BEYOND // KOETE

30

Ayako

It's yet another day in school at parang nakasanayan na namin nila Anx, Anjelou, Arabelle, Ammony at Atler na magtipon tuwing lunch. Aliyah got sick and hindi siya pumapasok recently kaya sila sila ang nakakasama ko. We're still solving the mysteries of Koete and that is only the sole reason kung bakit kami andito sa iisang lamesa.

"I found something." Biglang nagsalita si Ammony habang nakatingin sa laptop niya. Agad niyang inikot ito para ipakita saamin. "Except kay Arabelle, naalala niyo pa ba 'yong logo na nakita natin sa game 3?" Tumango kaming magkakagrupo dati. " Turned out it was an old version of Koete. Mala-twitter like. It was Faden."

Napa-ooh ang iba at tinitigan ko pa ito ng mas malapit. "Are you hacking?"

Ammony winked at me sabay agaw ng laptop niya. "Yup, actually para malaman mo ang background ng isang bagay-- you usually go for its history. What made it flop, what made it pop. Why is it essential to the point na nakita natin siya sa new version?"

"Maybe they were testing if kung sino ang avid fan." Arabelle sucked her lollipop. I agreed pero inirapan niya lang ako.

"Puwede." Ammony typed. "Pero parang hindi. Faden is quite intriguing and mysterious. All descriptions about this screams horror."

"Kaya ba binago nila into Koete?" Anjelou asked. "Para maraming maakit kasi virtual siya and para mabura past. Malay mo Faden actually flopped and nabankrupt 'yong may-ari 'cause he bet for something na ikababagsak niya and to be able to make up for his mistakes ay gumawa siya ng bagong app. And it's Koete" suggestion niya ulit.

"Yeah, pero can you track down who's the creator of the game? Ang realistic kaya ng gawa niya. Tingin niyo?" Gatong naman ni Anx. Tumango nalang si Ammony at nagtype type ulit.

"I'm still looking into some articles" sabi ni Ammony

"Just make sure na hindi tayo malalagot sa ginagawa niyo ah." Saway ng class president naming si Atler. Napatawa naman kami sa inasal niya. "Anyway, okay ka na ba?"

I slightly smiled. "Manageable. Basta focus nalang tayo rito." Sagot ko at umoo nalang siya.

Lumaki bigla ang mata ni Ammony at tumingin saamin. It looks like he found something big. "I found an article." Lahat kami ay nilapit ang pagmumukha kay Ammony para kami kami lang ang makarinig. "There were deaths na nangyari sa Faden pero the victims weren't named. Faden is also linked sa darkweb. " Bulong niya.

"Faden?" Tila naguluhan si Arabelle. "Ah! That color blue sign?" Tumango si Ammony. "Now that I think about it, I actually motherfucking saw it before! I saw it----"

"Guys, wait." Natatarantang sambit ni Ammony habang may tinatype. "My laptop is having a glitch."

"What?" Lumapit si Atler kay Ammony at tinipa tipa ang laptop nito. "Baka overuse or may napasak kang flashdrive na may virus"

Sinagot agad siya ni Ammony. "This is new and wala pa akong pinapasok na kahit ano!"

Slowly, my vision suddenly went blur. Triny kong buksan ang mata ko para tignan sila pero nang nilakihan ko ang mata ko ay nakita kong wala na akong kasama sa table.

--------

Nagising ako na kaharap ko na ang computer ko sa bahay. Nakaon ito at nakalagay rin ang headphones ko sa ulo ko. May nakalagay sa screen ng computer ko at binasa ko naman ito.

NEW ADVENTURES (NEW)
unlock

Arabelle created a group chat

Arabelle
Earth to you all gising ba kayo?

Ayako
Jwu

Anjelou
Yes

Anx
How the fuck did I end up in my room

Atler
(2)

Ammony
I just had the dream na we were talking about Faden lol.

Arabelle
Idiot it wasn't a dream bobo fucking inutil

Ayako
Chill.

Arabelle
Fucking chill my ass third eye bitch.

Atler
Warning

Anx
Nakita niyo ba 'yong new adventure raw? Should we click it?

Atler
Probably no, baka mapapahamak lang tayo niyan.

Ammony
But it's exciting though

Anjelou
Baka mameet mo rin si Angelobrix diyan psh. Matatakutin ka rin naman.

Ammony
Nvm.

Ayako
Ikiclick niyo?

Atler
No

Anx
No na rin saakin.

Arabelle
Click niyo

Anjelou
What why?

Arabelle
Napindot ko na kasi.

Ayako
...

Arabelle
Psh, laruin nalang natin para tapos na. Malay mo magising na naman tayo sa ibang lugar.

Atler
:)

Arabelle
What?

Atler
That's for your stupidity dummy

Ammony
😂

Anjelou
Sorry sis but I agree with Atler :)

Arabelle
Gahd.

Anx
Paging Ayako

Ayako
Clinick ko na rin.