SCARLET 2: ALICE (Emerald Series)

5

CLYDE

"Pooh!"

I hugged him as tight as I could. Napasin kong kasama niya rin pala sila Piglet, Tiger, Eyor, Mr. Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo.

"Prince Clyde!" They all said. Pooh cried while hugging me. "We thought you forgot about us."

"Bakit naman?" I softly asked.

He wiped his tears. "Because you never visited us."

I furrowed my brows. "How will I visit you when I didn't even know that you survived?"

"Hm?" Pooh scratched his head and looked at Piglet. "Akala po namin ikaw ang nag-utos na iligtas kami? Nagising nalang po kami sa Light Forest inside a nice house and a note na nagsasabing iyon na ang aming bagong tahanan."

"Paano niyo naman nasabing sa akin galing ang sulat na 'yon?"

"The note is written on an expensive kind of paper. Only the royal family and other well-off people can afford to use that paper," sagot ni Mr. Rabbit. "So, we assumed it was you."

"At wala rin po si Ate Scarlet kaya inisip namin na baka kasama mo po siya," dugtong ni Piglet.

"Scarlet? Nagising kayo sa Light Forest na wala siya?" mahina kong tanong. They all nodded.

I'm not gonna lie. The moment I saw Pooh and the others, I had this big hope that Scarlet is somewhere here as well. But then again, if they're alive, then Scarlet must have survived too. I smiled at the thought.

"Clyde," singit ni Seth. "Si Alice. We have to go."

Nilingon ko sila Pooh. "Don't wander around here anymore. Promise me that you'll go to the Middle Village right away. May iilang manticores pa rin dito. It's not safe."

They all promised at umalis rin agad. Seth looked at me and asked, "Sino si Scarlet?"

"Hindi ka ba talaga updated sa nangyari dito sa Middle Kingdom?" Umiling siya. Tumingin ako sa langit. Dumidilim na ang langit. "Kilala mo naman siguro ang Dark Prince, 'no?"

Tumango siya. "Siya ang namumuno sa Dark Side dito noon. Hindi ba't namatay na siya noong war two years ago? Hindi ba't you were the one that led your army to victory?"

Tumayo ako at pinagpag na ang duming dumikit sa tuhod ko. "Alam mo bang may anak siya?"

Tahimik lang siyang nakikinig sa akin kaya't nagpatuloy ako. "She's Scarlet. Buong buhay niya hindi niya alam na anak pala siya ng Dark Prince. She's one of us. She trained with us against the Dark Side. Then, she found out the truth. This really broke her heart."

Seth looked down at his feet. Taimtim siyang nakikinig sa kwento. "Yung mga magulang na matagal niya nang hinahanap... masasamang tao pala. That war ended the reign of the Dark Side dito sa Dark Forest. But it also ended Scarlet's family."

"Tapos sumabog pa yung tinatago nilang black hole," mahinang sabi ni Seth. "I heard the explosion even if nasa North ako. Everyone was calling it a black hole, a portal made from black magic."

"And the explosions took Scarlet away." I looked away. This is the first time I talked about Scarlet to someone I just met.

We started running again. Naririnig ko na ang hampas ng alon sa dalampasigan. Malapit na kami.

"Is that a ship?" sigaw ni Seth pagkarating namin sa shore. From afar, I can see a ship with flags designed with the iconic skull sign. That's Captain Hook's ship!

ALICE

Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Click!

Finally! I never thought that I have the patience and strength to keep on pounding the lock using the heavy hammer I found in one of the barrels here. It worked!

Surprisingly, ngayon lang nagising ang mga bata. I opened the cage and asked them if they're okay. Walong bata ang nasa loob ng kulungan. I asked them if they know Peter Pan and they all rejoiced. So, I assumed sila ang tinutukoy ni Peter.

"Sundan niyo lang ako, okay?" I led them upstairs and went to the back of the ship. Sabi ni Tinkerbell, there's a small boat hanging at the back of the ship that we can use to escape.

I can't believe at what I'm doing right now. Kaninang umaga lang ay tumatakas ako sa maliit na castle where I stayed for two years. Ngayon, may tinatakas na akong mga bata from an evil pirate.

As soon as I push open a metal door kung saan sa tingin ko'y papunta ito ng deck, sinalubong kami ng tatlong lalaki. Uh oh.

"They're Captain Hook's crew!" sabi ng isang bata. It's obvious, they look like pirates with their bandanas and eye patches.

Tumingin ako sa paligid at nakita ang nakasabit na maliit na boat sa dulo ng deck. I didn't even think twice, binato ko sa isang crew ang hawak kong martilyo, hitting his head, and barreled myself towards the men para maitulak sila.

"Go to the boat!" I shouted at the kids. Agad naman silang sumunod at nakita kong isa-isa na silang sumasakay sa nakasabit na bangka. All I have to do is to cut the rope para bumaba ito sa tubig.

Tatakbo na sana ako papunta sa mga bata when a hand pulled back my hair. "Saan ka pupunta?!"

Nagpumiglas ako sa kapit ng isang lalaki sa buhok ko. "Aray!" I screamed.

Sinilip ko ang mga bata. It looks like they can cut the rope themselves. Lumingon sila sa akin at sumisigaw na lumaban.

"Just go!" I mouthed. "Go!"

It doesn't matter kung maiwan ako dito. They're just kids. Hindi sila pwedeng makuha ulit ng mga piratang ito.

The next thing I know is one of the guys slapped my face so hard, I lost consciousness.