✔The Knight's Madness

VIGINTI SEPTEM

"The next match will be tomorrow night. Nakolekta na rin ng treasury department natin ang admission fees ng audience. Have you seen that good for nothing referee you hired?" 

Nica was pulled out of her thoughts when her aunt stopped in front of her. Sinubukan siyang abutan ni Doc ng tequila pero hindi pa rin nawawala ang isktriktong ekspresyon sa mukha ng sekretarya. Kahit yata isang galon ng alak pa siguro ang ialok sa kanya ni Dr. Smiley, hindi nito mapapawala ang simangot niya.

'Sometimes I wonder why she seems delighted to make my life a living hell,' Nica thought and fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Baka umuwi na 'yon. I'm not that guy's babysitter, you know..."

"You should still be keeping an eye on him. Magugulo ang schedule natin kapag namatay ang isang 'yon. Kung mamamatay siya, dapat ipa-schedule niya. Understood?"

"Yeah, sure."

Fuck schedules. Who needs them, anyway?

Sa totoo lang, wala naman talaga siyang pakialam kung anong mangyari sa lalaking 'yon. In fact, the only benefit she gets from him being alive is that it saves her the hassle to find a replacement. Ang hassle kayang maghanap ng tangang tatanggap sa alok nila kahit pa sabihing malaki ang sahod.

'What's the use of all that money when you can't take it to your grave?'

As far as she knows, wala namang entrance fee sa langit.

Nang makaalis na ang tita niya, huminga nang malalim si Nica at nilagok ang baso ng alak. The serial killer behind the counter smiled at her. "Pagpasensyahan mo na lang ang tiyahin mo... Alam mo namang siya lahat ang nag-aasikaso rito. She's having a rough time, too."

"But that doesn't give her the right to boss everyone around and treat me like a child! Ugh. Minsan talaga, nakakasawa na."

"Alam mo kung anong mas nakakasawa?" A voice from behind her spoke. Napairap na lang si Nica nang makilala ito. 'Oh, please... Not her again.'

"Ikaw! Hahahaha!"

Nang tumalon at pumwesto si Felina Feline sa katabi niyang stool, alam niyang wala na siyang kawala sa bruhang ito. The hybrid smiled wickedly at her, her tail swishing impatiently as she waited for Doc to prepare her usual drink (with milk).

"I heard The Phantom and Flesh Eater almost killed each other in the hallway yesterday. Hindi na ako magugulat kung bukas nila ilalabas ang galit nila sa isa't isa. Meow! You might need to prepare an extra coffin or two."

Sandaling napahinto sa kanyang ginagawa si Doc. "The Phantom? Hindi ba't siya yung may telekinesis? I heard he even wiped out an entire village in his rage last year...just because he didn't like the scenery."

"Yup! That's the one," Felina grinned with razor-sharp teeth. "Killers kill for lesser things, anyway."

Nica almost shivered at the thought of those two killers clashing. Bibihira niyang makita ang iba pang participants ng EKT, pero habang tumatagal, napapansin niyang lalong nagkakaroon ng tensyon sa pagitan nila. Hindi niya alam kung dahil ba ito sa ipinangako sa kanilang premyo o dahil sa natural instincts nila bilang mga mamamatay-tao.

'They're killers...there's nothing more to them. Pare-pareho lang silang uhaw sa atensyon at dugo.'

Kahit na minsan, gustong isipin ni Nica na hindi ito totoo.

Maya-maya pa, tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. Agad niyang sinagot ang tawag ng isa sa kanilang mga tauhan.

"Tapos na ba kayo?"

["Wala siya rito sa bahay nila, Miss Nica. Wala ring bakas dito ang imortal na 'yon. But we've already knocked out her aunt in her bedroom. She's unconscious now... Anong gagawin namin sa kanya?"]