The Fan

CHAPTER FIVE

People sometimes feels like new when they reach a new place. She's feeling brand new kahit nasa himpapawid pa ito patungong Iceland. Kakaalis lang ng eroplanong sinasakyan nila sa Copenhagen Kastrup - Denmark airport patungong Keflavík International Airport sa Iceland. Singapore ang kanilang first stop. And all the time na magkasama sila ni Mason at dalawa pa nitong kasama na couple, he was a gentleman just like what Tito Ronnie had said. Tahimik rin ito at tipid magsalita na miminsan ay nagdududa si Calliope sa tunay nitong kasarian.

Its a 3hrs 20mins flight from Copenhagen to Iceland. They were provided headsets if they wanted to listen to music or watch movie on their own small monitor attached to the back of the seat infront of them, but Calliope chose to use and listen to her own music from her gadget. The only thing she requested though is an eye cover so she can sleep since its 8pm Denmark time, converting to PH time, its 1AM, and her body still adjusting to the time. 

(dream)

Listening to the conversation of the officer and her mother, the second child almost not breathing as she waits in agony the news the two policemen came in with.

"Sabihin ninyo sa akin officers, have you caught the killer?!" Celine stood, facing the police whose head bow down and cannot look the victim's mother in the eyes.

"Mrs. Howell, maupo po kayo. Kumalma muna kayo,"

"You can't expect me to calm down! Bakit ba hindi pa ninyo sabihin sa akin, nahuli na ba ninyo o hindi? Answer me!"

"Mrs. Howell, please lang po," the man in uniform plead dahil sa isip nito, hindi magugustuhan ng ginang ang balitang dala-dala nila.

"Dam in, you are prolonging our agony!" sambit nito na padabog na umupo.

"Ipagpaumanhin po ninyo, pero ang taong nahuli namin ay inosente. Si...

"What?! Ang sabi ninyo may mga ID kayong nakuha at na-trace ninyo ito?"

"Tama po, na-trace namin ang taong nasa ID na nakuha sa isang itim na bag. A month ago, itong si Gerald Cuenca, naholdap siya ng gamit, tangay ang kanyang wallet kung saan nakalagay ang kanyang mga ID at lisensya. We validated his claim dahil sinabi niyang nagreport siya sa pinakamalapit na presinto kung saan siya naholdap. The police station present us with the report. Maging ang tuyong dugo na nakita namin sa condo ni Ms. Maxine ay hindi sa kanya maging sa anak ninyo. We set him free,"

"What a stupid thing to do! Bakit ninyo siya pinakawalan?! He might be lying. He might be misleading you! You are all simpletons! Napakaliit ng mga utak ninyo para magpauto sa isang kriminal!"

"Mrs. Howell, magdahan-dahan kayo ng pananalita. We can charge you of insulting men in uniform," sabat ng isang pang pulis na nakatayo sa may pintuan ng pantry.

"Mum, calm down, please. These men are doing their best to solve Ate's case. Give them a little credit. They can't just charge someone especially if they have valid alibis. Plus, the police report is legitimate and the blood is not his," the youngest child placed her hand on her mother's shoulders.

"Officers I'm... I'm..." utal na salita ng nagdadalamhating ina habang minamasahe nito ang kanyang naninikip na dibdib. 

"Naiintindihan po namin kayo, Mrs. Howell. Pasensya na rin po, I didn't mean to raise my voice, pero ginagawa po namin ang lahat. Hindi n'yo na maitatanong, iniidolo ng anak kong babae ang inyong anak at masakit sa kanya ang nangyaring ito. Kahit siya ay kinakamusta araw-araw sa pag-uwi ko ang kaso. Asahan n'yo po na hindi kami titigil hangga't hindi namin nahuhuli at naibibigay ang karampatang parusa sa sinumang gumawa nito kay Ms. Maxine. Ipinapangako ko po ito sa inyo,"sambit ng pulis na kausap ni Celine habang inaabot ng kasama nito ang isang basong tubig.