Wreaking Havoc

trīgintā duo

They said psychopaths are even worse when they could appear kind and never let you sense something is going to be terribly wrong around them and even have the capability to feel you safe—and Felix Buenaventura was that kind of person.

God...

I even talked to him a couple of times before but I never even sensed that something was even wrong with him, a lot of us could even testify in court that he wouldn't seem like the person to do such a stint if only we didn't know—only for us to find out that apparently, he's been a curator of this weird game that circulates on social media asking kids to commit something drastic and blackmail them if he wouldn't follow his orders—as if wanting to be some kind of god of purge or something. Many claimed it was just a hoax years ago... but Felix was deranged enough to make it real.

I knew I shouldn't even be scared... But knowing he's out there roaming around the streets or even trying to corrupt somebody else's child's mind was making me insane.

"Therese," Astrid called dahilan para mapalingon ako sa kaniya. She sighed and pulled me to sit beside her, "They're going to find him."

"What if they don't? What if... What if he already left the country?"

Astrid shook her head, "They already put him in a flight ban and within a few hours, they'd probably broadcast him all over the news. The Prosecution just needs more time to collate evidence... They'll get him, Therese."

I sighed.

"Is it okay that I feel scared?"

Astrid nodded, "He was right under our noses, nobody even suspected him to be that... that deranged. It'd be bullshit if they'd invalidate your fear, Therese... He could've killed us for all we know," she uttered. "But don't let fear consume you. We're still here to fight. Okay?"

"Thank you, Astrid... Thank you for not getting tired of me."

She chuckled and pulled me into a hug, "You've been through so much tapos ngayon pa'ko mapapagod sa'yo, friend? Never!"

I smiled.

Even with everything that has happened, I'm just glad I have my friends to still keep me sane.

I busied myself with attending to patient concerns para lang hindi ako mag-isip ng kung anu-ano. Of course I couldn't help but to get scared kasi paano kung bigla na lang siyang sumulpot dito sa ospital at saktan kami? Pa'no kung bigla na lang siyang magpakita kay Eli tapos saktan siya? God there are so many possibilities with what he could do knowing he was just around the town roaming around. I'd really lose it if I hear another victim... baka hindi ko na talaga kayanin.

He was just within our vicinity...

Nobody even suspected him to be this cruel.

If only I knew... I could've saved Mary from him.

"Doc," a resident called after knocking twice. Mabilis naman akong sumagot na pumasok siya sa loob. "May gusto raw pong kumausap sa inyo."

I removed my reading glasses at ibinaba 'yung hawak kong case study ng pasyente, "Sino raw?"

"Attorney Elias daw po."

I nodded, "Let him in," I uttered. Napangiti naman ako no'ng pumasok siya at bahagyang isinira 'yung pinto. He looked good in his formal attire—like how I've always imagined him when he was still in Law school. He never even changed his hairstyle at gano'n pa rin kung pa'no niya ginagawa noon.

"Hi," I uttered at tumayo mula sa swivel chair. "Do you want coffee?"

Eli shook his head, "I won't be long," he says before putting down his briefcase.