Chapter 15: The Worst Birthday (Countdown)

Nagising ako dahil sa mahinang tapik sa pisngi ko. When I slowly opened my eyes, I saw Khael smiling at me.

"Wake up Special A. Kailangan pa nating mag-isip ng paraan upang makaalis dito", he said and the situation that we are right now finally processed in my mind. Nasa isang may kadilimang lugar kami, tied tightly and totally weary.

And how the hell could Khael afford to smile after everything?! Putok ang gilid ng labi niya at bahagyang dumudugo. His upper brow was also bleeding at puro pasa ang mukha niya. Like me, he was also tied up to the bones. Marami pa siyang pasa sa braso! Pati nga paa niya ay iginapos! Tsk, natakot ba si Lowie kay Khael kaya sobra-sobra ang ginamit niyang lubid para dito? I doubt if he can hardly move in such state! How could they do this to Khael!

For the first time after Dad's death ay hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. I felt the hot liquids running down to my cheeks like a river. Mukhang marami na ngang naipon na luha ang tear ducts ko at ngayon ay umaapaw na ito.

"Don't cry Special A! Nakagapos ako kaya hindi ko mapupunasan yang mga luha mo", he said and he sounded annoyed. "Damn those ugly guys!"

Mas lalo lamang akong napaiyak at hindi ko na napigilan ang paglabas ng hagulhol mula sa bibig ko. "I'm sorry Khael... I'm really sorry."

"Saan?"

Gusto ko siyang suntukin sa mukha. Why does he have to act like everything is fine? Nakatali na kami at lahat ngunit tila cool pa rin siya. Or maybe that's his way para hindi ako masyadong mag-alala para sa aming dalawa. But it's not working. I know how grave the situation that we are in right now.

"Idiot! Tinatanong mo talaga yan?"

Tumawa siya ng mahina. "Hindi ko po kasi alam kaya tinatanong ko." Ah! Always the playful Khael! His optimism didn't help me at all. Hindi ko pa rin lubusang maisip kong bakit ganyan siya sa kabila nang lahat ng nangyari. This is definitely not the best way to celebrate his birthday. Kung hindi pa sana namin sinundan ang hinahabol ng mga pulis kanina, we should have been eating delicious foods right now at nagpunta sa sunod naming destinasyon. But I was swallowed by my anger at ngayon ay nasa panganib na kaming dalawa ni Khael. Walang assurance na mabubuhay pa kami. Knowing the evil organization, malaki ang posibilidad na huling kaarawan na ito ni Khael at hindi ko na maaabutan pa ang kaarawan ko. I'd love to kiss myself for being impulsive and putting us on danger. This is where I'm really good at!

"I'm sorry K-khael..."

"Sus Special A! Tama na nga yan, ang pangit mong umiyak", he said and laughed. Nakakainis siya. Dahil sa ginagawa niya ay mas lalong pinagsisisihan ko ang pagiging impulsive ko. Why doesn't he shout at my face at sisihin ako?! Sabihin na kasalanan ko ang lahat kaya nandito siya ngayon at nakatali habang puro pasa?!

"Khael magalit ka naman sa akin..."

"Eh? Bakit naman?"

"Stop it, will you?" I shouted at his face. "Magalit ka! Sisihin mo ako dahil totoo namang kasalanan ko ang lahat. You didn't enjoy your birthday..."

"Galit talaga ako Special A pero hindi sa'yo dahil hindi naman ikaw ang bumugbog sa akin. Argh! Damn those guys, insecure masyado sa kagwapohan ko kaya binangasan tong gwapo kong mukha. How do I look right now?"

Right now, mukhang nag-aalala pa ito sa kanyang hitsura! Kung ibang pagkakataon iyon ay malamang natawa na ako o kaya naman ay pinaikot ko na ang mga mata ko. But it's not right to laugh or roll eyes in this situation. "Nabugbog ka na nga ang yabang mo pa rin."

He let out a chuckle. "Dry your tears Special A and help me in thinking an escape plan."

I force a smile at pinunasan ang mga mata ko. He was tied up on a pillar samantalang nakagapos lamang ako. I immediately move towards his side at tumabi sa kanya. Iniikot ko ang paningin sa paligid. It looks like we're in a warehouse. Madilim at ang tanging bukas ay ang bintana na nasa taas. It was so small that only a cat can fit on it. May pinto sa harap namin but I bet Lowie and the others could be on the rooms behind that door.

"Kasalanan ko talaga ito. I risked our lives Khael..."

"The biggest mistake that you'll ever make are the risks that you didn't take Special A. Cheer up now, I know we can find a way to get out of this place safe. And who the hell wounded your head? Aba! Hintayin lang niya na makawala ako sa pagkakagapos ko dahil babasagin ko rin ulo ng mga yun."

Like his other words, it made me somehow felt relax. Muli akong napangiti at isinandal ang ulo ko sa balikat niya.

"Uh, I should be tied everyday", he said. He leaned his head down upang maabot ng pisngi niya ang ulo kong nakasandal sa balikat niya.

"I fear to face them unprepared but I refused to run away from them", I said referring to the organization. "At ayaw ko ring tumakbo. If I run away from them, when they will catch me, I'll be too tired to fight back. Pero napaaga yata sila. I'm still unprepared and cannot fight back kaya kahit hindi ako tumatakbo palayo sa kanila, I was defeated at dinamay pa kita."

"It's my choice to help you with these Special A kaya kahit saang anggulo tingnan, it's my fault why I ended up like this. Hell, my body hurts like hell but it's nothing compared to the pain that I felt kapag nakikita kitang ganyan. Tied and helpless. May bahid pa ng dugo sa ulo", his voice become low and he sounded pissed. "Lagot talaga sila sa akin kapag nakawala ako dito."

Despite the situation that we are in now, puro pa rin pagpapa-cute si Khael. Why is he like this? Minsan tuloy ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin na may sayad ito. I mean, sinong lalaki ang pipiliin pa ring magpaka-sweet kapag puro pasa na siya at hindi na niya tiyak kung sisikatan pa siya ng araw?

"Damn Special A! Why do you look so gorgeous kahit na may bahid ng dugo ang mukha mo? You look so beautiful with your messy hair-"

"Tumahimik ka nga. Kapag ako din nakawala sa pagkakagapos ko, dadagdagan ko yang pasa sa mukha mo." I really mean it. Kasi naman, nasobrahan yata sa pagbugbog sina Lowie sa kanya kaya't medyo naalog ang utak. Or maybe inborn na iyon sa kanya.

"Mukhang mahihirapan tayong makawala dito. Let's wait for those ugly guys to come."

And just like an answered prayer, bumukas ang pinto at pumasok si Lowie kasama ang dalawang lalaking mukhang mga asong kalye. Must be the "ugly guys" that Khael is talking about. Sa paraan ng pagngisi ng mga ito, mukhang sila nga ang bumugbog kay Khael. Tsk! Insecure nga siguro sila, palibhasa kuko lamang sila ni Khael. Ah no. Patay na kuko. Khael's nails are can be called handsome than them. One of them was carrying a black bag and I wonder what was inside it.

"What a sweet sight and I just thought you're with Silvan", Lowie remarks. I've been throwing him and his minions with a glare but he just keep on ignoring it.

"Hindi ko alam na may pagka-chismoso ka din pala. At saan mo naman nasagap ang balitang iyan?" If they come here to kill us, I wouldn't mind having a conversation with him if it's the only way to delay their plan of killing us.

"So the nerd has a tongue. Feisty!", he said in amusement. He was a bully at Bridle before and I wasn't a subject for bullying kaya wala kaming pwedeng i-throwback ka karanasan namin. So he still sees me as the nerd at school huh?

"Is this your way to thank us for identifying who wants to poison you before?", I asked samantalang tahimik lamang si Khael sa tabi. He's possibly thinking of a way to escape while I entertain Lowie. May pagka-tsismoso ang mga minion niya kaya nakikinig ang mga ito sa palitan namin ng usapan ni Lowie.

Tumawa si Lowie ng mahina. "So I owe you gratitude? Nerd, kahit hindi niyo iyon inilahad, I know exactly who's behind it. Hindi naman ako naman ako tanga para hindi mapansin ang ginawa ni Costa."

So he was playing naive all along. If I remembered it right, his worried face before must have been scripted. Ang galing pala niyang umarte kung ganoon, he should have joined the drama club that I'm in too. I cannot find any words to say to him dahil naiinis ako kapag naaalala ko ang nangyari dati. So all the shocked reaction was all scripted. Wow Lowie. Just wow.

"Why nerd? Do you regret HELPING me before?", he asked, making emphasis on the word helping. I heard Khael clicked his tongue, he must be furious on the thought of it kahit hindi naman niya alam ang buong detalye ng pinag-uusapan namin.

"I don't regret doing the right thing. Even if I helped the wrong person, it is still the right thing." All I did is acting tough kahit takot na ako kung ano ang maaring kahahantungan namin ngayon.

"Tsk. Always the righteous", he commented. Pagkatapos ay tiningnan niya ang kanyang askal- I mean his goons. "I-set up niyo na yan."

Ngumisi naman ang dalawa at tinanggal ang suot na bag. Nang inilabas nito ang laman ng bag, I felt my hands become cold when I saw the object inside it.

It was a large bomb.

"So papatayin mo kami?", Khael said at ngumisi din. "Coward. Why don't we brawl?" Gusto ko siyang batukan sa sinabi niya. Brawl?! Seriously?! Nahihirapan na nga siya dahil sa pinsala niya sa katawan!

"Say what you want Dude but I'm telling you I'm too busy to waste my time brawling with you. Ni hindi nga kita kilala", Lowie replied and turned to me. "Your boyfriend got a good pair of balls." He laughed hard at us at bumaling sa dalawa ng magsalita ito.

"Boss, okay na 'to."

"Sorry Nerd but I guess this will be your end." His smile was so evil as he put his hands on his pocket. "Any last wishes?"

When he said it ay nabuhay ang pag-asa sa dibdib ko. Of course, I would be glad to ask for a wish. Baka time extension para sa amin. Bago pa man ako maka'oo ay naunahan na ako ni Khael na magsalita.

"We do have", he said in a firm voice. Kapag ganoon ang tono niya, I know that he is very serious. I have no idea what he has in mind but I trust him with this. Unlike me, Khael isn't impulsive. He would think things thoroughly before deciding. I wish I am like that too.

"Sabihin natin na mabait ako so I'll grant you one. Go ahead, spill it and I will decide if I would agree on it", wika ni Lowie. Habang tinitingnan ko siya ay naaalala ko lahat ng mga pambu-bully niya sa mga kaeskwela namin dati. Tsk, kaya pala.

"It's my birthday today."

"Really? Too bad, it would be your death day too", Lowie said while laughing at nakitawa pa ang mga minion niya. Tsk, like they understood what he said! For sure tatawa-tawa lang ang mga iyan!

"Exactly, that's why I want to ask for a phone call", wika ni Khael. I don't know what he is thinking. Phone call? Why at sino naman ang tatawagan niya?

"Naalog yata ang utak mo. Why would I allow you to make a phone call? Para magsumbong ka? No way."

"I'll bet our lives kapag nagsumbong ako. Turn the speakers on upang marinig niyo ang kausap ko. It's just a friend na kukwentuhan ko sa nabasa kong comics. He's a super fan of that comics like me and since it's his birthday tomorrow, magandang ikukuwento ko na lang iyon sa kanya ngayon. You said it yourself, this will be my last day kaya hindi na ako magkakaroon pa ng ibang panahon na magkwento sa kanya. You can shoot us immediately kapag may sinabi ako tungkol sa sitwasyon namin o humingi ng tulong. You can toast us to death", Khael said seriously.

"Khael!"

He is betting our lives on this pero kahit saang anggulo man tingnan, mukhang iisa lang talaga ang patutunguhan namin ngayon. Matotosta kami. But when he said a friend na magbi-birthday bukas, does he mean Gray? Is he planning to send him an SOS code? Mabuti na rin at hindi siya kilala ni Lowie bilang kaibigan ni Gray.

"Comics? Pathetic! Pero dahil birthday mo, I will agree on that", he said at tiningnan ang isang goon. He nodded his head at agad namang naglabas ng cellphone mula sa bulsa ang isang lalaki while the other pointed a gun on my head. Thanks to Ryu for making me used in facing with guns. Nakatulong pala iyon upang masanay ako dahil marami pang baril ang makakaharap ko- that if we survive today.

"Number!", sigaw ng isang askal sa mukha Khael. Ew. Ang baho ng hininga niya! Infairness, amoy kanal!

"Kapag nagsalita ka Nerd, your pathetic boyfriend will be picking up pieces of your brain", banta ni Lowie sa akin. Bahala na siyang mag-isip kung kaanu-ano ko si Khael.

Khael said a number at hindi ko alam kung kay Gray ba iyon dahil hindi ko naman kabisado ang cellphone number ni Gray. The minion held the phone in front of Khael and turned the speaker on. Matapos ang tatlong ring ay agad na may sumagot. Basing on the voice, I'm 100% sure na si Gray iyon. Good thing Lowie doesn't recognize his voice.

"Alonzo, what do you get on your birthday?"

Napangiti si Khael nang marinig ang boses nito. "Nothing. I just want to tell you the latest update of our favorite comics na Wanted."

Saglit na tumahimik si Gray mula sa kabilang linya. I thought for a while that he's gone ngunit muli itong nagsalita. "Go ahead."

"Wesley Gibson's with Fox and they're captured by the Fraternity."

"You mean the organization of the supervillains?", Gray asked.

"Affirmative."

"And then?"

"Fox and Wesley were captured by Professor Solomon Selzer, the brilliant mad scientist and leader of the North. And-"

"Wait. You mean Fox, Wesley's mentor and lover? The so-called fuck buddy of the world's greatest detective?"

"Yeah you can say that. Then the Fraternity killed Fuckwit, Doll-Master, Imp, Rictus, Shithead, Johnny Two-Dicked and Sucker. On the next issue, probably Wesley and Fox will be killed by those villains. It says that the Professor created a timed-device that can kill the other supervillains."

We heard a sigh of frustration from the other line. Uh, he's frustrated with that comic with a bold name? The hell?!

"I'm upset! Where are you?"

Bago pa makasagot si Khael ay siniko na ni Lowie ang bad breath niyang minion. He immediately pressed the end button. "Tama na ang daldalan, like I said I'm a busy man."

"Why are you doing this Lowie!", I hissed, still trying to buy some time to extend our lives.

"Making things on my own. Walang utos mula sa nakakataas but I guess it's time for me to decide things", wika niya. So Brain doesn't know that they got us. Ano kaya ang mararamdaman ni Detective Tross kapag nalaman niyang kami pala ni Khael ang nahuli ni Lowie? Would he order us to be killed too o pahihirapan niya muna kami bago patayin?

"I always love a Romeo and Juliet type tragedy. Too bad, unlike those two, your death would be crueler. But don't worry Nerd, I'm giving you fifteen minutes to celebrate your boyfriend's birthday", wika niya at tumawa bago tuluyang i-set ang timer ng bomba. Just like he said, he gave us fifteen minutes and he disappeared from the door. If my guess was right, we're still on that abandoned building. If only Gray would come to rescue us!

When I couldn't hear the footsteps of the three, I began weeping and reminiscing all the good things in my life. May makaka-miss kaya sa akin kapag namatay ako? And I even dragged Khael to death with me! Hindi ko namalayan na panay na pala ang paghingi ko ng sorry kay Khael.

"Khael... I'm really sorry... Kasalanan ko 'to. Now we have only a quarter hour to live." Kung hindi ba naman ako tanga, nag-enjoy sana kami ng lubusan sa kaarawan niya. "Ang tanga ko kasi!"

"Be careful. It's the woman that I like that you are calling stupid."

Muli ay hindi tugma sa sitwasyon ang sinabi niya. Why is he all sweet talk kahit nasa bingit na kami ng kamatayan? Why is he like this?

"Kung ito na ang huling araw ko, I'm glad that I spent my last hours with you Special A. We may not have a happy ending; I will never regret dying with you. I don't mind if we don't have a happy ending, who cares? True love does not end." I can feel in his words that he is afraid to die to. But his words touched my heart and it gives me hope to live. Ah! I'm so lucky to have him in my life. Gaya niya ay hindi ko rin pinagsisisihan ang araw na pumunta siya sa Bridle at sumigaw ng sa kalagitnaan ng play namin.

When I glanced at the ticking object on our side, there's only less than ten minutes left. May darating kaya upang iligtas kami? I'm not really sure about it. But I hope there is. I have so many things to do in my life. And why am I in grave danger again? Masama ba akong tao kaya palagi na lamang ganito ang kinahahantungan ko?

"K-khael..."

Mas lalo lamang sumasakit ang kalooban ko kapag nakikita ko ang hitsura niya. He's totally beaten! It must have hurt a lot. And what did he do to deserve it? Khael is one of the kindest people I know. And definitely, being beaten is not the most wonderful thing that a birthday boy would receive.

"Stop crying Special A. Let's pray that my best buddy will come. Oh, I'm positive that he will come, only if he can make it on time." He rested his head on mine. I'm sure if he is not tied up, he would have been hugging me to assure me. We stayed for that position ngunit hindi pa rin tumitigil ang luha ko sa pag-agos. Sinasagad yata nila ang pag-agos after I refrain from crying for quite some time.

"H-happy birthday Khael..."

"Finally!", he said in relief. "I thought nakalimutan mo na talagang batiin ako." He flashed his widest smile at me as he stared at me. Tahimik lamang kami at ang tunog lamang ng timer ang naririnig. There was less than five minutes left on the clock.

Before the clock runs out of time I was feeling hopeless. Only a miracle could save us on the last minutes.

"Even if this is a worst birthday, I'd like to wish you a happy birthday." He smiled at me. I wonder what was running on his mind right now.

I gave him my genuine smile before I found myself leaning towards Khael and kissed him on the lips.

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-ShinichiLaaaabs