Game Of Life: Volume 3

6. A trap

|| Sage ||

The train is awfully quiet. I have a bitter taste in my mouth despite the sweet lollipop that I'm eating.

Kaaalis ko lang sa district ni Sherlock. Funny how we went there with the three of us, and I left all alone.

I took a glance at the fat hamster sitting on my shoulder. He's still not talking to me.

Malalim akong napabuntong-hininga at sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa bintana. I stared at the ceiling, the train continued moving. Pawala-wala ang liwanag dahil sa mga posteng nadaraanan ng tren na nahaharangan ang sinag ng araw. It's sunset.

While staring, a face suddenly appeared in my mind.

Wala sa sariling napaayos ako ng upo. My chest is heavy for some reason. 

Because she appeared in my mind, now I can't take her off of it. Napayuko ako, napakagat sa ibabang labi at sumara ang kamao.

This. . . is for the best.

I was taken aback when the train suddenly stopped. Umangat ang ulo ko, hindi ko napansin na nandito na 'ko sa susunod na district-

Natigilan ako nang dumeretso ang tingin ko, sa bintana mismo na katapat ko. The train stopped. . . but we're not in the next station yet. It just stopped. 

I stood up, taking a better look outside.

It's actually a station. . . but not the common one we see. This is just a short one. Saktong isang pintuan lang ng tren ang katapat nito bilang babaan, ang pintuan na malapit pa sa akin.

The door opened, I stepped outside. Lumibot ang tingin ko sa paligid.

"Is this the next district?" I asked, confused.

The fat hamster didn't looked at me as he answer, "I don't know-ya. But I know that this is a district-ya."

Hindi rin siya sigurado. Since it came to that, I have no choice but to check it myself.

It's not a close station, so as soon as I walked a meter, I can already see the whole district.

Nakagat ko ang candy ng lollipop nang makita ko ang paligid. Humampas ang hangin.

"This is. . ."

Pink and blue trees, huge rock formations, the grasses are either dark pink or green. It smells jelly beans.

Now I feel like I'm literally inside a game. This setting, it's an RPG game. 

Umalis ako sa istasyon, inililibot ang tingin sa paligid. 

What district is this?

Nakarinig ako ng pagtalbog sa hindi kalayuan. Dahilan para malipat dito ang tingin ko. Naningkit ang mga mata ko nang makakita ng iilang bilog na iba-iba ang kulay na tumatalbog. 

They're soft, squishy, like a jelly. They're slimes. A low-level type of monster commonly seen in adventure RPG games.

Kid will definitely find them amusing-

I stopped when I realized what I was thinking. Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa mga slimes.

That came out of nowhere.

Inalis ko ang nasa isip ko ang tinuon ko sa iba ang atensyon ko. I familiarize myself with the surroundings, with the details, while counting my time here at the same time.

"Hey, what is this place?" I asked the fat hamster. Unang beses na umangat ang tingin niya sa paligid, pero ilang segundo lang bago bumaba ito ulit.

"Not in my data, hindi kita balak dalhin dito-ya."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. Then it's not recorded? Then what is this place for?

I wanted to ask more, but seeing this pet's expression is stopping me. Nakababa ang matataba niyang pisngi, nagtutubig ang mga mata, at nakabagsak ang maliliit at matatabang balikat.

I sighed. "How long are you going to be like that? Be a coach, do your job," giit ko.

Hindi siya nakasagot kaagad. Nahinto ako nang lumabas ang mga salita sa bibig niya.

"I hate you. . . Sage-ya." He's sobbing.

My eyes went in front as I walk.

"Yeah. . . I hate myself too." There is it again, the bitter taste in my mouth.

I tried making my mind occupied as I walk, trying to think of a different thing. But it looks like I didn't need to do it when something caught my attention. 

Naging alerto ako, pinakiramdaman ang paligid ko. 

Someone is watching me, following me.

At hindi niya 'to tinatago. Rinig ang paggalaw ng damo at ang pag-apak niya sa mga dahon.

"A player!" I heard a voice. A voice like a boy, little, but not so little like a little kid. Like he's in his early teens.

"It's been so long since a player came here!" Another voice said. Nagkasalubong na ang dalawang kilay ko, nakatingin sa gilid ko habang naglalakad. This time, it's a voice of a girl.

They're following me.

They must've-

Hindi ko na naapak pa ang paa ko nang may tumambad sa 'king crystal. A glowing mint crystal that appeared out of nowhere. There I heard a crack at my back and both of my sides as well. Nagsiangatan sa lupa ang kristal na kapareho sa harapan ko.

There may have spaces left that I can go through, but it's obvious that they're trying to trap me— if someone consider this a trap.

Umikot na ang tingin ko, sinusubukang hanapin ang sumusunod sa akin.

"A player. . ." I was caught off guard when a heard a third voice. This time, it's definitely not some kid. His voice is huge and deep, like a big man.

"Who are you? NPCs? Show yourselves," sunod-sunod na ani ko, hinahanap sila.

"You fell into a trap! And now, you won't be able to go back! This is an exceptional district!" the girl said.

Pinakita kong kalmado ako, tanging ang mga mata ko lang ang umiikot, nakatayo pa rin ako nang tuwid at nasa bulsa and dalawang kamay. I took out the stick on my mouth, wala na ang candy.

Hmm, is this some kind of trick game?

Umangat ang tingin ko. "Then tell me, who's the game general of this place?" I asked. There was a sudden silence, hindi sila nakasagot.

Of course they won't be able to answer. Because there's no game general.

If walang info rito ang coach na dapat gumabay sa 'min sa laro, ang ibig sabihin lang ay hindi ito parte ng laro mismo. And that means, there's no Game General here.

"H-He knew?"

"He caught us! What should we do?"

I sighed, hearing them panic like little kids. "I don't have time to waste here, I've been through this before. Give me the challenge, and we're done. I'm leaving here."

Muling nagkaroon ng sandaling katahimikan. Natigilan ako. I'm still not seeing them, but I can feel their stares at me, looking down with grin on their faces.

As if they were defeated a second ago, and now, they got me. I can feel them laughing at my face.

"Ha! No, you won't be leaving here!"

I was taken aback, for a second, I lost my composure. Huh?

"You can't leave if you you lose! And you can't take our challenge!"

"It hasn't started yet, but you already lost! Our challenge is for a team! And you don't have one— you're a one-man player!"

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