Opposite

Chapter 11

If it was being ready that will let the two get out of Plesingko, then they would rather always be ready. Handa at mas mabalis pa sa alas singko.

"Kung gayon, mabuti," ani Dukeh. "Gaya nga ng sabi ko, sa larong ito ay nakasalalay ang inyong buhay."

"W-what do you mean?" Harlow asked. "What's the game?"

"Ang larong ito ay tinatawag na "Bato-bato Pick A Part. Kung pamilyar kayo sa larong "Bato-bato Pick," ganoon din ito ngunit may kaunting kaibahan nga lang. Ang sinumang magwagi sa bawat nibel, ay may karapatang pumili ng parte ng katawan ng kaniyang kalaban na nais niyang ipanganib."

"ANO?" sigaw ng dalawa.

"Hindi pa ba klaro ang aking sinabi? Kung gayon, hayaan ninyo akong ipaliwanag nang mas maigi ang larong ito. Ang mga maaaring gamitin lamang ay bato, papel, at gunting. Ang matatalo ang magkakamit ng parusa, ngunit ang mananalo ang magbibigay ng parusa. Ang unang parte ng katawan na pumasok sa isipan ng nagwagi ay siyang magbibigay ng matinding problema sa natalo."

"What the hell," Tyson whispered.

"Hindi ko masyadong maintindihan, bakit kailangang may masaktan?"

Dukeh smiled. "Sa bilang na tatlo, mag-uumpisa na ang lahat."

One.

Two.

And in count of three... the walls started to change their formation once again. The place was tight already, saktong-sakto sa kanilang tatlo. There was a barrier between Harlow and Tyson. The fence was painted black. There was a spotlight focused on the two.

There were hard breathings as the time slowly moved. Then, Dukeh started talking again.

"Bibilang ako hangggang tatlo para sa ikaunang yugto, ngunit paalala lang: bato, papel, at gunting lamang ang maaaring gamitin. Isa pa, kapag nakabilang na ako hanggang tatlo, maaari na ninyong banggitin ang mga salitang 'bato-bato pick."

The two didn't talk or even nodded. They were so nervous, not only for themselves but for each other.

"Isa... Dalawa... Tatlo..."

"Bato-bato pick!"

Harlow's heart almost jumped as soon as she saw the result. She gave paper, and Tyson gave a rock, which means, she won for the first round.

"Ouch!" Tyson cried as he held his shoulder.

"Sorry, Tyson!" Harlow said. "Balikat mo ang unang pumasok sa isip ko, sorry."

"No, it's okay. It's part of the game."

"Humanda na para sa ikalawang nibel," Dukeh said.

"Seriously you're gonna continue this s**t, f*****g game? Okay lang sa'yo 'to? Na sa bawat level ng game, may nasasaktan? Are you damn serious?"

"Harlow, stop it," Tyson said, still holding his shoulder.

"No. Hindi kasi okay 'to. We don't have any knowledge about you and about all of these, Dukeh. Really, why are you doing this? For us to experience hardships? Oh, c'mon!" Harlow laughed. "Just tell us the truth and your real purpose."

"Hindi pa ba sapat ang mga sinabi ko sa iyo, sa inyo? Ang pagtanggap lamang at paggawa sa mga larong ibinibigay ko sa inyo ang magiging daan upang kayo'y makalabas sa Plesingko."

"We don't even know why we're here at kung paano kami napadpad dito! Kung ikaw ang dahilan doon, para mo lang ginagawang tanga ang sarili mo. Pinunta mo kami rito para ano? Para sabayan 'yang mga pauso mo? 'Yang mga walang kuwenta mong palaro?"

"Harlow, enough."

"Sabihin mo lang sa akin kung ayaw mo nang tanggapin ang mga laro upang makulong ka na rito habambuhay."

Napalunok si Harlow. She didn't want to accept the games but she didn't want to be stucked in here forever as well. May mga pangarap pa siya sa buhay. May mga gusto pa siyang marating. Maraming damit pa siyang gustong bilhin. At higit sa lahat, maraming oras pa siyang gustong ilaan kasama ang mga magulang niya.

Though she really wanted to quit, she just agreed to continue playing. She fixed her posture and took a deep breath before Dukeh could speak again.

"Ngayon, dumako na tayo sa ikalawang nibel. Sa bilang na tatlo, isa... dalawa... tatlo!"

"Bato-bato pick!"

"Ouch!" Harlow screamed as she held her breasts.

Tyson gave a scissor, Harlow on the other hand, gave a paper which resulted to her defeat. It was about seconds when she screamed, but she was holding her boobs still. When the pain had already stopped, Harlow looked badly at Tyson.

"So you thought of my breast first?"

"Uhm, sorry?"

"Napakamanyak mo! Ipinagtanggol pa man din kita kanina kasi nasaktan ka tapos..."

"Harlow, look, I didn't mean it. B-basta na lang pumasok sa-"

"That's it. Unang pumasok sa isip mo kasi 'yon siguro talaga ang laman ng isip mo. Bastos ka."

"Tapos na ba kayo?"

Harlow stared at Dukeh, pissed-off. Pakiramdam niya ay nabawasan ang p********e niya kay Tyson, at dumagdag pa itong si Dukeh na laging nang-aagaw ng eksena. Though she glared at him, wala pa ring ipinakitang ibang emosyon ito. As usual, naka-pokerface lang siya.

Then, she looked at Tyson. Mukha itong natatawa na ewan. Perhaps he was happy with his winning, but felt sad about her. Hindi niya alam, kasi mismo siya ay hindi niya mabasa.

"Ikatlong nibel," bigkas ni Dukeh. "Isa... Dalawa... Tatlo!"

"Bato-bato pick!"

"Aba, matindi," Dukeh said. "Sa pagkakataong ito ay pareho kayo ng inilatag na panlaban. Maari lamang na maghanda kayong muli dahil ating uulitin ang nibel na ito. Sa bilang na tatlo... isa... dalawa... tatlo!"

"Bato-bato pick!"

"Ouch!"

"Did your butt hurt?" Harlow laughed.

Tyson was still crying of pain as he was holding his butt, while Harlow was just laughing out loud. Sa pangalawang pagkakataon, natalo niya si Tyson. She gave a rock, while Tyson gave a scissor.

The game continued and the same mechanic continued as well to flow. There were times na ginagawa na lamang nilang kalokohan ang laro upang hindi masyadong masaktan ang bawat isa. They were controlling their minds not to think of each other's heart, brain, or any sensitive parts of their bodies. Kapag nagkataon, mahihirapan talaga sila sa sobrang sakit.

They were not enjoying the game actually because every time that someone loses, there was a hurt. But this was the systems of the game, they couldn't do anything about it so they just looked for ways to regale.

Many levels had passed and they reached the final level which is the level fifteen. Both scored seven points. Dahil sa rami ng nibel, nahirapan na sila't nanakit na ang kanilang buong katawan. They were almost to give up but still wanted to figh for the last round.

"Bago natin simulan ang huling nibel ng larong ito, nais ko lamang ipabatid sa inyo na kung sinumang manalo sa patumpalak na ito ay tatanggap ng sampung tokens. Ang matatalo naman ay tatanggap ng kaparusahan," sambit ni Dukeh. "Handa na ba kayo?"

No one of the two responsed, they took a deep breath instead and faced each other, fiercely.

"Para sa ikahuling nibel. Sa bilang na tatlo... isa... dalawa... tatlo!"

"Bato-bato pick!"

"Ooooooouch!" Tyson cried as he was holding his head.

"T-teka..." Harlow stuttered. "I d-didn't think of his head! Dukeh, ano ba 'to?"

Tyson continued crying and holding his head habang tarantang-taranta si Harlow. The pain was severe that he couldn't fight for it anymore. Maaari niyang ikamatay ito, ngunit patuloy siya sa paglaban.

"Dukeh!" Harlow shouted. "I thought of his arm not his head! Who are you fooling?"

Harlow was about to punch Dukeh when he suddenly disappeared, thus, she went to Tyson and helped him, comforted him.

Unti-unti nang humiga si Tyson habang hawak pa rin ang ulo niya. Habang tumatakbo ang oras ay humihina rin ang hagulgol niya, hanggang sa tuluyan na itong hindi marinig.

'Di makabasag-pinggan.

"Tyson!" Harlow shouted as she hugged him and felt his heartbeat. But, everything around her seemed to stop moving when he couldn't hear his heart beating. He wasn't breathing anymore.

Harlow cried a river. She did everything to find Dukeh. She shouted, cried, but no one was listening to her. How could she rescue Tyson? Kapag huli na ang lahat?

Minutes after, Dukeh appeared in front of her, still holding his face like rock emotions.

"Tanggapin mo ang iyong gantimpala," sambit niya sabay abot ng sampung tokens kay Harlow.

"Aanhin ko 'yang mga token na 'yon kung hindi ko makakasama 'tong lalaking 'to sa paglabas?"

Dukeh didn't respond.

"Ngayon mo sabihin sa'kin ang halaga niyan, Dukeh! At itong si Tyson, anong ginawa mo sa kaniya? Why is that I can't hear his heartbeat anymore?" she cried.

No response.

"Bakit ayaw mong sagutin? Napipi ka na ba? Ano?"

Harlow looked at Tyson again, still holding him in his heart, hoping it could beat again. She didn't exactly know this man, but she cared about him. Dala-dala niya ang pighati kasabay ng galit niya kay Dukeh.

She looked up to Dukeh, stared at him sharply. Her eyes spoke to him, expecting he would answer the second time around. Gladly, he opened his mouth and started to speak.

"Patay na siya."