Glory and Gore (Completed)

Chapter 27

TWENTY-SEVEN: The Turning Point

Blair

The next morning, we were all gathered on the first floor. Ayon kay Kaleon ay may importanteng sasabihin si Maru sa lahat. I sat beside Jem who was comfortable seated on the sofa.

"Hey, how was your sleep?" tanong niya nang malingunan ako sa tabi niya.

I smiled at him. "It was good naman," tipid kong sagot. "Ikaw?"

Nagkibit-balikat lang siya. "Natapos ko na 'yong War and Peace," mukhang proud na proud siya sa sarili niya.

Hindi ako maayos na nakatulog kagabi. Maru's words were carved inside my head. And my mind kept playing it over and over again. Hanggang sa tuluyan na akong nakatulog kakaiyak. But I felt okay when I woke up.

"Good for you," saad ko kay Jem.

Noon naman nagsalita si Maru. "Okay, mukhang nandito naman na ang lahat kaya magsimula na tayo," aniya na seryoso ang tono. "Halos ubos na ang mga prutas na nakuha namin sa kagubatan noong isang araw. At sigurado akong huling batch na iyon dahil matatagalan pa siguro bago muling mamunga ang mga puno na pinagkuhanan namin niyon. And this is a serious matter. There's a huge possibility that we have to not eat for a few days para ma-rasyon ang mga natitirang prutas."

Tahimik ang lahat pero bakas sa kanilang mga mukha ang pagkagulat at pagkadismaya sa sinabi ni Maru.

The day I was dreading for a long time had finally come. Tuluyan na kaming mauubusan ng pagkain. Matagal pa kaming maghihintay bago muling mamunga ang mga puno, ayon na rin kay Maru.

He continued, "So if you have any suggestions, now's the time to speak up."

Maru looked at the students in front of him, waiting for them to speak. Nabalot ng katahimikan ang paligid nang biglang magsalita si Kaleon, na nasa tabi ko pala.

"I-I..." nauutal na sabi niya. Inayos niya ang salamin sa mata at nagpatuloy. "I suggest that we go out there. I highly believe that there has to be something more beyond this forest. Hindi ako naniniwalang puro kagubatan lang ito. There has to be something out there. There has to be."

Nakatingin lang sa kanya si Maru, contemplating what Kaleon suggested. Some of my classmates nodded their head in agreement and some were still waiting for him to continue.

"Th-that's my suggestion," pagtatapos niya.

Dahan-dahang tumango si Maru. "You have a point, pare. But it's dangerous out there."

Si Jem naman ang nagsalita. "We have to take the risk if we don't want to die out here."

I found myself agreeing with what he said. Tama siya, it's better to take a risk than die here.

Napakamot si Maru sa ulo, frustration was evident on his face. Mabilis namang lumapit si Evangelyn sa tabi niya at kumapit sa braso. They were speaking to each other in silent. Maybe weighing things.

Tumayo si Ryan. "I want to go out there to search for foods," aniya na seryosong nakatingin kay Maru.

Tango lang ang isinagot ni Mary at tumingin muli sa amin. "It's decided then. Some of us will go and the others will be left here," saad niya. "Who wants to go with us?"

Nagtaas ng kamay si Jem. I had to come with them. Gusto kong makita ang mundo sa labas nitong malawak na kagubatan. Maaaring mahanap din namin ang kasagutan sa sa mga tanong na hindi namin magawang sagutin.