His Famous Last Words

“No! Prio!”

I came rushing to Prio who walked in pace on the corridor. Every step I made kept my heart beat faster. I saw a fainted smile on Prio. The stretched cheeks he showed to me gave me a creepy feeling. He kept on uttering my name. It was bouncing in my eardrums. I couldn’t help but to cover my ears. It seemed like he wanted me to follow him until we both reached the stairs to the room. He stopped and so did I. I tried to talk to him. But when I was about to take the first step, a blinding white light directly struck on my face, that I lost my sight on Prio. I continued climbing up but a full blow of blood flowed into my every veins. Stairs were seemed to be spiral. I pulled myself over until my red right hand finally held the doorknob.

I was about to turn open the door, but before I applied a force on it, it eventually opened up. I took a look around. It was all white. The windows were wide open. The curtains were dancing to the rhythm of the breeze. There was a dried leaf or two on the table. The chair looked unarranged as if someone used to sit on it and forgot to return it back. There were also pieces of crumpled papers scattered on the floor.

Though hesitant, I put down on my tired knees to pick the litters up. I stood up to throw the litters but I heard of someone climbing up the stairs. It was like squeaking. I then went to the table and grab the vase filled with withered flowers. But when I was about to turn my back, I heard of someone knocking up the door and it was even louder. Frightened, I dropped the vase and broke into pieces. I was trembling that moment. I couldn’t think of anything. My shadows weren’t moving anymore.

Couples of seconds had passed and the loud knock was eventually fading off. Sneaking, I tried to move my right foot backwards, then my left foot. As my body moved freely, my head turned north. I had my eyes laid on the glass hanging on the wall. I saw myself on it. Knowing it wasn’t another person, I came into my deepest sigh.

“What a relief!”

Soundless, I had those words mouthed. Eventually, I heard of drizzle tapping on the thin but galvanized roof. Cold blow of monsoon started to raise my hair up. I thought it was like the feeling when Prio glanced at me. I heard of some tick-tocks … and …and … and … everything turned black. All I could see through the window was the round object above the maple tree. It was so bright. Really, it was so beautiful. Stunned, my both feet moved on its own. I really didn’t know what was happening. It seemed like I really wanted to see that object. With only a step away from the pane, I felt dizzy; I had a double vision. One of my scraped knees was starting to bend. My body wasn’t responding normally. I was like falling. I just thought that I let my guard down. I knew that something very hard landed on my back. Fainting, I saw a cloudy image of a man with something on his hand. Then, I was put to slumber….

“Hey, you! Wake up!”

Such monotonic yell had awakened me. I could still feel my back aching. I took a look around and I found myself leaning on a dusty wall. Blurrily, I saw a man puffing some cigars. I rubbed my eyes and to my surprise, I saw some red fluids dripping from his left arm.

The scene was really bothering me. I could even hear my chest pounding. I felt the same feeling when Prio and I used to pick some of our neighbor’s jalapenos on Fridays. And everything got worse. It tried to put back on feet but something very heavy was pulling me down. I couldn’t move a bit; I was like busted by a cop. I was like a criminal.

“Let go of me!”

I turned my head back to him. My eyes bulged as the man came approaching me. Frightened, I then closed my eyes. I tried to guess what was going to happen next. I could hear his footsteps and I knew he just stopped.

“You choose! You or Prio?”

Again, I heard of the monotonic voice. I knew it was his and it really made me shiver. Slowly opening my eyes, I felt something on my forehead: long, black and hard. There was a small hole on the middle of it. I could smell something similar to the iron fillings we used in our laboratory class. I looked at it thoroughly and found out it was a nozzle. I attempted to move an inch but the black thing was pushed even harder. Then, my mouth was being targeted.

“You or Prio?”

Confused and scared, I heard of the voice again. It was even more audible and this time, it was understandable. I was bit puzzled when I heard of the name Prio. I knew he wasn’t here but I was wondering why I was given an option. With fierce eyes, I looked straight to him.

“Prio isn’t here!”

I bursted out. I could feel scorching heat all over my face. All of a sudden, my jaw fell down. The nozzle was then pointed to the basket filled with red fruits. Beside it was a man in a cuff with his hand covering his face. I took a glimpse and was mystified knowing it was him. Grinning, my eyeballs grew bigger. My lungs even expanded more and I could catch my breath freely. Then, a deafening blast was heard. My world exploded in a flash of light.

“No! Prio!”

That was the only thing that my innocent mouth had uttered. Astounded, I quickly turned my head to the right. Panicking, I could feel tremors all over my body.

“ Hahahahahah!”

Hearing such demonic laugh made me more terrified. I couldn’t look around, I didn’t even want to. I just couldn’t take what happened. I was disappointed with myself. I did nothing for his salvation; I just looked at him. I should have warned him. At this golden time of mine, I wasn’t thinking what to do.

“H-h-help m-m-me!”

Amidst my oppression, I suddenly heard of someone begging. Though uttered once, it kept on banging into my ears. I pulled myself over and thought of breaking out of this nightmare. I wiped my face wet with tears and my eyes rambled every corner of the room. Then, I returned my sight on Prio who was lying n the floor.

“For God’s sake! How could this be happening?”

Wiping the sweat on my face, I spurted those words. I’ve noticed Prio bleeding. I tried to reach him but it seemed like I wasn’t moving.

“Where do you think you’re going? Hahahahahah! Come back here!”

He was pulling my right leg. Then I gave him my strongest kick that sent him back flying and landed beside the table. I knew he got hurt. It was shown on his face. I tried to crawl like a caterpillar fighting for life.

“Such a brave dog! You’re not getting away. You ruined my garden, you stole my babies. You wasted my millions.”

For the very first time, I vividly saw his face. I knew he was our neighbor. With his thick and gray beard and distorted face, he looked really angry. I wanted to shout to ask for help. But, it would be impossible. Ma and Pa just went a business trip in Barcelona. No one would hear me.

“Prio! Prio! Wake up!”

I shouted at Prio he wasn’t responding at all. I tried to reach his hand but it was really cold.

“Don’t waste your time, kid! He’s even colder than your fridge.”

I just looked sharply at him for sometime. I couldn’t believe with what I just heard.

“What have you done to him? It’s just a fruit! That was too cruel! You’re such a monster!”

I saw him standing and walking towards me. He put his hand on my neck and held it firmly. I couldn’t grasp my breath.

“Me? A monster? Really, I am and I will show you what a monster.”

My neck was held even harder. I was losing my breath. I could feel my larynx in so much pain. I then held his right arm with cartilaginous hands.

“You’ll regret this, kid. I’ll send you both to hell!”

He kept on talking but I couldn’t understand what he was saying. I was losing my grip and when I looked at him, his face looked pixelized. I knew it would be hopeless but nothing I could do. With his rough hands and steel-hard muscles, I realized that it might end up worse and Prio was already helpless. At this very moment, I would put my fate on his hands.

“For the last time kid, spit your famous last words.”

“Just spare Prio….”

Only three words of misery just came out of my pale lips. It became even paler when I saw him pulling something from his back. I closed my eyes and repeated those words.

“Just spare Prio.”

“Wish granted.”

Then, a heavy blast echoed the entire room which opened my eyes. I looked around and saw him smiling.

“What did you do?”

I was shocked when I saw my left limb bleeding but I couldn’t feel any pain. I was grasping my breath grievously when someone from behind appeared. I knew him and was surprised when he swung the chair and hit the man.

“It’s Prio! But how?”

I kept on asking myself. I stood up and stopped for a while. This time, the man was unconsciously lying on the floor. I then approached Prio who was wounded leaning on the wall after he swung the chair. I saw blood dripping from his left arm. Enduring so much pain on my limb, I still tried my best to raise him up.

“Don’t worry, Prio. We’ll be alright, I’m sorry.”

Apologetically talking to Prio, I then held the doorknob.

“Where do you think your going?”

The man woke up and pointed his pistol towards us. The trigger was cocked and the sight was put on me. Prio and I were frightened and shaking. I was listening to our heartbeats when Prio opened the door and pushed me forcefully. I rolled and fell down the stairs.

“Prio, don’t do this! I promised mom to protect you!”

I was shouting that time when I heard of uncountable and spontaneous gunshots. My tears started to roll on my blood-stained face. Wrathful, I rubbed my eyes and decided to climb up the stairs. But when I was about to take the first step, the door eventually opened up and someone was coming out. It was him, smiling.

“No way, you killed him! You’ll pay for this!”

In the middle of my aversion, the man fell down the stairs bleeding. I respire deeply with what I saw. I knew he was already dead… and … Prio….

“Good heavens! Prio!”

In so much joy, I thanked God and called Prio a thousand times. Again, the door eventually opened up. I saw a red hand holding the doorknob.

All of a sudden, smiles transformed to sorrows when I heard of an abrupt bang behind the door. I climbed up as fast as I could and … found Prio side-lying on the floor, breathless. My world turned upside down. Tears started to flush the blood stains on my face. My knees started to fall. I took my deepest breath and shouted to the tip of my lungs.

“No! Prio!”