CHAPTER 32: What Really Happened
Martha Chua's Third-person Point of View
It was already morning when Martha Chua heard the door of her office suddenly opened. Iniluwa niyon ang isang pigura na hindi mawari ni Martha. Nakapulang roba at may suot na maskara ng mukha ng isang pusa ang nakatayo sa harap niya.
"You're Mrs Chua, right? The principal of Ellis High?" anito at humakbang palapit sa kanya.
Hindi niya magawang tumango. Tila ba natulos siya sa kinatatayuan niya. "Who are you?" Martha managed to finally say.
She couldn't stop herself from feeling intimidated by his form and deep voice. Pero sa kaibuturan ni Martha, kilala niya ito—sigurado siyang isa ito sa mga utusan ng Presidente. She was sure that this person was here to seek for the updates.
"Sigurado akong kilala mo na ako," saad nito na tila ba nabasa ang nasa isip niya. "I was commanded by our President that the plan should've been going smoothly right this moment. Hindi na sila makapaghintay, Mrs Chua."
Sila. Alam ni Martha kung sino ang tinutukoy nito.
Muli, hindi siya sumagot. Sa halip ay hinintay niya itong magsalitang muli. "It will happen tomorrow, sa ayaw at sa gusto ninyo, Mrs Chua. Iyon ang utos ni Presidente."
Noon siya napailing. "No, no, please. You have to listen to me. Malapit na ang Retreat nilang mga seniors. I want them to at least be happy about something. And after that, I will let you do what you want to do with them.," she found herself pleading to this monster.
Hindi siya kailanman sumang-ayon sa bagong batas na ipinapatupad ng Presidente—the New World Order. These men had been checking their every move when she decided not to answer their future calls. Ang akala niya kasi ay mapo-postpone niyon ang pinaplano ng mga ito. But she was wrong.
Muli itong humakbang palapit sa kanya. "Mrs Chua, you've already seen what the President can do, right? Sigurado akong hindi siya matutuwa kapag hinatid ko ang balitang tumanggi ka na naman. And you know what happens when his order gets rejected," anito, ilang hakbang na lang ang layo mula sa kanya. "Don't make your school more important than the others. At sigurado akong alam mo na ang mga dapat gawin kapag natupad na ang New World Order."
She was about to speak again when he quickly cut her off. "I'm sorry, Mrs Chua, but it's already been decided by the officials. You've rejected us once. Whether you want it or not, it will happen—"
Naputol ang sasabihin pa sana nito nang biglang may tunog na nanggaling sa labas ng silid ni Martha—tunog ng iyon ng ring ng isang aparato.
Mabilis niyang hinawakan ang braso ng taong nasa harap niya nang akma itong lalabas ng kanyang silid. Someone was listening to their conversation, she realized.
Bumaba ang tingin nito sa kanyang kamay. "Let go of my hand, Mrs Chua," anito at marahas na kumawala sa pagkakahawak sa kanya.
Naglakad ito palabas ng silid niya. Martha was quick to follow behind him. She could just see the figure of a girl running away from them and turned to the corner and out of sight. For a moment, Martha was able to make out the side of her face as she turned to the corner—it was Blair Wadson of Class 12-C.
She saw the familiar figure walking back towards her. "Do you know that student? She heard our conversation."
Umiling siya. "Hindi ko siya nakita, masyadong madilim ang pasilyo," she lied.
Martha went back to her room.
I'll talk to her soon. I should at least warn her, she told herself.