A group of five men entered the shop while I was peacefully enjoying my hot coffee. Their clothing seems opulent, so I believe they are nyeve, or members of a wealthy family or clan. It is a sad fact that only the rich can get into this place.
I simply shook my head and watched the five men’s every move. I grinned slightly, knowing that if not all four would die, at least one would.
Nang makuha ang kani-kanilang order ay mabilis silang naghanap ng bakanteng lamesa na pang limang tao. Hindi ko pa rin inaalis ang tingin sa kanilang lima, bawat galaw nila ay walang takas sa paningin ko.
When I got the chance, I quickly pulled out the small knife and threw it into the hand of one of them. He was hit by a knife, so he moaned slightly. His companions turned to him worriedly.
“What happened? Jeff, what are you holding?” Nagtatakang tanong ng isa niyang kasama. The man they called Jeff was holding a little container containing poison. How do I know that it contains poison? Well, it had a very sweet and strong odor. I already smelled this before.
Jeff wandered his eyes around, perhaps looking for the blasphemer who had thrown a knife at him.
“It’s poison. Are you planning to poison us?” Another man asked as he looked at Jeff. In the blink of an eye, the four pulled out their respective guns and pointed them at Jeff. I felt sorry for what I saw.
Is violence really the answer to everything? When I heard a gunshot, I covered my ears. Because the coffee shop was filled with tinted glass, the loud sound of gunshots echoed. When I looked at them, I noticed that Jeff, who had appeared to be cheerful earlier, was no longer alive.
I observed a man approach their table and pull out the knife that had sunk into the table, which was made by me.
Nagpanggap akong hindi sila nakikita ngunit balewala rin dahil nag-uumpisa nang lumapit ang lalaki sa akin.
“I think it belongs to you,” inilapag niya ang maliit na kutsilyo sa lamesa ko. Napaangat ang tingin ko sa kanya
“Yeah, I guess,” saka ko ito kinuha para itago. Naramdaman ko ang mainit na muzzle ng baril na nakatutok sa sentido ko.
I saved the four of them and then this is how he will thank me?
Even though my hands were shaking, I was still able to pull out the gun Lei had given me. I don’t know, but every time someone was pointing a gun at me, I just started trembling in fear.
Ikinasa ko ito at itinutok sa kanya. Pareho kaming nagsusukatan ng tingin na para bang ang unang kumurap ay bigla nalang bubulagta. Hindi ko alam kung nananadya ba ang tadhana dahil para akong nakikipaglaro kay kamatayan.
Una niyang ibinaba ang baril at inilahad ang kamay sa harap ko.
“I’m Jack.” ang kaninang nakakatakot niyang mukha ay napalitan ng masaya at mapaglarong ekspresyon. Ibinaba ko ang baril at hindi tinanggap ang plano niyang pakikipag shake hands. Lumapit ako sa kanya upang sipain ang sikmura niya.
“What the!” he uttered.
“That’s for pointing a gun at me.” nakita ko siyang bahagyang napaluhod.
“My name is Snow Mayhen Polkerson,” lumakad ako paalis “Remember my name, since anyone who forgets it will definitely suffer.” Dagdag ko bago lisanin ang coffee shop.
**
My thoughts were torn between going up to the fifth floor and going down to look for Lei. It was already four o’clock in the evening when I checked the time.
A sudden curiosity lingers in me about what’s going on on the fifth floor, because I can hear people’s noises there from where I’m standing, like there was a party happening and they were all having fun. A minute had passed and I decided to go up to avoid boredom.
Pag-apak ko sa ika-limang palapag ay sumalubong saakin ang kapal ng mga tao. Amoy na amoy ko ang matapang na amoy ng alak. Bar siguro ito.
Sinimulan ko na ang paglalakad at nakipag siksikan sa kumpol ng mga tao, sa dulo nito ay puro baraha at iba pang bagay na ginagamit sa pagsusugal. Ano ba itong lugar na ito, nakakahilo dahil sa ilaw na sumasayaw.
May nakita akong daan papuntang rooftop kaya napagpasyahan kong pumunta roon para lumanghap ng sariwang hangin.
Paglabas na paglabas ko ay niyakap agad ako ng malamig na hangin, pumikit ako para mas lalong damhin ito. Para akong niyayakap ng kalikasan. Limang minuto rin akong nakapikit nang may marinig akong nagsasalita at sa wari ko ay may kausap ito sa kabilang linya.
Nagmulat ako ng mata at sinundan ang pinanggagalingan ng boses. Nagtago ako sa halaman na nakatayo at tiningnan ang lalaki, nakatalikod ito saakin kaya hindi ko nakikita ang kanyang mukha. Mula rito ay naririnig ko ang boses niya. May kausap siya sa cellphone.
[Fifty million for ten sachets] narinig kong sabi ng lalaki. Nanlaki ang mata ko. Drug pusher!
When I hit the nearby plant, which caused it to move, the man turned in my direction. He hung up on the other line and pulled out a gun. Great! Here we go again, playing with death.
When I noticed him coming in my direction, I held my breath and pushed myself even more into the plant to avoid being caught. I could clearly hear his footsteps coming closer to me. Tumunog ang kanyang cellphone, na ipinagpasalamat ko dahil huminto ito at tumalikod upang sagutin ang tawag, kaya naman mabilis akong lumabas sa pinagtataguan para umalis.
Hahakbang palang ako ay naramdaman ko na ang malamig na ulo ng baril sa sentido ko.
“Who are you?” He asked me
“Are you asking my n—”
“Are you spy?” he asked me again
“Of course not” I answered. I just went to the fifth floor out of curiosity, and then suddenly I became a spy? I now believe that curiosity can kill a cat.
“I think you hear every details of my transaction” napataas ang kilay ko, anong every details eh ang narinig ko nga lang ay iyong Limampung milyon at iyong sachet.
“No I didn’t. I only hear that you sell drugs” lakas loob kong sagot dito kahit any time ay pwede niya ako bawian ng buhay.
“What drugs?” Nagtatakang tanong niya. I faced him slowly, something I wish I had never done. I’m not familiar with him, but there’s something about him that can make you tremble in fear. Nararamdaman ko na ang panginginig ng buong katawan ko, mas lalo lang akong natakot dahil sa baril na ngayon ay nasa noo ko na.
“Are you afraid to die?” Tanong niya saakin. Walang kahit ano mang emosyon ang nababakas sa kanyang mukha.
“No, because I already died four years ago.” pagmamatapang ko kahit ano mang oras ay bibigay na ang tuhod ko. Muling may tumawag sa kanya at sinagot niya ito nang hindi pa rin inaalis ang baril sa noo ko, pati ang dalawang pares ng mata niya ay saakin nakatutok.
[Cancel all the transactions] sagot nito sa kabilang linya at pinatay na ang tawag. Ibinaba na niya ang baril kaya nakahinga ako ng maluwag.