Chapter 3

Ever tried having this weird feeling when someone’s staring at you when you’re asleep? That’s exactly what I’m feeling right now. I opened my eyes, 6 pairs of eyes were looking directly at me. Agad kumunot ang noo ko.

“What the hell are you looking at?” I shot, totally pissed with what’s going on. Agad silang napaatras sa pambungad ko.

“Damn, I thought tita Cielo was just exaggerating things,” the curly-haired guy blurted out. Agad din siyang tinanguan ng iba niyang kasama. Umupo ako sabay hawak sa ulo kong masakit. I closed my eyes, trying to recall what happened.

It took me a minute or so to finally open my eyes again. Nilibot ko ang paningin, nasa tent pa rin ako. That means I’m still here in the nut hideout. Pure horror washed over me. Tiningnan ko ang mga taong nasa loob, there were 7 of them, including that Kenta guy.

They looked at me like I’m some sort of a fish, a strange fish who accidentally envaded their place. Kenta on the other hand was glaring at me, my eyes stopped from the white cloth around his head. Iyon na ba yung tinamaan ng batong binato ko sa kanya kanina? Damn! I mentally cursed myself. Looks like I just dug my own grave. Baka mas lalo siyang matempt na ialay ako sa diyos nila. Dammit!

I returned his glare, hiding the looming fear for what’s about to happen to me. No one dared to speak. We lasted like that for more than a minute, then he gave up. Napangisi ako. Loser.

Ngayon naman, tiningnan ko ang ibang mga kasama niya. My head is throbbing in pain but I’m trying to give everyone inside the chance to have a staring contest with me. I want them to be intimidated with my stare.

Gusto kong palakpakan ang sarili ko for acting so brave in front of these wackos. Man, I won’t back down. I am Nyx, the badass Nyx everyone is afraid of. My ego won’t let me beg for my life. Kung talagang itinakda akong gawing alay ng mga siraulong ‘to, then I’ll accept it. I’d rather die with my ego still intact than beg for any salvation.

Gaya ni Kenta, hindi rin nila nakayanan ang paninitig sa ’kin.

“What now? You were staring at me while I’m asleep tapos ngayon namang binabalikan ko yung paninitig ko, iiwas kayo?” I remarked.

Magsasalita sana ang lalaking kulot nang may pumasok sa loob. It was a man. Hindi gaya ng mga nauna rito, he’s old. I remembered the woman I first talked to earlier. Yeah, the one who told me absurd things, maybe he’s around her age. Or maybe a bit older, I don’t know.

Nahati ang grupo nila sa dalawa, totally giving way to the man who just got here. Lumapit siya sa ‘kin, his lips were on grim-line. “Welcome to the runner’s camp,” he said, but there was no hint of delight from his voice.

Tumaas ang kilay ko. “You don’t have to say that if you don’t mean it.”

Rinig ko ang pagsinghap ng babaeng may maikling buhok. Kenta was about to attack me but the guy with piercing stopped him.

“My name is Icarus, I’m here to brief you about this place,” he stated, totally ignoring my rude remark.

“Oh, no need for that too. Alam ko na kung ano kayo, hindi ba’t mga kulto kayo?”

Nangunot ang noo niya pati na rin ang iba. Mahina akong tumawa. “You probably don’t know what cult is since malayo kayo sa kabihasnan,” pahayag ko habang tumatango.

I totally understand their weird reaction right now. I tried to look for words similar to cult that would make them less offended. Ano kaya? Nutso? Wackos? Kooks? Zany? Crackheads?

Gosh, anong pipiliin ko? Bahagya akong napakamot sa noo. “Let’s just say… mga siraulo?”

The curly-haired guy whispered to the guy with eyeglasses. “Bro, she must be talking to herself.”

He thought I didn’t hear him, but I did. I rolled my eyes. The two girls looked so offended with what I just said. I shrugged, not minding Kenta’s dagger-look for me.

 “Oh come on, don’t get offended with I said. I’m just trying to describe you.”

Kenta scoffed, deeply offended by what he heard. “Look, we kept you here despite your rude behavior earlier. The last thing you could do now is not to insult us,” he fumed.

Ngumisi ako. Sino ngayon ang pikon? May sasabihin pa siya but he got cut-off by the old man. He raised his right hand, signaling the others to leave us. Bumuntong hininga si Kenta saka ako matalim na tiningnan. Stupid, I won. I mentally congratulated myself.

“Hija, Kenta was right. Hindi naman yata tamang panglalait ang makuha namin sa kabila ng pagtulong namin sa ‘yo,” he sighed. I ignored him.

“Just cut the bullshit, tell me where I am.” Bahagya siyang napahilot sa sentido, tila tuluyan nang napigtas and iniingat-ingatan niyang pasensya.

“This is the Accredon City!” he exploded.

The grin plastered in my face started to slip away. Nanginig ako sa biglaang pagtaas ng boses niya. “We’ve been telling you this before, but you refuse to believe.” Hinawakan niya ang braso ko, pinilit kong magpumiglas but he’s too strong. Just from our size, halatang dehado na ako.

“Ayaw mong maniwala? Then see it with your own eyes,” sambit niya saka ako hinila palabas.

The moment we stepped outside, maraming mga mata ang sumalubong sa ’min. He continued walking, still dragging me with him. Patuloy rin ang paghabol ng maraming mata sa direksyon namin. They began whispering too. Napadpad kami sa gubat. I looked up, nagsisimula nang mag agawan ang dilim at liwanag. I can’t help but wander my eyes around.

Narating namin ang isang kapatagan. Mula rito, kita ko na ang isang napakatayog na pader. Lumapit pa kami roon, nagulat ako nang may marinig na mga boses sa kabila. “What’s there on the other side?” I asked.

“Capitol, home for the chasers.”

“That Kenta guy has also mentioned that chaser thingy, ano bang kalokohan ito?” I queried.

Lalong lumapit si Icarus doon saka ako binalingan. He motioned his hand, signaling me to come closer. Sinunod ko siya. This chaser-runner bullshit has totally piqued my interest. The sound from the other side became clearer, it seems like they were celebrating something or what.

Umatras siya saka itinuro ang kaliwa niya. There I saw a tall wall, iyon yata ang nakita ko when I tried to escape. He pointed his right, there was a wall too. Humarap naman siya patungong gubat, kung saan kami nanggaling. Nangatog ang mga tuhod ko nang makitang may pader din doon.

Shit! This place is real!

“What’s going on?” naguguluhang tanong ko.

“Listen here newbie, I don’t know what’s with you at parang wala kang alam sa lugar na ’to gayong natagpuan ka nina Kenta rito. But what I’m about to tell you is nothing but the truth. Walang halong biro o kasinungalingan ang mga sasabihin ko. You get that?”

I nodded in response.

He touched his jaw. “Where should I start?”

“From the beginning” I said, totally bracing myself for what I’m about to discover.

“Gaya ng nakita mo, Accredon is not an ordinary place. This city is surrounded by tall walls, totally separating itself from the outside world. There were people who tried to climb the wall but so far, no one succeeded,” paliwanag niya

Putangina.