Death Trap Pandemonium (COMPLETED)

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO 

Hero Complex

October 31, 2015; Saturday
Blue Bay Retreat House, Azulan City
11:10 pm

Shem wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or more scared than ever when he was finally able to hoist himself up onto the window of the garage. Sa isang banda, ligtas siya sa loob at maaari siyang maghanda kung sakaling bumalik ang mga killer. Ngunit sa kabilang banda naman, hindi niya alam kung nasaan ang mga kaibigan niya, ang kapatid niya. Who knows what those bastards were doing to them while he was trapped inside the garage. After watching what they did to Jean and Kuya Max, he knew he wouldn't wish that on anyone, maging yung mga may atraso sa kanya.

He couldn't just stay inside like a sitting duck. Napatingin siya sa dapat na lalandingan niya. Madilim na sa labas kaya't halos hindi niya na makita kung madamo ba ito o mabato. Hindi naman ganoon kataas ang babagsakan niya ngunit nag-aalalangan pa rin siya. For all he knew, there might be glass shards waiting for him down there.

"Magpupulis ka, Shem. Talon lang yan," bulong ni Shem sa kanyang sarili. "Paano pa kung mas mataas ang kailangan mo talunin para mahuli yung kriminal?"

Steeling his courage, Shem closed his eyes and thought of all the loved ones he still has to see. As memories of his uncle, his young cousin, Ailee, and B.I.P. flashed through his mind, Shem let go and jumped. For a moment, there was nothing but air whipping past his ears.

He immediately bent his knees as soon as his feet touched the ground and rolled. Nang makatayo siya'y agad niyang pinagpagan ang kanyang sarili habang nagpapasalamat na makapal ang damo sa pinagbagsakan niya. Muli niyang tinignan ang kanyang cellphone kung may signal na. . .ngunit wala pa rin.

Thinking fast and trying to maintain his determination, Shem used the darkness to his advantage as he moved around the area without being seen. Humihingal siya nang marating niya ang gate at laking dismaya niya nang makita niyang naka-padlock ito. At maging doon ay wala pa ring signal.

Kinakabahan siyang nagpalinga-linga hanggang sa mapatingin siya sa retreat house at nakunot ang kanyang noo nang makitang walang ilaw na nakasindi. Even with just the moon's light, it still looked the same as when they first arrived. But it was like a blindfold had been taken off and Shem could no longer see its appeal. Shem peeled his eye away from the deceitful exterior of the house and glanced at the gate once more. His eyes strayed to the vast wall connected to the gate and the large narra tree standing next to it, its branches falling just a few feet away from the edge of the wall.

Muli siyang napatingin sa retreat house. "Bahala na. Hindi namin 'to kakayanin nang kami lang. Kailangan kong humingi tulong."

Ibinulsa niya ang kanyang cellphone at dali-daling lumapit sa puno upang akyatin ito. Shem grunted when his foot slipped from the moist tree bark but persisted until sweat was dripping down his forehead and his palms were scratched. He didn't waste any time and leapt from the branch onto the top of the wall. Tila kusa na lamang gumalaw ang kanyang katawan at natagpuan niya ang kanyang sarili sa kabilang bahagi ng pader na nakapalibot sa retreat house.

Bahagya siyang natulala habang nakatingin sa pader. Is that it? Was he. . .truly free? Free from the horrors happening on the other side of the wall?

He almost sagged to the forest floor in relief but Shem forced himself to focus. It's not that easy. Lumingon siya sa retreat house sa huling beses bago tuluyang naglakad palayo. Binuksan niya ang flashlight ng kanyang cellphone upang maging gabay sa madilim na daan.

Leaves and twigs snapped beneath his feet as he sprinted across the forest path—although, Shem wasn't sure if it was the path they used when they arrived or just a random path he was getting himself lost in. Either way, he had to try and go somewhere.