Death Trap Pandemonium (COMPLETED)

Chapter Fifteen

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Television and Torture

October 31, 2015; Saturday
Blue Bay Retreat House, Azulan City
1:15 pm

Clyde had absolutely no clue on what was happening. Ang alam niya lang, bumaba siya sa sala dahil inaya siya ni Anthony na guluhin ang Lord of the Rings marathon nina Ailee at JC and things went downhill from there.

Nagsisigaw si Ailee tungkol sa prank call nina Kevin kay Erza and now, all of them turned to stare at where Erza was pointing at the television at the center of the living room. Nagulat si Clyde nang imbes na ang title card ng pelikulang Lord of the Rings ang nasa telebisyon, napalitan ito ng video ng tila isang maliit na silid.

"Ano yan? Yung rehearsal dati? Kinunan mo ba yon ng video, Markus?" tanong ni Reigne na napausog ng upo palapit kay Cess.

Umiling naman si Markus at tinignan si Joy. "I tried. Pero ayaw ni Joy dahil baka raw ma-leak yung play."

"Exactly. So saan galing yan?" tanong naman ni Joy.

"Baka naman may illegal copy ang Valhalla Bulletin?" Tila may pagsususpetsang tinignan ni Reigne kay Joy.

"No, we do not," giit ni Joy. Habang nagsimula silang magtalo rito, itinuon ni Clyde ang kanyang atensyon sa TV.

Clyde could barely see what was inside the room due to the limited lighting. The person standing in front of the camera was blocking the view but he could see that there were some people strapped to a chair in the background. Nakasuot ang taong nasa harap ng camera ng itim na robang may hood at kulay gintong maskarang hugis bungo.

"W-What is that on the left side of that person's robe?" Ashanti asked, stunned.

Clyde squinted as he tried to get a better of the patch attached to the person's robe. "Parang. . .oso? Ulo ng oso."

"Hindi naman ganyan yung costume ni Leo bilang kontrabida, eh," nanginginig na pahayag ni Erza. She turned to them with wide eyes. "I. . .I should know! Ako yung umasikaso sa mga costume natin dahil family business nila Mom ang fashion."

"Kung ganoon. . .live yang video na yan?" Bulalas ni Cess.

Nag-aalangang nagkatinginan silang lahat. It dawned on Clyde that there was only one way for them to get the answer to their questions. If only he could get rid of the bad feeling he was getting from the whole situation.

"Clyde, anong ginagawa mo, p're?" Napaangat siya ng tingin nang tawagin ni JC ang kanyang pangalan.

Pinulot niya ang cellphone ni Erza mula sa sahig at saktong-sakto, hindi pa napuputol ang tawag ng prankster.

"Naririnig ng caller ang lahat ng sinabi natin," aniya at ipinakita sa kanila ang nadiskubre niya. "And I have the feeling that he could see what we're doing as well."

"What?!"

Sabay-sabay at aligagang napatingin sa kanilang paligid ang mga kasamahan niya. Ngunit napabalikwas naman sila nang magsimulang pumalakpak ang taong nasa kabilang linya. Tila gustong kumaripas ng mga taong nasa sala ngunit napako sila sa kani-kanilang kinatatayuan at kinauupuan nang magsimulang magsalita ang prank caller.

"Bravo! Napakagaling mo talaga, Beltran!" Napuno ng malalim na halakhak ang paligid. "Now, I'll repeat my question for the last time. Do you like scary movies?"

Napatingin si Clyde sa TV ngunit hindi niya masyadong maaninag ang anumang paggalaw ng taong nakamaskara. Nagulat na lamang si Clyde nang biglang hablutin ni Champ ang cellphone mula sa kanyang kamay.