I am a Huntres (HIATUS!)

4. Aneng and Andeng (The Hunt)

Chapter 4

I took a deep breath as I looked around. It is already 11:00 o'clock in the evening and we are all gathered in front of the forest. And as I can see from the other children, some were calm while some are as nervous as I am. This is life and death after all. This may be my last minute or theirs.

Tinignan ko ang direksyon ng kagubatan. The forest looks so dark and creepy but due to the light given by the moon, it's kind of fine in everyone's eyes to see. The quietness and the stillness of the forest is also kind of giving me an eerie feeling. In addition to this, the quiet rustling of some leaves as if some animals are running around inside is also giving me some chill. This ambiance of this place is really good.

A perfect venue for the said hunt.

Napatingala pa ako sa buwan na ngayo'y may binibigay na liwanag dito sa mundong kinatatayuan ko. Talagang pinaghandaan nila sa mismong araw na ito. Full moon.

"Kinakabahan ako, ate."

Napalingon ako sa likod ko nung marinig ang mahinang paghikbi ng isang babae. She is actually shaking as she's hugging her sister who's worriedly looking at her while she's on her knees.

"Tumayo ka d'yan, Aneng. Huwag na huwag mong papakita sa iba ang kahinaan mo." pabulong na sabi rito ng ate niya na narinig ko naman. Lumingon-lingon pa ito hanggang sa napako ang tingin niya sakin na ngayo'y nakatingin parin sa kanila.

Tinitigan ko ang mga braso niyang nakayakap sa tinawag niyang Aneng. How sweet of her to protect her sister.

Muli kong tinitigan ang babae ngunit nagulat lang ako nung makitang masama na ang tingin nito sa akin. Awtomatiko akong napaatras dahil sa mga titig niya. Ano kaya ang iniisip niya? Bakit ang sama ng tingin niya sakin? Ngunit nanlaki lang ang mata ko nung may sumagi sa isip ko.

Does she think I am targeting them? That I am thinking of them as preys?

Muli akong napatingin kay Aneng. Kita ko kung papaanong kumakapit siya sa ate niya na animo'y humihingi ng suporta. And then, it hit me.

Of course, how foolish am I? Kung iisipin, madali lang silang maging mga target. Lalong-lalo na si Aneng! Kung iisipin, sila ang solusyon para makalabas ako ng buhay sa kagubatan mamaya!

"Ate, hindi ko alam kung kakayanin kong pumatay." humihikbing sabi ni Aneng na siyang dahilan para mapangiti ako ng mapait. I am also contemplating if I shall kill or not but my hesitation or her hesitation is just nothing compared to majority of the people here today. For in everyone's mind right now, it is a must to kill. Kailangan. Kailangan naming pumatay o kami ang mamamatay. Its just either of the two. They die or I'll die.

Napailing ako sa sarili ko at napakuyom ng kamao. I won't risk to have that poor child's life on my hands. Hindi ata kakayanin ng konsensiya ko kapag sinamantala ko ang kahinaan nila. I'll just wait for them to have me as a prey and then I'll fight. I won't let my self be killed, instead I will retaliate to them as they realize that they will be killed by their own prey.

"Thirty more minutes and we will start. Are you all ready?" dinig kong sabi ni Master Rick na nakapatong sa taas ng isang bato. Mistress Freya is not with him and I don't really care of where she is.

"In this hunt, all of you will enter the forest without any weapon. You're a hunter inside and you have to make your own trap. All you have to do is to kill to survive. That's all you've got to do and bring a corpse here when the morning comes. Is that understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" we all shouted.

And with all those passing minutes, I know that with those counts of time, Martina is still looking at me from afar.

...

Dahan-dahan ang mga hakbang ko habang tinatahak ang daan dito sa loob ng kagubatan. Ilang minuto palang mula noong pinapasok kami rito at ngayo'y kinakabahang napapaikot ako para maging pamilyar ako sa lugar. I'm sure that this is going to be a long night.

Napapalingon-lingon pa ako sa paligid ko sa tuwing may maririnig akong mahihinang tunog. I hate this feeling but my heart is beating erratically. I am afraid to die in this island.

Napatingala ako sa punong nasa harap ko ngayon. Malaki ito at natitiyak kong matibay ang mga sanga nito. This may be a good place for me to stay and act as an owl.

Bum'welo ako at akmang aakyat na sa sanga nung biglang makarinig ako ng sigaw mula sa likuran ko. And there, I saw Aneng running shakily towards my direction as she's being chased by— by her own sister!

My eyes widened as soon as I saw Aneng got tripped off the ground. I got stiff on my position. I don't know what to do. Shall I help her?

Nakita kong may hawak ang ate niya ng isang matulis na sanga ng kahoy habang mabilis ang mga hakbang na lumalakad papalapit kay Aneng.

"A-ate-"

"Huwag mo na akong tatawaging ate! Isa kang napakalaking lampa. Mas mabuti pang patayin nalang kita dahil mamamatay ka lang din naman dito." sigaw ng ate ni Aneng. Kita kong mahigpit ang pagkakahawak nito sa kahoy ngunit hindi nakatakas sa mga mata ko na hindi niya rin gusto ang gagawin niya.

"A-andeng! Please, tama na." napatingin ako kay Aneng na ngayo'y umiiyak habang ipinagkikiskis ang mga palad habang nakatingala sa ate nitong tuluyan ng nakalapit sa kaniya.

Napanganga ako nung makitang nilingon ako ni Andeng. And there, I saw how she got startled.

Marahil ay iniisil niya na may balak akong patayin sila. Napa-combat position ako papaharap sa kaniya. Halos limang buwan narin ang lumipas noong una akong dumating sa isla Aphro, at sa bawat araw na iyon ay walang araw na hindi kami sinanay ng mga tauhan ni Miss Freya sa parehong palakasan at pautakan. Kung para saan? Iyon ang hindi ko alam.

Akmang hahakbang papalapit sa akin si Andeng nuong bigla siyang sipain ni Aneng sa paa dahilan para matumba ito. Samantala, nagulat at napaatras naman ako sa ginawa ni Aneng. At doon, nug matigna ko siya'y wala na ang tila takot at umiiyak na mukha ni Aneng kanina. Dahil sa ngayon ay napalitan na ito ng nakangisi at nakakatakot na mukha. She's looking too dangerous!

And with that thought, I know that she may kill me if I won't run away, so as much as I can, I turned my back on them and run as fast as I can.

If they want to fight, then go on. As for me, as soon as possible, I will get away from any troubles here.

...

[A/N: You better run, run, run, run, run~

Tip: Running away from harm is not cowardice. For you'll just be stupid if you'll stay and wait for your own death. End note. ]