History Left Undone

Chapter 1

Knight to the left.

Wait... no.

Makakain.

Queen?

Nah, too dangerous.

Pawn forward?

Hindi rin.

Ugh, this is hopeless--

"Martin, 'nak. Tumayo ka na d'yan. Mag-almusal ka na."

"'Kay. Just a minute."

This is just plain frustrating. The reason why I chose to play with the damn PC, and not a real person is because I do not want to play with just anyone, 'cause there is 78.36 percent chance that the person might be ridiculously dumb.

Pero ngayon, ako na tuloy ang bobo.

Ako pa ang bobo?

Just plain wow.

Tumayo ako at bumaba. Pagewang-gewang akong bumaba. My feet ache, hindi ko alam kung ilang oras na akong naka-upo sa harapan ng laptop.

A lot of people always say that the brain works well with an empty stomach and in the early morning. Remind me to contradict them sometime soon.

Speaking of contradiction, remind me to contradict my Mom as well. She has been going on and on about this specific camping event that was organized by the school I was attending to, and hypothetically, she was forcing me to participate.

Mountains? Trekking? Trees? Nature?

No thanks. I love taking my sweet time with my laptop, books and board games. No need for me to join unnecessary events like that.

"Anak? Pumunta ka, ha?"

Thought so.

"Ayaw ko, 'Ma."

I sat on one of the chairs as she was fixing the table.

"Sige na, Martin. Ano, habang buhay ka na lang nasa kwarto mo, nakaharap sa libro mo o sa mga board games mo? Hindi naman pwedeng gano'n, anak," she said as she sat beside me.

Ang ayaw ko sa lahat ay 'yong pinipilit ako. Wala akong maisip na magandang maidudulot sa akin kung sakaling pumayag akong pumunta sa camping na 'yan. It would be just a bother. Health? Exercise? Not interested. Unless it does something good for my brain. That's nearly acceptable.

"Anak, lumabas-labas ka naman paminsan-minsan. Samahan mo naman 'yong mga puno sa labas, 'yong hangin, hindi 'yong parating kama at libro ang kasa-kasama mo. Kahit 'di na tao. Lumabas ka lang kahit saglit."

"'Ma. You can't force me," I said. I stirred my cappuccino as I stared at my Mom. She really looks so down. Don't tell me that it really affected her like that?

Seriously?

Ano naman sa kaniya kung hindi ako sumama ro'n? Why does she want me to go and join that shitty activity so bad?

Sure, because she's my mother and she wants the best for me, but seriously? It is just a simple camping. But I hate it when she shows me a face like that. It makes me feel that I am at fault, which definitely not true.

"Fine," I said. Her face immediately lit up.

"Talaga? Thank you, 'nak! Sige na, maghanda ka na ng mga isusuot mo. Magdala ka ng flashlight, pagkain, tubig, payong, lalo na ang extra shirt. Baka pagpawisan ka. Magpo-provide ba ng tent? Saan kayo matutulog? Ah, unan mo pa pala. Pili ka ng dadalhin mo, 'yong malambot ha-"