Golden Ceremony

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A Promise After The End

Nagulat na lang ako nang biglang lumambot ang paghawak niya sa leeg ko, tumirik din ang mata niya na tila bang nawalan siya nang malay.

As she slowly sinks down the bottom, Lothaire appears in front of me, his fists clenched and raised beside him. He must've done something to knock out the person who was strangling me.

He pulled my hand, swimming me up to the surface with his feet waving like it's a race. Hinigpitan niya ang hawak sa kamay ko nang mapansin niyang nanghihina ang kapit ko sa kanya. I'm already choking on water.

Once we reached the surface, inalalayan niya ako gamit ng mga braso niyang nakapulupot sa aking likod. Hinimas-himas niya ang likod ko habang umuubo ako at sumusuka ng tubig.

"You'll be okay. I got you, Cove." Lothaire reassured me while rubbing my back. I began to feel a sense of relief at nakakahinga na ko nang maayos.

"I think I'm okay." Sabi ko.

"Alright, I'll have to do something first really quick." Lumubog siya ulit sa tubig. Waiting for him for almost like a minute felt agonizing already pero nakahinga rin ako nang maluwag nang umahon siya ulit.

Idinala niya rin sa surface ang babae na sumakal sa akin. Inangat niya ang katawan niya sa gilid ng pool na hanggang ngayon wala pa rin malay. Kinapa niya ang leeg nito.

"She's still alive and breathing but she's unconscious."

Nagulat kami nang biglang dumating ang kasama ng babae. It was a guy who climbed up on the side of the pool, ran towards her body and knelt beside her.

"I've been looking everywhere for you! Wake up!" He did a CPR on her.

"We should go." Sabi ni Lothaire bago pa siya mapansin ng lalaki. We left the girl on the scene with the guy who tried to bring her back alive.

"Why didn't you kill her? Alam mo naman na mapapatay lang din siya kapag natalo siya." Sabi ni Oslo.

"I don't want to kill anyone just for the sake of winning the game. As much as possible, I want everyone to win." Lothaire clenched his jaw then his dangerous eyes darted where the projector screen is. "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

"Not everyone can win, and you know that." Giit ni Oslo sa kanya.

"I know, that's why it hurts so much more to win."

I felt an ache in my heart when he said that. There's never going to be a winner in this game. Even if you won, it won't feel like a win knowing a lot of people had died for the sake of trying to get that freedom too.

"Cove, look." Sabi ni Lothaire bago niya itinuro ang exit. "Observe what happens."

Pinanuod ko ang isang lalaki na naglusot ng golden coin sa slot. May kasama siya sa likod niya na mukhang walang dalang golden coin.

Are they trying to pose as one person as they exit? Effective kaya?

Nang sumunod ang pangalawa niyang kasama na walang nilulusot na golden coin, nagulat na lang ako nang biglang sumigaw ang lalaki at bumagsak na lang ang katawan ng kasama niyang babae sa sahig.

Wala pang isang minuto nang kumalat ang dugo sa tiled floor ng exit hanggang sa nilamon ang bangkay sa bumukang sahig at muling nagsarado ito at ang pinto.

Going in with two people as one will just end up killing the other.

Parang masusuka ako sa nakita ko pero hindi ko magawa. I don't have anything to puke, I just feel terrible from inside and out.