Golden Ceremony

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Fatal Trust

We were dragged outside of the dormitory. I glanced up the building to see all the windows are glowing red, some windows dripping with blood down and down it goes the concrete wall, leaving traces of a life that no longer mourns.

Pinahinto kami sa labas ng dormitory sa open field na napapalibutan ng mga damo. May tinatype sila sa tablet habang tinitingnan at binibilang kami. Maybe double checking our numbers.

I can see through Lothaire's eyes how torn apart it must've feel to finally have the chance to escape, only to be taken away in just a snap. I know he's thinking of a way to get back there pero nawala ang tsansa namin ngayon na nandito na sila.

Or maybe, it's also a bad idea going there in the first place. Kung nakapasok ba kami sa pintong iyon, buhay pa rin ba kami hanggang ngayon?

I'm sure na binabantayan nila lahat ng daan. Maaaring nabaril na nila kami kung nahuli nila kaming tumatakas sa games.

But still... the possibility of escaping is quite high. Lothaire knows this and he's thinking the same thing.

What can we do now that our chance of escape had slipped between our fingertips?

"Ang lapit na natin sa kalayaan." Sabi ko kay Lothaire, kinuyom ko ang kamao ko dala ng frustration ko.

"I know but this is good." He said, not seeming to be bothered after thinking for a while.

"Good? How is this good?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay.

"We know there's a way out in this place. We just have to find where."

"This entire place is a maze," sabi ko. "Halos impossible natin mahanap kung saan ang escape."

"Maybe we can find them inside the game itself."

"How can you be sure? What if that's the only chance we had to escape?"

Nilingon ako nang diretso ni Lothaire. His golden brown eyes glowing as the sun starts to rise behind him from the distance, our shadows stretching far on the grass and stone walk where we stood.

"Every game has a flaw. You just have to find a way to cheat the game."

The sunlight touches my skin for the first time after being trapped in the dark for so long, it feels warm and soothing.

"49 graduates had been eliminated from the Black and White game. We will now proceed to the next game. Please do follow the instructions before entering the area." Napatingala kaming lahat sa announcement mula sa mga speakers.

The next game is about to start. Kakatapos lang namin sa isa na halos kulang ang tulog, ibabato naman kami sa panibagong paghihirap.

Mabigat ang katawan ko dala ng pagod at walang kain. Sumasakit pa rin ang mata ko dahil ang tagal nitong nasa dilim sabay biglang masisilawan ng araw na para bang tinutukan ng headlight ng truck.

Gusto ko pa matulog pero hindi ko magawa. Kailangan kong maging alerto habang nandito kami sa games dahil kahit anong masama pwede mangyari sa amin.

There is no rest in this place.

"There are 111 graduates left in the Golden Ceremony." Sabi ni Lothaire na tila bang natural na sa kanya bilangin iyon sa isipan niya. "And the games we dealt so far are four. It's either the games will keep going until a certain number of graduates are left or there's a limit to the games."

"Kung ihahalintulad natin ito sa reality show, most likely kaunti lang ang graduates na maiiwan na buhay o isa lang ang mananalo."

"I've considered of that possibility. Also, they can't just simply come up with the games everyday if we can survive that long enough. They may have the power to make this games deadly but resources to keep up with it would be too much for even a country unless the government itself is imposing this."