No Escape Series #2: No Resolve

Chapter 12: The Unsecured Place

THE UNSECURED PLACE

Rhian remained sitting in a chair while facing the notebook, holding the ballpoint pen, and there were bondpapers, cardboard, an ink pen, and red yarn lying on the table.
 
Ever since Vahn arrived from his headquarters and had arranged the things in the slaughter room, hindi pa siya lumalabas dito. Tumingin siya sa wall clock, and it was already three oʼclock in the afternoon. She just leaned back in her seat and thought about things that had nothing to do with her draft stories and novels but were because of her current situation.
 
There is a chance that at this time, what kind of things are on her mind are returning to things that she knows are very mysterious, just like last week. She doesnʼt even know how to get rid of things na wala namang kinalaman sa kaniya, at hindi niya alam kung paano takasan ang mga bagay na gumagambala sa kaniya.

She also thought that maybe once, because she is so obsessed with making any mystery-thriller novel, all the things she writes may come true. She would like to think and be happy if thatʼs what would happen if she herself ended up in the novel she was working on, because she would be the one to act to finish it, but that isnʼt the case.
 
She was in the real world, not on television or in the novel, so she immediately shook her head. She noticed her gun lying on the table, near her front, and looked at it carefully. There was nothing she could do but wait for the opportunity to do what she had to do. Her return to where she came from could wait, but as time went on, she only missed the subjects in her class more and more.
 
Tatlong buwan na lang bago ang kanilang graduation, pero kailangan niyang balikan lahat ng kaniyang pinaghirapan sa pag-aaral, which she has devoted time and effort to, will not go to waste.

Tumayo siya para kausapin si Vahn dahil gusto na niyang sabihin na handa na siyang bumalik, pero hindi pa man siya nakakahakbang ay nagbukas na agad ang pintuan, at napagtanto naman niyang pumasok doon si Vahn. “Whatʼs the matter? Kanina ka pa tahimik diyan; ni hindi ka man lang lumabas. Ito, dinalhan na kita ng meryenda and drinks,” sabi ni Vahn, at inilapag ang dala nito sa ibabaw ng mesa.

Nilapitan niya ang mga charts na ginawa ni Rhian, at ikinatuwa niyang makita ang mga ito. “Hindi ko aakalaing... mayroon akong makaka-partner na isang katulad mo na estudyante pa lamang, plus, writer pa,” sabi ni Vahn habang pinagmamasdan ang mga na-create ni Rhian. “In all my life, Iʼve never tried anything like this, unless Iʼm doing it my own way.”

Tumango-tango siya saka tiningnan ang dalaga. “Isang malaking karangalan para sa akin na ikaw ang makakasama ko sa imbestigasyon na ito. Sana lang talaga... makahanap tayo ng ibang paraan para ma-solve ang kaso.”

“Hindi basta-basta minamadali ang pagpaplano nito, Mr. Fernandez. Nagsisimula pa lang tayo, pero... naiisip ko rin na habang wala ako at patuloy na nagtatago rito sa rest house mo, marami akong nami-miss na subjects and lessons sa school,” sabi ni Rhian.

Sa pagkakataong iyon, alam na ni Vahn kung anong gustong ipahiwatig nito sa kaniya. “Babalik ka na?” tanong niya, at kahit hindi naman sumagot si Rhian, alam pa rin niya na mayroong responsibilidad ang dalaga sa lahat ng bagay na kailangan nitong isakatuparan, kaya naman tumango-tango siya at naiintindihan iyon. “Then ihahatid na kita,” dugtong ni Vahn.

Tinanong ni Vahn si Rhian kung ipapaalam pa ba nito sa kaniyang mga kaibigan na babalik na siya, pero alam ni Rhian na wala ang kaniyang mga kaibigan sa boarding house dahil nasa school ang mga ito. At dahil Friday ngayon, she would like to go to the boarding house to get the things she needs, and after that, she will go straight home.
 
Vahn was waiting outside when they arrived at the boarding house where Rhian and her friends were staying. Fortunately, the door was not closed, but he caught the landlady there cleaning the living room. She took a breath and spoke, but he didnʼt expect the landlady to scream out of shock. “Jusko po! Rhian, ikaw ba iyan?!” Napahinto ito sa paglilinis at agad nilapitan ang dalaga.