I tie my hair 'til no strips of it distracting my face. I took my pen, opened it using my perfectly brushed teeth and wrote something on my notebook where I usually put every case that catches my interest.
For more than a year of experience, I never fear the dangers around me like it was just natural to someone like me. Well, I'm used to it.
I took a look and observed the pictures I have in my envelope, blood, no traces of hair, footprints, fingerprints, no perfect evidence.
But you can only see blood all over the place, this is maybe connected to the news earlier, the many missing youth.
Currently the police department were investigating the case, they also found the smallest blood to see if it matched the DNA of the missing youths.
This is quite creepy, people believe this is some kind of mythical creatures' doings. Manannggal, tiyanak, kapre, I didn't know if I would believe it but I've heard a lot of stories from those who experienced and saw such creatures.
Well whether it is true or not, we will know and will also know who is taking the young people and whether the case that is happening now is connected to their disappearance.
I put the pictures back inside the envelope when my phone suddenly rang, I immediately picked it up.
"I am busy Mena, you can ask your dad to bring you such stuff."
"Auntie, I can't ask her, I still have projects to be done. Please auntie, it will be quick, it will be easy to find and I'll use it in my projects."
I rested deeply. I don't know what I will prioritize sometimes, my older brother's kids are disturbing me from work asking me to buy this and that thing.
Why is my older brother so lazy? Plus her mom is busy at work, while her husband is busy playing video games at home.
Sometimes I think of my brother being put in jail because of his carelessness with his children. Mena is 18 years old and graduating from senior high, their youngest is in elementary school and also graduating in grade 6 and the eldest is finishing college his Engineering course which actually costs.
Their mom is the only one who is good at doing any extra jobs, he has a permanent job at a grocery store and when he has free time, he uses it to find other jobs for extra earnings. I don't know if I can tolerate what is happening in my brother's family life. It's not that I should meddle in their lives, but sometimes he is too much.
"Fine."
Mena was very happy on the other line, I dropped the call and I received a message from her, the things she's asking me to buy.
I'm sure I could find it all in those selling school supplies. She said that she will finish only the equipment in the brochure, plus she will also do a painting.
Senior High is really a challenge, it's not just the oral and written works that will bring weight to you as well as the many projects.
Just like my cases, there are also a lot of cases of murder, theft and so on.
Whether you are young or old, what you do is equal even if it is not equal to the hardships of the future. When you're old, you have to face different challenges which are really life versus death.
You took the risk, you learned to be alone, and decided for your own, that you have no one to call for help, all you have is you, yourself alone to call on.
It felt like yesterday when I was that little kid playing with my friends, crying on their shoulders, asking mom for help, telling dad how my day went.
That day I was that dependent little girl, still asking anyone to heal my own wounds but now I am the woman helping myself to heal my own wounds.
When you grow older, you will realize how important it is to enjoy life at your young age, not rushing to get married at 12, having a boyfriend at 12, do enjoy playing, being single, enjoy life before engaging at the level of adults.
Because maybe in the end you will regret and say that if I really listened to my parents and I would not have ended up in this situation.
We have this phrase saying 'Regret is in the end'' so enjoy the rest of your day. Do not stress out.
I got up and took the key to my car that was on the table. I closed the door of my office and went out of the building where I was temporarily staying.
I don't plan on buying a house, when I'm all alone, what else is the house for?
It would be okay if moma and dada were still alive. Then I had no other family besides my older brother.
I was 12 when moma finally stepped out of this world. I was too frustrated knowing I can no longer embrace mom with my warm hugs and kisses.
That I can no longer touch the woman who taught me so many things in life. Moma doesn't want me to take this profession, to be a lawyer because it's really dangerous like becoming a police officer.
But dad supported me with everything, my brother and I. He supported us just to finish our studies, and at the same time I was working part time and somehow had extra money in college because as my dad was getting older he could no longer work. But then, dad didn't make it, he followed mom.
There is nothing left for the two of us or my older brother to take care of, we have to move to a smaller house that doesn't cost much in electricity. I want to stop studying, but because of my older brother, I graduated. He dropped out of college and I was the one he supported, he looked for a job so we could both live.
I also work extra jobs just to find money. It went so smoothly with us that time, I passed the board exam.
I was so happy but then my older brother got injured. He fell on the construction he was working on. Everything went so fine but not until that happened.
I was officially doing my job as a lawyer, to earn money, for my older brother to recover. His condition wasn't that bad but his limbs cracked but it wasn't that bad because my older brother didn't fall that high either. He became frustrated and tired that time. He lost his appetite for life, until he recovered and my older brother changed.
Yeah he met the girl he loved and I saw the smile on his lips but as time went by my older brother also got tired. It is something like, he misses his old days, the young him, like he wanted to go back to that day and enjoy his life. I didn't scold my brother, because I knew how hard it was for him to not finish school, to have no degree.
I want to scold him but I want to be easy on him, because he might also misunderstand it. I feel sorry for Fe, his wife but I am also happy because she is ready to understand my older brother.
But now that his children are big, he should be standing to feed his family. He, in turn, will look for a job for his family.
"Miss, do you have this?"
I showed the salesperson what was listed on my cell phone and left in front of me to look at what I was going to buy.
"Yes ma'am, it's all 200." I pulled money out of my wallet and paid her.
"Thank you."
I picked up the bag and left the store. I walked to where I parked my car. As I was walking I felt something strange around me, like someone was watching over me so seriously.
I breathe air, this is how it really is when you get older, hallucinating. I opened my car and entered. I immediately turn the engine on and drive.
I texted Mena that I'm almost at their house. I stopped my car when I saw the red light.
While waiting for the green light my attention was focused on a beautiful and tall woman on the other side of the aisle, I wondered at her gaze.
She's extremely staring at me, she suddenly leaves. My eyes followed her behavior but then I just heard countless beeps at the back of my car and I quickly started my car.
I glanced at the place where she was standing earlier but she was gone, just now I felt something strange because of just one stare. It's like the woman needed me, she looked like she wanted to take me.
Is this really part of getting old, Lord? I hope so, Lord and that has no meaning at all.