Imagine If

38

Alystra's POV

Sobrang...sakit ng katawan ko.

He hit me with a chain, I felt the cold hard metal hitting my face and the hotness as it brings pains into my whole body.

Day, no days have passed.

Everything was so fast and before I knew it, I'm in Cuba. Not for a vacation but as a victim.

Everything is still fresh.

I still remember what happened that day they took me, and I just couldn't believe I let my guard down. I couldn't believe everything that just happened.

I thought this only happen in the movies.

That night. I was on my way home from Eleven's house when we celebrated his birthday.

I didn't feel anyone looking at me, I didn't feel anything weird and just suddenly they took me.

For a second, I forgot to be careful. I forgot how dangerous it was. I forgot the threats.

For hours or I don't remember, I was unconscious. Then I woke up seeing the word Cuba on a sign.

I was first amuzed, but then I also forgot that I'm a hostage.

They forced me to solve that goddamn puzzle. I don't know how to use it or to solve it.

They keep on insisting that I knew about it but I don't. The puzzle isn't familiar and it was the first time that I saw it.

I kept on telling them that I really don't know and they would just hit me until my whole body is sore.

I feel like I'm gonna die. I'm starving to death and I didn't know that I would feel this weakness.

I'm tired and when I rest and wake, nothing goes away. The pain is still there.

I kept on going like that for days, I don't even know how long I've stayed in here. I haven't seen the sun yet since I first arrived here.

"AYAW MO TALAGA MAGSALITA HA!?" The man said as he continued hitting me with the chain

"Hi-hindi ko alam kung paano buksan yun. Maawa ka...hindi ko talaga alam" nanghihina kong isinambit

This time he didn't hit me with a chain. Instead, he hit me with ice.

He keeps on throwing me ice cubes and every hit hurts. The ice started to melt and the water got into my wounds.

I screamed and yelled. I felt like I was dying.

"Ah ganyan pala?"

"Cornel, pabili ka nga ng alcohol" he commanded the other guy

"P-please...wa..wag" pagmamakaawa ko even though I know none of it would work.

My whole body is hurting. I don't wanna die. Not this way.

"Miss, madali lang naman ang pinapagawa sayo. Isolve mo yang puzzle na yan at malaya ka na! Ang dami dami mo pa kasing arte!" Sabi ng lalaki

Napayuko ako, kahit anong sabihin ko ay hindi talaga nila ako maiintindihan. Hindi ko nha alam kung paano isolve ang puzzle. Wala akong kaalam alam.

Ni isang numero ay walang pumapasok sa utak ko. I tried solving it but no luck. I couldn't.

Kahit anong pagalala ko ay wala talaga akong matandaan.

I'm losing all my hope.

Bigla akong nakarinig ng phone call and someone is calling that man.

I know who's doing this. Its the EB corporation. Just for the sake of their company ay kaya nila na mangidnap.

EB sounds familliar, but I just can't think right now. My mind is in shambles.

"Ah oo boss nandito na siya"

"Ayaw eh, di daw niya alam" rinig ko pa

Biglang lumapit sa akin ang lalaki at niloudspeaker ang kanyang cellphone

"Oy, kung gusto mo pa mabuhay. Kung ako sayo ilagay mo lang ang passcode at makakalaya kana" sabi ng isang lalaki sa kabilang linya...hindi, parang voice changer lang iyon.

"Di ko nga alam" sagot ko at tinawanan lang ako nito

"Then, you'll never get out" sabi nito at binaba ang tawag

"Rinig mo yun? HINDI ka makakalabas, hangangat wala kang ginagawa dyan" sabi ng lalaki

Ibinato niya muli ang puzzle sa akin at napayuko ako.

I really can't.

Bakit kasi hindi nalang nila baliin o sunugin ang puzzle na to para hindi na mabuksan ang mga nakatagong files...

Pero that would be a disadvantage for us. Tama, it doesn't matter if masaktan ako or mamatay pa ako.

Because that file could destroy them, and that is what we want.

Naalala ko tuloy ang napagusapan namin ni Crystal dati nung naospital si Xyrene after the school exploded

"Well, para sa akin okay lang naman na mawala yung puzzle eh, well we can do something about the file" Crystal said

"Bakit naman okay sayo na mawala yung puzzle? Akala ko ba yun yung key sa dun sa mga nakatagong files?" I asked

"Its not like okay na okay sa akin, basta wag lang mapunta sa EB corporation. I'll give my life para lang hindi nila makuha yun. So I just hope that the puzzle is destroyed or I don't know, sumabog with the school" sabi ni Crystal

It also doesn't matter if I can open it or not. What matters is, they can't get into the secret file.

"D-Di ko po ito mabubuksan" sagot ko ngunit nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong pinalo sa ulo ng isang matigas na bagay.

My visions got blurry and then everything went black.

Then...suddenly I was in front of a street. Then it shifted to a table. I saw the puzzle being made before my very eyes but it was only for a second.

Then suddenly I'm back at the street, a man with a business suit went up to me but I couldn't see the face.

Then he whispered "You're part of a incident you must not know"

Then saw cars, the hospital then I'm back at where I saw that puzzle.

"12, 24, 42, 58, 17, 74" Paulit ulit ko itong naririnig habang nakatingin sa puzzle na ginagawa at biglang...

"AHHHH!" Someone screamed. Its a voice of a little boy

"You're part of a incident you must not know" paguulit isang babae

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng lamig at pagkamulat ko ng mata ko ay nakita kong nandito pa rin ako. Still a hostage and they just threw a water with ice on me!

"EH KUNG LUTASIN MO NA YAN AT WAG KANG PATULOG TULOG!" Sigaw ng lalaki sa tenga ko.

Shet eardrums ko.

"H-hindi ko nga kasi alam" I lied

Because now I have an idea. The dream that I just had right now...the numbers it kept on repeating. That might be it.

12, 24, 42, 58, 17, 74

But I can't just solve this puzzle and give this to them.

Sabi nga ni Crystal, kahit buhay ko pa ang isalalay ko.

This time I'll be ready to sacrifice but if I get out of this alive.

Maghanda sila, dahil pag labas ko dito, sisiguraduhin kong iyon na ang huling beses nilang makikita ang mundo.