Stay Awake (ORIGINAL DRAFT)

Chapter Sixteen: Fight or Flight

This chapter is dedicated to Kuya AkoSiIbarra because I just started reading Project Loki and it's soooooo damn good! Muntik na akong hindi makapag-update dahil nagbi binge-read ako. Favorite Wattpad author na kita, Kuya!

Chapter Sixteen: Fight or Flight

"Who the hell are you? Leave me alone," Pauline shouts while trying to get away from Andre's grasp. Patuloy lang sila sa pag-aaway, completely oblivious to the three guys now stalking towards them.

Shitshitshit

Anong gagawin ko? Masyadong malalaki 'yung mga lalaking iyon. Hindi ko sila kayang kalabanin. Siguradong malalagay ako sa matinding peligro kapag sinubukan ko silang pigilan.

But... What about Andre and Pauline? Hindi ko sila pwedeng pabayaan sa kamay ng mga lalaking iyon. Kailangan may gawin ako.

Tumingin ako sa paligid, desperately trying to find something, anything that can help me rescue my companions from their untimely end. Nakakita ako ng isang metal pole na kasing haba ng braso ko. Dinampot ko agad iyon.

Ilang hakbang na lang, malalapitan na ng tatlong lalaki sina Andre at Pauline. Pero patuloy pa rin sila sa pag-aaway. They're too busy arguing to notice that they're about to be put in a grave situation.

Hinawakan ko nang mahigpit 'yung metal pole, and without thinking about the consequences, sumugod ako. With a battle cry, mabilis akong nanakbo papunta sa direksyon nu'ng tatlong lalaki. Hinampas ko sa ulo 'yung isa sa kanila nang makalapit ako.

As soon as the pole hit the guy's head, naramdaman ko kaagad 'yung matinding impact dahil sa lakas ng hampas ko. Dahil doon ay aksidente kong nabitiwan 'yung metal pole. When I hear it clatter on the ground just inches away from my feet, my mind immediately clears, at saka ko lang na-realize kung ano 'yung ginawa ko.

Dahan-dahang lumingon sa akin 'yung lalaking hinampas ko. His bloodshot eyes are the only parts of him that I can see. As his blazing gaze starts to focus on me, I feel a pure, unrestrained fear.

Uh-oh.

Tumingin din sa akin 'yung dalawa niyang kasama, and like him, their eyes are also bloodshot. Oh, man. They're terrifying.

When you are being surrounded by three huge and violent guys with no one to help you, there are only two things that you can choose to do. Well, the logical choices, atleast. The first one is fight, and the other is flight. But in my case, I did neither.

I just stood in front of them, like a useless, pathetic man that I am. Of course, I need to defend my actions here. First, I am scared. Terrified, even. My whole body is paralyzed with fear, and I know that one wrong move could cost me my life. Second, I can't possibly defeat them. They're huge. Hanggang chest lang nila ako. I can practically see their bulging muscles through their shirts.

Earlier, I was stupid enough to think that I can sacrifice my own life for the sake of my companions. But now, I realized that I can't. I'd like to keep myself alive, thank you very much.

I look away from the eyes of those guys at tumingin ako kina Pauline at Andre. They're not fighting anymore. Nakatingin na lang sila sa akin, at halatang-halata sa mga mukha nila ang matinding pagkagulat.

Nanatili lang akong nakapako sa kinatatayuan ko, racking my brain for a decent plan that can save me and my companions. I know that anytime, these guys can crush my skull using only their bare hands. Hindi ko sila kayang tapatan gamit ang pisikal na lakas. I need to use my wits.

I return my gaze towards Andre and Pauline's direction. They're just standing there, looking at me getting taunted by three big guys. I want to shout at them, to tell them that they need to run right now. Sinubukan kong gamitin 'yung mga mata ko para sumenyas sa kanila, but they just look at me with confused expressions.

Idiots.

Siguradong nagkita na sina Holly, Ian at Felicity ngayon. They're waiting for us at the back of Oblivion, at wala silang ideya kung anong nangyayari sa amin.

Ako na lang ang natitirang pag-asa para makaalis kami dito ng buhay.

I need a distraction.

And I need it fast.

As soon as an idea pops in my head, I didn't hesitate. I just act.

Itinuro ko 'yung daliri ko sa bandang likuran nu'ng tatlong lalaki. I put on a scared expression, pretending to see something. I just hope that I'm convincing enough.

"B-behind you!" I shouts, and my voice actually sounds terrified. Good.

This is the stupidest plan that I've ever conducted, and I didn't expect it to work.

But surprisingly, it did.

Lumingon 'yung tatlong lalaki sa likuran nila, and that's the only distraction that I need. Mabilis akong tumakbo papunta sa direksyon nina Andre at Pauline while shouting, "run! Run, you idiots!" But they just look at me like I'm crazy.

Ugh.

"Snap out of it," sigaw ko. Nagsimula lang silang kumilos nang makalapit na ako sa kanila. We all run towards Oblivion at full speed, only slowing down to close the door behind us. Dire-diretso kami hanggang sa kitchen area.

Nakita namin si Felicity, trying to open a closed door at the back.

"It won't open," she says to me, nervous. "I already tried everything. It just won't open."

"Where's Ian and Holly?" tanong ko.

"We're here," narinig kong sagot ni Holly from the other side of the door. "The door's jammed. We can't open it without the right equipments."

Shit.

"What are we going to do now?" Andre asks. I ignore him.

Lumapit ako sa pinto. "Listen, Holly... May tatlong lalaking humahabol sa amin ngayon," I say. As if on cue, bigla kaming nakarinig ng malakas na ingay. It sounds like glass shattering.

Fuck. Sinira na nila 'yung front doors. Sa laki nila, hindi imposible na ginawa nila iyon using their bare hands.

Inilabas ko 'yung cellphone ko at binuksan 'yung flashlight. Sinubukan kong maghanap ng weapon, but there's nothing. Sobrang linis na talaga ng buong paligid.

Shit. Shit talaga. Sana hindi ko na lang binitiwan 'yung metal pole na hawak ko kanina. I'm an idiot.

The kitchen door suddenly bursts open, at pumasok 'yung tatlong lalaki. Naramdaman ko 'yung kamay ni Felicity na humawak sa braso ko.

My whole body sags, and I let out a breath of resignation.

We're going to die here.