Chapter 19: The Last Words
"Good terms with a Black, huh?"
NAPATINGIN AKO sa taong nagsasalita. His serious face plastered. I just stared at him for a while. Pero ilang saglit ay hindi ko siya sinagot bagkus ay ibinalik ko nalang ang paningin sa harap.
Naramdaman kong lumapit siya sa akin at umupo sa tabi ko.
"Nag-uusap kayo ng Black na iyon?" seryosong tanong ni Josh, without looking at me. May nahihimigan akong kakaiba sa tanong niyang iyon—or it's just me.
"Yeah. I think wala namang masama." prenteng sagot ko, maintaining my glance in front.
For me, nothing's wrong having a conversation to a person who was considered as your opponent. Hindi naman talaga kami magkalaban dapat, eh. Hindi namin kagustuhan ang maparito—I guess. At hindi namin gusto ang larong ito.
I heard him chuckled and I saw from my peripheral vision that he brushed his long hair. "And it's sad to think that one of us will die, two days from now." sabi niya kaya seryosong napatingin ako sa kanya.
He is referring to Joaquin. They are both a King. At para matatapos ang laro, kailangan may isa sa kanila ang mamamatay.
Hindi ko alam kung makakaya ko bang tingnan ang mga dugong dadanak sa lupa at mga katawang wala nang mga buhay.
Kung matatalo kami, ibig sabihin, patay na si Josh. Kung mananalo naman kami, ibig sabihin, patay na si Joaquin. At ni isa ay wala akong mapili.
I don't know if I'm ready to see one of their dead body.
"Alam mo, Bella. Sa totoo lang takot na takot na ako ngayon." sabi niya. Nakatingin pa rin siya sa harapan na animoy nandoon ako. "Being a King means your life is critical. Ikaw ang punterya ng mga kalaban. At hindi ko alam kung magagawa ko bang lalaban o mamatay akong hindi magagamit ang sandata ko."
"'Wag mong sabihin 'yan." sabi ko agad sabay hawak sa balikat niya. Bakas sa boses niya ang pagkabahala.
He looked at me seriously. "Kung may chance kang patayin ang King nila, magagawa mo ba?"
Ilang segundo akong napatitig sa kan'ya. Parang biglang may bumabara sa lalamunan ko dahil sa tanong niya.
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang isasagot. Hindi ko alam kung magagawa ko bang patayin si Joaquin. Ni minsan ay hindi iyan sumagi sa isipan ko.
"I-I don't know..." mahinang sagot ko sabay buntong hininga. I really don't know.
"That's one of the reason why you should not be attached to the Blacks—especially to him." seryosong sabi niya. "In this battle, dapat hindi sisibol ang emosyon mo para walang sagabal. At para rin hindi gaanong masakit kapag may mamamatay."
Napayuko ako sa sinabi niya. He's right. But I think it's easy to say but hard to do. Knowing me, mabilis akong ma-attached sa isang tao lalong-lalo na kung naging mabait ito sa 'yo. Hindi ako pusong bato.
"Bella, you should promise me one thing..." biglang sabi niya kaya napabalik ang tingin ko sa kanya. "Please be alive until the game ends because I'll also do my best to survive, to win the game."
Napatitig ako sa kanya. His words seems to have an other meaning. He's so sure about what he said. Pero bigla akong nanlumo.
"Hindi ko yata mapapangako iyan—"
"Please..." his voice is begging causing me to stop. He suddenly held both of my hands and caressed it. I can feel sincerity in his eyes.
I heaved a sigh and just nodded my head and I saw a hint of hope in his eyes. Pero mukhang hindi ko talaga magagawa ang sinasabi niya. I just nod for him to stop begging. I hate promises. Promises are meant to be broken especially to this game.
BINABASA MO ANG
THE CHESS GAME (Completed)
ActionHave you ever thought that a simple board game will turn out to be bloody? Witness a real-life battle of pieces in a game called Chess. Shah City has this fearful tradition. Once every ten years, 16 people of each community; the Black and White comm...
