Scarper House

4•10 - Goodbye

"Ikaw ang pinakamatalino sa 'ting apat, babe," nakangiting sabi ni Saint. 'Yong tipo ng ngiti na hindi ko gustong makita mula sa kaniya—'yong ngiti na namamaalam. "Alam mong dalawa lang ang puwedeng lumabas."

My tears rushed down my cheeks as I shook my head on him again. I also looked at Chad, hoping he changes his mind but he just smiled at me too. "Pres, pakialagaan 'tong mahal ko ah."

"Mahal..." Umiiyak na tawag ni Wren kay Chad. Tumututol din siya.

"Saint," nakikiusap na pagtawag ko naman sa lalaking kaharap ko na siyang dahilan kaya hindi ako nabaliw sa kabila ng lahat ng pinagdaanan ko. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko kapag nawala siya. Ni ayaw ko ngang isipin na mawawala siya.

"Babe ako," he just said, then he pulled me for one last kiss.

"Alright, that's enough." We had to let go of each other when the voice spoke again. I didn't want to. "I want each team to enter a door. Don't worry, same lang ang nasa loob."

Saint and Chad had to push Wren and I on the first door. We didn't want to enter. We didn't want to give up on them and just let them die. But they really have decided.

Napasalampak lang kaming dalawa ni Wren sa sahig noong isarado nila ang pinto. Iyak lang kami nang iyak.

"I would've announced the winner's name by now, but I think you guys are on to a different thing."

Hindi ko naintindihan ang sinabi ng boses kaya hindi ko sana 'yon papansinin pero bigla na lang 'yong sumigaw.

"Do the task, ladies!"

Sa sobrang takot namin ni Wren, napatayo kami kaagad. Magkatabi lang kami na inilibot ang paningin sa kwartong 'yon. Doon lang namin napansin na may iisang lamesa lang pala sa loob. At sa ibabaw n'on, may iisang bagay lang din.

Isang baril.

W-Wait...

Are we not teammates?

Wren must've thought of the same thing as we looked at each other at the same time.

It's a no brainer that she should be the one to live. She's the kindest person I know, while I'm the most horrible person I know. She has a bright future awaiting her, while I...

I don't really see any hope in someone like me. I'm the daughter of a criminal. I'm a criminal myself. I don't think I'd have a wonderful future. I don't think that I deserve even just a decent one.

And if people wound find out about what I really did, and what I know while all those crimes were taking place 12 years ago, they wouldn't even think that I deserve a future. It would take some extraordinary heart to see that hope in me... and I'm actually with someone who has that.

"Trace, nagsisi ka naman, 'di ba?"

'Yon pa lang ang sinasabi ni Wren, tumakbo na ako papalapit sa lamesa. Pero para bang nakita niya nang gagawin ko 'yon, kaya nakipag-unahan din siya. At nanalo siya.

"Wren, please," I begged as she lifted the gun. "You deserve to live more than me. I-I'm a horrible person. Everything they said is true. Justin was right. I was that kid, Wren. So please..."

"You are Tracy Alejandro, my friend." She smiled at me. "Just that."

"Wren—" It crushed my heart when her a tear fell down her cheek. She doesn't want to die. She just doesn't wanna see me die too.

"Please, tell Chad I'm sorry." She closed her eyes and, with her shaking hands, pointed the tip of the gun on her chin.

Without saying another word, Wren pulled the trigger.

I fell on my knees, then to the floor. It just happened all over again. I just watched people suffer. I watched them die inside before, and now I watched them die literally. Nothing has changed. I am still that 10 year old kid who brings people to their doom.

No matter how hard I tried to change and live a different life for the past 12 years, I am still that horrible person.

The door opened and Saint came in looking so scared. As usual, he came when I needed him. He saw Wren's lifeless body first, before his eyes found me. "Babe!"

Saint ran to me and immediately wrapped me in his arms, but all I could think of at that time was that I won't be able to fulfill Wren's last wish. Because Chad did the same thing.

Saint and Chad, they must've fought for it too. I know because I've witnessed how strong their bond was. They were like brothers. But one had to die in front of the other.

I felt Saint's emotions through his hug. He was sobbing while thanking the heavens that I'm alive.

Was it really the heaven's will?

If it is, was it also the heaven's will for those kids to meet me 12 years ago? Was it heaven's will for them to be sexually abused by Trevor Alejandro? Was it the heaven's will for the 8th boy to fake suicide and take revenge 12 years later?

Was it the heaven's will for our friends to die inside Scarper House?

Saint must've noticed that I'm still starring at Wren's corpse that's why he cupped my wounded cheek and made me look at him. "Labas na tayo?"

All I did was nod.

True to what the voice said, we were able to get out of the house with no traps and no one attacking us. We quickly found the main door and it lead us to the parking lot. I had to look back again just to be sure.

The whole carnival really is just the Scarper House.

Tahimik lang kami ni Saint na naglakad papalapit sa nag-iisang sasakyan sa parking lot—ang sasakyan niya. Para bang alam na kaagad nila kung sino ang makakaligtas at inalis na ang sasakyan ng mga kasama namin.

Noong pumasok kami, may mga kasama kami. Lumabas kami nang kaming dalawa lang.

Nagsisimula na ulit tumulo ang luha ko nang makalapit kami sa passenger's side ng sasakyan. Pagbubuksan sana ako ni Saint nang mapansin naming may nakaupo at nagyo-yosi sa parking block na katabi ng sasakyan niya.

"Hi, Tra—" Isang syllable lang ang nickname ko pero hindi pa 'yon nagawang bigkasin nang buo ni Theo noong sapakin siya ni Saint. Tumalsik ang sigarilyo niya at dumugo ang gilid ng labi niya pero tumawa lang siya. "Looks like you enjoyed the show, Santino."

"Tangina mo!" malakas na sigaw ni Saint. Susugod sana siya ulit pero hinila ko na siya.

"Babe." I gave him a meaningful look. I'm tired. We're both tired. "Let's just go."

Saint nodded at me. But then he glared at Theo first before turning his back. Pinagbuksan niya ulit ako ng pinto saka ipinatong ang kaliwang kamay sa ulo ko para hindi ako mauntog.

I was already sitting comfortably at the passenger's seat, waiting for Saint to close the door when I heard Theo speaking again.

"Scarper House says you can never run away."

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