AMBER

I ENTERED our room with a frown. Paano ba naman kasi, sa hapunan pa talaga nila naisipang pag-usapan ang tungkol sa bahay? Suddenly, Jamie screamed at ilang sandali lamang ay tumakbo na ang mga lalaki patungo sa kwarto namin.

"What happened?" tanong ni Al na tila ba handa agad kung sakaling may threat man na mangyari.

Jamie jumped towards Loki and locked arms with him. "Loki dear! M-may... bakas ng semento sa mga gamit ko!"

"I-is it the ghost of the construction worker na nahulog sa quick dry cement?" kinakabahang tanong ko.

My initial reaction was to stand behind someone as shield kung sakaling magpakita man ang multo ng namatay na construction worker. I stood behind Lorelei ngunit gaya ko ay tila natatakot din siya.

"Loki dear! He's... he's here!" natatakot na sabi ni Jamie at yumakap nang mahigpit kay Loki.

"Let me remind you that ghosts and evil spirits do not exist. This may just be a trick by the crew to test us. Stop embarrassing the name of QED Club in front of everyone else by acting scared."

Alistair checked Jamie's stuff. Like she claimed, tila nagalaw ang kanyang mga gamit. There were traces of quick dry cement everywhere! Hindi lang gamit niya ang ginalaw kundi pati ang mga gamit namin! Pero paano nangyari iyon? The room was locked at si Lorelei ang may hawak ng susi.

"Loki's right," Math said, flipping her hair. "Huwag muna nating pangunahan ang balak ng staff para sa show na 'to. What if it's part of their charade to spice up the show?"

Well, may point din naman si Math. Maybe the story of the house was deliberately told to us during dinner as some of the staff ransacked our room and left cement marks to scare us. Uh, congratulations Whose Deduction Show crew, you really did scare us.

Or maybe some of us.

When I looked around, Gray and Loki were already examining every part of our room. Loki checked the windows, vents and other means na maaring pasukan ng kung sino man while Gray checked if there was any tampering on the door. These two seriously did not want to lose to each other!

"Since we were given some leisure time, why don't we play at the entertainment room? The host said we can play chess and other board games there," suhestiyon ni Alistair upang maibsan ang takot namin.

Gray and Loki were done checking the room kaya maging sila ay pumayag na rin at sabay kaming nagtungo sa entertainment room. May malaking sign sa pinto na nagsasabing iyon ay ang Entertainment Room.

The room was cozy and filled with things to ease one's boredom.

Jeremy gasped in surprise upon entering the room. "Whoa, this is the Entertainment Room?"

"If you know how to read, that's what the sign on the door says—"

"It's nice and wide," mabilis na wika ni Lorelei, probably to shut Loki off before he could finish his sarcastic reply. Tinulungan niya si Al na ilabas ang board games na nasa shelf.

Lorelei, Math and I decided to play scrabble samantalang chess naman ang nilaro nina Loki at Gray. Alistair and Je were just observing the two who were silent and focused on the match. Gano'n ba talaga kapag naglalaro ng chess, masyadong seryoso? Hindi ba pwedeng magtawanan sila? Magkwentuhan? But since there has been a clash between the two mula pa noong day one, I think falling into silence while playing chess was the best way they could behave. If they weren't playing, malamang nagpalitan na naman sila ng mga salita tungkol sa kung sino ang magaling.

"Al, best friend, paano mo masasabing may naglalagay ng lupa sa garden mo?" tanong ni Je kay Alistair. Al, what? If I were Alistair, I would have punched him already on the face the moment he called me best friend. Pasalamat siya't mukhang cool si Al sa lahat ng bagay, maging sa walang kwentang puns niya.

"Paano?" tanong ni Al.

"When the plot thickens! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Alistair smiled a bit. "Napakamasayahin mo talaga Jeremy."

"Oo naman, best friend! Pero alam mo ba, malungkot ako kagabi. I cried to sleep," he said with a sad expression. "My pillow asked me why I was crying, and you know what I did?"

Alistair looked worried, malamang naninibago siya na bigla na lamang nalungkot si Je. "What?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Syempre tumakbo ako sa takot! Ikaw ba naman kausapin ng unan tapos English pa, 'di ba nakakatakot? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He laughed so hard that he choked on his own laughter. "Pero Al, best friend, alam mo ba kung bakit naka-gloves ang mga doktor kapag nag-oopera?"

He nodded confidently. "They used gloves to prevent contamination or for sanitation."

"Eeeeeenk! Mali!" His grin made Al anticipate for the pun he's about to throw. "Nagsusuot sila ng gloves para kung sakaling mamatay ang pasyente, walang fingerprints nila! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Hindi ko na pinansin ang iba pa niyang kalokohan at nag-focus na lamang sa laro namin pero hindi pa rin nawawala sa isipan ko ang nangyari. After what we discussed during dinner at nang madiskubre ang mga bakas ng quick dry cement sa kwarto ay hindi ako mapalagay. I was getting paranoid of the thought that the ghost of the construction worker who died was here to haunt us. Paano kung nagbalik ito at nagmu-multo? Damn, thinking about it made me want to pack my things and go back to the dormitory!

"Amber?" tanong sa akin ni Lorelei. "You look pale, okay ka lang ba?"

"Iniisip ko lang, mamaya kapag lights out na. Paano kung magparamdam ang multo?"

Now there's three of us who became pale. Si Math lamang ang tila hindi natatakot.

"What if we'll just share rooms with the boys?" Jamie suggested. Napangiti siya at tila may inalala habang nilalaro ang kanyang buhok. "Loki and I," she smiled a bit. "We already shared a room before, so hindi na iyon bago sa amin. Right, Loki dear?"

I stared blankly at Loki, half expecting he would not respond to it but he nodded with a straight face.

"Got any problem with that? Is that against the law?" tanong niya. Bago ako makasagot ay mabilis na lumapit si Je kay Gray at minasahe ang balikat nito.

"No, of course not. In fact, magkatabi ring natulog si Bestie at si Gray sa iisang kama! To make it exciting, naka-posas pa sila!" Je said with a giggle.

I sneered at him before looking away. Note to self, I would strangle him later dahil sa labis na kadaldalan niya!

"Pero Bestie, bakit ba natatakot ka? 'Di ba nga sabi ni Gray dati pa na hindi totoo ang mga multo? Kaya dapat 'wag kang matakot, okay? Ang mabuti pa, samahan mo na lang ako sa CR, kanina ko pa gustong magbanyo eh," sabi ni Je.

Huh, 'wag pa lang matakot, ah? Magpapasama lang pala sa banyo dahil gaya ko, takot din siya. Sumabay sa amin sina Jamie na nagpunta sa CR at sabay-sabay rin kaming bumalik sa Entertainment Room.

"I'm sure the QED Club will win this competition," narinig kong sabi Loki nang makabalik kami mula sa CR. Was it just me or he really sounded like he's so full of himself? I know naipamalas na niya ang kanyang kakayahan although I know that's not his limit. He could show us more, pero kailangan talagang magyabang? Also, ilang beses na ba niyang sinabi na sila ang mananalo? He said it a few times already that I lost count.

As expected, it was Math who replied. "You're overconfident but you don't know us that well. Gray's so good in everything plus he got me. Since I was a kid, I was commended on how I noticed things that others wouldn't. It turned out, ang maliliit na bagay ang magbibigay-daan para malaman ang malaking katotohanan. Back then, I helped in solving countless cases—"

Agad na lumapit sa akin si Jeremy at bahagyang bumulong. "There she goes again, nagbubuhat na naman ng bangko."

"Nagbubuhat ng bangko?" tanong ni Lorelei sa amin, confusion dawning her face.

Je shook his head with a smile. "Wala, sabi ko si Maya magaling magbuhat ng bangko. Maya, pabuhat nga ako ng bangko ko at ilipat mo rito, please?"

Clueless of what he truly meant, Math carried his chair and placed it beside me. "Ano nga ang sinasabi ko?" Bahagya siyang nag-isip at mayamaya ay napangiti nang matamis. "Right, Detective Triumvirate Plus One is winning this," she proudly claimed and sounded as boastful as Loki.

I gave Lorelei an apologetic look at gaya ko ay tila gusto rin niyang humingi ng pasensya sa kayabangan ng kanilang teammate. Nang tingnan ko si Loki, he doesn't seem annoyed with Math's declaration at sa halip ay tila mas na-challenge pa ito.

Didn't he find Math annoying? Or maybe he liked her confidence. You know, birds of the same feather flock together.

"If you're that certain with your chances of winning, let's make a bet," deklara niya.

At dahil may inner na kayabangan din naman si Gray, na-trigger yata siya sa sinabi ni Loki. "Why not? So what's at stake?"

"I know!" Je jumped in to their conversation. "Kung sinong matatalo ay iinumin ang gagawin nating drink made from our soaked socks!"

Everyone groaned in disapproval to his nasty suggestion. Ew, that's so gross!

"Pass," mabilis na tanggi ni Al at nakasimangot na iling naman ang naging sagot ni Lorelei. Even Jamie was disgusted to hear such idea.

"Sige, ganito na lang! Tatakbo nang nakahubad at sisigaw ng--"

"Pass!" mabilis kong tanggi. Why did he have the nastiest suggestions in mind?

"Then, how about this?" sabi ni Loki. "The loser will get to do anything per the winners' request?"

"Game!" Gray agreed with a smirk. Loki really brought out the competitive side of him. Saan na ang Gray na nagsasabing walang superior or inferior when it comes to the truth? Anyway, whatever happens, sana ay huwag lang nakakadiring bagay ang ipapagawa nila sa amin kung sakaling matalo kami.

But I trust my team more than Loki's.

Our games resumed and everyone was fired up upon the declaration of competition between the two groups. Mayamaya ay tumunog ang intercom sa silid at nag-flash sa monitor na nasa sulok ang instruction ng host na si Damian, which was odd. Bakit niya ginamit ang monitor sa halip na magpakita sa amin o 'di kaya ay ianunsyo ang kanyang instruction gamit ang intercom? At bakit niya kami pinapapunta sa kanyang kwarto? Tinatamad ba siyang puntahan kami rito?

Iwinaksi ko iyon sa isipan nang lahat kami ay nagpunta sa sinasabing room na nasa west wing. That was a few doors away from ours.

Gaya ng entertainment room, may sign din sa pinto na nagsasabing iyon ay ang room ni Damian. Alistair tried to open the door by turning the knob but it was locked. "Sarado."

Je nodded with a smug look on his face. "Ah, sarado."

"How are we supposed to enter kung sarado pala?" tanong ni Jamie.

Muling tumunog ang intercom kaya napatingin kami sa pinakamalapit na monitor screen.

"The first task has begun!

You have to open that door. The key is hidden somewhere in this mansion. You may also use any other means except forcefully taking down the door."

Good luck, detectives!"

Math started lifting the rug on the floor. "So it has begun. I'm certain the key is just somewhere near, maybe we just need to analyze how the things around were arranged and through that, malalaman natin ang lokasyon ng susi. Back then, my grandfather tested me with something like this at sa pamamagitan ng maiging pag-aanalisa ng mga bagay-bagay, I found it in a short span of time."

Oh, here she goes again.

Gaya ni Math ay nagsimula na ring maghanap si Gray. He was carefully examining the floor by stepping on it. What was he doing, tap dance? I tried my best to contribute kaya nagsimula na rin akong maghanap. I checked the huge vases on the side at napatigil nang biglang magsalita si Loki. He was rubbing his chin as his gaze focused on the doorknob.

"So we may use any other method, huh?" tanong niya habang nakatingin pa rin sa pinto.

Sinong kausap niya? Don't tell me he's talking to that door? Uh, that would be silly. Loki creepily smiled before exiting the hall. Saan siya pupunta? Nevermind. Sa halip na bantayan ang bawat galaw niya ay pinili ko na lamang ayusin ang paghahanap. It wasn't long before Loki was back with a kit in his hand.

"Loki!" bulalas ni Lorelei nang isa-isang inilabas ni Loki ang laman ng kanyang dalang kit. Wires, pick pins and tension wrench at kung anu-ano pa! Alam ko iyon dahil itinuro din iyon sa amin ni Gray. "Are you seriously gonna use that? Hindi ba't parang cheating iyon? Loki, they're doing their best to find the key."

"Oh, Loki dear, that's a piece of cake for you. Isa pa, Lorie, klaro naman ang instruction. Any method will do except destroying the door," pangongonsinte ni Jamie rito. Napatingin si Lorelei kay Alistair na tila tahimik na nagpapatulong sa pagsaway sa kanyang mga kasamahan..

"Technically, based on the instructions, that's not cheating," pag-sang-ayon ni Alistair sa method ni Loki. "I would have opposed if what he's about to do is against the rules. But it isn't."

"Thank God I'm bringing my lockpicking kit. Preparedness at all times is always an advantage," I heard Loki say.

"Go, Loki dear! Open the door bago pa nila makita ang susi," Jamie cheered with a flirty smile on her lips as she played with her braided hair.

Sinimulan na ni Loki ang paglo-lockpick at mayamaya ay narinig ko ang boses ni Gray mula sa 'di kalayuan. "Found it!"

He dashed back to the door with the key in his hand, unaware of Loki's business in front of it.

"Saan mo nakita?" tanong sa kanya ni Jamie.

"I found it under the floor board," he replied with a proud smile on his face. "Looking at the tiled pattern, it didn't seem like there was a compartment below. Pero pagtapak ko sa isang tile, it sounded different than the others so there must be a space beneath, at doon ko natagpuan ang susi," he said and walked towards the door, waving the key only to find Loki in his lockpicking stance.

"Lockpick...? That's foul!" bulalas ni Gray. "We did our best to find the key, tapos--"

There was a clicking sound before Loki stood up and kept his things. "The host said we can use whatever means necessary and the rules do not prohibit us from using a lockpicking kit." He held the doorknob with his hand before turning to Gray with a taunting expression. "Looks like the QED Club is one step ahead of this game."

And the game was on.

∆+1