wattys 2020 winner • mystery/thriller
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Everyone thinks she is dead. Even I thought so, too.
While the town spoke of her dead name, Amethyst Cambray is actually alive, and she is asking for my help.
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18
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IS IT THE end now?
The very reason why Amethyst lived with me is because she wanted my help to find the culprit. She believes that her parents wouldn't believe that the fire is a cause of someone else's, and would just put the case to a stop and take her in, forcing her to forget everything that happened here in Ashmore.
She probably did not expect that a single witness would turn things around. A witness saw Hannah Fuller exit their burning house, so she is now the suspect, and it all made sense why she disappeared.
Cinna looked obviously disturbed while we were both in the car. Lunok siya nang lunok saka paulit-ulit ang buntonghininga. I asked her to calm down.
"I can't believe it," she said. Tears escaped her eyes. She sniffled. "Oh god. I can't fucking believe it."
Napansin kong mas humigpit ang kapit niya sa manibela. She cussed for the first time, her eyes full of tears. I can understand the frustration and anger she releases. I thknk she got too overwhelmed that she just stopped the car and wept on the steering wheel.
She kept whimpering Amethyst's name, and I couldn't do anything but to hold her back as she cried, looking at her as my heart breaks. She cried harder.
"I'm sorry," she said in a breaking voice. "Sorry for this breakdown. Hindi lang ako makapaniwala. It just . . . all came back to me." Pinupunasan niya ang mga luha niya habang umiiyak.
"Hindi siya pumasok noong Friday, so the last time I saw her was when she told me she loved Tanya's coffee so much, and dared me to apply there," sabi niya. "She was . . . s-smiling so happily. Hindi ko alam na 'yon na pala 'yung huling beses . . ."
"Cinna." I couldn't help myself — I pulled her into a hug. She wept on my shoulders as my eyes are closed. Hinihimas ko lang ang likod niya para mapakalma siya. This would all be over if Amethyst resurface again with her usual smile, and hug her best friend once again. "It will soon be okay."
I know that for sure.
That day, I went home and saw that the lights seem to be off. Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang pinto at nakita kong natutulog ulit si Amethyst sa sofa bed niya. There's a plate of dinner on the table, and the fan is off. Amethyst was covered in sweat, so I opened the fan for her. I looked at her face in a moment and thought of how would I break the news to her.
Sabi niya . . . kapag natapos na 'tong lahat, aalis na siya ng bayan saka sasama sa mga kamag-anak niya. Just the thought of her, leaving, breaks me. Can she just stay? Napatitig ako sa kanya. Sa mga pasa niyang unti-unti na ring nawawala. She's healing. The culprit is already found. It is a happy ending for her.
Is it, really?
I quietly ate my food. I decided not to tell her, because I knew that the Ashmore News would break the news for me. It may seem stupid, but if I tell her, she might leave me alone right away . . . and I don't want to lose her just yet.
