Cord Connection

THE HIDEOUT

Chapter Two

After a billions of steps. He stops from walking. Finally, I believe, we've reached our destination. Pero, bigla akong napakunot ng noo.

Anong mayroon sa lugar na ito? Bakit dito niya ako dinala?

“We're here,” said by Cedric.

Nakaangat pa ang dalawa niyang kamay. Tinignan ko siya sa mata ng makahulugan, subalit ngumiti lang ito na lalong nagpakulubot ng aking noo.

I roam my sights, the broken structures exposed in my eyes. Umaasa akong ang lugar na ito ang sasagot sa katanungang nabuo sa aking isipan. Subalit, bigo ako. Wala akong makitang sagot.

Nagkalat ang ilang parte ng semento sa paligid. Sirang-sira na ang buong lugar at wala ng mapapakinabangan pa.

The structures are still standing, but it seems going to collapse for a second. Nakakatakot ng humakbang baka bigla na lang gumuho ang lugar.

The whole place is full of thick dust. A pulverized form of buildings to be specific. Ang flooring ay tila bibigay na rin, sapagkat may mga c***k na ito. Parang wala itong pinagkaiba sa pinagmulan namin.

“H-here?” I stuttered while pointing the land beneath my feet.

Niluluko yata ako ng taong ito.

“Yeah...” he surely said.

“But, this place...”

“Looks old and miserable? Haha...” he butts in and partly laughed. Pinagmasdan ko lang siya. “This is our hide-out. Look...” He just bend his knees and remove the dust from the floor using his hand.

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata. Amusement begin to swallows me, alive! Napabuka na lang ang aking bibig at tila napipi na.

A combination of numbers are now visible in my eyes. Muli niya akong tinapunan ng tingin saka ngumiti.

"See?" he said.

Isa iyong kuwadradong bagay na may mga numerong nakalagay mula Zero hanggang Nine. Para iyong screen ng tablet, ang pinagkaiba lang nito ay literal itong nakakabit sa semento.

Cedric reroutes his eyes to the floor and tap the code combinations. Abruptly, the floor partly shakes and I hear some sound under the ground as if, the stones creates friction. The floor separates and sudden square hole appears.

Tumambad sa amin ang hagdan pababa ng lupa.

“Wow,” I said in a low voice. I try to peek under of it, yet I saw none. It's too dark down there.

Muli akong tinapunan ng tingin ni Cedric. “Tara,” aya nito sa akin.

He steps his feet to the stair way going down. Hindi ko na alam kung ano ang nasa loob, sapagkat napakadilim na nito.

Nauna na siyang humakbang pababa ng hagdanan. I just tail him.

Habang pababa ay patuloy naman sa paglibot ang aking mga mata. Kinakabisado ko ang buong lugar, ngunit unti-unti na kaming nilalamon ng dilim habang papasok sa loob nito kaya't wala na akong makita pa kun'di kadiliman.

Ilang sandali lang ay tuluyan nga kaming nakapatapak sa pinakadulong bahagi ng hagdan.

I-binalik ko ang aking tingin sa kung saan kami nagmula. I feel amuse once again, the stair starts folding and goes back to its original form.

Nang tuluyang bumalik ang hagdanan sa dating porma nito. Agad namang nawala ang liwanag na nagmumula sa labas kaya't tuluyang dumilim ang buong lugar.

Ramdam kong humakbang ng bahagya si Cedric at tila may hinahanap ito.

"Found it!" Napakunot ako bigla ng aking noo. Hindi ko alam kung nasaang parte siya. Napako na kasi ako sa kinatatayuan ko.

Nasaan na ba talaga kami? Bakit nandito kami sa kadiliman?

Bigla na lang nag-spark ang ilaw sa ceiling. Napatingin ako roon hanggang sa tuluyan na ngang nagliwanag sa buong lugar.

Doon ko lang natapagmasdan ng buo ang lugar na kinatatayuan naming dalawa.

I found myself standing on a squared shapes tunnel. Ang daming gumagapang na kable sa buong paligid at may mga iba't ibang kulay ang mga ito. May kalakihan rin ito na noo'y nakadikit lang sa pader.

“Welcome to Campsite X21,” he said. “This place was built before the extraterrestrial being attack the Earth. This is own by Dr. Faraday,” he explained.

Nagsimula siyang humakbang sa kahabaan ng tunnel. Sumunod na lang ako sa kaniya. Habang naglalakad kami ay patuloy naman sa paggala ang aking mga mata. 

The place was painted with black. Ang dumi tignan dahil na rin sa pagkakapintura nito. Sementado na rin ang flooring at medyo may kagaspangan ito dahil sumasagi ito sa suot kong itim na sapatos.

“Dr. Faraday is a scientist. He's expert about electrical engineering,” he said without looking at me.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya matapos kong maigala ang aking paningin sa buong paligid. “You mean, he is the person who can help me bring back my memories, right?” I asked him.

“Precisely, Kid," he said snapped.

"Dr. Faraday creates his own laboratory here and... we enter the Asymptote Universe to gather some infos to that world, he's planning to shutdown that place and bring back here all the people they abducted,” he added.

“You mean, the people they abducted are putted on that place?” I asked wondering. "But, why?"

Another facts enlightened me. Napakunot na naman ako ng aking noo sa aking mga nalaman. Ilang katotohanan pa ba ang gugulat sa akin tungkol sa kalagayan ng mundo?

“Precisely, they putted all of those people in Asymptote Universe, because they wanted to controlled all of them. They want us to be their slaves." There's an angry on his voice.

I found myself astounded! This is worst!

Tila nawalan ako ng tinig sa aking nalaman. Namayani ang katahimikan sa aming dalawa at tanging yapak na lang namin ang maririnig sa buong paligid.

Cedric abrupt sheers to left and I followed him. Ilang hakbang pa ba ang gagawin namin?

The next thing I saw make my eyes widen. Napalunok ako bigla ng laway sa aking nakita.

Hindi lang pala ako at si Cedric ang nasa loob. Hundred of peoples are inside the tunnel.

Mas maluwag na sa bahaging ito ng tunnel at may kataasan na ang ceiling nito hindi tulad kung saan kami nanggaling.

Everyone fixed their eyes on us. “Don't worry guys, he's a friend!” Cedric yelled to them.

Muli naman silang lumikha ng ingay. I hear some sigh of relief from them. “Matagal na sila rito, Kid. Since day one.” Now, he leaned his eyes on me.

Pinagmasdan ko ang mga taong naroroon. May ilang magpamilya, matatanda at ilang grupo ng kabataan.

Hindi ko maiwasang hindi panghinaan ng loob habang pinagmamasdan ko sila. May kung anong pumitik sa aking dibdib.

Punong-puno ng alikabok ang kanilang suot. Payat at nanginginig ang ilan sa kanila. Ang mga bata ay tila hindi na naasikaso ng kanilang mga magulang. Their clothes seem like uniform, because it has streak of dust. Halatang hindi na sila nakapagbibihis pa.

“Come... This way to Dr. Faraday's laboratory.” He pokes my shoulder that makes me back my senses.

“Are they Traveller too?” I nonchalant asked.

“No... They were not. They're just an ordinary being. Their community were attacked by those extraterrestrial being. Dr. Faraday accidentally found them and hide it here,” Cedric replied.

“Dr. Faraday seems like had a big heart.” Napakurba ako ng aking labi sa mga naisip.

“You're joking, right?” he said.

I leaned my sights on him and gave him a weak smile.

“Let's go,” he added.

Sinimulan na nitong humakbang at sumuong sa nagkukumpulang tao. I feel their presence. They're sharped looking at me from head to foot. Nakakailang!

Nakalampas na kami sa kompulan ng mga tao. After a couple of minutes, we've reached the door made up of bricks. Nakahinga naman ako ng maluwag, pero bigla ring napakunot ng noo.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit nasa harap kami ng semento.

Tatagos ba kami rito?

Sinipat iyon ni Cedric na parang may hinahanap. Biglang namang napakurba ang mga labi niya saka umusal, "Found it!"

He pushes one of it and it sags. Unti-unting nahawi ang mga bricks sa iba't ibang direksyon.

Amusement swallows my whole system. “Amazing,” I mumbled.

“Yeah, Dr. Faraday is amazing as his invention... Come.” He invited me to come in.

Pumasok kami sa loob. The temperature of the place suddenly changed. Parang may air-conditioner sa loob. Nanindig bigla ang balahibo ko sa kamay.

The place is now painted with white color and wide enough. A lot of cables with different colors are visible everywhere in this part of room. May iba't ibang laki  ang mga ito. May mga computer ding nakalagay lang sa gilid at nakaayos simula maliit hanggang sa malaki.

Parang isa na itong buong bahay. Kompleto sa lahat ng gamit. May sofa, coffee table, dinning at may iilang pinto pa papasok sa iba't ibang parte ng lugar na ito.

I turned my gaze back to the door where we entered. Unti-unting bumalik sa dating anyo nito ang mga bricks. “Wow,” I bubbled. This place wasn't failed to amazed me.

“Dr. Faraday!” Cedric exclaimed.

I fixed my sights to the man in front of us: Dr. Faraday. Napalaki na lang ang aking mata sa aking nakita.

“Cedric, you're back!” Dr. Faraday yelled back.

He worn his long sleeve and knee-length white coat–laboratory gown– it's usually used by those scientist to protect their street clothes and served as their simple uniform.

Nakikita ko pa ang suot nitong itim na pantalon at ang suot nitong sapatos.

Kalalabas niya lamang sa isang pribadong silid.

He has messy hair. He worn his black framed goggle and a pair of gloves on his hand. He has also a thick mustache covered his mouth.

Cedric comes close to Dr. Faraday and they hug each other.

“You're back.” The Doctor taps Cedric back. “How's there outside? Have you find something out there?” he asked.

“Dr. Faraday, I have found nothing. Sorry... There is no one we can exploit. Everything is distracted and pulverized,” Cedric sadly answered.

“Oh... It's fine," Dr. Faraday bubbled.

Dahan-dahan siyang bumitaw sa pagkakayakap kay Cedric nang makita niya akong nakatingin sa kaniya. I feel freeze, his eyes is so scary as if, seeking deep within my soul.

I gulped...

“Who's this teenage, Boy hmmm...” The Doctor started to moved.

Lumapit ito sa akin. I can't move, there's something on his masculine voice that makes me shut my mouth.

Muli akong napalunok ng laway.

Umikot siya sa akin, tila kinakabisado ang buo kong katawan.

"You're a Traveller hmm....” He continue roaming. “What's your name?” he asked.

Gusto sanang sumagot, pero tila napipi na ako. Naninigas ang buo kong katawan.

I didn't answer him, besides I don't know my name.

“He can't remember anything, Dr. Faraday. He seems like had an amnesia.” It's Cedric.

He stops in my front and looks directly unto my eyes. “Memory trouble hmmm...”

“C-c-can you help me bring back my memories, Sir?” I stuttered.

Sa wakas, nakapagsalita na rin ako. Ramdam ko ang biglaan panlalamig ng buo kong katawan.

Lumingon siya kay Cedric. “Where did you found him?” he asked Cedric without answering my question.

Naglakad siya patungo sa harap ng computer.

“I found him walking. Unaware of everything. I guess, he just telling the truth. I brought him here,” Cedric explained.

“Uhmmm...” Dr. Faraday mumbled.

The computer is now open and he immediately types some binary code on it.

Binary code is a combination of number 0 and 1, each numbers are equivalent to one letter. Wala akong ibang makita sa monitor kun'di binary code land.

“Aha! Wow! Great!” he exclaimed.

Napakunot ako bigla ng noo sa biglaang pagsigaw nito.

“Dad! What's wrong?” A girl voice echoed. Patakbo itong tumungo kay Dr. Faraday. May kasama siya isang lalaki na ka-edad ko lang.

May iba pa pala kaming kasama rito liban sa aming tatlo.

Napagmasdan ko ang dalawa. The teenage guy, has long wavy hair, he has black frame circled eyeglass, pointed nose, thick eyebrows and kissable lips. He worn his long sleeve gray t-shirt matching with jeans. While the teenage girl, worn black crop-top sports b*a. She has V-shaped chin, dark eyes, thick eyebrows, not-so-pale lips and well curved eyelashes. She also worn jeans matching with black shoes. Nakatirintas ang buhok nito. She looks cool. My gazes suddenly stock on her for a while.

Later on, everyone fixed their eyes on me. I got petrify for a second. “W-what's the problem?” I cracked the silenced.

“This Boy is different. I saw the holes behind him. He's special, the small holes in his back is unique one. It has special features. I searched it in my computer and I found out his three holes is upgraded, unlike yours!” Dr. Faraday lively explained. Isa-isa niyang tinignan ang mga kasamahan niya. Nakakunot ang kanilang mga noo, maging ako ay gayon din.

“Ano pong mayroon? Hindi po ako maka-relate?” I asked them.

“Look, Kid,” the Doctor said. He thoroughly leaned his sights at me. “I have to test you,” he said, directly and frankly.

I wrinkled my forehead. It didn't sink onto my mind.

“I need to replicate the features behind you, so that I can create new one. The features of yours are great help upon travelling to the Asymptote Universe,” he continued.

I got his point. “But, what makes the holes behind me unique?” I perplexedly asked.

“The coaxial cables behind you are upgraded than what I putted to Cedric, Ellina and Matt. Yours is higher than that?”

Naningkit bigla ang aking mga mata.

“Coaxial cables po?” Napakamut na lang ako ng ulo.

“Coaxial cable is a cord for transferring signal from this universe to one another. Example is the cable television distribution system,” the teenage butts in. Dr. Faraday called him Matt.

“Yeah, Matt is right,” Dr. Faraday affirmatives.

“What am I going to do?” I asked that makes his lips curve a smile.

“Sounds you're agreed?” he answered me. “I need to send you to the Asymptote Universe and I'm gonna watch you doing things there and what special features can do if you're on that place,” the doctor answered.

I just flashes a smile on him. It is a win-win situation for me. He needs me to replicate the features and I need him to bring back all of my memories.

-----