How To Make A Serial Killer

| o6 : Fluke |

----- CHAPTER o6 -----

We all gathered in a coffee shop just outside Valesca University. Everyone is present except for Stu, who is at home and keeping an eye on Bailey. We made sure to sit on the farthest corner of the room, away from anyone's earshot.

"Don't worry, it's just a coincidence. It's not like there's a real murderer in this city," ang basa ni Zambrano sa mensaheng natanggap mula kay Selene, secretary ni Andros.

"For real though." Jasmine sighed and rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her macchiato. "Coincidences happen all the time. Kayo naman, masyadong matatakutin."

"I don't buy it . . ." Umiling-iling si Julian. "How about the shadow that Wren saw?" aniya sabay turo sa akin kaya tumango ako.

"Have you guys ever heard of a prank?" Jasmine said with a sarcastic tone and smile. "Malay n'yo, one of these days, nasa Youtube na ang nangyari kagabi?"

"She has a point," Kenzo agreed. "Prank or not, this has got to be a coincidence. It's not like one of us will deliberately leave severed body parts in that waiting shed."

"Oo nga . . ." Lindsey agreed.

Nagtaas si Ashton ng kamay. "My money is still on Meow. He's just fucking with us."

"Oh, fuck you! Sabi ko nang hindi ako! I was out of the city with my cousins watching a gig! Ni hindi ako sa Valesca natulog. Ask Herbert, nag-cutting pa ako sa last subject kagabi kasi sinundo na ako," Meow defended himself for the nth time. He then glared at Ashton. "At anong Meow? It's Bartholomew! Mew!"

"I can vouch for him." Iritadong nagtaas ng kamay si Herbert sabay ayos ng kanyang salamin.

Zambrano heaved a deep sigh as he placed down his cup of coffee. "Arguing will only get us nowhere. At the end of the day, where does this get us?"

Nagtaas ulit ng kamay si Ashton. "Bobo ako kaya please explain?"

Zambrano slouched over the table as he leaned closer to the rest of us. "I'm saying . . . Prank or not, at the end of the day, we have a job to do. Bayad na tayo kaya kailangan nating mag-focus sa trabaho natin."

"Let me ask you then . . ." I cocked my head up. "What's your take about the severed body parts?"

"Naguguluhan din ako kagaya n'yo pero may trabaho tayong dapat gawin. We can't do anything about something we don't know," giit ni Zambrano.

"So that's it? We won't do anything about it?" tanong ni Julian.

"Ano ba tayo? Police?" Humalakhak si Levi. "I'm with Zam on this one. I mean, let's leave this to the cops. Prank or not, wala tayong kinalaman. Imposible naman kasing isa sa atin ang nag-iwan n'on."

Nagtaas-kamay ang kanina pang tahimik na si Micky. "What if someone's trying to sabotage our project?" Seryoso ang mukha at pananalita niya. Himala.

"Mick, are you high?" pabulong na bulalas ni Herbert sa katabi.

"No, I'm in college." Humalakhak si Micky at sumandal sa kinauupuan. Sabog nga.

"While we're all here, can we just settle our plans once and for all?" Sinang-ayunan ng lahat si Zambrano. "And why not use the severed body parts to our advantage? After all, that's part of our plan to begin with. You can do your thing now, Wren. Tell your story. Spread the fear."

Napatingin silang lahat sa akin.

***

Pilit kong binalwala ang nangyari kagabi. Zambrano's right. At the end of the day, we have a job to do. Why beat ourselves up with a mystery we can't solve? After all, we're not cops. Bakit ko poproblemahin ang hindi ko problema? Eh mukhang hindi nga rin sila namomroblema. Hindi patas 'yon.