BABYSITTING A GENIUS

Chapter 26

Cole's POV

Bigla kong narinig na parang may umiiyak at sumisigaw dun sa parang abandunadong warehouse downhill na nakikita ko mula rito sa bintana ng kwarto. I tried opening some windows and doors simula pa kanina but there's no use. I'm trapped in here.

"Tulong! Tulungan nyo ko!. Palabasahin nyo ko rito!. Coleen! Ate Abby!. Ate Sela!. If this is a joke, it's not funny!. Please! Let me out!. Come on guys, just please open this goddamn door!. Coleen!." Sigaw ko.

..

Coleen's POV

"Your 15 seconds is done. Now, let me choose our next player." sabi ni Alex na parang tuwang tuwa pa habang bumubunot ng pangalan sa bowl.

"Belle. You know the rules." Sabi pa ni Alex sabay lapit dun sa lalagyan ng puchang toys nya tsk. Halatang takot at kinakabahan si Belle. While ate Sela looks like she's in total shock kasi di na siya nagsasalita. Si Ate Abby naman parang sasabog na sa sobrang galit.

SILENCE

"Hmm nahihirapan ka ring magdecide like your beloved cousin?. Don't worry, you have considerations too." Sabi ni Alex. She's now reviewing the paper na binasaya niya kanina.

Napayuko nalang si Belle.

"Based on your records here you're an academic achiever, your parents must be really proud of you. Kaso pano yan? Malalaman na nila soon, well not just them but the whole school about what you did to your former classmate Jamie." Sabi ni Alex.

"Belle--" Gulat na sabi ni Laney sa pinsan niya.

"I-I--" Sabi ni Belle, still not sure what to say.

"Sa mga di nakakaalam ng kwento, don't worry. Mommy's still up for storytelling. And it goes this way. Ricin made from castor beans. Ingested or inhaled, it causes organ failure and respiratory problems which follows death in just few hours. Her friend Yssa found out that it was you, so you decided to kill her as well by pushing her down the stairs. That's a pretty smart move I might say. The sad part is you didn't witness or experience the pleasure of seeing your enemy slowly dying, suffering with his blood running out each second. And I want to punish you for that. Now choose, it's either I cut a finger from your hands with this grass cutter or I'll cut somebody else's finger?. But here's the catch, if none of them comes up with a word based on my terms in 30 seconds, goodbye to one of your fingers. So, may choice sila. Kung walang sasagot sa kanila ibig sabihin nagkaisa silang lahat na isakripisyo ka. Pero kung may sumagot kahit isa, then all of them have to come up with an answer too. The one who failed to answer will take your place." Sabi ni Alex, wari ba'y nasa isang gameshow kami. Ang kaibahan nga lang is kami yung pinaglalaruan.

Sana pinatay niya nalang kami ng diretso kaysa maghirap kami ng ganito.

"Again, in 30 seconds give me an english ten-letter word. Timer starts now."

In the first few seconds walang gustong magsalita. I looked at Belle at nakita ko that she felt betrayed so I spoke the first word making everyone else's lives at risk.

"Lightyears."

Nagulat sina Mommy at Laney dahil sa ginawa ko.

I'm worried because mom seemed like she's having a hard time thinking. But I know she can do it.

"15 seconds left." Sabi ni Alex kaya lalong napressure ang dalawa, lalong lalo na si Laney.

10

9

8

"Kickboxing." Sabi ni Ate Sela.

7

6

5

Pakiramdam ko di na ata ako humihinga.

4

"Embezzling." Mom finally said kaya nakahinga na rin ako.

3

2

"Lumberjack." Nakayukong sagot ni Laney.

I can literally feel the heat and tension between Laney and Belle. The hatred, the betrayal. But none of us have any choice. Tears from Belle's eyes seemed unstoppable.

This is what Alex wants.

"Belle, choose your least favorite finger." Sabi ni Alex habang hawak hawak ang grass cutter with a smile on her freakin' face tsk.

..

Cole's POV

I was losing hope nang biglang may kumatok sa pinto.

"Cole, anak. Are you there?."

Para akong nabuhayan ng loob. I know marami kaming di pagkakaintindihan dati ni Dad but now parang ang saya saya ko na marinig man lang ang boses niya. Saka, tinawag niya na rin akong anak.

"D-dad?. Is that really you?."

"Oo. I'm here now. Don't worry." Sabi niya at finally nabuksan na nga ang pinto. Niyakap ko nalang siya ng sobrang higpit at kumawala rin agad.

"Tara na, bago pa sila makabalik rito." Sabi nito sabay sara ng pinto na para bang nasa loob pa rin ako.

Later on pinaliwanag sakin ni Daddy na kinidnap pala ako ng mga terorista at totoo ngang si Mommy ang lider nila.

Pasakay nako ng kotse kasama ang ibang mga otoridad dito sa labas ng kuta nang bigla kong naalala sina Coleen tsk.

"Your friends will be fine. Tyumityempo pa ang mga pulis at sundalo sa pag-atake. Maraming bantay sa labas ng warehouse kung san sila naroroon. Officer Trinidad which is now one of the hostages is wearing a tracking device the whole time." sabi ni Daddy, kaya ayun pinilit ko nalang pumasok sa sasakyan kahit gusto ko mang sumugod dun para iligtas sila.

..

Sela's POV

I could shut my eyes so I wouldn't see anybody else suffer, but unfortunately I couldn't do that with my eyes. She cried out of pain. Kailan pa ba to matatapos?. Ayoko na ditooooo. I'm not supposed to be here.

Just think of happy thoughts Sela, just think of happy thou--

Napasigaw nalang ako nang maramdaman at makitang gumulong ang kamay ni Belle sa paa ko.

Umiiyak parin si Belle sa pagkawala ng right ring finger niya.

"So, who's ready for the next game?." Ngiti ng demonyitang si Alex Dee tsk.