we get back.

Una naming pinasok sa interrogation room ang mga magulang ng biktima. Medyo humihinahon na sila ngayon kumpara kanina.

"Ano po ang relasyon niyo sa biktima?" panimula ng pulis na nag-i-interrogate.

Nasa labas lang kami, nakikinig sa proseso.

"Anak ko pong panganay," sagot ng ina habang pinipigilan ang hikbi.

"Kailan pa po nawala ang biktima?" tanong ng pulis.

Nanonood lang kami sa kanila habang kinakausap ang mga magulang.

"Noong isang araw pa po. E, call center po ang anak ko pero sa umaga po ang duty niya at minsan po ay nag-o-over time siya. Ang sabi niya po ay wala siyang overtime nung araw na iyon kaya nagtaka po kami kung bakit hindi pa siya umuwi nung gabi na dapat po ay nandoon na siya sa bahay. Nagsasabi naman po siya palagi sa amin kung hindi siya makakauwi. Kaya kinaumagahan noong hindi pa po siya dumarating, ni-report na po namin siya sa baranggay kasi sobrang nag-aalala na po kami sa anak ko," paliwanag ng Ginang habang nanginginig ang dalawang kamay. Katabi niya ang asawa niya na nagpapakalma sa kanya.

She's been missing since the other day at ngayon lang siya natagpuan. It's more than 24 hours since she was killed.

Pagkatapos ng magulang ng biktima ay sinunod naman namin ang witness.

"Ano ang ginagawa mo sa oras nang makita mo ang bangkay?" tanong ng pulis.

"Nagtatanim po ako ng palay noon, inuna ko po iyong sa malayong bahagi ng palayan, hanggang sa makarating ako malapit sa gitnang bahagi ng nakaamoy ako ng sobrang nakasusulasok na amoy. Amoy patay kaya pinuntahan ko, laking gulat ko nalang nang makitang may bangkay ng babae sa palayan ko," paliwanag ng matanda habang isinusulat naman ito ng pulis.

"Wala ka bang nakitang kakaiba o ibang tao doon bukod sa'yo?"

Umiling ang matanda. "Wala na po. Ako lang."

Pagkatapos ma-interview nila ay pinauwi na namin. Nagluluksa ang pamilya kaya minabuti na umuwi muna sila. Kailangan nila ng oras para makapag-adjust sa mga nangyayari sa kanila ngayon. Mahirap pero kailangan. Everyone dies, but at least we must have a proper death, not a very sudden and brutal death.

"Team! Office!" agad naman kaming sumunod sa head namin na sa Detective Dan.

Nagsiupo kami ng makapasok kami sa conference room. Naka-display na doon ang projector at white screen.

"Maswerte tayo kahit papaano dahil may nakuha na tayong matinong ebidensya," sabi niya at pinakita ang litrato ng gunting sa powerpoint. Kulay pula ito.

"Ang kailangan nalang natin gawin ay hanapin kung sino man ang may-ari nito. Pero ang tanong ay paano dahil ang daming taong may gunting sa bahay kaya mahirap ito," dagdag ni Detective habang nakikinig naman kami. Some of us even took down notes.

Yes, mahirap kung isa-isahin namin na magtanong-tanong kung sino ang nawawalan ng pulang gunting. It sounds so absurd and ridiculous.

"Detective," I raised my hand to call his attention.

"I think I know how to look for the suspect," I said. I don't know if it will work but let's give it a try.

"How, Detective Mendoza?"

"As we all know, every witness told us na may nakikita silang dextrose tube na hindi kalayuan sa kinalalagyan ng biktima. And right now, we found one dextrose tube and was able to secure it. And as we all know, it is used in hospitals for the patients," I explained.

"Are you suggesting that the suspect is from the hospital? " Detective Dan asked.

"Yes, Detective. It is most likely the case. It could be a hospital staff or a patient."

"Pero ang daming hospital sa Quezon City," tugon ni Ramos, isang pulis.

"We just have to look at the nearest hospitals in town. We have at least 3 hospitals near here," sagot ni Andrei.

He always got my back. And he's right, we just have to narrow down the hospitals that's nearest to us. There's no way the suspect could travel that far without the people suspecting him.

Detective Dan think for a moment. This is our only way, for now, to find the suspect or suspects of these serial killings.

"Okay. Team. Here's what we are going to do," and Detective Dan explained what we should do.

We grouped the team into three. Fair enough para may mag check sa tatlong hospitals near the town para mas mapadali ang investigation. We also retrieved finger prints from the evidences and just have to find a match. Sounds easy but it's not that easy.

---

We started doing our job the next day. We brought along the papers and record of finger prints from the evidences. Tatlo lang kami na naka-assign sa isang hospital, habang ang iba naghati sa dalawang hospital.

I am with Andrei and Officer Richard Ramos. We first went to the nearest medical hospital, the Sandlers Medical Hospital.

We entered the hospital and went to the nurse's station.

"Good day, we are here for our investigation. We hope you cooperate," I said as we showed them our identification cards.

"We would like to talk to your hospital director for approval," dagdag ko.

"Wait po, Officer," the head nurse said as she dialed a number from the telephone.

"Wala po ang Director ng hospital pero I think you can talk to the owner po," she said. "I'll call her--oh, there she is," sabi niya at tinuro ang likuran namin.

Sabay kaming napalingon doon at talaga namang nagulat pa ako nang makita si Sandlers dito. Of course, this is Sandlers Medical Hospital.

Why would I be shocked if she owned this one, and I also didn't know she's that Sandlers that owned this though sinabi na sa akin ni Andrei that she owns two hospitals.

"Good day, Officers. What can I do for you?" she greeted with her usual cold tone. She's holding her sunglasses.

"Si Sandlers," Andrei leaned in and whispered. I know.

Again. She looks elegant in her long, red dress. Red stilleto and a red lips. Her hair is perfectly tied in a single ponytail. She's just so beautiful and classy.

Okay, erase. This is not the time to daydream about it.

"Good day, Miss Sandlers. We would like to conduct an investigation, and we would like your approval and your cooperation," I hardly explained as I was captivated by her. Damn.

I gulped as I saw her grin. That same evil grin. "Sure Officer. Kung ikabubuti ba naman 'yan sa Pilipinas, why not?" she said and walked pass us as she wore her sunglasses. Pati pagsuot ng sunglasses, elegante.

"Matunaw," bulong ni Andrei. Agad naman akong bumalik sa reyalidad at sinimulan ang imbestigasyon.

We asked the nurses to check the record of the patients and staffs, and find if someone matched the finger

prints that we gave them. They immediately cooperated. Habang sinusuri nila ang records, nag-ikot muna kami sa hospital to check if there's something eerie in here. We checked every floors, every rooms and every corridors but to no avail. Everything seems so peaceful in here. And everyone is having a hard time, struggling to survive. How could they possibly do a crime in the middle of this suffering?

But we couldn't believe everything we see. Everyone wears a mask and behind that is everyone's hidden agenda. We just never know when will they move and when will it happen. But it will eventually happen. Without us knowing, while we are sound asleep. While everyone is not focusing on them. While everyone is in chaos, they move silently.

We stayed for another hour, wala pa rin silang sinasabi and Sandlers, hindi na bumalik. She's Helleigna in her state. I can distinguish who's who now. And I haven't seen the childish Dianna for a while.

"Hoy, ang yaman naman pala ni Sandlers. Dalawang hospital ang pinatayo niya, at kilala at malalaking hospital pa," komento ni Andrei.

Nandito kami sa office ng Director nila. Dito kami pinapasok habang hinihintay namin ang resulta. Nakasabit sa kwartong ito ang lahat ng awards na natanggap ng hospital. Every certificate was framed and hanged evenly on the wall. And at the center of it was the big portrait of the hospital director. Looking high and almighty. Kahit litrato ni Sandlers, wala ito. She owned the hospital but she doesn't even have a face in here. Tsk.

Napalingon kami sa pinto nung bumukas iyon. "Detectives. I'm sorry I was not here earlier, I had a family emergency," he explained as he walked towards our seat and shook our hands.

He is old, probably in his late 50s or early 60s. His hair is already white, and he even has wrinkles in his forehead and near his eyes. He seems stressed from work.

"It's okay, Director," I said. He sat in his chair and motioned us to sit.

"But I heard, Miss Sandlers approved your investigation," he said while adjusting his glasses.

"Yes, she did. Thankfully, she did," Andrei said.

"Yeah. I can't believe she also went here. It's been a while since she  showed up."

I see. Maybe she spent her time in the mental hospital. Maybe she liked being confined there than here. Or it's just a part of her personality.

"I hope na mahanap niyo agad ang suspect, Detectives. Lahat yata ng tao sa lugar na ito ay nakakaramdam na ng takot para sa pamilya nila. The peace is in your hands, Detectives," he said.

After talking for a while, we heard a knock and the head nurse went inside. "Sir, wala pong nag match sa mga finger prints na naka-record dito. Pati po sa mga staffs wala," she explained.

We sighed in disappointment. Mukhang wala talaga kaming makukuhang sagot for now, but I know someday we will.

Nagpaalam na kami sa Director at nagpasalamat. Bumalik agad kami sa head quarters. Iyong isang team palang ang nandun. Wala din silang nakuhang match. We all sighed as we sat nervously, as we wait for the other team. Silently praying na may nakuha silang match.

After a few hours of nervously waiting, they came but to no avail. And I heard yet another sigh. Since we came here from the hospital, all we hear was their repeating sigh. And it's frustrating. Just as we thought we now have a grasp of who the suspect is.

Detective Dan came, and told us to just calm down. We will go to another hospital tomorrow. If we will have to check every hospital here in Metro Manila, we would for the sake of catching the suspect. And to end everyone's nightmare.

Umuwi muna ang iba sa amin. Ang iba naman nanatili. Kami ni Andrei pumunta sa resto ni Papa. Pati siya hindi maitago ang pagka-dismaya. Mabuti nalang hindi ako ginawang driver ni Andrei ngayon, dahil dala na niya ang sasakyan niya.

Nang makarating kami ay tahimik pa rin siya. Kaya si Papa nang lumapit sa amin nagtaka kung bakit tahimik si Andrei. He's not his usual bubbly and carefree self. Kaya naman hindi maiwasan ni Papa na mag-alala. Sinabi ko nalang sa kanya na pagod siya sa trabaho.

Nag-order nalang kami ng madalas naming kinakain.

"Nakakapagod din," biglang sabi niya sa kalagitnaan ng pag-kain. His voice is clearly disappointed and frustrated.

Even I am disappointed, but I always keep my hopes up. This is just the beginning.

"Tsk. Matatapos din 'to, nagsisimula pa lang tayo," sabi ko at humigop ng sabaw.

Third Person's POV

In a dimly lit room, stood a woman while staring at the dark world outside from her floor to ceiling glass window. She's gracefully sipping her red wine. She looks so elegant and sexy in her red silk nightie.

Her eyes were cold, and so is her heart. You can see no emotion in her face but plain blank. But then, her lips formed a smile and giggled like a child.