The KING

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[[Chapter 2: The King]]

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D I A N A   M A R I E  A M B R O S E

'Well, nandito na tayo.' Rinig kong sabi ng isa sa kanila.

Nakapiring ako. I was blindfolded. They wouldn't take a risk letting me see where they are taking me, so nung inilipat nila ako sa isang truck ay nilagyan kaagad nila ako ng blinfold.

All I know is that this place was quite far away from my home town because it felt like hours before we get here.

My hands reached up to my eyes and tugged the black cloth off my face. Marahan naman akong tumingin sa lalake at maingat na ibinigay ang tela, which he took without hesitation and stashing it in his pockets.

I couldn't help but to gaze out the car windshield for once and found my eyes staring at a mansion. 'Mansion?' Mahinang bulong ko.

A man pulled me out of the car harshly at napadaing ako ng maramdaman ko ang mga kuko niyang napabaon sa balat ko. Hindi ba nagkukuko 'tong lalakeng to?!

Napatingin naman ako sa mansion na sa sobrang taas at gara ay parang iniintimidate ako sa laki nito. The cream coating of the paint shined as the setting sun touched it, causing me to have a squint.

Uniquely twisted fencing kept the mansion exclosed. The roofs were peaked, slanting down at an angle.  Nagsisilakihan din ang mga bintana at kumikinang pa ito; they had royal purple curtains hanging on the both side of them.

The men pushed me forward at nagsimula na kaming lumakad. I entered the grand, front yard of the mansion and noticed a fountain sitting in the centre of the yard. At may estatwa pa ito ng isang anghel na may hawak-hawak na bulaklak, and he's looking upwards the sky. Water spurted from its other hand, gently falling down to the crystal blue pool beneath it.

Bushes were trimmed and thorn-roses budded out. The beach rested just beyond the backyard, grass forming with the sand. The ocean glimmered. Dolphins flipped out from the water in the distance as I walked towards the extravagant house. I inhaled a sharp breath, the sight was breathtaking. Kung nandito ka, aakalain mong nasa isa kang paraiso.

A man opened the door at tinulak ako papasok. Susko! Pwede naman akong pagsabihan hindi yung tulak sila ng tulak sakin!

I scanned my surroundings. The main, grand room was neatly decorated and constructed: a marble floor, exquisite paintings set at regular intervals on the walls, at isa pang malaking chandelier na nakasabit sa taas na todo talaga sa kinang. Two long, slightly curving staircases on each side of the room met at the top where the second floor began.

Mapapansin mong wala talagang alikabok dahil halos lahat kumikinang. It was your perfect dream house.

'Bilisan mo,' one of the men snapped.

I sighed and padded my way upstairs, the men following behind me. Iginaya nila ako sa mga large set of grand doors. The guards that stood beside the doors pulled them open for us to enter and I could've muttered a brief "Thank you" but didn't. These people are strangers. At may gana kapang magthank-you sakanila eh ikaw na nga 'tong nakidnap. Tanga lang?