LUKE MATTHEW   THE DETECTIVE WOKE up the next afternoon. I had sent an excuse e-mail to our class adviser and Math teacher, Mrs. Bonifacio, with an attached self-camera photo of me and a sleeping Hibara on a white hospital bed this morning. “Could you tell me exactly what happened?” She asked, holding her head while sitting up. I gave her assistance to which I received not even a simple ‘thanks’. What do I expect anyway? I chuckled lightly as I sat back on the monobloc chair, “I’m gonna tell you one thing: you told Irish, ‘I don’t believe in heroes; they don’t exist,’ and then you went running to save a lady from an about-to-explode street. Do you see the irony?” She turned her head to the opposite side and spoke in a husky voice, “That was unintended. It was impulse; I failed to plan ahead. I should have thought of the probability that there might be people arriving, like from work or wherever.”

HIBARA “M-MAMA…” JORO WHISPERED, staring at the television. Mom stared at me with an expression that asks if I really did murder the school doctor. I abruptly stood up and the chair fell on the floor. I shook my head, “No, Mom… J-Joro, I did not do this!” Joro faced me with his watery eyes full of hatred. “You killed my mother… You killed her!” He lunged at me and punched my body repeatedly. A tear fell from my eye— not because of his incredibly strong punches, but because he believed what was untrue. And I know it’s my fault because I fed him lies after lies when we were younger. He will believe others, but never me. “Joro, stop that!” Mom pulled him away from me. I was already lying on the floor with bruises. “You killed her! You killed… you… you did…” Joro then hugged my mother and cried. I just stared at them, not knowing what to say, again. I must prove my innocence to Joro and to everyone. That was the only thought that came into my mind. The only thing that is best to do.

HIBARA I MADE A call as soon as I took the final steps of the stairs. I told him that I decrypted his message and he then sent me the next clue through text. I tried to ask for his identity, but he dropped the call while I was speaking. 13-11-21-15-44-15-42-11 This one now is unquestionably Polybius Square. A Polybius Square is encrypted and decrypted by using a five-by-five square with the English alphabet arranged vertically, having I and J share the same cell. The code uses double-digit numbers, where the first is the y-axis and the second is the x-axis. 1 2 3 4 5 1 A B C D E 2 F G H I/J K 3 L M N O P 4 Q R S T U 5 V W X Y Z 13-11-21-15-44-15-42-11 C-A-F-E-T-E-R-I-A I sent him the answer and he replied with: “No more clues. Find it within fifteen minutes or everyone in the location burns to ashes.” I placed my phone back in my pocket and ran towards the cafeteria. I act

  LUKE MATTHEW   THE GALLERY SHOWED two images: a nicely lit, brown painted room with a blindfolded child tied up on a chair, and a half-eaten vanilla cake is laid on the coffee table in front of him— which somehow sent chills through my body. I don’t understand why, but I had a bad feeling when I looked at the cake. “I know where this is,” the Detective spoke. Clearly, she’s back to her normal self. “This is in Baskerville. The brown walls gave it away.” “But your flat has cream walls?” I replied. “I had it repainted, of course. It’ll be too gloomy if my unit is in a dark color and I have this kind of personality, duh,” she said and rolled her eyes. I chuckled, “Well, not to mention those snake pets you have! But anyway, I think we should be going now?” She nodded, “Yep, we should. Let’s get our bags and have an early dismissal. Before we leave, we’ll pass by Mr. Moon’s office so I can dissem

 HIBARA I HAVE NEVER imagined how this much horror feels. I thought this feeling was just something basic like happiness and sadness, but no, this remained in my body for God knows how long.I called Mr. Mercer earlier using Matthew’s phone and informed him of the distressing situation. He brought the helicopter without delay and we landed on the nearest hospital’s helipad. Matthew was brought to the Operation Room immediately and I was stuck in the Emergency for my sprained wrist.After a wrist stabilizer was applied, my sprain doesn’t hurt that much like when we were on Kristina. I made my way to the OR and sat with Lilian, Shiloah, and Amethyst. “Are there any updates?” I asked.Amethyst lowered her head, Lilian shook her head no, and Shiloah gave me a sad look. I sighed deeply and leaned back on the seat, my head rested on the white wall behind. I could still recall how the Blac