Challengers

36 : Weak Shield

I was afraid he'd hear my heart pounding loudly against my chest, but I couldn't even move since we were standing on a field of fallen dry leaves. Move your feet a little and it would instantly reveal our location. Worse, my left arm was resting on his right shoulder and he was holding my right arm with his left. Our position was too awkward but I couldn't even move my hands. Honestly, those were the most agonizing seconds of my life and all I could do was wait with bated breath until the team that entered the forest after us was out of our view.

Dahan-dahan akong napalingon sa puwesto nina Arin at Roi dahil sila ang mas may nakikita mula sa pinagtataguan nila. When she gestured that they were all gone, I immediately stepped back and heaved a long sigh.

Before I could even compose myself, Zion pulled me toward our teammates' direction.

"Wait, hanap muna tayo ng hideout," mahinang sabi ni Roi habang nagmamanman sa paligid.

"True, para tayong sitting ducks dito," Arin seconded.

Nagsimula kaming maglakad palayo sa bukana ng gubat para makahanap ng magandang puwesto. If we got a good vantage view, then it would help us monitor the movements of everyone in the forest.

There were several makeshift hideout—made of leaves, branches, and cardboard boxes—that were placed by staff members throughout the forest, but we decided not to use them as these would surely be targeted first.

"Kung doon kaya?" I pointed at a huge tree with its lower trunk hollowed out.

Mabilis kaming tumakbo papunta ro'n at agad na pumasok sa loob. Mabuti na lang at kahit papaano ay kasya kaming apat kahit medyo siksikan.

"So, ano nang plano natin?" asked Roi.

"May isang lookout," Zion replied. "Then the three would wait around the lookout to ambush the teams."

"I think pwede akong maging lookout," dagdag ni Arin sabay turo sa taas. "Doon ako sa taas ng puno. Tapos magsi-signal ako if may makita akong teams na lalapit sa pwesto natin."

"Then gawa na lang tayo ng hand signs para sa kulay ng teams at saka 'yung actions na dapat gawin," I suggested.

Napagdesisyunan namin na gamitin ang chronological order ng pagpasok ng teams sa gubat para sa designated number nila. If nagtaas si Arin ng isang daliri, ibig sabihin ay nasa vicinity ang green team, bilang sila ang unang pumasok. Then she'd use the stop-go signs for our appropriate actions.

"Hoy, na-e-excite ako, parang ako ang team leader," beamed Arin.

"Wala lang choice kaya ikaw ang lookout!" Roi retorted.

Well, hindi na agad namin sinama sa choices si Zion dahil baka maling direction pa ang ibigay niya sa amin at magkagulo pa kami. Roi would be better as an attacker and we wouldn't be able to fully utilize his skills if he were on top of the tree. Pwede rin sana akong lookout kaso baka hindi ko naman daw ma-defend ang sarili ko kapag stuck ako sa taas. At least Arin had the mobility to counterattack if she were found.

I was mildly offended by that even though it was the truth. Pero wala rin naman akong magagawa kaya si Arin ang naging final choice namin.

"Okay, let's move."

I was forced to go with the directionally-challenged Zion while Roi would go solo. Hinintay lang naming makaakyat si Arin at saka niya kami itinuro sa mga puwestong pwede naming pagtaguan at kung saan makikita pa rin namin ang isa't isa.

Sakto namang narinig namin ang announcement at nakapasok na ang white team, ang last group.

Eliminating all members of our target group would gain us full hundred points, with each member amounting to twenty-five points. We could also target other groups but it would only earn us five points for an eliminated member. The goal was to accumulate a hundred points with at least one surviving member.