<< Chapter 10
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I lay in my bunk, unmoving, for what seemed like hours. Ideas swirled in my head like common thought. This sitting — rather lying — still really does wonders to strategic planning. I've played and replayed scenarios over and over, trying to come up with the best possible outcome.
"Think of where you will land before you leap off the cliff." This must be what the elders of my village always used to say. This was the sabiduria that they were referring to. If only we had listened, we wouldn't be in this mess. That is ... if there are still others like me.
They were elders for a reason. The wisdom they held was from countless study, practice and experience. If they weren't any good at what they do, they wouldn't have lived as long as they did. If only I ... If only—
No, that's ... Dwelling in the past won't do me any good. The best I could do now was to avenge my people. Causing the downfall of these giants — all of these giants — would be the best way to honor their memory.
To be honest, I don't remember much from my youth. I recall things in passing, but I ... I never really have a concrete recollection. Every day I spend here in this prison, every water treatment, every ... Every second spent was one less memory of days past.
The Chachapo— No, that's not right. Cha? Chacha? I lika do da cha cha. Was that it? Wait, no. I've heard that somewhere before. Has a ring to it. What was I thinking about? Oh! The Sachaphoyans, my people, are ... They would ... I will be with them again. Some day soon. I will be with them in the wind. Up in the mountains, down the river, wherever the winds will blow.
My eyes welled up, but I did my best to contain my tears from spilling. I let out a yawn to justify the precipitation around my eyes. The ceiling stared back at me mockingly. It was the only thing that separated me from the sky above. One day, I shall pierce through it with the full might of my viento. We'll see then who will be the one mocking.
I stood up slowly, still a bit exhausted. Gingerly, I walked toward Teten to initiate my plan. Since she was in league with the giants, I won't reveal to her the full extent of my plan. She'll be my pawn to get into the giants' good graces, the chink in their armor.
"Teten," I whispered to her, while my hand was softly shaking her right calf. "Are you awake?"
"Go away," she replied, sobbing. Her sniffling and sniveling made it hard to comprehend what she was saying.
Normally, I wouldn't have the patience to ask her why she was grief-stricken, in fact, I was a bit delighted. But, now would be the best time to get on her good graces. If only I could offer her consolation for whatever was ailing her. That way, she would definitely feel gratitude towards me.
"No, come on," I followed, sympathetically. "Tell me what's wrong."
She moved further away, and curled herself into a ball. All that time, she kept sobbing while trying to mute her weeping with her pillow. It's not for me to say, but it wasn't all that effective.
I sat on her bed, with my back against hers, and placed my hand in the middle of her back. Gently, I started to rub it up and down, in hopes of reinvigorating her healing chi.
"There, there," I told her, while trying to focus my viento on my palm. With whatever small amount of energy I had left, I couldn't believe that I was wasting it to heal a traitor. This was me aiming toward where I'll land way before I jumped off a cliff. "It'll all be alright."
"Go away, Ledd!" she pleaded. "Please leave me alone."
"Look, I-I ... I know that we haven't always met eye to eye. You've made mistakes, I've had some faults, and you ... Well, what I'm trying to say is that even though it's mostly your fault, and some of mine, but mostly yours, I—"
"Please! Just ... Ugh! Please go away. I just ... I can't deal with this right now. Just go!"
"Why I ... You don't," I stammered, thinking about my next move. Keep it together, Ledd. There's no use in starting another confrontation. Remember, you've beaten her before, almost to an inch of her life. Your presence might've just jogged that memory of your viento almost hitting her. I mean, I would be terrified if I was her. "Yes, that's right. Oh, wait, no. I didn't mean to ... Wait, let me start over."
"Ledd let's go," interrupted Mamie, grabbing me by my torso and carrying me outside. "Let's leave Teten be to rest."
"Rest? She's fine! Tell her, Teten. Unhand me, you giant!"
I should've known better than to even try to go toe-to-toe with these creatures in a test of strength. A mere slip-up. Breathe, Ledd. Keep calm. Sabiduria.
Mamie carried me to the outside corridor, closed the door behind her and set me down on the ground. She opened up the usually locked cedar-colored chest, and pulled out a variety of trinkets, which she later placed on the ground in front of me.
This chess game that these giants and I played was very strange. Favor swings from one direction to another in a matter of moments. This unpredictability should be something that I should take advantage of. I'll be the first to admit, they've won this round. Unbeknownst to them, it was an attempt to turn Teten against them. Might as well make a cannon or some sort of incendiary device out of these trinkets to repay the favor.
As far as I can remember, these trinkets have been here even before they captured me. They gave us free reign to do whatever we want with them. I've seen other prisoners take some out into the yard. The only thing that made the giants angry was whenever we don't return them to their proper storage.
What was the purpose of these seemingly random trinkets? Were they just meant to distract us from planning our escape? Did the giants just consider them scrap, that's why they pawned it off to us prisoners?
Since my readjusted strategy was that of thinking before leaping, I decided that I needed to do just that. Think, Ledd. There's a pattern to everything. If I stepped back a little, I could connect these trinkets somehow. I needed to find their true purpose.
In a way, all of us prisoners are like these trinkets. We all came from different backgrounds, different places, but if we manage to band together and find a right combination of all our abilities, we could create magnificent feats. I'm sure of it. I mean, why else would these giants bother keeping all of us here if they didn't have any use for us? Why would these giants place us in separate fortresses?
As I looked out the window, all I saw was potential. Somewhere out there, I know there are prisoners who skill that complement mine. I just hope they belong in the same prison as I do. They don't know it yet, but they hold the key to not only our freedom, but our victory against our titanic captors.
I unhinged parts of one trinket and attached it to another. Playing around with different combinations, I tried to create something useful. At times it felt like I was onto something, but I end up with an amalgamated piece of useless junk. My head throbbed as I stressed about which combination to use. What am I not seeing?
The sun illuminated the corridor. Its rays reflected against the colorful curtains that adorned the windows. Beside our sleeping quarters was another room that served as Dadier's station. Deafening music usually blared out from there. It made the wooden floor vibrate, but it wasn't the case this time. His failure in recapturing me might be the cause of the somber mood. The honor and reward was rightfully taken by that equally dreadful Potalaga. If I ever get my hands on him, he'll wish he had never brought me back to this prison.
I snuck in and peeked at what Dadier was up to. It's not that I missed him, but it's been awhile since our paths have crossed. I'm not exactly sure, but I think I have yet to meet him ever since my return after all those years.
The giant sat hunched up in his black mobile throne, staring at his humongous picture screen. From there he had a clear view of everything going on in the prison, and maybe even the whole world. His fat fingers typed heavily on, I don't even know what to call that device. A kibo? I remember him saying it was a kibo. Yes, that's right. It was a kibo. His fat fingers typed heavily on the kibo. The nimbleness of his fingers was quite remarkable. He used the kibo to change the display of the picture screen.
Dadier let out a yawn as he stretched his arms. He grabbed hold of a crystalline flagon and took a swill of some liquid concoction. After a few moments, the giant belched an ungodly roar. It was loud enough to shake the very foundations of the fortress.
This was what I was afraid of. It seems that the giants only grew stronger in my absence. A readjusted strategy couldn't have come at a more opportune time.
As I was heading back to the corridor, I tripped on a stray trinket and fell on my knees. I had been careful not to make a noise, but the sound of my fall was loud enough to alert my towering adversary.
The giant turned his mobile throne around, and stared at me sardonically. Our eyes locked, as I held my position. I didn't want to make any sudden moves, so as not to initiate a physical encounter. He stood up, and cast a shadow that fully enveloped me. In turn, I stood as well, my eyes still locked in to his.
I rubbed my nose, and puffed out my chest. With a tone that masked any sort of intimidation, I greeted him. "We meet again."
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