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For a Brief Moment

 “Hey Peter, wait up! You’re just too fast,” I yelled. Running is no problem for me, being a member in the track and field and all, but this guy is impossibly faster. Even that blond shorty beside him can match up with his speed.

“I am supposed to be fast. You’re the “it” so you need to catch me. Come on slowpoke.”

“This is so unfair.” I stopped chasing them and crossed my arms. “Tintin is small yet she can go faster than I am.”

Peter and Tintin also stopped running away. They stared at each other for a split second then burst into laughter. So they think I’m trying to be funny, huh?

“Then you should stop getting caught. I thought you said you’re good with this,” Peter said.

“I am,” I replied, annoyance rising in me. I pursed my lips for effect of the act I’m trying to pull. I always become the ‘it’ in this game no matter how hard I try to; whenever I catch one of them, they’d easily turn the tables around and make me ‘it’ again. Where did my skills in running go?

“It just so happened that I’m not for a mood to play tag. Let’s play hide-and-seek instead. I’ll be the seeker.”  I proposed. Well, compared to tag, this game is where I’m worst at but who cares. I’d rather play this than chase after them nonstop.

They look at each other and conversed with their eyes; how they can even do that? No idea. I think I’m just the only one who can’t get the signals they are sending. Or simply, I just don’t have telepathy like they do. Obviously comes in handy.

“So what do you say?” I am so eager to play already.

“Sure,” Tintin retorted. “But I want to be the seeker.”

I’m having doubts with this one. Tintin is one mischievous girl; she reminds me of Tinkerbell (you know, that fairy with Peter Pan). It could be that they are plotting something against me or they are going to pull a prank on me during the game. It’s better to be sure than sorry later.

“Why?” I asked.

Tintin shrugged as response. “I’m not good in hiding so I’d rather be the seeker. I’ll count to thirty. Hide and then, if I don’t find you in ten minutes then I lose. How’s that?”

Sounds fine to me. If I’m not good in hide-and-seek, Tintin might be worse than I am. Ha ha, this would be my win!

“I’m not the worst, if that’s what you’re thinking.” I shrugged, feigning innocence. This one’s sharp; she was able to know what I was thinking. Or maybe I’m just transparent. “So?”

I grinned and agreed. Tintin covered her faced with her hands and turned her back on us. She started counting which made me and Peter ran in the opposite direction, away from her. I paused midway and searched for a good place. There must be somewhere I can hide and not be found. There’s no limitation anyway.

“Over here.” Someone grabbed my wrist. And that someone is Peter, of course. There’s no one else here besides us. We sprinted towards an old warehouse, not far from where we are. The moment we entered the warehouse, I freed myself from his grasp and ran to the left.

“We better hide separately,” I said. If we’re together, the chances of Tintin is big since she’d find us both.

I went upstairs, trying to find a more suitable hiding place for me: something that won’t give Tintin an idea I would be hiding there. There are lots of boxes and craters even up here. Moving further, I found door. Someone must’ve left it ajar.

Like a ninja, I entered the room. It seems like a bedroom that was not used for several years already. Though the bed was made, it wasn’t inviting as what I expected from all beds. This one’s an exception, it’s not giving me a call to sleep, and rather, it kinda tells me to stay away. There’s a stand which seems to be a hanger for jackets and hats. A side table with a lamp on it. The wallpaper’s torn off from the wall on the right near the huge cabinet. The room screams negativity. The wallpaper is gray not because of oldness; it is its original color.