PRISONER'S BASE: RAVEN CONSPIRACY

Chapter IX: Prison Break

ZEENA SANDERS

One might think that sitting in a cell day after day with no tools and no access to the outside world would makes it very difficult to be creative. Yet there is no end to man’s creativity, and inmates in prison are no exception, including me. Kung tutuusin, kayang-kaya ko pang gumawa ng improvised shotgun. This was more than just ingenious; it worked as well. A shotgun made of iron bedposts. The charge came from lead in curtain tape and was set off by AA batteries. Pero hindi iyon option dahil wala akong mahanap na batteries.

Cell escapes occur through either the door, the window, the light, the ventilation system, by breaking down the walls, or by tunneling underground.

But all of these are futile for me now.

Isa lang ang maaari kong gawin, ang malaman kung anong nangyayari sa labas. Timing is the most important part of this plan. And it should happen on my second trial. Aos knows that the verdict will be announced soon. And I will be shipped off to Bilibid Prison. He said that my only chance to escape will be after the verdict.

Dahil sa bigat ng aking kaso, doble na ang pagbabantay sa akin. Ipinagpapasalamat ko rin na may nakatoka nang bantayan ang aming selda dahil hindi ako nagagalaw ng babaeng baliw na nasa pareho kong kulungan.

Six days since she let me experienced horror, hindi na ito nasundan dahil sinisigurado ko nang may kasama ako lagi. And thanks to Limuel who has been checking for my welfare when I told him what happened. Naibigay na rin niya sa akin ang identity ng babae.

She’s Adelaida Tolba, a former leader of a child-trafficking sindicate. And Limuel confirmed that the girl is a child of a governor. May tatlo itong kapatid na ngayon ay patay na. Ayon sa balitang nakalap niya, isa sa mga kapatid ni Miss Tolba ang nabaliw. Binaril nito ang dalawa nilang kapatid saka nagpakamatay. Adelaida saw the death body of her siblings, she's gone mad. Pinatay niya ang sarili niyang ama, kaya siya nakulong.

Ang ipinagtataka ni Limuel, sa tagal nang namatay ng governor na ama ni Adelaida, bakit ngayon lang daw ito nakulong.

I think, Raven manipulated her.

“You're spacing out,” Aos snapped his fingers on the table. He visited me again. Two minutes na siyang nakaupo sa aking harapan. Hindi ko man lang namalayan na nagsasalita na pala siya.

“I'm sorry, what were you saying?”

“Are you still up for the plan?”

“Oo. Medyo magulo lang ang utak ko. Sobrang dami ko lang iniisip. Nakausap mo ba ulit si Dad?”

“Hindi na. Why?”

“Huwag na huwag kayong magsasabi ng kahit ano sa kaniya,” sabi ko. He frowned. “He's my father but I think, he's hiding something from me. Kung totoo ang sinabi ng babaeng muntikan nang pumatay sa akin, sigu—”

“Wait, what?” he cut me off. “Someone tried to kill you?”

I rolled my eyes. “A lot of times. Did you see my bruises the last time you visited me?” He nodded. Buti na lang dahil okay na ako. I can't even imagine what I look like when I beg him to let me out of here. Hindi ko kailanman nakita ang sarili kong mag-break down nang ganoon. It's the first time.

“I was molested by a girl and almost died in her hands. Raven might be manipulating that girl to do such horrible things to me,” I said casually. Noong huli kaming nagkita, hindi ko kasi kayang sabihin sa kaniya ang nangyari. I was so damn scared that time.

I felt a sudden tense between us. Pakiramdam ko ay hindi niya inaasahan ang mga salitang sinabi ko. His shoulders stiffened.

I can feel him looking at me. My pulse is pounding so hard from his cold stares. He keeps his eyes locked with mine—unmoving and angry. For a moment, natakot ako na bigla siyang tatayo at ibaliktad ang mesang nasa pagitan naming dalawa. Instead, he brings his hand to his jaw and pops his neck, then leans back in his seat again. The flash of anger in his eyes dissipates.