CHAPTER 1: THE MYSTERIOUS INVITATION

"Bato! Bato! Pick!"

"Bato! Bato! Pick!!"

"BATO! BATO! PICK!!"

Napabuntong hininga ako habang blangko ko pinagmasdan yung dalawang matalik kong kaibigan, na sila Reynold at Patty, nga naglalaro ng bato bato pick sa harapan ko. And behold! The winner is none other than Reynold na bato ang pinili while si Patty ay gunting.

"YES!!" masayang sabi ni Reynold sabay ngiti at talon.

"NO!!"  Naka dismayang sabi naman ni Patty na nakaluhod ngayon sa sahig.

Tinaasan ko lang sya ng kilay. Oa naman nito, na talo lang ganyan siya na makareact. I mean, she is naman but like, sobrang dramatic niya ganun. But that doesn't change my friendship with her dahil ganyan siya and that same goes to Reynold, na oa at dramatic din. Magpinsan pala sila by the way.

I sighed again ng magsimula nanaman sila magtalo about sa pera. Let's say they start betting before they start their childish game, which is the Bato Bato.

And they bet 1000 pesos, for me it's a very large money to bet on but for them. Ha! Barya lang yan sa kanila. Naol barya lang diba? They are filthy rich so losing a single 1k won't be a problem to them, and sanay na ako sa ganitong trip nila.

Yup, both of them are no normal 6th graders. Kaya di na ako sumasali sa mga laro nila dahil sa kanilang hilig mag-bet, which I'm not into dahil wala ako pera ipang-bet.

Napatingin naman ako sa wall clock ng aming classroom –kaklase pala kaming tatlo– kita ko na it's already 12:59 pm. I then start counting mentally in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... and the school bell rings. Na kabisadong kabisado ko na.

Then nagsimula na nasipag-pasukan yung mga guro at mga studyante sa kani-kanilang mga rooms, pumasok na din yung mga kaklase na diko maalala mga pangalan nila dahil mabilis ako makalimot.

Bumalik na sa upuan sila Reynold at Patty na katabi ko lang. Kay Patty, upuan niya ay nasa left side ko habang yung kay Reynold, nasa right side ko. Making me the middle.

And our homeroom teacher –who's also our Filipino subject teacher for this afternoon– came in the room with three books in her arms and smiling at us cheerfully, making everyone smile back at her well except me, and the class now started. Making me also start dozing off in class.

Hays. How I wished something interesting could happen right now.

"[READER 00 CHOSEN COMPLETE]"

Huh? Ano yun?

Napatingin ako sa aking paligid hinahanap kung saang galing yung robotic o computer voice na yun. Inakala ko baka may dalang laruan na robot yung mga kaklase ko but their armchairs are empty and all their attention is on Ms. Sanchez, our homeroom teacher.

So saan galing yung tunog na yun?

"Ayos ka lang Ys?" Napabaling atensyon ko kay Patty nakabulong nagtanong sa akin at alalang nakatingin sakin. Ningitian ko lang siya at umiling.

"Yup. I'm good. May narinig lang ako kanina, must have been my imagination." Nakabulong sabi ko as I am still smiling at her. She smiled back, nodding her head at binalik na yung atensyon niya sa harap.

Tumingin na din ako sa harapan trying to listen to the discussion but I can't keep the robotic/computer voice earlier out of my head. Unsure kung imagination ko lang ba talaga ko yun or totoo, coz I hear it so close and clear.

READER 00 CHOSEN COMPLETE. I wonder what those words mean.

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"UWAAAHHH UWIAN NA!!!" Masayang sabi ni Patty after umalis sa room yung last teacher for this afternoon and by telling us to dismiss.

"Hay salamat, makapahinga na yung katawan ko." Sabi naman nitong katabi ko, si Reynold, na mukhang sobrang pagod dahil sa kaninang dance activity namin. Mapeh kasi yung huling subject namin, at two hours yung klase namin sa Mapeh dahil more onto performance yung teacher namin kanina, si Mr. Mendez, kaysa sa written.

And he made us dance three styles of dance, hip-hop, folkdance and dancefloor which is very very tiring talaga. Pero sanay naman katawan ko sa mga ganito since everyday niya ito ginawa basta magtopic kami about music, gusto niya kasi partner yung dancing at music and it's starting to get boring to be honest. Of course, I won't admit that, baka mapagalitan pa ako ni sir.

Tumingin ako sa wall clock para malaman yung oras. 3:59 pm, malapit na mag 4 pm.

"Okay everyone, magsimula na Tayo maglinis." Sabi nung class president namin, a girl, don't know her name but what I can describe her is she looks like a typical nerd like those sa America movies, dahil nakasuot siya makapal na salamin, ponytail yung buhok and wears a large gray hoodie jacket.

I hummed at tumayo na, lumakad palapit sa cabinet kung saan namin nilagay ang aming mga panglinis, walis, dustpan, and coconut husk. Pati na din mga rugs at floorwax. Sponsored by my rich friends for giving money to buy all our cleaning materials.

Galing diba?

Kinuha ko na agad yung pinaka magandang walis bago pa makuha yun nang iba at nagsimula na ako maglinis.

"NO! Na kay Ysabella yung pink na walis." Rinig kong sabi ng isa sa mga kaklase kong babae, rinig ko rin napa-awe yung iba.

I just rolled my eyes and ignored them as I continued to clean. Yes, isa din ako sa kanila na gusto din gamitin ito. I'm a tsundere so I won't of course admit it to them and to Patty. Baka aasarin nila ako.

Nagsimula na yung iba magwalis and scrubbing the floor and the boys starting to lift the armchairs placing them at the side para malinis namin yung buong sahig.

After sweeping ay nakaramdam na ako ng pagod kaya binigay ko yung walis sa kaklase ko na malapit sa akin at pumunta na sa upuan ko. Patapos na magwalis ang lahat and the boys and some girls starting to arrange all the chairs back to their original place.

Kinuha ko na yung backpack ko at sinuot ko.

"Pres, una na ako. Hinahanap na ako ng mama ko." Paalam ko sa aming President. Hindi ko na hinintay yung sagot niya dahil lumabas na ako ng room.

I passed by a lot of classrooms and I see from the window that students from those classrooms are either done and not done cleaning their rooms.

My classroom was located on the 6th floor, so I needed to climb down 4 floors to reach the ground floor. Hays. It would be nice if the elevator was still working but unfortunately for us it suddenly broke, we have no choice but to go to stairs.

Not like I'm complaining or anything, it's good to climb stairs for exercise,  but I'm getting a bit bored about it and slightly lazy that's why I always use the elevator.

It didn't take long ay nakarating na ako sa ground floor. Lots of parents are waiting at the side of the gate, to fetch their children who are either 1st, 2nd 3rd or 4th graders.

Nilagpas ko lang sila at lumakad na papunta sa gate bago magbell— and there it is, the bell. Signaling everyone that it's time to go home,  at nagsilabasan na yung mga studyante sa mga classrooms and the ground slowly gets crowded with young graders.

This makes me speed up my pace towards the gate. I passed by the guard as he politely said his goodbye to me and the other students with a smile. Making me smile slightly at him and nod, at lumabas na ako sa school ground.

I started walking down the road that leads to my house. Huminto ako sa harap ng 7/11 para bumili ng snacks, I just suddenly felt hungry after all that cleaning.

Pagpasok ko sa loob, mahilig na hanging na galing sa aircon ang sumalubong sa akin. And my dry and slight sweat face slowly became dry and moist because of the cool air.

Pumunta agad ako sa snack area na malapit lang sa fridge area. I looked around, searching for my favorite chips which is Lays flavored umm... I forgot the name but it's the edible wrapper that is used for sushi.

So ayun, nahanap ko na yung hinahanap kong chip then I went to the fridge or drink area and took out the kopiko iced coffee. To be honest, I haven't tried drinking coffee dahil bata pa daw ako sabi ni mama.

Pfft too young. Grade 6 na ako, 12 years old. I'll be soon enter the teen stage next month. So, it's kinda right for me to taste just a little bit of coffee. It won't hurt right?

Of course it won't.

Pumunta na ako sa may counter para bayarin ko na iyong chip and inumin ko. May dalawang tao nakapila na so I lined up behind the recent person as I waited patiently for my turn.

I looked up ahead and was slightly surprised to see they put a tv screen by the counter.

[ BREAKING NEWS: Isa nanamang studyante nawala. 14 year old, Derek Valdez, 7th grader sa IAcademy sa Rizal. ]

I frowned as I watched the news. Another kid is missing huh, this is the 4th time that happened this week. This time is here in the Philippines.

The first one missing is from London, a 13 year old boy student, I just happened to see the international news on YouTube while studying. The second one is a girl, the same age as me –12 years old– from America, I mean around in the US. Can't specifically tell where she's actually from basta sa US. Again, I also saw this on YouTube.

Nothing weird right? Two kids got missing from different places. Totally not weird. But you're wrong. It's weird after the first kid got missing, another got missing the next day.

Then the next day after the second, which is yesterday, is a another 13 year old boy, from Japan missing. And now, here in the Philippines, a 14 year old boy. Derek Valdez. So far, his the oldest kid that got missing.

I have a feeling his kidnapper is also the same kidnapper that kidnaps the three kids. Or their kidnappers is like a secret black organization just like in Detective Conan. But I have no proof to support this theory of mine.

BUT!!! These don't have anything to do with me, so I won't be overthinking this too much to avoid stress, since I'm already stressed at school. I don't need additional things to be added in my small brain.

"Next please." I broke off from my train of thoughts when I heard the Cashier spoke. It's my turn na pala.

I walk forward placing my stuff in there counter, and the cashier man starts scanning my drink and chip.

I looked back at the TV na iba na yung binalita, its no longer about the missing kid. It's about politics now.

Hopefully the kids will be found soon. Their parents might be worried sick for their safety.

"That would be 85 all miss." The cashier says as I take out my 100 pesos from my folded wallet.

"Keep the change, kuya." I said smiling at lumakad na ako palabas ng store dala yung binili ko na nilagay sa loob ng paper bag.

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"Mama? Nakauwi na po ako!" Sigaw ko pagpasok ko sa loob ng bahay. The lights are open but no one answers my call, making me assume na lumabas sila mama at kuya for who knows where.

Tinanggal ko na yung school shoes ko, at inilagay ko katabi sa sapatos ng mama ko sa aming shoes shelves na para lang sa sapatos panglabas namin, and I am now starting to wear my inner slippers.

Agad ako pumunta sa kwarto ko para ilagay yung bag ko at yung pinamili ko, at para narin pumalit ako ng suot pambahay.

Took me 3 minutes to finally change my school clothes to comfortable one at lumabas na ako ng kwarto. To check if nag-iwan ba sila mama sa akin ng pagkain. And they do left me some. Pork sisig.

Then pumunta naman ako sa fridge para uminom ng malamig na tubig, kung meron man. I opened and search some water. Wala. So I closed the fridge and nagulat nalang ako ng may envelope nakadikit sa fridge.

"What the, wala ito kanina ah." Sabi ko at napakamot sa ulo. I'm hundred percent sure wala ito pagbukas ko kanina.

Umiling ako at napa-sigh.

"Baka sa pagod ito sa school kaya diko napansin." Sabi ko sa sarili ko at tinanggal yung envelope dun.

I checked the envelope front to back, checking to see if there is any information about who's it from o saang galing ito. But there was none. Baka utang nanaman ito kila tita, again.

They always send us letters anonymously para daw mabigyan sila ng pera ni mama or! Love letter ito galing sa mga fans ni kuya. Hays hirap talaga pag sikat at pogi yung kapatid mo. Tsk tsk tsk.

Wala pa sila mama and I want to asked them about this letter. Should I wait for them to come home, or open it myself? I mentally asked myself as I stare down the envelope that was now on the table.

Hmm. Nah, I'll just open it and tell them what I read from this.

I lift the envelope and tear it apart, carefully not to tear the letter or documents inside. Pagkapunit ko, may nahulog isang maliit na papel sa loob.

It was folded and has my name written on.

"To Ysabella. For me?" I asked myself, knowing no one can answer my question. Dahan-dahan ko kinuha yung maliit na papel at dahan daghan binuka.

I was expecting a letter like 'pwede humingi ng pera?' ganun but no, it was just a simple congratulation of words and a question.

"You have been invited to join to a game." I read out loud. A game? Of what?

"Would you like to proceed? [Yes] or [No]." I continued and I stared at the letter confused.

May sinalihan ba ako na diko maalala? Or Patty signed up me again in some random games.

"This could be a prank from those two cousins." I mumbled as I throw the paper on the table habang tinitigan ko ng masama. Feeling ko talaga prank lang ito galing nila. Hays. Talagang buhay to.

Should I just go with the flow? Maybe this is their way to cheer me up I . guess.

"Yes." I said smiling. Biglang sumakit ulo ko, parang binugbog yung ulo ko sa sobrang sakit.

"AGHHH!!!!" sigaw ko habang hawak hawak ko yung ulo ko.

"[CONGRATULATIONS!! YOU HAVE ACCEPTED OUR INVITATION!!! YOU ARE NOW PART OF EARTH122 READER...]" napatigil ako ng muling narinig ko yung robotic/computer voice.

Part of what? Earth 122? Reader? What??

Gusto ko itaas yung ulo ko para makita ko kung ano yun, but I can't. Dahil unti unti ako nakaramdam ng pagkahilo. Again, I screamed in pain. Lumala yung sakit sa ulo ko.

"T-Tulong..." mahinang sabi ko. Mama. Kuya. Nasaan kayo? Sobrang sakit, mama, kuya. Black spots slowly appeared in my vision and everything around me becomes blurry.

I'm passing out. Sheets!!

"[We welcome you again Ysabella Vladivo, READER 00. Hope you survive in the game.]"

That was the last thing I hear bago ako tuluyang nawalan ng malay.

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BREAKING NEWS:

12 year old, Ysabella Vladivo, from San Nicolas Elementary went missing yesterday afternoon....

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