Despite fame and success, Louella Starling is in deep melancholy for she believes that she's an impostor. One day she discovered that there's a mystical bird called Alpas that gives miracles and extraordinary courage to break free. Louella recruits...
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It's not the dreamers that changed the world. You must be crazy enough to follow your heart rather than listening to your head. Do you even have guts?
/5/ A Surprising Offer
[LOUELLA]
I must be going crazy. Iyon talaga ang naisip ko noong napagtanto ko kung nasaan ako.
The trail I've been following just brought me to a place that I never expected. San Rafael Mental Institution.
Perhaps this must be too good to be true. I mean... The clues and little coincidences that made me possible to be here are a little bit... strange.
Before I decided to go inside, I double-checked first if the coordinates I found in the wings of the sculpture is correct. Tama naman 'yung mga numbers.
Tumingala ako sa arko ng lumang gate, the place looked old but it's clean and well-maintained.
Kung wala akong mapapala rito tatanggapin ko na talaga na walang patutunguhan 'tong kutob ko.
Pero paano kung mayroon?
What am I going to do?
Bago pa ako tuluyang lamunin ng overthinking ay buong loob akong pumasok sa loob ng institution. Tinanong ako ng guard kung anong pakay ko at sinabi ko na lang na kailangan ko lang nang ma-iinterview para sa thesis ko kahit hindi naman totoo.
Nang makapasok ako sa compound ay bumungad ang tatlong two-storey building na nakapaligid, at ang pinaka tumawag ng pansin ko ay 'yung ancestral house. Naglakad ako papunta ro'n dahil iyon daw ang ginawang admin office, dati raw kasi itong residential area na may malawak na lote.
"Sorry, Ms. Starling, I'm afraid wala akong maitutulong tungkol sa concern mo," pilit-ngiting sabi sa'kin ng babaeng nagpakilalang head secretary. Nandito kami ngayon sa lounge area ng office ng director na kasalukuyang wala.
Halata sa itsura ng kausap ko ang labis na pagtataka nang ipakita ko 'yung libro at 'yung coordinates na natagpuan ko sa sculpture. Based on her reaction, I'm convinced that she really got no idea on what I'm talking about.
"Baka po pwede n'yong tawagan 'yung director para itanong—" Bigla kaming napatingin sa matandang janitress na natabig 'yung vase sa cabinet 'di kalayuan.
"She's really busy for this nonsense—" natigilan siya nang madulas ang dila. "No offense, Ms. Starling, but I think this is just a silly coincidence."
"Coincidence?" I tried not to show my frustration. I hate to admit but it seems like I looked stupid in front of her.
Napabuntong-hininga ang kaharap ko. "Sa tingin ko baka mali 'yung interpretation mo sa art na 'yan. Hindi ba't ganoon naman palagi? Remember that when we used to interpret poetries? Why the color is blue? Because it conveyed sadness? Hindi ba pwedeng sadyang iyon lang ang trip ng writer?" Natawa ang babae sa sinabi niya pero kaagad din siyang tumigil nang makita akong seryoso.
