MORRIE

IT TAKES courage to step into the darkness, to prepare for uncertainty and to face the unknown.

Harriet, being the bravest among the four of us, led the party into the hidden room. The forsaken path was dimly lit by the lamp held by Wilhelmina. I could see nothing but an endless abyss inviting us to walk right into it.

The door behind us automatically closed, startling us who already got lured inside. Aiden tried to force it open, but his strength wasn't enough to make the door budge. There's no way of escape as this situation became a point of no return for us.

"Stay close," Harriet whispered as we went on the narrow pathway. We had no choice but to continue moving forward. The chilling atmosphere and the darkness enshrouding the room worsened the circumstances.

As we got deeper into the pitch-black room, we observed a human figure ahead of us. We could see a mask covering his face and a bloody blade in his left. He was only staring at our direction as if he was waiting for us to make the first move.

"Stand back!" Harriet yelled, charging into the man. She swang the wooden stick not directly at the man in front of her, but at the blunt weapon in his hand. The blade flew meters away from the mysterious man. Sliding, Aiden was quick to grab it on the floor.

Now that the weapon was removed, Harriet wouldn't have a hard time beating that man. Despite us being school rivals, it would be unfair if I would not recognize one of her strengths. As a statement to that fact, she singlehandedly faced the hound earlier and saved the rest of our team.

"Ano, lalaban ka pa?" she taunted.

But the masked man was unfazed by the threat. He kicked Harriet on the leg, causing the Holmesian to fall on one knee. If that person thought he already had an advantage over her, he was mistaken. As soon as her knee hit the floor, Harriet grabbed the man by his leg and pulled him down. We heard a thud as his body hit the surface.

"You've made a wrong move!" Harriet stood over the man, pointing the stick at his neck. We gathered around him to make him feel that any form of resistance would be futile. He's badly outnumbered and he was fortunate that the Holmesian did not beat him to a pulp.

"Okay! Okay! That's enough!"

In an instant, the light went on in the room, illuminating the once dark hall. The so-called hidden room looked like a simple living room. Pieces of furniture were moved to one side, giving more space at the center.

We then heard an applause coming from both sides. Familiar faces began appearing within our eyeshot. For a second, my teammates seemed to be lost by what was happening.

"Congratulations, Team WHAM!" The man on the floor removed his mask, revealing his face. That's none other than our instructor, Professor Dred. "Pwede mo na ba akong patayuin?"

Shocked, Harriet stepped aside and immediately withdrew her wooden stick. "What's going on here?"

"Is this one of your pranks, sir?" Aiden asked, standing beside the Holmesian. Wilhelmina was hardly surprised by the revelation.

"Pasensya na kung pinag-trip-an namin kayo." Professor Dred dusted off his pants and removed the cloak wrapped around him. "Paalis na rin naman tayo bukas kaya naisipan kong gumawa ng kaunting kalokohan."

Harriet's eyebrows furrowed. "But the pool of blood in the cabins?"

"Nakipagkuntsabahan si sir sa amin," Sherry explained, pointing at our instructor. "Wala rin kaming magawa ngayong gabi kaya pumayag na kami."

"I thought you would figure out that something's off with the set-up," Locke said, shaking his head. "I would have lost if we proceeded with the betting earlier."

"Frankly I was against this foolish charade," the arrogant Joanna sighed. "But my teammates were into it so I agreed."

"You must really be fun at parties," the cool Sean commented. "Doing something foolish is okay once in a while. Masyado ka kasing seryoso sa buhay."

In response, Joanna just rolled her eyes.

"I commend you for figuring out about the hidden room," Professor Dred clapped. "Ang akala ko, mahihirapan kayong ma-deduce kung bakit nawala ang mga bangkay nang walang trace. Did you enjoy the little mystery that we prepared for you?"

"We have to thank Mina for that." Harriet jerked her thumb to our Watsonian comrade. "She noticed the slope in the ward and deduced that there's a hidden room in this cabin."

"As expected from you, Mina!" Professor Dred praised. "As observant as always."

Aiden raised his hand. "May tanong lang ako. Bakit kami ang naisipan n'yong biktimahin ng prank n'yo? Bakit kinailangan n'yong kuntsabahin ang ibang teams?"

"Your team won, sort of, the activity earlier," our professor explained. "Hindi ako duda sa inyo pero naisipan ko lang na i-test kayo. The next activity was supposed to be here and the challenge was similar to the one you just solved."

"Now that the charade is over, can we go back to our cabins and take a rest?" Joanna was first to walk out of the room. Her teammates followed behind, whispering "congratulations!" as they walked past us. Though we beat them in the forest, they still knew how to be a good sport unlike their leader.

"Let's call it a night!" Sean waved his right hand before exiting the room as well. His teammates did the same.

"Pwede na rin ba kaming bumalik sa cabin namin?" Harriet yawned. It was almost ten in the evening. "Ang akala ko kung ano na ang nangyari sa inyo."

"Sure, but first, can I have a moment with all of you?" Professor Dred looked serious.

The four of us looked at one another before nodding. The seriousness etched on our instructor's face hinted that he may tell us an update about our troubles today.

He led us out of the secret room and motioned his hand to the mahogany chairs in the cabin's main hall. He dragged a wooden single chair and placed it at the center of the room where he sat himself.

"Nababahala ako sa mga nangyari ngayong araw sa team building natin," Professor Dred started, putting his fingertips together. "You were chased twice by the same hound and you almost lost your life in the process."

His eyes glanced at Harriet who touched her leg. The snakebite may have healed already, but the marks would be there to remind her of how close she was to death.

"Tomorrow morning, a team would search the forest for the hound you spoke of," our professor continued, glancing at his wristwatch. "When we checked this island a few days ago, there weren't any beasts that might harm you or any students during the activities. Kaya nga nakakapagtaka kung paano lumitaw ang mga gano'ng hayop dito."

"This is no longer a random targeting. We are being specifically targeted," I pointed out, making my teammates look at me. They should have realized by now the grave situation that we were in. By involving ourselves in the Russian roulette murders and the assassination plot, we have put ourselves in the crosshairs of those men.

"Mukhang gano'n na nga," Professor Dred nodded. "Alam n'yo ba kung ano ang mas nakakabahala? Na baka ang taong tumatarget sa inyo ay isa sa mga kasama natin. Kung nagawa nilang pasukin ang ating school event, hindi malayong mapasok din nila ang simpleng team building activity. Kailangan naming i-doublecheck ang listahan."

"If you want our help in tracking down that person, willing kaming tumulong," Harriet proposed, looking at each member of our team. There was no objection. "Hindi kami basta-basta makakapag-relax ngayong alam naming may mga taong gustong saktan kami."

"And whoever wants to harm us might also be within the walls of the university," I added. "The captured assassin must have had an accomplice inside who was tasked to eliminate him upon his failure to carry out his mission."

"That being said, kailangan n'yong mag-ingat maging sa campus mismo," Professor Dred advised. The university was supposed to be our safe haven, but since the circumstances changed, it has become a hunting ground. "Rest assured na gagawin namin ang lahat para ma-identify kung sino ang nagtatangka sa mga buhay n'yo. Just exercise extra caution while he isn't under custody yet."

We nodded at his suggestion. But if our instructor thought that we would just sit back and relax while that person is on the loose, he was definitely mistaken. Neither Harriet nor I would do nothing in this situation. We'd rather do the hunting than be the hunted.

"Pwede na kayong bumalik sa inyong cabin," Professor Dred stood. "Make sure na ila-lock n'yo nang maayos ang kuwarto n'yo. Remember that someone's out there to get you."

No need to remind us, sir.

Fortunately, it hasn't rained since we went to the main cabin. We made our way through the muddy ground carefully. Aiden complained of the dirt that got on his shoes while the rest of us proceeded quietly. The other teams must still be awake as the lights in their cabins were still on.

As we were a few meters away from our cabin, Wilhelmina halted from walking and gazed at the dark forest.

"Anong problema, Mina?" Harriet asked, staring at the same direction as the Watsonian. I did the same but I saw nothing in the darkness.

"There's something in there," she muttered. "Something bright."

"Bright?"

We looked closely at the black landscape, waiting for anything to emerge out of it. Either the Watsonian was imagining things or she really saw something in the void.

But when I was about to look away, I noticed a figure that was glowing in the darkness. From afar, the light got bigger as it began charging at us.

We couldn't be mistaken. That's the hound that has been chasing us since we set foot on this island.

"Kainis! Wala na ang pamalo ko!" Harriet clicked her tongue, looking around for anything that she could swing to repel the incoming attack. Since we were in the middle of an open area, there was nothing within our reach.

"Ano pang ginagawa natin? Takbo!" Aiden ran through the pools of mud, splashing some dirt on our shoes and pants. But we no longer cared about that. Harriet, Wilhelmina and I followed behind him. Getting away from the beast was our topmost priority.

How the hound managed to reach us as quickly as it could was a mystery. We were just in time to reach for the door of our cabin when the beast leapt and began its assault. Harriet closed the door and ran toward the fireplace, picking up an unburnt wood.

"ARF! ARF!" the hound barked, scratching the door with its sharp claws.

I peeked through the window and observed how its body was glowing.

"Maririnig kaya ng mga taga-main cabin ang pagtahol ng asong 'yan?" Aiden asked, grabbing any object that he could use to defend himself.

"Kapag nakita nila 'yan, siguradong manlalaki ang mga mata nila," Harriet commented. Her steady hand was ready to swing the wood like a baseball bat in the event that the hound managed to break through the door. "They would finally see what has been chasing us since this morning."

"But how did the hound get here?" Aiden wondered. That's the question pestering my mind in the last few moments. "Kung kailan palabas na tayo ng main cabin, doon siya biglang umeksena?"

"Obviously, someone set it free," Harriet deduced. "At sa tingin ko, hindi coincidence na hinabol tayo ng aso kung kailan na tayo pabalik sa cabin natin."

We observed the hound's glowing body when it started pounding on the window. I could see in its eyes the desire to devour us for dinner. As it continued hammering the window with its huge paws, cracks could be seen forming on the glass.

We took a few steps backward, preparing ourselves for the hound's furious assault once the window broke. Its eyes were glaring at us and its barking was non-stop.

"Mukhang gutom na gutom na siya, ah?" Harriet placed the wood in front of her, readying for a swift strike once the glass broke.

"ARF! ARF! ARF!"

The hound was about to break the window glass, but a loud bang from outside rang in our ears. Judging by the sound, it must be a gunshot. The hound turned to the direction where the attack came from. Another gunshot was heard, followed by three more.

The beast wailed in pain, some blood splattered on the window. The pounding stopped and the barking halted. The hound was no more.

We went outside to check what actually happened and who saved us from the danger. Professor Dred was seen meters away from our cabin, holding a pistol with smoke oozing out its barrel. Members of the other teams were also present to witness how he took down the beast.

"Nasaktan ba kayo?" he went to our side and checked us one by one.

"We are fine, sir," Harriet answered. "Muntik na niya kaming maabutan kanina."

Professor Dred took a closer look at the dead hound. Though he appeared to believe our story earlier, he was as surprised as everyone to see the beast up-close. "I wonder kung paano naitago ang dambuhalang aso na 'to sa isla. Napakalaki niyang hayop para hindi siya mapansin ng mga nag-check dito."

"The more important question is who set it free?" I raised that point. "For the third time, the beast went after us."

"Para ngang naka-program na siya na kami lang ang tatargetin niya," Aiden commented. "At ang timing ng paglabas namin at paglabas niya, talagang kahina-hinala. Meron ba siyang tracker sa amin?"

If the dog's master was keeping track of our movements, that question could be easily answered.

"Iimbestigahan namin ito bukas, first thing in the morning," Professor Dred said, turning to us. "Sa ngayon, magpahinga na kayo. Maaga pa kayong babangon bukas. Kami na ang bahala rito."

"Yes, sir!"

We returned to our respective cabins, shocked by the recent developments in the evening. Our team building here would be memorable one, not because we enjoyed the company of one another, but because our lives had been in danger thrice.

The next morning, our university cruise ship arrived at the island's port. All teams were already up for our departure. Some were still terrified by what they saw last night. A hound that was almost as large as a human. No one could get to see that every day.

"The hound is dead but the person who wants us dead is still out there," Harriet said, gazing at the cerulean horizon.

Since we are teammates, we shared the same table for our breakfast. The Holmesian had no time complaining about it. No more trading barbs. Wilhelmina would certainly scold us if we acted like children in front of her.

I wager that Harriet's mind was still preoccupied by last night's events. Scratch that. Our minds were boggled by the hound's relentless attack on us. In fact, none of us was able to sleep comfortably. We escaped the claws of death three times in just a single day. The grim reaper might be upset about that.

"And what's horrifying, like what Professor Dred said, is that it might be someone who's with us in this ship," I added before sipping my cup of hot coffee. "It might happen again once we return in the campus."

"Gaya nga ng sinabi ni Sir Dred kahapon, kailangan nating magdoble-ingat," Aiden nodded, finishing his sausage. "As how I see it, parang chameleon ang may pakana ng mga kamalasan natin kahapon. He can simply hide in plain sight and blend with his surroundings."

"And that's what makes him more dangerous," Harriet sighed. "Masakit mang isipin pero dapat na nating tanggapin na baka nakasalamuha na natin ang taong tumatarget sa atin."

When the cruise ship arrived at the port, we were driven back to our university in about two hours. Supposedly, our return here would be tomorrow instead of today, but yesterday's events instantly changed the itinerary.

"So I guess that's it?" Harriet asked as we stopped at the fork in the road. "Magkakahiwalay na tayo. Babalik na naman tayo sa dati."

"Team WHAM shall reconvene again," Wilhelmina said, adjusting her eyeglasses. "This is just a temporary goodbye."

"Of course, it is, Mina!" The Holmesian smiled. "We have to track down the person who's after us. We have to find him before he finds us and do us harm."

"Sana'y maging simula na 'to ng mabuti nating pagsasamahan," Aiden hoped.

"As a sign of unity..." Harriet stretched out her arm, her palm facing down. As soon as they realized what that gesture meant, Wilhelmina and Aiden tapped her hand. They all turned to me when I did not follow suit.

I stared at their hands on top of one another. Fine. I gently slapped my right hand on theirs. Farnkly I was not a fan of this sort of symbolisms.

"For Team WHAM!"

Once we were done with the obligatory chant, we bade farewell to one another. I don't know if the purpose of the shortened team building was fulfilled in our group, but some changes couldn't be ignored. Harriet and I agreed on a compromise, Wilhelmina became more vocal and hopefully, Aiden got one step closer to his own target.

One thing's for certain: If we'd like to survive, we must unite against a common yet unknown enemy.

But so much for our troubles in the island. Now that I have returned in our campus, there was an urgent business that I must attend to.

I went straight to the Moriarty Manor, receiving some greetings of "welcome back" from my fellow Moriartians. In response, I nodded as they gave way to me.

The House Council chamber was a circular room. Whichever direction one faces, the crimson banners with ravens embroidered on them could be seen hanging. Our council does not conduct meetings on weekends, but the matter to be discussed was too urgent that we had to meet during our rest day.

The other councilors were already there, waiting for my arrival. All eyes were turned on me as I approached the table at center of the room.

"I heard you had troubles in your teambuilding," our House Leader Yohan asked. He was seated at the opposite end of the circular table. The whole arrangement gave me the vibes as if we were King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

"Nothing to be worried about," I answered, pulling a cushioned chair and taking my reserved seat. I wasn't technically a part of this council, but as a consultant, they had allowed me to sit and observe how their meetings were held. "We are going to deal with the issue when the proper time comes."

"I trust that you know why we are gathered here today," Yohan's voice echoed within the acoustic walls of the chamber.

"Andre delivered the message to me while we were en route to the island," I answered, recalling when my fellow Moriartian handed over a piece of paper at the cruise ship. "As a safety precaution, I threw the message into the sea. No one would ever figure out what was written there."

"We cannot allow the other Houses to know of our plan," the House leader replied, resting his elbows on the table and putting his fingertips together. "We have spent months of preparation for this operation."

We always take pride in our ability to execute seemingly flawless strategies and sabotage the plans of other Houses. That was one major reason why our House was seen to be a threat. They knew that through our cunning, we could outmaneuver anyone who might get in the way.

"Shall we get down to business?"

"We have gathered enough materials from the other Houses," a senior councilor reported. "Everything has been transmitted and recorded to the Pandoran Library. They were ready for use anytime we want."

"But," Yohan clicked his tongue. "Apparently, someone wants to beat us to the punch."

I shot a curious look at the senior councilor, silently asking him to explain further.

"Something happened in the Pandoran Library last week, before you left for that teambuilding," he explained. "Something we did not expect."

Yohan nodded, dismayed by the news. "Initially, we have decided to put the plan into motion in the next two to three months. But circumstances have changed. We need to adjust our strategies and act as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Or else, all our efforts would be in vain."

"Adjust strategies, huh?" I echoed.

"I intend to turn this disadvantegeous position into our advantage," Yohan claimed, his voice full of authority rang in our ears. "Alam n'yo naman siguro kung gaano tayo kagaling mag-predict sa posibleng galaw ng mga kalaban."

After all, this was just a gigantic game of chess. One could possibly anticipate the moves of the other player and launch a counter-offensive. We'd like to think that we are chessmasters who could checkmate our opponents through our maneuverings.

"As expected from you, House leader!" one of the councilors praised, clapping. "Kahit nalusutan tayo ng mga bastardong 'yon, hindi pa rin tayo basta-basta susuko!"

Yohan smirked. "We must show the thieves who were foolish enough to steal our prized possessions that they should never mess with our House. Because if they do, and they did, all hell will break loose. We shall restore the former glory of House Moriarty, soar higher than any of our rivals, slay those who refuse to bow down and let them behold our House's greatness."

"Understood! We are with you in this task, leader."

Our House leader stood and pressed his palms on the table. "No matter what the situation is, our own brand of rebellion must proceed! Talia Raux!"

"Talia Raux!" Our House chant reverberated inside the council room.

A storm was coming, and the university better prepare for it.

-30-