The Painter

Part 3

In the News Room, Maureen saw Angelica sitting in her chair.

"What is it?" she asked as she walks to Angelica.

"Sit," Angelica commanded her

Maureen sat in a white monoblock chair.

"Have you heard the news?" Angelica asked.

"About the Anniversary? Yes I've known about it"

"Then I want you to be there to cover what is happening and I want the article the day after that"

"Ok"

"Know why the paintings are hung there and know who the painters are"

"Ok, but why?"

"Just take note that facts"

"I don't see that will help my article"

"Just do it and be observant in the paintings, and like you said, the facts you've gathered cannot be in included in the article"

"But why-------"

"That's all," Angelica interrupted and then stood. Maureen went outside the News Room confused.

At the end of class, Maureen went to her locker. As she open it, a bunch of small pictures landed in the floor. Few students looked at Maureen and got confused but Maureen ignored them and picked the pictures to study them. It was the paintings of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Juan Luna. It is the Last Supper, Madonna of the Rocks, Pieta and Spolarium.

"What the hell are these pictures doing here?" she thought to herself.

The next day, her Humanities teacher, Mr.Yarzo is done with their lesson. They still have 30 minutes to kill. They were silent when someone raised a hand that called the attention of Mr.Yarzo.

"Yes Ms. Precious?" Mr.Yarzo asked.

"Sir I've heard from my teacher that someone ...I don't know..... got killed here in our school four years ago?"

Everyone silenced because of what Lester asked. Mr.Yarzo looked at his students and he landed on a conclusion that everyone is interested on what happened.

"From whom did you heard that information?" Mr. Yarzo asked.

"From my Math teacher Sir."

Mr. Yarzo silenced. He thought to himself that he has no other choice but to reveal the truth.

"Yes, someone was killed here in our school and her name is Fatima Reyes," Mr.Yarzo said as he went to the door and closed it. Maureen's classmates got very nervous.

"You're about to hear the secret this school kept many years ago. But I want you to promise me that it does not come out in the four corners in this room. If it does, I will know, and you will regret it," Mr. Yarzo sat.

"This school kept the murder because it might affect the enrolment. This School has a dignity to protect. A few faculties here at Michelangelo knew about the murder, a few deans, few students who are involved with Fatima," Mr. Yarzo said with thrilling voice.

"She is a 2nd year Highschool student. But others say that she was buried here in this very school, but that is what others say," Mr.Yarzo explained.

Everyone gasped and started murmuring to each other.

"How did you did you found out Sir?" one student asked.

"A few days after the night of the murder, (Mr. Yarzo and a few others knew the time of the murder because the following morning Fatima is gone) everyone started asking where is Fatima, including of course, her family. And because of that, we knew she was murdered," Mr. Yarzo said.