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Chapter nine

COURAGE

Wait, those are walkie-takies! I immediately recognized the object in front because I always see them in tito's near pocket. What are we going to use it for? This looks so interesting.

Before a commotion could even happen around the walkie-talkies, may naging ingay ang pinto sa likuran kaya lahat kami'y napalingon duon. Surprisingly, it was president. Hingal na hingal siya na parang hinabol ng kabayo. Sobrang tahimik ng lugar na tanging ang mga hininga namin at ang malalim na paghabol niya ng hininga ang dinig.

"Sorry I'm late," ayon lamang ang sinabi niya at umupo na sa bakanteng upuan sa likod. Bumalik na rin ang ilan sa kanilang mga ginagawa habang ako'y patuloy pa rin siyang pinagmamasdan.

Bakit ganoon ang kalagayan niya no'ng pumasok siya rito? Pawis na pawis at may pagkagulo-gulo ang buhok. She must've seen something one isn't supposed to. Pansin ko ring basa ang kamay niya na mukhang kagagaling lang sa banyo. It's alarming.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is that how you act as a president, Prisoner 9? Tardiness isn't tolerated here. One more late and you'll lose your power." That's what MC said before switching voices into a higher pitched one. The previous one seemed serious. Now it hits me, it could be possible that MC isn't just one person. There could be other person's controlling the bot.

"Before we get started... president!~" MC called in enthusiasm. "Would you please hand them their walkie-talkies?"

Tumayo rin agad si president at isa-isang binigay sa amin ang mga iyon. When it was placed on my arm chair, tinignan ko muna kung totoong walkie-talkie nga ba 'to. Who knows? There might be an implanted bomb inside and once we click on something...

"AHHHHH!"

Lahat ng mga ulo ay lumingon kung saan nanggaling 'yung ingay. Tama ba ako na may bomba nga? Were these only distractions? The student who just caused a noise was trembling. If I recall my memory correctly, this student caused a big impression for me as she's the one who claimed herself as the mastermind. Which obviously, isn't true.

With the kid's widened eyes, we were convinced something was definitely wrong. Walang lumapit sa kinauupuan niya, lumayo sila sa kaniya habang nag-aantay ng susunod na mangyayari. I can't seem to fathom what really is going on. Is it the walkie-talkie? I checked mine at wala naman akong nakikitang mali. Then binalik ko ulit ang atensyon ko sa kaniya.

Turns out, her walkie-talkie was different from the others.

It has red stains on it, maybe that's why I was smelling something fishy up until now. It could be real blood.

Tumayo si Prisoner 2 habang mahigpit na hawak-hawak ang walkie-talkie niya. Malalim siyang huminga bago humarap kay president.

"Seryoso ka ba?!"

Her sudden outburst surpised many of us, but I had already suspected it. Si president ang nagbigay ng mga iyon, malamang siya ang paghihinalaan at pag-iinitan. But I doubt she'd done it. There must be something that president can explain. May mga nagbubulungan, may iilan na naririnig ko na kumakampi kay president dahil ayaw nila kay prisoner 2.

Tinignan muna ni president ang kaharap niya mula sa kamay nito na may walkie-talkie at tinignan siya mata sa mata. "I don't know what you are talking about, darling. Care to share?"

Tinaas ni prisoner 2 ang kaniyang walkie-talkie. "This. Are you trying to take me down by giving me the broken item out of all the working ones?!"

"Ohh," there was a long pause after that. "Yeah. I did."