The King's Court

LI

"Fucking hell," I muttered as Lorence accidentally pierced my hand with the nail for the nth time.

"Oh gosh, I am very sorry."

"Just give me that piece of metal and I'll try to do it."

Bigla naman siyang natigilan. "You're not going to stab me with it, are you?"

I rolled my eyes. "I will not. Please give it to me. I'd like to get out of here with both my hands still intact."

Narinig ko siyang nagpakawala ng buntong-hininga at ibinigay sa akin ang pako. It wasn't that sharp but given how hard Lorence was grinding it to the rope, the force set enough momentum to hurt my hand.

I started rubbing through the rope. As I twisted my wrists, the rope that tied our hands tightened, burying deeper into our skin. A little more and I know it's going to cause a bruise but we can't care less about such matter now. Ang mas mahalaga ay makalabas kami roon.

I rubbed the nail faster and I bit my lip as I endured the pain. I could also hear Lorence's groan as the rope tightened. 

Then we both heard the snap kaya naman natigilan ako sa ginagawa ko.

I pulled my hand away and the rope lossened until it fell to the floor. I screeched in silence and Lorence was muttering another set of curses because of excitement. Agad kong tinanggal ang tali ko sa paa at saka ko tinanggal ang tali niya sa kamay.

Lorence and I moved fast and in a matter of seconds, we were free from the ropes.

"Now what?" I asked. Lorence was already looking at the door at the ceiling.

"What's out there?" she asked and we both know none of us know the answer. Tanging alam lang namin ay magiging mahirap sa amin ang makalabas. The wooden ladder that Evelyn used earlier was gone and it could only be accessed once we open the door. But the door was higher and there was no way for us to get it unless we stood on something—

I looked Lorence and she was already looking at me. Saka ko napagtanto na parehas na kami ng iniisip at sa tingin na binibigay niya sa akin, alam ko na agad kung anong nasa isip niya.

"You're insane," I said as I shook my head.

Ngumisi siya sa gawi ko. "You're as insane as me and you know it's going to give us the best shot of getting out."

I can't believe this.

"I'm going to take a peek and see what's out there so we would know how to maneuver ourselves out of this mess."

Nagpakawala ako ng buntong-hiniga. She's right. It would give us the best shot.

Hesitant but determined, I crouched down. Lorence gave me a sorry look but I was more hell-bent on getting out than dwelling on the undesirable position we were planning.

I felt her leg on my shoulder and her hands were on top of my head. She gingerly placed her other leg on my other shoulder.

"Hold tight, Your Majesty," I said and I heard her mumble something before she gripped the side of my head.

The moment I placed my weight on my leg, I felt like my back was going to break because of the load on my shoulder. Ngunit nagpatuloy ako sa pagtayo habang si Lorence naman ay nakasabunot na sa buhok ko.

I did not say anything. I figured talking would waste my energy and would cause us to fall down. The noise we'd create would surely catch the attention of those who are outside. If there were any.

Kaya naman tiniis ko ang bigat hanggang sa nakatayo ako. Lorence was good at balancing herself, thankfully, kaya naman wala kaming naging problema.

"I think my back's going to break. Please hurry," I said and Lorence's hands were immediately fumbling through the wooden door, careful not to make too much noise. But then I heard her mutter another curse.