QUESTIONS

My fists relax, and I straighten up, a glint of resoluteness igniting in my eyes.

I cannot afford to dwell in the maze of uncertainties. I need answers and closure—whatever form they might take. And I need them ASAP because, with a little slumber, I will be struck like a vagabond. I won the first round with this monster; this time around, it should not be an execution.

Drawing on the strength that had carried me through the darkest of times, I make a silent vow to myself: I will not be a victim again; I will not succumb to the paralyzing grip of fear that had plagued my existence for far too long.

With firmness of purpose hardening all my features, both physically and internally, I squared my shoulders and set forth on a mission—to uncover the truth, confront the inexplicable, and ensure that the darkness of my past wouldn't overshadow the light that I have fought so hard to find. I will not give that monster that satisfaction. Never!

I will not let these echoes of this unheralded resurgence of my tormentor break me. Instead, they are igniting a fire of determination. I am embarking on a pursuit—a relentless pursuit with my unwavering bravery.

I wouldn't rest until I unraveled the mystery that was threatening to consume my newfound peace. My quest for closure has been reignited, fueled by an unwavering determination to reclaim my life and confront the inexplicable resurrection that has shattered my fragile sense of security.

“What took you so long? What did Paul say?” I didn’t know I had entered back into the jail room until the voice of my sister summoned my mind.

I dart my eyes around the room, from these two nincompoops trying to play smart to my sister, who seems dead worried, and finally, to these officers, whom I doubt will believe this new twist.

“Gia? What happened?” Officer.

“We need to speak in private.” I state, throwing a deadly glance at Nelly and her accomplice. They should not know a thing about the new revelations that have been made to me.

“Okay. This way.” The officer says this as he leads us out.

We walk through the corridor and enter a room. He ushers us in—that is, me, my sister, and some other three officers. “So, Miss Gia! You seem to have learned something. What is it?” He asks, parking himself across me as if we are in an interrogation session. Well, nothing alarming, though. It is just the way the seats have been arranged.

“From my sources, and with all the series of incidents that have happened to me, it has become clear to me that there is a very deep conspiracy about the death of Ejay.” I say, neither my gaze wavering as I cruise around the confused faces of everyone, nor did my voice. I have sworn that I will not entertain any fear anymore.

A deafening silence engulfs the room for a moment. Everyone before me is looking at me with confusion. Lost.

“I don’t quite follow. What are you trying to say, Gia? What conspiracy are you talking about?” The officer asked.

“Ejay is alive! How that is, is something that I would like to know!” I slapped them with the bitter, unbelievable truth that caught their ability to breathe, leaving them breathless for minutes.

I give them a few seconds to digest what I just said because I understand what they must be feeling. I was in that state a few minutes ago. And my situation was even worse.

I lean across the table, my hands taking a rest on it as I add after a while. “Now, I don’t care what the inspector general says or the orders that he gives. I want to see the dead corpse of Ejay to see if he is indeed dead. If not, officers, I demand answers as to how he is alive, which is what I believe as of now.” I state.

"Gia, I understand this is all a baffling situation. But we need you to understand that we cannot go above the orders of the general. But on the same note, I want to believe there is a misunderstanding here." Ramirez began, his tone gentle yet probing.

“Exactly my point, officer. And it is that general that needs to clear this up, and that too, asap!” I say.

“But that is not what I meant. What I meant was that you could be wrong in your assumptions. This does not make sense; I mean, that man is resurfacing.” The officer corrects.

Are they not hearing what I am saying? My theory has concrete proof to back up this unnerving twist. Yet they want to hold on to the empty lie that they have been made to believe?

“Deep inside, officer, you know that my claims are not ungrounded. Did you know that the general ordered the case to be closed and that no inquiry should be made about Ejay or anything about this case?” I ask, my gaze fixed on him.

His face drops. The room buzzed with tension, with unanswered questions hanging in the air. A sense of befuddlement seems to have slapped him, just like the other officers, too. My sister is a topic for some other time because the beckoning terror has choked her words. She has not spoken. Her silence and facial idioms are doing enough explaining, though.

“When did he give the order?” The officer asked.

“Just now, just when all this is happening. Suspicious, right?” I shoot softly. I can tell they are all shocked and dubious.

“Like I said, this might be a big misconception. Let us not get ahead of ourselves. This might be just mere coincidences that are not related at all.”

My unwavering gaze shifted to this other officer, who just decided to open his mouth to utter some shit. "Misconceptions? You expect me to believe this is all a misunderstanding? No, officer. I am no fool. I would rather die with fear of embracing this truth than comfort myself with obvious lies."