"Daddy, I'm thirsty," I told my dad while tugging on his shirt. He's busy talking to someone on the phone.

"Yes, one moment," he told the person on the other line. "What do you want to drink, Sky?" he asked me.

"Apple juice!" I chirped.

He chuckled. "Okay," he said before walking over to the sari-sari store in front and buying me two juice boxes.

"Here you go, Sky," he said, handing it to me when he got back.

"Skyzea, what will you say?" Mama said from behind.

"Thank you po." I smiled. My dad ruffled my hair before talking on his phone again.

"Mama, can I play?" tanong ko kay Mama na nakaturo sa playground.

"Okay, anak. Be careful, alright?" she said and I nodded before running to the playground.

I was about to use the swing when I saw someone sitting there and crying. It was a boy and he looked older than me.

I felt bad that he was sad and alone so I approached him and handed him a box of apple juice.

He smiled a bit before grabbing it from my hand. I sat on the empty seat beside him and opened my juice box.

"Kuya, why are you crying?" tanong ko.

He wiped his tears and took a sip on his juice box. "Ah, lilipat na kasi kami."

"Lilipat? Lilipat ng house?" I asked and he nodded. "Ayaw mo ba yun, Kuya?"

"I don't know what to feel. Hindi ko na kasi makakasama yung mga pinsan ko. I don't know how to make friends too so what will I do out there?" He sighed.

"Cheer up, Kuya! For sure marami naman ang gusto makipag-friends sayo," pagpapagaan ko sa loob niya.

"Hindi ko pa rin alam. Bahala na," sabi niya bago uminom ng juice. I did the same. Walang nagsalita sa aming dalawa.

"You'll visit naman, Kuya, di ba?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Siguro," he answered.

"Visit me too, Kuya. Nasa kabilang street lang bahay namin," I said.

He chuckled. "Sige."

"Skyzea!" Mama called out and both of us looked at her. "Halika na, anak," sabi niya sa akin.

Tumayo naman ako at hinarap si Kuya. "Bye, Kuya! Bisita ka po, ah. Magiging okay ka rin sa bago niyong house," sabi ko bago siya kinawayan at naglakad na papalapit kay Mama.

Tinignan ko pa siya ulit at nakita kong nakangiti siya at nakatingin sa akin. Kinawayan ko siya ulit at ganun din ang ginawa niya bago kami tuluyang naglakad palayo.

"Skyzea."

"Sky."

"Huy, gaga!" rinig kong tawag ng iba't ibang tao sa akin. Napaangat ako ng ulo at tinignan ang nasa harap ko. I didn't notice that I fell asleep on the table.

After Tim announced that Maverick is dead, we reported it to Venus and like yesterday, linilinis nila ang linagakan ni Maverick. He was murdered in the hallway before the male's quarters.

I blinked rapidly to adjust to the light at medyo natigilan pa ako nang makita ko si Skyler na nakaupo sa harap ko at nakangiti.

Kuya...

"Meeting daw. Kailangan natin marule out kung sino yung pumapatay," Maia whispered.

"Why?" tanong ko.

"Magrerequest tayo ng elimination kay Venus. Kailangan matanggal natin yung impostor," she answered.

"I think it's very obvious who did the deed," Natasha started and all of us looked at her.

"Sinong pinaghihinalaan mo?" Sir. Ted asked.

"Skyzea," Natasha straightforwardly answered.

"Ako?" I pointed to myself.

"Who else?" She shrugged.

I scoffed. "Are you serious?"

"Seryosong-seryoso," she answered.

"What's your basis then?" I crossed my arms.

"Among everyone in this room, you have the intention to kill Maverick because he almost raped you," she answered.

I scoffed. Hindi naman makapaniwalang tumingin si Maia, Tim, at Skyler sa kanya. "Do you think I'm that low?" tanong ko.

She shrugged. "Maybe I do."

"Hoy, Natasha bitchesa ng taon! Bawiin mo yung sinabi mo!" sigaw ni Maia.

"You're seriously defending a serial killer? Nakakatawa kayo," Natasha said before standing up. "I'll call Venus and ask her to have an elimination tonight then I'm voting Skyzea out," sabi niya bago naglakad palayo.

"She didn't even ask me to explain myself." I shook my head. "Nasa balcony ako nung nangyari yung insidente. Maia and Skyler know that kaya imposibleng ako," I explained.

"Ganito. Siguro naman ay may mga pinaghihinalaan na rin kayo, di ba?" tanong ni Sir. Ted. Tumango naman kami bilang sagot. "Yun ang iboto niyo mamaya," he instructed before standing up and walking away.

"Sino ba pinaghihinalaan niyo?" Tim asked. I haven't really thought about it. None of us here has the intention to kill and wipe out everyone or was I really laid back and not noticing what's happening around? Was that the reason why Maverick almost got away with raping me?

"Ikaw," Maia answered before standing up and walking away.

I laughed. "Baby, naman! Ba't ako?" Tim asked, following Maia.

I shook my head before looking at my card. Morning tasks ko ay sa office then afternoon tasks sa reactor.

I sighed. I don't want to enter that place again because that is where it happened but I don't have a choice.

"Saan ka nakaassign?" Skyler asked.

"Office," I answered.

"Gusto mo magpalit? Reactor lang ako the whole day," he offered.

"Baka malaman ni Venus na nagpalit tayo," I answered.

"She won't find out, don't worry," he said before getting my card and giving his to me.

I smiled. "Thanks, Skyler."

He stood up and walked over to me before giving me a pat on the head. "No problem, Skyzea," he answered before walking away.

I then stood up and left the cafeteria to do Skyler's tasks in the reactor.

★・★・★

"Maia, how will you know if you like someone?" I asked Maia out of the blue. We are currently having lunch. Hindi namin kasama si Tim dahil masyado pa siyang busy. Mamaya na lang daw siya maglalunch.

"Ako kasi nalaman kong may gusto na ako kay Tim dahil iba na talaga pakiramdam ko kapag kasama ko siya. Alam mo yung simple things na ginagawa niya, napapangiti ka. Puso mo rin bumibilis bigla yung tibok kapag nakikita mo siya o pinapakilig ka niya kahit pa biro lang," she explained and I nodded. "Inisip ko nga na baka gustong-gusto ko lang magkajowa kaya pinatulan ko yung lalaking nakilala ko lang kaso hindi kasi, eh. Gusto ko talaga siya."

"Yeah, I can tell and you guys look cute together," I said.

"Bakit mo naman natanong? May nagugustuhan ka na rin ba?" tanong niya kaya natigilan ako. She saw my reaction which is why she gave me a teasing look. "So, meron nga?"

"I-I don't know. I'm not sure." I looked down.

"Sino ba yung nagugustuhan mo? Don't tell me it's Sir. Ted." She gasped.

"Sira!" sabi ko bago natawa.

"Pero meron ka ngang special someone?" tanong niya.

I nodded. "I think so."

"Sino? Tagal-tagal naman sumagot, eh," she said, getting irritated.

I shook my head. "I think I like Skyler," I answered and her eyes widened.

"Legit?" she asked and I nodded. "OMG! How? Kailan mo narealize?"

"I don't know. Last night? A while ago? Napanaginipan ko siya. Turns out, I knew him even before I met him here," I answered.

She gasped. "Paano?"

"Binigyan ko siya ng apple juice nung bata pa kami." I laughed.

"Sis, it's meant to be!" sigaw niya.

"You think?"

"Aba, oo!" masigla niyang sagot. "Alam na ba niya na gusto mo siya?"

"No, not yet."

"Amin na, gurl!"

I shrugged. "Hindi ko kasi alam kung appropriate given our situation dito."

"Alam mo, ngayon nga yung perfect time para umamin ka kasi we carry the fear na baka ngayong araw ay tayo na ang isusunod nung impostor, di ba? What if you don't get out alive or Skyler doesn't get out alive? Magreregret ka na hindi ka nagconfess, right?" she explained.

Napatango-tango ako. Maia's right. Dapat nga ay sabihin ko na kay Skyler habang may oras pa kami. I don't want to have any regrets and if we do get out here alive, it'll be easier for us to date outside.

After eating, Maia and I walked back to our stations. I became preoccupied with my tasks that I forgot about the Skyler situation.

It was after an hour when I suddenly remembered about him because he entered the reactor to do his tasks.

He smiled when he saw me and I did the same. None of us talked. He was busy with his tasks and I was with mine too but I can't help but think if this is the perfect moment to tell him.

I actually feel bad that I didn't remember him immediately when I saw him. He might be waiting for me to remember him the moment we bumped into each other but he was the only one who recalled.

I took a deep breath before clearing my throat and looking at him. "There's something I just remembered," I started.

"Yeah? What is that?" he asked, not looking at me.

I then quickly gave him a kiss on the cheek. He stiffened before looking at me with his eyes widened. I giggled. "Kamusta, Kuya?"

I laughed when I saw his ears turning red. "Guess not all is well?" I teased, referring to his now tinted ears and cheeks.

I looked at the machine in front of me and chuckled a bit.

"Uh... hey, Skyzea," he said.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking back at him and I got shocked when he gave me a quick peck on the lips.

It was now my turn to blush.

He chuckled. "That was for the stolen cheek kiss," he said.

"Tamis naman," someone said from behind. Skyler and I looked at that person and saw Tim leaning against the door frame. "Nagkakapatayan na't lahat pero sige, landian pa," sabi niya.

I rolled my eyes. "Kayo nga ni Maia, nag-aminan pa in public," I countered.

Natahimik naman siya kaya natawa ako. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Mag-aayos lang po ng wiring, Madam," he answered before walking over to the circuit breaker.

I just didn't mind him and faced Skyler.

"When did you remember?" Skyler asked. 

"I dreamed about it a while ago. I can't believe I forgot that I was the little girl who handed you the apple juice." I chuckled.

"Oy, grabe! Destiny, pri!" Tim said. Pareho naman namin siyang tinignan ni Skyler because he's ruining the moment.

He looked at us too. "Hindi kayo kausap ko, ah!"

I raised my right eyebrow. "Eh, sino?" I asked.

"Uhmm..." He looked up. "Ito." He pointed at the circuit breaker. "Magkatabi yung blue at violet na wire. Maganda silang combination ng colors, di ba? Kaya nga lang di sila pwede ipagconnect," he said.

"Kawawa naman. Hindi tayo pwede. Pinagtagpo pero di tinadhana," dagdag niya na kinanta pa ang kanta ng boy band na 'The Juans'.

"Ewan ko sayo," sabi ko bago tinignan ulit si Skyler.

"Now that you found out, what can you say?" Skyler shrugged.

"Hindi ko alam," I answered.

He nodded and was about to turn back and do his tasks when I added, "All I know is I like you too."

★・★・★

"Hey, Sky. Let's go," Skyler said when he finished doing his tasks. I have one more task left before I call it a day. It is currently 7pm and inaaya na ako ni Skyler magdinner.

"Wait. Malapit naman na ako matapos," I answered.

"Mamaya na yan. It's already late," sabi niya.

"I won't be able to finish this later because of the elimination," I said.

"Then I'll help you out," he said and before I could stop him, he already helped me in doing my task. I just shrugged it off and continued.

We finished my final task in under 30 minutes because he helped me. We then walked out of the reactor.

While walking to the decontamination, I saw the lights of the lab still open kaya sinilip ko kung nandoon pa si Sir Ted para ayain siya kumain.

Nandoon pa nga siya at may mga hinahalong kung ano-anong chemicals sa beaker.

"Strychnine?" I whispered to myself when I saw a container filled with powder and labeled as 'Strychnine'. There is also a container of powdered ammonium nitrate beside it.

I furrowed my eyebrows. Ammonium Nitrate sounds very familiar. I just forgot where I heard it.

"Sky, tara," Skyler said and I looked at him. The door of the decontamination hall is already open.

I ran over to where he was standing, completely forgetting to call Sir Ted.

When we arrived in the cafeteria, diretso kami sa chests and kumuha ng pagkain namin. Namili na rin kami ng drinks sa vending machine and then we sat on the table where Maia and Tim are sitting.

As usual, nag-aasaran ang dalawa sa harapan namin. Skyler and I just minded our own business dahil hindi na rin naman kami makarelate sa dalawang nasa harap namin.

Nang matapos kaming kumain, sakto namang announcement ni Venus.

"Good evening, Trainees! It has occurred to me that you already know who is responsible for the deaths that are going around," Venus said.

I rolled my eyes. Natasha really reported it.

"So, as per request, we will be having an elimination tonight. Please get ready. We will start in ten minutes."

"Nagsumbong nga talaga si gaga, ano?" Maia whispered to me while we're walking to the meeting table.

"She's getting delusional," I whispered back and both of us laughed.

Nakaupo na kami sa meeting table nang mapansin naming parang matamlay si Natasha.

"Anong nangyari dyan?" Maia whispered. I shrugged as an answer.

Venus did initiate an elimination after that. When it was time to vote, the tablets popped out of the table and our names were listed there.

I was having a hard time to vote because I don't really know who to choose. All of us were just doing our tasks well. I don't think anyone left their post just to murder someone.

I was broken out of my reverie when I heard a loud thud. I looked at where the sound came from and saw Natasha on the floor.

Everyone rushed to where she collapsed and checked on her.

"No pulse," sabi ni Maia habang kinakapa ang leeg at wrist ni Natasha.

Sir Ted then placed his hand near Natasha's nose. "She isn't breathing either," sabi nito.

Agad na pinatabi kaming lahat ni Maia at nagperform ng CPR kay Natasha. She was doing that for quite sometime but there was still no response.

I held my mouth and felt myself trembling. I just witnessed someone die in front of me again.

"Trainees, have you cast your votes?" Venus asked us.

"Venus, may problema," Tim told her.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Si Natasha."

"What about her?"

Tim took a deep breath. "She's dead."