A Fairytale's Mishap

CHAPTER 20: Underground

It took us probably an hour just to get there. Gumamit pa si Hershey ng GPS system dahil hindi rin niya kabisado ang lugar. It's her first time as well. Ang mga naunang laban ay ginanap sa iba-ibang lugar. They wanted to keep it that way, para na rin daw hindi makatunog ang mga authorities.

Kung hindi lang sa mga sasakyang naka-park sa labas ng mga abandonandong building ay manghihinala pa ako kung talagang dito nga ba gaganapin ang laban. I know the place we're going is an abandoned area. But I wasn't expecting it to be this abandoned. And it's too dark. It's exactly the perfect place to shoot a horror story.

Matapos i-park ni Hershey ang kotse ay tahimik na kaming bumaba. The weather's a bit cold outside, enough to give me little goosebumps. Napayakap ako sa sarili. Dapat pala ay nagdala ako ng jacket. With my current outfit right now, I could perfectly play the role of a victim in a low-budgeted terrifying movie.

Maya-maya lang ay dinig ko na ang malayong ingay mula sa kung saan. Sinundan lang namin ang pinanggagalingan nito. Then, we saw some guys standing outside of what looks like an entrance to a tunnel. That could be the way going down the underground.

Nang makalapit na kami sa kanila ay naglabas ng flashlight ang isang lalaki at agad iniumang sa mga mukha namin. "Let them in." Mabilis na sabi ng isa. And they did.

"Wow. That was easy." Mahina kong bulong kay Hershey habang naglalakad pababa sa tila sirang escalator.

"Kuya already gave them an instruction. And some of those guys are from our school."

Hindi na ako umimik. At mas pinili na lang magmasid sa kapaligiran. Although I am in another world right now, I need to remind myself to always be vigilant. Dapat kailangan ko pa ring protektahan ang sarili ko sa anumang panganib.

Sa patuloy naming paglalakad ay higit namang lumalakas ang mga ingay. We can now hear the music blasting from the speaker. People shouting... cheering. Tumingin ako kay Hershey, "I think we're late."

"Of course not. May mga iba pang laban bago sila kuya. They're the main and last fight. You know, just like in boxing."

Hindi ulit ako umimik. Binuksan ko ang bag at sinilip kung may message ba sa phone ko. Pero wala. Bahagya akong napakunot. Madaling-araw pa lang ay umalis na ng bahay si Jake. Alam niyang tulog pa ako sa oras na 'yon kaya nagpaalam na siya kagabi.

Sabi niya kailangan niyang umalis ng maaga para mag-training. But I've never gotten any texts or calls from him the whole day, and that's unusual.

"Kinukuha ang phone sa kanya the whole day before the fight. They don't want him to get distracted," sagot niya sa tahimik kong katanungan.

Marahan lang akong tumango at tipid na ngumiti. Hindi rin nagtagal ay narating na namin ang tila main area kung saan nagaganap ang kasalukuyang laban. Mula sa gitna ay may dalawang tao na nasa loob ng tila boxing ring. But instead of boxing, they're doing mixed martial arts. Sa kasalukuyan ay nakalock ang ulo ng isa sa pagitan ng legs ng isa.

Napakaraming tao. It would take a lot of effort para lang makalapit kami sa laban. "How are we even gonna get there?!" pasigaw kong tanong sa kanya.

Bago pa niya sagutin ay may isang matangkad na lalaki na humawak sa siko ni Hershey. With the way he looks, he could be a bouncer. Tila magkakilala silang dalawa dahil nang makita ni Hershey ang lalaki ay mabilis na niyang hinawakan ang kamay ko at sumunod sa kung saan man niya kami iginigiya.

Dahil sa laki niya ay napakadali lang niyang hawiin ang mga tao. It didn't take long for us to get to the center. I looked at the time. It's 11:30. I looked at Hershey who seems to be enjoying the fight. "Matagal pa ba?!"

"Kairi! Chill out! Just enjoy the night! Here take this!" mula sa kanyang kamay ay isang beer. Katulad ito ng nasa kabila rin niyang kamay. Tahimik ko lang na inabot saka itinutok na ang atensyon sa dalawang naglalaban sa harapan.

Both guys are well-built. Their muscles are enormous, but it's certainly enhanced by some sh*t they've injected. Base sa kalkulasyon ko, kaya ko silang patumbahin isa-isa. I couldn't take them down at the same time though.

Yeah, I could say the fight was good. But I'm still distracted. When it was finished, I couldn't even tell who won. Or perhaps, I just didn't care. After a while, the whole place went dark and the music stopped. Kumabog ang dibdib ko. Darkness for me means danger. The only thing I have in my pocket is a swiss knife. It would take 15 seconds for me to get it and kill someone. That is, if I'm faster.

"It's my brother's fight now," she said. Ibinaba ko sa kung saan ang hawak na hindi pa nababawasang beer. No one gives me sh*t like that and expects me to drink it. For all I know, they could've drugged it.

Then I hear the music started playing. Lights went back but it was darker than usual. There were even colorful lights circling the whole area. Sometimes, lighting up people's faces. The crowd are once again cheering. This time, more loudly.

Naririnig kong sinisigaw ang pangalan ni Jake. But I also hear another name, Ace. It must be his opponent. Base sa mga sigaw ay patas lang ang dami ng mga tagasuporta nila. That's expected dahil ayon kay Hershey matagal ng kampeon ang katunggali.

From the center of the ring, I saw a guy holding a microphone. He started talking and warming up the crowd. Then he went on announcing Ace's name. From another corner of the room, light was focused there. I saw a whole entourage. The moment I laid eyes on him. I knew he's the opponent.

Napakalaki niya. He could be more than 6 ft. tall. His muscles are so bulky. There are even veins on his neck and arms. This is clearly a mismatched fight. Nang makarating na siya sa loob ng ring ay pangalan naman ni Jake ang inihayag ng announcer.

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