Chained to the Past

Prologue

#ChainedtothePastWP

Prologue

"Arlene, hintayin mo ako!"

I was almost out of breath, running after my best friend. We were playing with our gadgets inside my room but then, she decided that we should play outside instead.

When she suddenly stopped running, I bumped against her and groaned. Nilingon niya ako at saka tinakpan ang aking bibig para hindi gumawa ng kahit anong ingay.

Dumaan ang aming katulong sa sala. Paniguradong kapag nahuli kami ay hindi kami papayagan ni Arlene na lumabas ng mansyon. Kabilin-bilinan ng mga magulang namin na huwag kaming palalabasin. Nakatakas lang kami ngayon sa pagbabantay dahil hinahanda ng aking yaya ang pagkain namin.

"Sa likod na lang tayo dumaan!" pabulong na sabi ni Arlene, ngunit may diin.

Before she could even take a step, I held her arm to stop her from running again. She looked at me with a confused stare.

"Bakit?"

I pursed my lips and slightly hesitated, but I knew I had to speak up.

"Let's just go back to my room, Arlene," I tried to persuade her. "Dadalhan tayo ni yaya ng pagkain."

"It's so boring, Clem." She whined and smiled right away. "Labas na tayo! Let's go to the playground. It's not that malayo naman, eh."

I wasn't done opposing her idea when she started brisk walking again. I couldn't do anything but to follow her because I knew she wouldn't listen to me anyway. I shouldn't let her wander around on her own. Mommy said that I was responsible for her because she's here in our house.

Luck was on Arlene's side when the man guarding the back door was in a deep sleep. He was even snoring, and a mug of cold coffee was placed on the small rattan table just beside him. Binilisan niya pa lalo ang paglalakad kaya ganoon din ang ginawa ko hanggang sa nakalabas na kami ng gate.

Another guard patrolling around the vicinity of our mansion suddenly appeared that's why we hid ourselves behind the huge bushes. He was talking to someone on his walkie talkie. Nang makalagpas na siya ay nagpatuloy kami ni Arlene hanggang sa tuluyan na kaming nakalayo.

"We did it!" Arlene cheered and a relieved smile was plastered on her face. "Ang galing natin!"

Napayakap pa siya sa akin sa sobrang saya.

"Tara na sa may playground!" Hinawakan niya ang aking kamay at siya na ang nanguna sa paglalakad.

The playground was just five minutes walking-distance from our mansion. It's on the center part of the subdivision. Kids at our age or even younger usually play here.

Nang natatanaw na namin ang playground at ang mga batang naglalaro roon ay hindi ko na rin mapigilan ang mapangiti. I couldn't help but to go with the flow of excitement inside me. It's been a long time since I was able to go out of the mansion to play with other kids. Ang tanging kaibigan at kalaro ko lang ay si Arlene.

Kung hindi siya ang pumupunta sa amin ay ako ang pumupunta sa kanila. I don't even go to school as I was home schooled, while Arlene was enrolled in a prestigious academy that's why she's more outgoing than me.

Mommy and daddy said that they didn't want to risk my safety. Being inside the mansion all the time was the safest thing for me. They would only let me stroll if I was with them and a lot of bodyguards around us.

"Let's go and make new friends!"

Nahahawa na ako sa excitement ni Arlene. Ngayon lang ako nakaramdam ng ganitong kasiyahan na parang sasabog ang puso ko.