No Way Out

Chapter 2: Timer

Chapter 2: Timer

Celestria's P.O.V.

Ano ba kasi ang nangyayari? Panic tightened its icy grip around my chest. I tried to piece together the events that led me here, to this… place. Wherever it was. But my mind was a blank slate. How have I gotten here? I strained, pushing against the fog in my memory, but it was no use. Nothing. That’s weird.

I ran my hand down the familiar rough fabric of my maroon school uniform. We were all wearing them. That was… something, at least. A clue? The last thing I clearly remembered was being at school. Could we have been snatched right off the campus? Abducted? And boom! Dito ang bagsak namin.

My eyes scanned the room, taking in the details. Cold, concrete walls. Dim, flickering fluorescent lights overhead. A long metal table laden with… food? Fried chicken, rice, some kind of watery-looking soup. It felt surreal, almost staged.

My fingers brushed against the plastic name tag pinned to my chest. "Player Number 4." That's what it read, along with my name, Celestria. Player? What game were we playing? I didn't know kung anong pakulo ‘to, pero it’s something strange and I don’t like it. A knot of unease tightened in my stomach. Masama ang kutob ko rito. This felt wrong in a way I couldn't quite articulate.

"Oh, heto manok gusto mo?" Reixel's voice cut through my anxious thoughts. She shoved a piece of fried chicken towards me, her usual boisterous energy surprisingly intact considering our circumstances.

I automatically took it, the scent of greasy chicken momentarily distracting me. I took a bite. It was… surprisingly good. Kahit kailan talaga ang ingay-ingay ng babaeng ito, I thought, stealing a glance at Honey who sat opposite me, silently picking at her rice. Honey was always the quiet one. She’d only speak when she had something important to say, or when Reixel was teasing her… which was often.

Reixel was a whirlwind of chatter and boundless enthusiasm, perfect for her role as the campus journalist. Honey, on the other hand, was the mysterious type. Always observant, always calculating. She knows a lot of things. Matalino rin siya. She’s not wearing any glasses, unusual for her. Her shoulder-length hair was neatly pinned back, revealing the sharp angles of her face.

"I think nag-meet na tayo noon," a voice interrupted my observations. It was French, speaking to Kazianna across the table.

"Where?" Kazianna's voice was bright, laced with curiosity. She was one of the popular girls at school, known for her infectious smile and friendly nature.

"’Diba ikaw ‘yung secretary ng music club?" Reixel blurted out, stealing French's thunder with her usual lack of tact.

"Yeah you’re right. Paano mo nalaman?" Kazianna looked genuinely surprised.

Napasimangot naman si French dahil sa pagsabat ni Reixel sa usapan nila dalawa. He seemed annoyed that Reixel had interrupted his attempt to connect with Kazianna.

"Reixel, let people have their moment," I chided gently, trying to ease the tension. "So, Kazianna, do you remember French?"

Kazianna smiled, a little apologetically at French. "I think so. You helped us set up the sound system for the Christmas concert, right?"

French's face brightened. "That's right! I remember you now. You were really organized."

"Well, someone had to be," Kazianna laughed, a light, tinkling sound that seemed strangely out of place in our current situation.

I chewed on my chicken, watching them. A strange mix of familiarity and unease washed over me. We were all here, together, thrown into this… what? Game? Test? Some kind of twisted social experiment? Whatever it was, I had a feeling things were about to get much, much worse.