Challengers

09 : Finding an Inspiration

"Whoa, whoa, Elix, dahan-dahan baka mamatay," Roi commented when I put my hand inside the second fish tank.

Napahinto ako dahil sa itsura nilang dalawa. Hindi ko alam kung hayop na buhay ba talaga ang nasa loob o pinagt-tripan lang nila ako, but that was enough to make me nervous.

I regained my focus and searched for the coin, but I flinched when I felt something slimy. Halos ilabas ko ang buong kamay ko mula sa fish tank dahil doon at agad na napatingin sa dalawa.

"Is this . . ." The word got caught in my throat.

"Ingat sa paghahanap," Zion noted while suppressing a smirk.

Napalunok na lang ako at nagpakawala ng isang malalim na buntong-hininga. My mind had already decided that the fish tank was housing a snake and that thought made my skin crawl. Ang hirap talaga kapag hindi mo alam kung ano ang nasa harapan mo, especially for writers since we have creative and wild imaginations.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko natapos ang challenge nang hindi sumisigaw. Or maybe I did, and I was not just aware myself. Pero si Arin ang pinakamalala. Hindi pa nga niya napapasok ang kamay niya sa fish tank ay sumigaw na agad siya at halos matumba sa pag-atras. Nakakuha siya ng isa mula sa una pero hindi na niya nagawa ulit dahil sa takot. She was already crying when she got to the second one, much to the guys' amusement.

Anyway, our team got ten coins in total: four from Zion, two from Roi, three from me and one from Arin.

Paglabas namin sa gazebo ay nakita ko ang expressions ng ibang teams. Some were shocked when they saw Arin crying. Maging ako at si Roi ay nanghina matapos ang challenge na 'yon. Parang si Zion lang ang walang pinagbago. He also had a smug look on his face because he got the highest score among us.

"E-Elix, anong nangyari?"

Lessy's face was as white as chalk when I turned to her direction. Iba talaga ang takot kapag hindi mo pa alam kung ano ang haharapin mo.

Because we weren't allowed to spill the beans, I just patted her head and told her good luck.

Pinapunta naman kami sa kabilang gazebo na mayroon ding harang kung nasaan ang Brown team at tawang-tawa sila nang pumasok kami.

"Lakas ng sigaw mo, Roi!" Jason commented while laughing.

It turned out everything was live feed into the monitor in front of them. Nakita nila kung paano kami nag-react sa mga nasa loob ng fish tanks at bigla akong tinamaan ng hiya. I was not as extreme as Roi and Arin, but I was sure I still acted stupid and scared for a few minutes.

In-announce naman ang Red team na sunod na papasok dahil ang kulay nila ang nabunot ni Zion kanina. And as expected, halos ganoon din ang reactions nila.

"Gago, 'wag kang gumalaw!" Ren squealed as he dug his hand into one of the tanks. "Tangina-aaahhh!"

"Anyare?!"

"Shet! Ano 'yon! Dinilaan 'yung kamay ko! Gago!"

Halos mag-slide na sa floor ang katawan nina Jason at Roi kakatawa at mangiyak-ngiyak naman sina Lareza at Meijin. I saw Zion cracking a smile, too, as he watched the chaos in the center gazebo.

Wala yatang team ang hindi sumigaw habang ginagawa ang challenge, pero may iilan na nagawa pang tumawa nang malakas. For sure, na-excite sa challenge ang iba, lalo na ang horror at thriller writers.

The funny thing was the contents of the tanks were just random things and food—gummy worms, stainless steel sponges, chicken feet, sensory balls, plastic cockroach toys, cooked pasta, vegetable peelings, and slimes soaked in water.