It was like a museum. There were paintings hanging on the wall, a number of relics inside the glass casings, and other kinds of exhibits displayed everywhere.
"Here you will see everything that talks about the history of Puerto Estrella. This province was founded by our ancestors, the Twelve Founding Fathers," she continued.
"So, there were twelve of them," I commented.
"Bakit? Akala mo ba kayo-kayo lang mga Vergara, Ortega at Salvador ang nagtatag nitong Puerto Estrella?" she remarked.
I tried to defend myself. "No. Sorry, I didn't mean that---"
"Relax. I'm just messing with you. Kanina ka pa kasi mukhang seryoso. You okay?"
I sighed. "Yup. I think naninibago lang ako about this annual thing . . ."
"Founder's Night," she corrected me. "Ganito talaga dito and one day, masasanay ka rin. Besides, this is the only time of the year na nagsasama-sama ang mga living members ng mga Founding Families. This occasion is a very big thing here in Puerto Estrella."
"Yeah, I can see that."
"And here, Ms Vergara, is one of our most valuable artifacts," she said, showing me an old parchment paper placed inside a glass frame. There were names written on it. "This is the official provincial registry kung saan nakalagay ang mga pangalan at nakapirma ang Twelve Founding Fathers ng Puerto Estrella. And you know what's funny?" she continued. "Totoo 'yung mga memes sa social media about sa pangalan ng mga sinaunang lalaki. Look at all their names, they all end with the letter 'o'."
I started to read all the names and I smiled when I realized what she told me was true. "Wilfredo Salvador . . . Celestino Buenavista . . ." I read.
"Look, that's my great-great-great-grandfather, Basilio de Vera. Pero hindi siya 'yung anak ni Sisa, okay," she joked while she pointed her finger to where the name was. "And say hi to your forefathers, too."
There I saw the names of Antonio Vergara and Lucio Montoya, our ancestors from both sides of the family.
"Gobernador Teodoro Ortega?" basa ko sa sumunod na pangalan.
"The very first governor of this province," she informed. "Trivia, alam mo bang wala pang ibang naging governor dito sa Puerto Estrella kundi ang mga Ortega lang?"
"Seriously? And why is that? Wala bang ibang nag-attempt na tumakbo at lumaban?"
"Sabi ni Mamita, meron naman daw nung mga unang panahon. But they all lost to the Ortegas."
"Political dynasty, huh. And the people are okay with it?"
"For me, I don't see anything wrong about political dynasty, as long as they're serving the people right and protecting the entirety of this province. That's what the Ortigas do kaya mahal na mahal sila ng mga taong-bayan. At alam mo kung ano ang hindi okay . . .?" she mused. "The people to have a Governor with a different last name."
I let out a chuckle. "So, let me guess, Anastasia Ortega is next in line."
"You got it!" she grinned.
Her phone suddenly rang and then she read a text message. Nagpaalam siya agad sa'kin, sabi niya may kakausapin lang siyang mga tao and it was something important about Glee Club. We both left the Gallery and headed in different ways. Bumalik ako sa dining hall at marami pa ring mga taong nandun, they were chatting while the orchestral music was playing in the background.
Kurt must've gone with Jake and Seth at di ko na rin mahanap sina Pops at Mamita. Naiwan na naman akong mag-isa. I exited the dining hall trying to look for them and avoid the sea of new faces. Bumalik ako sa lobby at si Mamita lang ang nakita ko but she was talking to some people. I didn't bother her. I saw the stairs going to the second floor kaya umakyat ako at saka naglakad sa corridor kung saan may mga guests din na nag-uusap habang umiinom ng champagne.
I ran into a room with its door open and it was like inviting me in. Kaya pumasok agad ako without even thinking. The room was full of books and ring binders for documents arranged in the shelves. May mga trophies din na naka-display and then I saw Governor Gilbert Ortega's name engraved in a nameplate placed on top of the desk. That's when I realized na nasa Office of the Governor ako and that I needed to leave. Baka may makakita pa sa'kin and would think suspiciously bakit ako nandun.
Lalabas na sana ako sa office when I instantly heard indistinct voices coming from the walls. I immediately stopped walking and out of curiosity, I used my sense of hearing, figuring out where the voices were coming from. I tried following the whispers until they became louder and louder, but still indistinct. Hanggang sa umabot ako sa dulo ng isang shelf malapit sa desk ni Governor Ortega. There was a Philippine flag on a pole standing right next to it. And when I walked past the flag, may nakita akong isang maliit na pinto sa likod nito connecting to another room.
Its door was left ajar at sigurado akong doon sa loob nanggagaling ang mga boses. It was a mixture of ladies' and men's voices. Mula sa labas ay sumilip ako sa nakasiwang na pinto. There I saw Governor Ortega standing on the edge of a long table kaharap ang ibang mga taong nakaupo rito. At kilala ko 'yung ibang nandun.
Chief Salvador was there standing in the corner. Sa mesa naman magkakatabing nakaupo sina Principal Navarro, Pastor Henry at dad ni Seth. And sitting across them were a few people at di ko na namukhaan kasi nakatalikod sila from where I was standing. I could only see half of the table but I was sure that there were more people sitting on the other side.
"Thanks everyone for coming. Especially dun sa mga umuwi ng Puerto Estrella galing pa ng ibang lugar," Governor Ortega began.
"Well, it's Founders' Night. So, we should all be here, right?" sabi naman ni Principal Navarro. He was seated alongside Seth's dad and between the two of them was a woman who also had a familiar face. But my memory didn't serve me well.
"Most of you already know why we're gathered here tonight," the Governor continued. "There's something urgent and important na kailangan nating pag-usapan."
"What could be more important than making Puerto Estrella the most progressive province in Cagayan Valley?" puna ng lalaking nakaupo sa harap ko. Isa siya sa mga nakatalikod kaya di ko makita ang mukha niya. But he had short and rich curly hair like the woman sitting beside him except she had a longer hair.
"Haven't you heard or seen the news, Charles? They've come back," sagot sa kanya ng babaeng kaharap niya mismo, the one sitting in between Principal Navarro and Seth's dad. Then I realized why she's familiar. She was the tv news reporter covering Hannah Tiu's death and I forgot what her name was.
"How can you be so sure that it's them who's doing this?" questioned the curly-haired lady sitting beside the man named Charles.
"Four teenagers all died in their sleep." Another woman answered, suddenly walked across the room and stopped beside Chief Salvador. "I was there during each one's autopsy at di sila namatay dahil sa cardiac arrest. They all died because of severe brain damage. Sounds familiar?"
"Kung sila nga, paano nila nagawang makabalik dito sa Puerto Estrella? We managed to banish them twenty years ago," sabi ni Pastor Henry.
"That's what we thought," Seth's dad answered. "Now they're back with vengeance because of what we did to them."
"Oh, my God. They'll get back at our families," sabi ng boses ng isa pang babae sa kabilang side ng room. "Ang mga anak natin --- they're all in danger." Distress was evident in her voice.
"This was a mistake made years ago," said the voice of a middle-aged man across the room. "Kaya kahit anong mangyari, we have to do something to stop them again. Even if it costs our lives. Di pwedeng madamay ang mga anak n'yo o ang mga apo ko." Kahit di ko makita ang mukha niya dahil sa nakaharang na pinto sa harapan ko, I was certain that I knew that voice. It was Pops'.
Brief silence visited the entire room, some of them were just staring at each other saying nothing. I had no idea what they were talking about. They're weirdly discussing the deaths of the teenagers and they all looked so serious about it. And one more thing, why was Pops with them?
Biglang nabasag ang katahimikan sa loob ng kwarto nang may nag-ring na cellphone. It was Jake's dad's phone and he quickly answered it. He was talking indistinctly while the others were just waiting when he's going to hang up.
"Kailangan ko ng umalis," paalam bigla ni Chief Salvador sa lahat.
"Why? Did something happen?" Principal Navarro asked.
"It has done it again at kailangan kong pumunta sa ospital," he announced with a serious tone. "And I'm afraid you have to come with me, Veronica. It's your son."
The lady news reporter jolted from her seat. "My son!?" she trembled in panic.
Everyone immediately got up from their seats so I also quickly ran outside the office before they could catch me eavesdropping. I went down the stairs to the lobby and I saw Mamita again. Rita and Kurt were with her.
"Where have you been? Hinahanap ka namin," Rita asked.
"I was looking for the restroom," I had to lie.
In a matter of seconds, nakita na naming bumaba ng hagdan galing second floor sina Pops pati ang mga kasama niya dun sa room, except kay Governor Ortega. Halata namang nagmamadali si Chief Salvador na umalis kasama 'yung babaeng news reporter at lumabas agad sila ng Hall. Jake also went with them.
Pops came to us while the others reunited with their families in the lobby. Bakas sa mga mukha nilang lahat ang pag-aalala at takot.
We then all decided to go home. At nung nakauwi na kami, parang gusto kong tanungin si Pops. What was he doing with all those people in that room? At saka ano 'yung mga pinag-uusapan nila?
But then again, there's a big part of me that's saying see no evil, hear no evil. And the other part was saying I'd have to figure out everything myself . . .
. . . and that I should do something.