XL
Game On
Y O O N D A E
“Mag-isa kang pupunta sa address na binigay ng taong ‘yon, habang maghihintay lang ako dito ng isang oras bago tawagan ang mga pulis...” pag-uulit ni Van sa sinabi ko sa kanya. Maya-maya pa ay nagbago ang eskpresyon ng mukha niya na para bang may nakain siyang hindi maganda. “You call that a plan?!”
Pinigilan ko ang sarili kong irapan siya dahil sa nakuha kong reaksyon. “Yes,” I replied firmly.
He stared straightly at me. “Yuna, that’s not a plan. That’s suicide.”
I didn’t want to argue with him so I decided to keep my mouth shut. Somehow, I get his point. I know my plan isn’t really that well-established but we don’t have much time left to think of a better one. Artemus said tonight and he was firm about it.
“Hindi pwedeng mag-isa ka lang na pupunta ro’n kaya sasama ako.”
“No!” Kaagad kong pagtutol. “He said I should come alone and no police or he will kill them all! Van, we can’t risk that!” Nababahalang tugon ko sa kanya. Mas lalo pa akong kinabahan nang maalala kung paano umiyak sa sakit si Hitomi nang marinig ko kanina. Siguradong sinasaktan na silang lahat ng baliw na ‘yon.
“Then why would I have to wait for one hour before calling the police? He will kill you and the others the moment he sees you!”
“Nakakasigurado akong hindi niya gagawin ‘yan,” I assured him but he wasn’t still convinced, it was obvious by the way his eyes were narrowing on me. “He said there will be a game and he wants me to play with him. Sapat na ang isang oras para makuha ko nang tuluyan ang atensyon niya kaya hindi niya mamamalayan ang pagdating ng mga pulis.”
“Killing is just killing, unless there’s a game in it.”
Muling sumagi sa isip ko ang mga sinabi niya kanina. Nothing has changed after seven years. He was still that same old and twisted man.
“Pero maraming pwedeng mangyari sa loob ng isang oras,” muling bumalik ang atensyon ko nang marinig si Van. “Thirty minutes. I’m calling the police after thirty minutes.”
Mariin akong napailing. “No, that’s too early. Forty five minutes,” I insisted. Siguro naman ay sapat na ‘yon para tuluyang makuha ko ang atensyon ni Artemus. Sasabat naman ulit siya kaya’t inunahan ko na. “That’s final.”
He heaved out a sigh before taking his eyes off of me. Napatingin siya sa mga kalsada kung saan may mangilan-ngilang mga kotse ang dumaraan. Halos alas nuwebe na rin ng gabi kaya naman hindi na gano’n ka-okupado ang kalsada. Mga lamp posts sa bawat kanto at ang kalahating buwan ang nagbibigay ng liwanag sa buong paligid.
“I don’t know, Yuna. I have a bad feeling about this.” Muli niyang ibinalik ang tingin sa akin. Bakas sa nanunubig niyang mga mata ang pag-aalala. I felt bad for making him feel this way. “Many things could go wrong.”
“This is the only way we can save the others. We don’t have much time left.” I held his arm then squeeze it lightly to give him reassurance. “Please help me.”
Nanatili siyang nakatitig sa akin, umaasang magbabago pa ang isip ko. Muli na lang siyang napabuntung-hininga nang lumipas ang isang buong minuto at hindi ‘yon nangyari. Maya-maya lang rin ay napatango na lang siya. May dinukot siya mula sa bulsa ng pantalon niya saka ‘yon inabot sa akin.
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Mystery / Thriller"Someone's pretending to be me---killing people and putting the blame on me!" Everything seemed normal at first but things began to mess up when Yoondae Glendale transferred into her new school. It all started when someone from their class got murde...
