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Chapter five

COURAGE

I was only seven years old back then when I received that teddy bear.
Nakatayo kaming tatlo; si mom, dad, and me; habang kinakanta nila saakin ang birthday song na halos mabaliw na ako karirinig nito kada taon.

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!" as they slowly clap, the more my vision gets blurry. Apparently, I was too small for a 7-year-old that I couldn't see both of my parents' jolly faces that I missed. Wait- What are you missing, Courage? You lost both of your parents when you were still a kid. You can't even remember your parents' name.

Unfortunately, tito told me that I grew up to be a forgetful kid. I somehow remember tito telling me their names and I happened to forget it after an hour. However, I may be a forgetful kid, that was the moment that couldn't get rid of my mind. Why? Because that was also the day I lost both of my parents.

"Oh anak, dahil birthday mo, eto." Binigyan ako ni dad ng isang parihabang box na naglalaman ng magaan na kung ano. Actually, disappointed ako no'ng natanggap ko 'yon, judging by its weight, akala ko one of his pranks nanaman. 'Cause everyone knows my dad's a joker. And he used to always gift mom empty presents.

Little Courage did not immediately open the gift dad gave her. As far as my memory has shown, my mother gave her gift before the actual gift openings. But... my mind seems to refuse to remember such memory. It just went up skip to the time I had already opened dad's gift- the teddy bear- which; I named ETA.

I loved ETA, I've always carried it as a kid, always by my side whenever my dad is away due to his work. The teddy has witnessed every pain and cry I did as a kid and the last time it saw me shed tears was when the day they succumbed.

How... how did MC find it? I know I lost it since... I do not remember.
Speaking of the devil, there was a small monitor that looks like a mini version of the screen downstairs. It was located in front of my bed a few inches away.

In my surprise, MC appeared on the screen with its usual presence and posture. It definitely was less intimidating to see since MC's in a smaller screen.

"Yay! Congratulations to the five prisoners who made it in time figuring out the passcode! Each prisoner will receive one INT Point, progressing to the top of the Daily Rankings list!~"
Nagbago ang screen at pinakita nga ang listahan.

DAILY RANKINGS
1. Prisoner 6, 7, 8, 12 & 15.
2. Prisoner 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 13 & 14.

One INT Point for us who deciphered the code, malaking bagay na ang isang point na 'yon- para less hassle at mas madaling makalaya. If I hadn't done it, malamang zero points pa rin ako at bababa ang loob ko, ayaw kong mangyari 'yon. That's what I thought.

"As a gift, I will be giving Free Time for prisoners! We will be starting our classes within 30 minutes. Don't forget to wear your uniform already placed inside your own closets!" Just like earlier, may timer nanaman sa screen. That's pressuring, you know?

Seconds after my flashback ends and after MC gave us a free time, another flashback has occurred, making me bleary sit on the bed beside ETA.

I was playing with ETA, my dad on the background, he's on the telephone.

"Siya po ito, bakit?"

"Ah, SPO2 Layla! Pasensiya, at, kagigising ko lang. Wala pa ako sa tamang wisyo at nagpuyat ako para sa handa ng anak ko."

"Haha, Salamat."

"Anak mo ba 'yon? Ilang taon na?"

"Pito? Oh, kasing edad lang siya ng anak ko, e. Haha! Saan 'yan nag-aaral? Ahh, gano'n pala. Mabuti at nabihasa mag-Tagalog 'yan?"