Death Trap Pandemonium (COMPLETED)

Chapter Seventeen

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello, it's me again. Here to apologize for the late update. :( I was overwhelmed with schoolwork during the first 2 weeks of June and got sick last week so it's only now I was able to finish editing this chapter. Anyway, I still hope you guys enjoy this. Thank you to all the new and old readers! Comments are welcome and highly appreciated <3

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Into the Ninth Circle

October 31, 2015; Saturday
Blue Bay Retreat House, Azulan City
4:45 pm

"So which one are you gonna choose? The black rose or the white rose?"

Apollo's question echoed in Champ's mind. Ngunit mas nangibabaw ang tanong na hindi man tahasang sinabi ng salarin, klarong-klaro pa rin.

Anong mas matimbang? Ang buhay mo? O buhay ng mga kasamahan mo?

Champ had cried, screamed, begged, and peed himself. But the killer only laughed at him. Alam niya sa sarili niya na ayaw niya pang mamamatay. Pero hindi niya naman gustong ipagkanulo ang mga kasamahan niya para lang sagipin ang sarili niya.

But Champ Pelaez knew that he was no martyr. He was not proud of it but he knew it to be true. Alam niyang kung nagkapalit sila ng posisyon, may ilan sa kanila tulad nina Joy, Leo, o Shem na walang pag-aalinlangang pipiliin ang itim na rosas. However, he was not like them. All it took was one look at the knives and Max's dead body. . .

Umiiyak na sumagot si Champ, "G-Gusto kong mabuhay."

Prayoridad niya muna ang maka-survive sa mga oras na iyon. Kahit na wala mang kasiguraduhan ang kaligtasan niya dahil may kutob siyang hindi siya basta-basta bubuhayin ng mga salarin pagkatapos ng pinapagawa nila. Even if he knew that if he did survive and live, he would be eaten by guilt for the rest of his days for throwing the others under the bus.

But for Champ, being a traitor who is alive will always be better than being a hero six feet underground. Possibly tortured way beyond recognition.

So that is how Champ found himself released from his bonds and getting a task from the killer that called themself Apollo. Tirik na tirik man ang araw, walang ibang maramdaman si Champ kundi lamig habang nag-iikot siya sa napakatahimik na retreat house. Taliwas ito sa nakaraang araw kung saan tila buhay na buhay ang paligid dahil sa ingay.

Wala ang umaalingawngaw na halakhak ni Kevin matapos ma-prank ang isa sa kanila. Wala ang ingay nina Cess, Aron, at Ailee na nakikipagsabatan kina Ashanti at Erza habang sinusubukan silang awatin nina Marelo at Nika. Wala sina Reigne at Jean na nagkukunwaring nasusuka tuwing nakikita ang PDA nina Chloe at Anthony. Wala ang tawanan nina Shem at ibang miyembro ng B.I.P. tuwing binabara ni Natalia si Clyde. Wala rin ang nahihiyang pagtanggi ni Leo tuwing inaaya siya ng B.I.P. na gumawa ng kalokohan. Wala na rin ang nanggagalaiting boses ni Isabela na sinasaway ang bawat kalokohan nila habang sinusubukan siyang sagipin ni Joy mula sa pagkamatay dahil sa sakit sa puso.

Now, the whole retreat house just feels cold and dead. Champ hated to admit it but he would readily choose to hear his best friend constantly nagging him than be in his current situation.

"Paano ko naman kaya mahahanap yung mga cellphone nila sa lagay na 'to?" Bulalas ni Champ at napakamot ng kanyang ulo.

Halos dalawang oras na siyang napapa-ikot-ikot sa napakalaking bahay upang hanapin at pagsasma-samahin sa iisang lugar ang mga cellphone ng mga kasamahan niya. Apparently, the killers had the brilliant plan to ensure that their victims would have less opportunity to escape or call for help. If it was just a plot in one of their plays that Ailee came up with, Champ would've admired how much thought the antagonist put into their plan.