A/N: Ang mababasa niyo sa kabanatang ito ay nangyari 13 years ago at the American Mensa Academy. At dahil hindi marunong magtagalog ang mga kasama ni Euclid, asahan niyo na ang puro English dialogues na mababasa niyo. Bahagi pa rin ito ng pagbalik-tanaw ng mga magulang ni Euclid. Enjoy!
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13 years ago, American Mensa Academy
(Class S-1 Primary Section)
“Wow! You’re not holding a thick chemistry book now? That’s quite new!” sarcastic na sabi ni Kristian Ross kay Euclid.
“It’s none of your business!” pinagpatuloy lang ni Euclid ang pagbabasa. Napasimangot na lang ang huli. Nang tingnan niya ang ibang kasama, napansin niyang wala na naman ang kakambal ni Rain Zordick.
“Hey Rain, where’s your brother?”
“I don’t know,” maiksing sagot lang nito na hindi man lang nag-abalang lingunin siya.
“Where could that idiot be?” mahinang sabi ni Kristian.
“Who are you calling idiot?” tanong ng kararating lang na si Neil.
“Ahehe you heard that? That was just a joke. Where have you been?” napakamot sa ulo na lang na sabi ni Kristian.
“Here. Dr. Pascal told me to show this to you guys. I don’t know what he’s up to this time,” hinagis nito ang isang sobre sa table at pagkatapos ay umupo sa isa sa mga bakanteng upuan.
“What’s this?”tiningnan ni Kristian ang sobre. “Ohh it’s for Class S-1! This is for all of us!”
“If you’re that interested, why don’t you open it now for us?” iritadong sabi ni Stan.
“Okay! Here it is!” binuksan nito ang sobre. “Wow! It’s a treasure map!”
“That’s just the map of A.M.A,” sabi ni Rain pagkakita sa laman ng sobre.
“I know! But look at this point! It says there’s a treasure!” turo nito sa isang point sa map na may nakadrawing na treasure chest.
“I’m not interested,” sabi ni Euclid.
“Same here,” segunda ni Rain. Hindi na rin sumagot yung dalawa pa pero halata sa kanila na wala silang interes sa mapa.
“Hey! Why are you like that? Can’t you see it’s a challenge for us?” sigaw ni Kristian.
“You can do it alone,” bale-wala lang na sabi ni Neil.
Biglang nagpop-out sa screen ang mukha ni Dr. Pascal. May white screen kasi sa isang side ng room nila.
“I knew it would be like this. The challenge is a must, you have to solve it or else…,” nagpause muna ito. Napataas ng kilay naman sila Euclid. “…you won’t be able to do the things you really love”
“WHAT?” unang nagreact si Kristian.
“I repeat, if you didn’t finish the challenge on time, you won’t be able to do the things you really love.”
“And that is?” Euclid asked.
“That is… for example…,” nagpause ulit ang professor. May narinig silang mahinang tunog na parang makina at maya-maya pa, may tumakip sa buong bookshelves. Hinigop ito ng mga dingding. “You won’t be able to read books nor experiment.” Ilang saglit pa may lumiwanag sa paligid ng mini-laboratory at pagkatapos, unti-unti itong bumaba hanggang sa magsara ang sahig.
BINABASA MO ANG
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