Challengers

27 : Cognizance

Just like what happened during the Filipino time challenge, writers found ways to make this challenge interesting.

Para akong nasa period drama kasi 'yung iba ay nagsasalita ng old English. They even tried to move like aristocrats as if they were filming some kind of regency fiction.

"M'lady, how are you doing?" asked Ben as he passed by our cabin.

"I'm fine," sagot ko naman.

Nakakatawa lang kasi 'yon ang default question niya sa lahat ng writers na nakatambay sa porch ng cabins. Kapag hindi siya pinansin ay titigil siya sa tapat at saka makikipag-engage para mapilitan siyang kausapin.

Ganoon din ang ginawa ng tatlo kaya wala sila ngayon sa cabin. Since our ranking dropped from the last challenge, Zion devised a plan to improve our points. Of course, that involves sabotaging other groups. As expected from that sly personality of his. Sinabi ko na lang na ako na ang bahala sa mga dadaan sa cabin para hindi ko kailangang umalis dito.

"Where are your teammates?" tanong ni Chichi ng white team.

Tinuro ko naman ang playground at obstacle course kung nasaan ang karamihan ng writers. "They're playing around and finding their targets."

She chuckled. "I see. I guess everyone's trying to play dirty now."

Mukhang alam niya rin na gano'n na ang tactics ng writers ngayon dahil proven na effective 'yon noong Filipino time.

Mabuti na lang at alam din nila kung sino ang mga ita-target—ang mga madadaldal dahil mas prone sila makapagsabi ng Filipino words. Medyo nag-give up na ang ilan na kausapin ang mga hindi naman palasalita kaya kaunti lang din ang kumakausap sa akin. Besides, kaunti lang din naman ang close ko sa writers dito.

However, that actually made me worry about Arin and Roi since they could talk nonstop, but Zion was with them, so I guess they would be okay.

"Oh? You're alone?" Napatingin ako sa kabilang cabin at lumabas mula roon si Yena.

I nodded in response. "You too?"

"Yup. I guess Zion's dirty tactic has spread across the camp," she said.

Bigla ko namang naalala ang story ko dahil bukas ay puwede na ulit kaming magsulat. Na-curious ako kung tungkol saan ang kay Yena dahil speculative fiction din ang forte niya.

"I have a question," tanong ko at agad naman siyang tumayo. She went to our cabin and sat right next to me.

"What is it?"

"So, how's your story going?"

"Oh, so it's about that," she remarked. Medyo nahiya rin ako dahil alam ko naman kung gaano ka-awkward magtanong sa kapwa writer kung kumusta na ang sinusulat nila. "Well, I'm not really sure if it will go well since it's a romance story."

Nagulat naman ako sa narinig. I didn't expect Yena to write outside of her comfort zone, too. I guess maganda nga rin talagang masubok ang skills namin pagdating sa pagsusulat kung hindi kami ganoon ka-familiar sa genre. After all, the theme of this program was 'challenge' after all.

"Wow, I'm writing a romcom, too," sagot ko. "And I find it hard to write romantic scenes that feel natural."

She enthusiastically agreed. "Right? It's romantic in my head but I can't help but feel cringy when I'm writing it."

"How do romance writers even do it? I cannot stomach writing the overly romantic scenes and dialogues."

"Some even write and include erotic scenes," she chuckled. "I wonder if they feel butterflies in their stomach when writing them or they don't even bat an eye since they're already used to it."