Chapter 2 Haunted By The Past

Diana's Pov

It's been two weeks since our last fight. Naging sobrang busy ako sa mga project na hinahawakan ko kaya halos hindi na kami magkita dito sa bahay. Sa tuwing uuwi ako ng bahay ay tulog na silang lahat. Madalas umuuwi nalang ako dito sa bahay para kumuha ng damit at doon na lamang ako matutulog at maliligo sa aking opisina. I have my own sleeping quarter in my office with it's own bathroom and walk in closet. As an interior designer, may mga panahong bakante madalas ang schedule ko. Pero kapag naman naging busy ang schedule ko ay halos hindi na ako makauwi sa aming bahay.

Sa tuwing magkikita kami ni Arturo ay mas pinipili ko nalang na huwag syang pansinin o kausapin. Napapagod na ako sa halos araw araw na bangayan at sigawan. Natanggap ko nang hindi na magbabago ang asawa ko. Naisip kong mas pagtuunan na lamang ng pansin ang career ko at ang mga anak ko. Aminado akong napabayaan ko ang aking mga natitirang anak simula ng mamatay si Kristal. I let myself get swallowed by grief that i forgot i still have five children left.

"You're exhausting yourself too much." Nagulat ako nang magsalita si Arturo sa may entrance ng kusina. Balak ko sanang kumuha ng makakain dahil nakaligtaan ko ng magdinner sa sobrang dami ng trabaho.

"That's good that you care. But i'm good." Matabang na sagot ko.

"Diana, kailan mo ba ako mapapatawad sa nangyari sa anak natin? I never wanted for Kristal to die." There's sadness in his eyes but my heart is too numb to feel anything.

"Hindi mo lang basta nakalimutang puntahan si Kristal, Arturo. You forgot about our daughter because you were so busy on another woman's sh*t. Our daughter died because of your infidelity. She died, no, she was brutalized, dehumanized and tortured because you are a lying, cheating bastard. Everytime i look at you, i see my daughter being molested and raped, hurt and scared. Possibly begging for her life and calling our names to save her. Do you know how hard it is for me right now to even look at you?" It took everything in me to stay calm but my every words speaks for itself.

"Diana anak ko rin 'yong namatay. Alam mo ba kung anong nararamdaman ko sa araw araw sa loob ng limang taon? It's like i died too. I'm waking up everyday, i walk, i talk, i breath but i don't feel anything. Kung pwde ko lang ibalik ang oras, Diana. Kung pwde ko lang ipagpalit ang buhay ko para maibalik ang anak natin, ginawa ko na." He started crying.

"But you can't turn back the time. You can't bring her back. My daught-"

Sabay kaming napatingin sa bintana ng kusina nang makarinig sila ng kaluskos. It's 2 o'clock in the morning and everyone in the neighborhood is already in their deep sleep. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa na parehong kinakabahan. Ako ang unang nakabawi at mabilis na dinampot ang isang malaking kutsilyo sa knife stand saka binuksan ang flashlight ng cellphone ko. Natauhan naman si Arturo at ginaya ang ginawa ng ko. I swallowed my own saliva because of so much nervousness before opening the backdoor.

The sky was pitch black and if not with the street lights and backyard lamps it's impossible to see anything. We both scanned our backyard, looking for any signs of movements but we saw none. I looked at the houses that surrounds us pero obvious na tulog na rin ang mga kapitbahay namin. Madaling araw naman na din kasi. Pero ano 'yong narinig naming kaluskos?

"Baka pusang gala lang 'yon, Diana. Pumasok na tayo sa loo-"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!" Hindi naituloy ni Arturo ang sinasabi nya nang makarinig kami ng sigaw na nanggagaling sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay. We both looked up. Sa pangalawang pagsigaw ay nabosesan ko na agad kung sino ang sumisigaw.

"Carissa!" Mukhang nabosesan din ni Arturo ang aming anak kaya sabay kaming mabilis na tumakbo paakyat sa ikalawang palapag ng bahay. I saw Carl with his gun searching the whole second floor, his siblings standing in the corner with fear written in their faces.

"Anong nangyari?!" Tanong ko.

"M-may tao po sa b-bintana ng kwarto ko." Carissa was so pale and trembling. I hugged the three of them while Arturo helped our eldest to look for whoever Carissa was talking about.

"Damn! Wala akong nakita. Sobrang dilim sa labas kaya ang hirap aninagin ng paligid. Carissa, honey, tell kuya exactly what you saw." Carl's face was red in rage.

"N-nagising ako k-kasi nakaramdam ako ng p-pag-ihi. Nung t-tatayo na ako paalis sa kama k-ko i-i felt g-goosebumps all o-over my body. D-dun ako n-napatingin sa b-bintana. I-i saw a-a man s-standing b-by my w-window and then i shouted." She was shaking in fear. Her hands were so cold.

"Tatawag na ako ng pulis." Arturo ran to our bedroom to get his phone.

"I'll call my gang. Whoever that man is. I have a very bad feeling about him." Carl said before walking to his room. I took the kids to Clifford's room. I'll sleep with them. I'll keep an eye on them and i will never let them out of my sight.

-----

By 6 o'clock, 2 police cars are already parked outside our house together with 4 sports cars and 6 motorcycles that belong to Carl's gang members. The police look at them with suspicion and disgust but my son's friends ignore them like they are not even there.

"Excuse me, Mrs. De Luna. Kailangan pa po ba talagang nandito ang mga hudlum na 'yan?" Hindi na nakatiis na tanong ng isang pulis.

"Officer.... Sanchez" Carl looked at his nameplate before continuing. "It's my sister we are talking about here. And those hudlums as you'd like to call them may be far more effective on finding out the man who invade our house that you loosers." Nakangising sagot ni Carl sa kanya.

"Carl!" Sita naman ni Arturo sa aming panganay na anak.

"What?! Nagsasabi lang ako ng totoo. They were supposed to find Kristal's killer and bring him to justice but guess what, he's still out there possibly killing dozens if not thousands of helpless little girls! We're gonna find this man and the man who killed my sister. Stand in my way and let see what happens." Carl was standing face to face with his father, his jaw clenching.

"That's enough both of you." Umawat na ako bago pa mapunta kung saan ang usapan.

"Carissa?! Carissa?!- Mom!" We all turned to see Carla running through the door.

"Honey, what are you doing here?" I asked her.

"What happened? Is Carissa okay? Are my siblings okay?" She really loves her brothers and sister.

"They're fine, Honey. Their upstairs." I smiled at her.

"Oh my god. Sino sa tingin niyo ang pwdeng nasa likod ng nangyari?" She asked.

"That's what we are going to find out, sis." Carl answered.

"Hey." Carla walked to his brother and hugged him. "Can you guys find who did this?" She asked his brother's friends.

"We'll do our best, Carla. Gagawin namin ang lahat para mahanap ang walang hiyang nagtangka sa kapatid mo. Pati na rin sa pumatay kay Kristal."

"Good. Whatever you need, just let me know. I want those bastards caught." Carla's eyes were dancing in pure and utter hatred for the man who invaded our house and the man who killed her sister.

"Ahm, excuse po. Kanina ko pa po naririnig 'yong tungkol sa Kristal? Ang tinutukoy nyo po ba is 'yong batang nakitang hubo't hubad sa may tulay papunta sa bayan ng Concepcion limang taon na ang nakakaraan?" I looked at the police's nameplate. Hidalgo.

"Oo, bakit mo naitanong?" Si Arturo ang sumagot para sa akin. Hindi ko namalayang nakalapit na pala sya sa tabi ko. Maging sila Carl at Carla pati na ang mga kaibigan ni Carl at ang ibang pulis na narito sa loob mg bahay ay natigil sa kani-kanilang ginagawa at napatingin sa kanya.

"Dati po akong police Concepcion. Nang mabalitaan ko ang opening sa police force dito sa bayan niyo ginrab ko na agad ang opportunity na makalipat dito. Mayroon kasi akong hinawakang kaso 8 years ago na kaparehong-kapareho ng kaso ng anak niyo. Pareho ng paraan ng pagkakapatay, edad ng biktima sa panahon ng pagkawala, gaano katagal nawala ang biktima bago ito nakitang bangkay na sa isang liblib na lugar. It was a cold case. Rookie investigator palang ako noon at 'yon ang unang mabigat na kasong nahawakan ko dahil anak ng isang konsehal ang biktima. Naging media sensation ang kasong 'yon-"

"The Marissa Buenafe rape and murder case." Naputol ang pagsasalita ng pulis ng biglang magsalita si Harold, isa sa mga kaibigan ni Carl.

"Yon nga ang kasong tinutukoy ko." Pagkumpirma naman ng pulis sa sinabi niya.

"Oo, naaalala ko nga ang kasong 'yon. Marissa Buenafe was a 4 year old aspiring balerina. Huli syang nakita sa labas ng bahay nila na nakikipaglaro sa alaga nyang aso. Walang nakakita kung sino ang kumuha sa kanya. Apat na buwan din syang naging missing person bago natagpuan ang katawan nya sa isang talahiban sa dulong bahagi ng Concepcion. Tama ka nga Hidalgo, parehong-pareho ang paraan ng pagkakapatay kay Marissa at Kristal." Nakisingit na rin sa aming usapan ang isa pang pulis na kanina lang ay naghahanap ng mga fingerprints sa mga gamit namin dito sa bahay.

"What are you implying, Hidalgo. Get to the point." That's Police Senior Investigator Daniel Montero. Junior Investigator palang sya ng hawakan nya ang kaso ni Kristal. Napromote na pala sya.

"I have a strong feeling that we are looking for a serial killer, Sir." Seryosong sagot ni Hidalgo.

"I don't need feelings and suspicion, Hidalgo-"

"Marissa Buenafe's files and everything related to her case is still at my house Sir. I can give them to you that is if you wanna... maybe study them." Hidalgo cut him off.

"Fine. Get them." 'Yon nalang ang naisagot ni Daniel

"I'll get the files now, Sir." Hidalgo said before leaving.

"Napromote ka pala." Sinadya kong lakasan ang boses ko para makuha ang attention nya na bumalik na ulit sa pakikipag-usap sa iba pa niyang kasamahan. Lumingon naman sya sa'kin.

"Diana, that's enough." Sinubukan akong pigilan ni Arturo na lumapit sa imbestigador pero pinigilan sya nila Carl at Carla.

"Yes, Ma'am. This year lang." Tipid na sagot niya.

"Paano ka napromote eh incompetent ka?" Puno ng pagkasuklam na tanong ko.

"Ma'am, i'm just here to do my job-"

"Your job?" I cut him off. "Your job was to find my daughter's killer. Where is he now? Did you find him? Last i've heard you still have no idea on who killed her. How can you find the man that invaded our home then?"

"Diana, please-"

"Mom, let's go to the kitchen. Come on, i'm starving. I miss your lasagna." Wala na akong nagawa ng hilahin ako ni Carla papunta sa kusina.