CHAPTER 4

"Are you okay, Expert?" A girl asked as we all walked towards the quadrangle because the Embassy was already here. What was the problem with this woman? Why does she call me an expert? I know it's weird that someone is having a conversation with me. I'm not prepared. I might be in a hot seat because of this age transition. 

I mean, my body was rejuvenated because of that synth-and-metal machine, but my memories were still here. Constant. I can still remember Padre, and the books and the dictionary, and how the Embassy takes a domineering control. 

"My name is not expert. My name is Synecdoche Rochet," I muttered. Suddenly, some birds started to sit on both sides of her shoulders like she was the owner. The hums of the birds sound like they are not afraid of the branch when it breaks.

She talked to the birds before she faced and complimented me, "Oh, what a nice name, Exp—I mean Synecdoche. Well, just look up, that's my name. Nice to meet you. Just hide it, okay?" she said and quickly ran away.

I looked up. I can see nothing but the blood-flecked and vicious clouds. Maybe her name is Cloud or Claudine or whatever. And then, what does she mean about "Just hide it?"

Am I too obvious? Does she sense something about my real identity? I need to hide my real identity. No one must know. No one should know.

Don't trust anyone, because they'll thrust, and leave you behind.

As we are heading to the quadrangle, I can see the faces of the Grasslings as if they are terrified as if they don’t want to face the Embassy who is trying to create their own mission... maybe on world dominations?

Needless expenditures of money, immeasurable ditto of hypocrisy and grimace; embassies, protocols, worlds of extinct traditions, empty pedantries, foul cobwebs—but we will by no means apply the "live coal" under the teakettle. The Foreign Office shall repent, and shall not be driven to suicide—they should hopefully let us live in a normal state. 

And now, I heard it again. The horns. I saw it again. The big flying silver-gold ship. Going down to our district.

We are all finally forming a line here in the quadrangle. I'm stuck. Grass people are increasing in numbers. Hopefully, Grass won’t be overpopulated. There are more chances of killings. The authority is well-respected by our district. We give them what they want—all our Grains. What else do they want?

When the flying ship landed on Grass, its large door suddenly opened with a smoking effect. Aren't they aliens? They are not an alien but they are acting like one. What is good about the Embassy is that they have access to technology. That's all, the rests are evil.

Manjies are in formation while exiting their ship. They are jam-packed holding their guns. They are intimidating. They are more than a dozen. They surrounded us and we gave them a salute.

Did they see us using the electric device? Will they punish us? Or worst, kill us? What are they doing here?

"There you are. I almost forgot your pretty face." Someone spoke in a hoarse whisper that made a muffled squeak. "Did someone buy my heart?" I stopped as he come closer to my ear. He is the man in the tunnel earlier. The warmth of his breath entered my ear and vibration seemed to pass between us—perhaps I just imagined it—of mutual exhaustion and anticipation. 

I ignored him. He ran away this morning as if he's the bride. He is a fraudulent scammer!

But of course, I couldn't stand it.

"Ah, don't worry. Someone will buy them later," I convinced him, forcing a smile.

"Just keep my heart. I did cut the banana tree just to get its heart. Don't worry, I planted a grain there as a replacement. Thank you — wait, don't look into their eyes," he said when I looked at the Manjies so I locked my eyes in his eyes. Crap, I don't have any option. 

The armies—the Manjies who have lots of pockets on their cargo pants as storage of bullets are daunting. Terrifying!

Where did they get their props, I mean their suit? They have a fascinating suit, but the ones who wear it oppose what I've seen. 

Everyone looked at that huge ship because someone is coming out. A tall woman who is quite thin but with a curve. She walks towards the wooden stage with decorations. She holds the microphone and the five fingers on his left hand seem to be dancing in the air like a bewhiskered a****n.

"Ahahahahahaha!" She suddenly laughed like a witch. The voice was very hoarse and obnoxious to the ears. There's nothing funny. "Do you have a clue of my name?" she added. What an intro! She must be practicing that.

"Miss. Happy shalala?" the person next to me said softly. He was still wearing his black mask.

The woman continued speaking, "Well, My name is Miss. Ahaha and I am the right hand of Ambassador Hugo Cassidy and we are here to inform you that—"

"It's your birthday today? If that so, allow us to sing you the 'pamparampam Happy birthday to you, no chicken but only Grains song.'" Most of us laughed quietly, and others put their hands on their faces because of the action done.

Everyone was shocked when the Manjies suddenly put a gun at him.

 Miss. Ahaha is wearing a red dress. From the woman's hair, make-up, clothes, and footwear. She looks like a birthday celebrant. The bull might be going to chase her if we have one. The song that was mentioned was a kind of a funny tradition in our district wherein we will sing it as we throw the grains to the celebrant. 

Miss. Ahaha raised her hand, a signal for the Manjies not to point a gun at the man.

"Look who's making fun with me. Can you spell my name Grassboy?" Miss. Ahaha asked the man.

"Hmm. Capital A- J- A- J- A."

"Wrong. It's letter H, not J. Simple spelling but you can't just even spell it correctly? Are the peasants here so stupid?"

That's an exception. Any name can be spelled by any letters. Unless she's so known and has that notable and sublime legacy. She's egocentric.

"Oh sorry, I mean District G? Well, that's why we're here. We already came from six districts, from Districts A to F, now here in District G and then later the rests. Today is the first day of the class. We are sent here by the Ambassador to inform you all that you have 1 month to find the most intelligent person here to represent and compete for your district on the 2nd Maharlika TwistBee Competition,” she spoke with emphasis and continued, "Oh yes, before I forgot, I sympathize with your family for what happened last year's 1st MSTB. Better luck this year."

"She's talking about Estella Estella." I looked again at this male scammer at my side. He knows a lot. This man's voice is so beautiful when he speaks, I just noticed it. 

"She's the only tribute of District G. She's beautiful, smart, she always reads books and a dictionary. She's the only one found to be smart here in our district so she's the tribute to our District last year to compete for the first-ever MSTB. But sadly, the Embassy announced that the train they were riding in fell into a ravine due to a broken railway. Many were said to have died, I don't know if it's true because they didn't show any corpses. What a mystery or sabotage either," the scammer told me detail by detail.

"So who's the winner?" I asked. 

"Maybe there is no winner? We have no news, no televison and radio. We are not allowed to use technology or electric devices, right? There was also no victory visit. So no one knew who won. It's a big breakthrough for Estella Estella's parents. Now, her parents joined the rebellion."

I just turned my attention back to Miss. Ahaha who's busy speaking and talking to my district mates.

"The chosen one in your district will be sent to the word arena. Find the most intelligent person, don't let your district be on the bottom. If you are asking about the reward, 3 wishes will be granted, tangible or intangible, but the wishes should start from the letter of your District if that person will win. Just a big if. If you lose, then it's your district's loss," she went down the stage and looked at and he taught the people and she spoke again, "I am encouraging you all to be part of this prestigious competition. Those who will be chosen in your district will definitely enjoy it because this is a spelling bee competition with a twist. Again, with a twist. Well, you'll know what that twist is when you're in the Arena." She returned to the stage and took a pivot turn and faced us again.

"I assure you it will be exciting. To the soon-to-be tribute of district G, familiarize all the words, their origin, definitions, and etymologies in the English dictionary because you will be holding a weapon, soon." Then she laughs.

We didn't hear the second to the last word that she said because the Grasslings suddenly made a noise. We will be holding what?

"We will not waste our time here, If you are brave, join the competition. Thank you and enjoy your first day, peasants." She started walking into the flying ship. He even picked up our decorative grains on the side, looked at it closely, and suddenly just tossed it to the side and trample it with her feet.

She's crazy!

How dare her call us Grass as a peasant as if she hates us? Grain is our industry, and we are proud of it. Without us, the Embassy has no rice to eat, they love to eat it. The Embassy will starve until they die.

And we are hoping for it.

We are hoping they die and vanish in this nation of Maharlika so we can have our freedom back.

So that we can live a normal life.

So that we can do what we want

So that freedom, peace, equity, and unity will be the best things that we will ever see and feel in the Nation of Maharlika.

The Embassy’s presence left a huge impact on our Grasslings. They will surely go to the other district again. I'm sure they'll be horrified by Miss. Ahaha's laughter.

"Hey, scammer. Have you seen that Ambassador of the Maharlika? What does he look like?" I asked him.

"Yes, I've seen him, but that was before. Last year, when they came here to our district to pick up Estella and go to the Word Arena. Wait, where were you then and why are you asking about his face? Didn't you see him?"

"I've seen him but I just forgot," I said.

That's a lie. The truth is, I haven't been outside our house that time. Padre did not allow me to go out and It's my first time to go here inside the school. I just did not tell him the truth. 

"Vani, let's go back to the classroom," A man shouted in the distance and he was referring to the man in front of me. Oh, the scammer's name was Vani. "Oh, who's this girl, Vani? Spell Chix," the man asked Vani.

"Hey, George Ferrer, Who's Chix, huh? Don't beat up with my classmate, Synecdoche. She's still going to join MSTB. She will tell you 'Who are you?' if she won. Prepare, she's an expert." She suddenly appeared. The girl earlier who passed the hologram in my hand. I badly looked at her. I am not an expert. She's so clingy. And she's saying that I'm going to join the MSTB. Wait, maybe I can join. I want to join. But something is pulling me.

For a few seconds, George looked up and spoke, "Hey, I changed my mind Ulap McCloudy, you are more chix than this Synecdoche. Oh, by the way, who gave you your name, Ulap? Were your parents trying to translate your first name by your last name? Or maybe, they are a fan of Olaf in Frozen?" he laughed, teasing Ulap with a silly face.

I knew it. Clouds. In other terms, Ulap. That is her name. And I loved it.

Ulap rolled her eyes to him and George winked back, then the chemistry begins.

"Hey Synec, I'm Giovanni Roan Cornetto, see you later, I'll take my heart, then the..." he gestured the money sign with a beaming smile and spoke again, "don't forget my name, I'll find you later or just find me around, our classroom is on the other side. We'll go back to the classroom," he said goodbye to us.

So Ulap and I are the only ones left here.

"I'll take my heart, then the..." Ulap repeated what Vani said and gestured the same as if he was teasing me. Seriously?

I presume Ulap and George were relatives. They both mocked me.

"Hey, we're the ones left here in the quadrangle. Let's go back." Before we returned, I turned around and looked at the silver-gold flying ship moving away from our district. It glows when the beams of the sun touch the ship's skin. I can not see the glitter of gold, but the glitters of oil. The oil that does not want to mix with submerged water, with our submerged world and on the fringes of society.

When we got back to the classroom, our first subject teacher is Miss Oomf and she entered immediately.

"Good morning again, class. As the Embassy said earlier, we only have 1 month to find the tribute here in Grass to represent our District on the 2nd Maharlika Spelling TwistBee and we will about to know who that is because next week, the Grass Spelling Bee will start. Anyone ages 15 to 20 can join. Show us what you've got. Maybe one of you is the one we're looking for. Let's not disappoint our district. Prove them wrong that the Grass people have something to throw out. That our district is not just a home for farmers but also a home for educated people. That our district is not just good in planting but also good in spelling, " Miss. Oomf explained.

"Excuse me Miss. Oomf, why do they only want ages 15 to 20 to join the competition? I would like to join, I'm interested. I'm good at spelling," said the woman who has short hair standing near the walls.

"Well, Abi, we can't do anything, That is the rule of the Embassy, ​​that only 18 to 20 years old can join the competition in the word Arena. If they find out that you are below 15 or above 21, maybe you are disqualified, you can't join, or worst, there's a punishment," Miss. Oomf replied while adjusting her eyeglass.

I am also interested. Can I say I'm lucky because I'm 18 years old again? I can join but I'm thinking of Padre Oriel.

No one will know.

"Why did they implement the Maharlika Spelling TwistBee competition? What's the purpose?" Abi asked again.

"Class, It's probably implemented so that everyone can get to know each district even more. Imagine, we have 26 districts here, we have different industries, different characteristics, different dogmas, and cultures, we are living differently, but we are in the same nation. We don't even know what are the industries of other districts. So maybe, they created this competition so that each district can come together, and at the same time, find out who will excel when it comes to a spelling bee," Miss. Oomf said and she scanned a book.

There are many ways to get to know each district more, but why spelling competition?

“This is a spelling bee competition with a twist."

I immediately remembered what Miss. Ahaha said earlier. What kind of a twist? I became more and more interested and I also thought more about Padre. Will he allow me?

I hope so.

"So class, let's move on. I am Miss. Tatha Oomf, your adviser and your English teacher. Now, let me test your mind." Suddenly, everyone became alert, some hid because they might be called, others were ready to participate wearing their smiles.

"Who can spell the word, AK-WI-YI-SENS. It means, the reluctant acceptance of something without protest."

No one made a single move not until Ulap suddenly tapped me.

"Go. I know you know it," Ulap convinced me.

At first, I was hesitant but suddenly, something merged all over my body prompting me to raise my hand.

"Ah, Hmm..." I was nervous because everyone was looking at me.

I closed my eyes. Rumbled letters begin to flow like specks of pixie dust. It's like a magic. It's not fantasy. A thought experiment. It is science.

My hands seemed to be playing a piano in the air. "A- C- Q- U- I- E- S- C- E- N- C- E. That's Ak-wi-yi-sens." There, I spelled it. 

"You are not ... wrong, What's your name?" Miss Oomf asked while smiling at me.

"I'm Synecdoche Rochet," I introduce myself to everyone, I'm 45.37 percent introvert and 54.63 percent extrovert. I don't know if my calculations were objective or subjective but my formula was trust plus by ego, superego, and ID divided by pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional raise to the power of 26 equals connection.

"Your spelling is correct." My classmates immediately applauded. Their claps are overwhelming giving me a grand celebration inside my ear.

First time in my life. I should trust...myself.

"Nice one, Expert," Ulap whispered and I gave her a bad look instead. I am not an expert!

"Next, who can spell Koy-no-ni-ya." Miss Oomf uttered a new word.

A man on the far side of our classroom suddenly stood up and he has no doubts when he spell that word.

"K- O- I- N- O- N- I- A." He spelled without an expression.

Oh, I accepted that I was ahead.

"Token Arc, You are—"

"Correct," Token boasted. He preceded Miss Oomf. He's a kind of conceited brat man.

The seriousness of his face, as if something was going on. I feel like he's a wild mammal. Everyone applauded him but he just didn't seem to exist.

A few minutes passed and Miss Oomf finished her spelling bee class. Next, our P.E teacher, Mr. Marsh Mallow, entered the room. He's a good-looking man that's why a lot of people listened, he looks 23. But I'm not 23 now, so there's no hope. Kidding.

When I was about to leave the school, I immediately said goodbye to Ulap and walked home alone.

I'm in the woods now. As time went on, I felt like I was into breathlessness because I gasped. The weight of my bag seemed heavy. Then I remembered that I still had the banana heart of Vani and he told me that we would meet after class.

I looked inside my bag to see if the banana heart was still okay but I was surprised by what I saw.

I saw not only the banana heart but something else, an electric device. A hologram.

Hologram? Why is there a hologram here? How did it end up here in my bag?

I remember what Ulap said when we were going to the quadrangle.

"Just hide it, okay?"

Damn. That Ulap was really stubborn. Annoying! It feels like I'm carrying a nuclear bomb.

But I seem curious about this thing, how to use it. I pressed the button and I was surprised at what I saw.

It's a three-dimensional map formed by the interference patterns of light beams from a laser or other coherent light source from within.

A map that looks like a standing woman wearing a combat suit, holding a sword.

Obviously, the map of Maharlika. All Districts are flashed. I can see the 26 Districts including the seals. District G really has small lands. I wonder why we're still oppressed. Mahar is the metropolis. The area of ​​Districts A, E, I, O, and U is also vast. And District F is close to the ocean. The nation of Maharlika is made up of 26 different districts with different lifestyles.

And when I pressed it once, I was taken from its other dimension. This is what I saw.

District - Industry 

A- Agriculture

B- Beverage

C- Coal 

D- Defense

E- Electricity

F- Fishing

G- Grains 

H- Holography

I- Ice

J- Jingle

K- Knitting

L- Law

M- Medicine

N- Nature

O- Owl-Hunting

P- Publishing

Q- Quest

R- Robotics

S- Security

T- Transportation

U- Unemployed

V- Vandalism

W- Weaponry

X- Xylography

Y- Youth

Z- Zoology

"The districts and their industries!" I screamed at what I saw.

I looked behind me because someone seemed to be going in my direction and I heard footsteps and crackles. As time goes on, the sound of the shoe grows louder. They're close.

I ran and held the hologram. I broke into a sweat. My heart pounded, and my hand began to feel clammy against my bouncing knee. I began to pace back and forth, stomping my feet impatiently at the grass, and rocks, and mud. I did not know which direction I was going.

The eerie footsteps are following me.j

The single cone of light flickered on the dripping stone, casting a white dancing goblin-like in its shadowy glow. I stumbled, fury and fear bubbling within me.

One.

Two.

Three.

I took one more step…

… And I fell.

I fell into a well.

As I am falling down the well, groping in the air, whizzing insects are on the granite moss that is grown on stones, between flagstones and bricks. A group of people is catching their glimpse like I am inside a tomb.

Those white suits.

I thought they went to the other districts.

The Manjies seem to be recruiting new armies and they might living inside an igloo which is nowhere to be found and they are on active duty.