Beyond the Boundary | ✓

Chapter 16

16 |  Plan

“SO? WALA BANG magsasalita sa inyong dalawa?”

I raised my head to look at my best friend. Nakaangat ang isang kilay niya at nakakrus ang kaniyang mga kamay sa kaniyang dibdib. She stared down at me, as if commanding me to speak. Nakagat ko na lang ang ibabang labi ko.

Nasa isang restaurant kami ngayon dito sa Grand Ship 99. Nasa harapan ko si Caesonia nakaupo habang nasa magkabilang gilid ng lamesa naman sina Reivohr at Zeigmund. Reivohr's as nervous as me, while Zeigmund didn't care and just continued eating his food.

“Umalis lang kami saglit, pagbalik namin nawala na kayo at nakita pa namin kayong may kausap na taga rito. Higit pa ro'n, mukhang kriminal pa 'yong kinausap ninyo dahil dinakip ng mga naka-black suit!” pagnenermon niya.

“Ang ingay mo naman. Nanay ka ba namin?” marahang sabi ni Reivohr sabay tingin kay Caesonia.

Mas lalong nagsalubong ang mga kilay at nag-init ang mukha ni Caes dahil sa inis.

She raised her hand and clenched it in front of Reivorh, as if she was stopping herself from crushing him into pieces. “Ikaw, isa ka pa! Pasalamat ka...”

I sighed and leaned my back on my chair. “Wala lang 'yon, okay? Kinamusta ko lang ang matanda. I met him last year dito rin.”

“Really?” sarkastikong tanong naman ni Caes. She gave me a fake smile. “Sige nga. Explain mo sa akin ano ang ibig sabihin niya noong sinabi niyang isa siyang dating volunteer? Hmm?”

Natigilan ako. So... she really did hear us talking about that one.

I cleared my throat and looked away. “M-Malay ko! Hindi kami nag-usap tungkol d'yan. Baka namali ka lang ng dinig.”

She sighed and frustratedly closed her eyes. She leaned on the table and massaged her forehead.

“There's no use talking to any of you two. Pareho kayong may sayad,” narinig kong sabi niya pero hindi ko na lang pinansin.

“We should go back home,” biglang singit ni Zeigmund kaya napabaling kami ng tingin sa kaniya. He already finished his food and he's now wiping his mouth with a tissue.

“Mabuti pa nga,” segunda ni Caes. “Sumsasakit ang ulo ko sa dalawang 'to, eh.”

“Pero bago tayo umuwi, pwede kakain muna ako?” ani Reivohr sabay bahagyang angat ng isang kamay. “Nagugutom na ako, eh.”

I pouted and rubbed my tummy. “Ako rin.”

Caesonia rolled her eyeballs. “Whatever!”

--

HAPON NA AT papalubog na ang araw noong naglalakad na kami pauwi kasama ang iba pang taga Grendan na naglibot sa mga barko. We were slowly walking so we won't bump each other. Nasa gilid ko si Reivohr at magkatabi naman sa harapan namin sina Caes at Zeig.

“I didn't know about this volunteer thing, Anza,” bulong ni Reivohr habang nakatingin pa rin sa harapan.

I sighed softly. “Hindi ko alam kung totoo ba talaga ang narinig ko about sa volunteers pero 'yong pag-uusap namin ni Lolo ng GS 99 ang nagpapadagdag sa speculation ko about that.”

“So ano nga?”

I glanced at him. “You really wanna know?”

“Magtatanong ba ako kung hindi,” he said with a shrug.

I just rolled my eyes. “Ayon sa narinig ko, ang volunteers ay ang guinea pigs ng mga researchers na nasa Laboratory ng Grendan. I don't know what experiment they're doing, but those volunteers never came back after being sent outside of the boundaries That's what I heard.”