Chance

Ligi was tired of seeing Resi every time he gets enclosed in one place. He would have died if not for the hole that came out of the ground. Once again, it was Resi's negligence and casual approach in life even in the face of danger that resulted in him almost dying.

"I shouldn't have trusted you."

"I don't care. I don't trust you either."

Ligi immediately ignored Resi. He told himself to focus on the important things he had to do now so he observed this new surrounding that he was in right now. He didn't want to have another event like the one before happening again.

They were once again in a soil chamber but this time, there was a tunnel deep in the room. There was a way out. The only problem they had was how to get there. The left and right part of the room had curved tiled paths which were trapped due to the spikes on the left side and the holes on the right side. In the middle was a big pool of muddy water with some of its parts bubbling with air.

Ligi immediately checked the roof of the room and saw a vertical steel bar connected at the top. Connected at the bar was a railing that continued to the end of the tunnel.

Resi immediately went into the right side of the room and tested out the tiled floor. Ligi just observed Resi and was grateful that Resi was acting like a lab rat for him.

Resi stepped his right foot on the floor and waited for a response. He looked to the right wall which had holes in it and he looked at the right which was filled with water. He put more pressure. He suddenly felt some movement from his right side and immediately dodged. In the hole came a black colored snake with an open mouth showing its fangs.

Resi backed away from the tiles. He stared at the snake and the snake stared at him and after a few seconds, the snake immediately left back into its hole preparing for its next attack. Resi turned his attention to the left. That side of the room most likely had a different trap so he went and tested that out.

As a precaution, Resi stepped lightly into the tile putting more pressure on his feet as time passed on. Ligi and Resi waited and watched the spikes in the left but it didn't move. Seeing this, Resi jumped up and down the tile to provoke the spikes but it still didn't come.

It was deceptively easy to go through the left side but Ligi was sure there was some kind of trap that will activate the spikes. Resi didn't care. He just stepped onto the second tile without any second thought. Then he stepped onto the third tile and the next.

Ligi was now confused. Was there no trap there? Resi started to get confident and started to sprint through the tiles but after the first step, the spikes came and he had to immediately dodge or else he'd be riddled with holes. The spikes came from the side and attacked Resi which he dodged thanks to his excellent instincts.

He stepped back onto the previous tile and waited for the spikes to return to their original positions. From Ligi's observations, the left side of the path needs to be taken at a slow rate. When Resi ran through the tile, the spikes suddenly appeared. Resi also noticed this fact and retreated into the safe zone.

Resi would much rather go through the snakes than just walk slowly to get to the other side. That was just his personality. He would rather just bash right through without slowing down so he went back to the right path because it suited him the best.

Ligi knew which path he would choose because the left side suited him more. Slow and steady wins the race. In the back of Ligi's head, he knew it would be much safer to go together with Resi than to go alone but he would never want to work together with Resi again after that incident.

Ligi stepped into the tiles carefully. Beads of sweat fell down the tiles as Ligi purposefully stopped himself from walking. He was in his element. If all he needed to do was to walk slowly in these tiles then he could do it.

Resi stepped his toe on the tiles and let it stay there for a moment. Suddenly, a snake came from one of the holes in the right wall and whizzed past Resi. It didn't stop there. Resi still had his foot on the tile so another snake came from the hole, then another, and another until Resi took away his foot from the tiles. Resi knew what he had to do. He just had to run fast to not get bitten by tons of snakes.

"Heh...."

From his left, Resi heard a short but condescending laugh. He turned his head. Ligi had a smirk on his face and a raised brow that was telling him that he chose the wrong path, that Ligi was better than him. Resi just smiled back as a form of accepting the challenge of who gets to the other side first.

Both sides believed they were superior to the other. They scorned each other for being slow and being arrogant. They hated each other. They wouldn't let this opportunity pass and prove to the other that he was best.

Ligi and Resi kept racing to the end of the line but they both had problems in constantly progressing in the tiles. Resi had to stop running because the snakes were getting too aggressive. Ligi also had to speed up as his tiles started to sink into the water.

The water started bubbling and out came toothy mouths the size of a small fist. There were fishes here, piranhas to be exact. They couldn't continue at this rate. The only way to survive was to go back the way they came.

"What a loser. You couldn't even go through the safe route." Resi looked at Ligi and sneered at him.

"What about you? Too dangerous for you?" Ligi immediately rebutted Resi.

"No, I just needed to rest that's all."

They didn't have time to rest. The tubes that were at the back started rumbling as soil and dust were being displaced at a fast pace. They both looked back and saw cockroaches speeding right at them.

Resi recognized them immediately. When Gotang reminded them of the dangers in the valley, he mentioned the cockroaches underground. Annoying. That was the only description he had of it. Not only were they endless, but they were basically immortal with a nasty bite. You couldn't do anything; stepping on it, slicing it, burning it, nothing worked because two other cockroaches spawned in its place.

Ligi and Resi both looked at each other and immediately understood the danger. They both stepped on their respective tiles with hurriedness. Danger. As soon as they stepped on the tiles, it started sinking. They had no choice but to advance and not look back at the army of cockroaches behind them.

Resi ran through the tiles as the snakes kept shooting at him. The tiles were sinking on the piranha-infested waters. The worst came to worst when suddenly snakes started coming out of the holes that he hadn't even been near on. He couldn't advance further. Snakes and cockroaches were at his back and front so the only way out was in the sides.

Resi looked at his left and saw the vertical steel bar at the top. The only way to survive this was to jump and grab the bar. It was high but not impossible. He squatted down and released all of his energy on his jump to grab the steel bar.

Resi's hands were getting nearer and nearer to the bar as he jumped. He was worried he wouldn't make it but luckily, his fingertips gripped the steel bar. His muscles flexed to the maximum. He was using all his strength to try and position his grip on the bar. His weight allowed the steel bar to start sliding to the tunnel. It was not enough.

Ligi was in a predicament. He kept his movements to a minimum but the sinking tiles and the cockroaches at his back made it difficult. He wouldn't be able to survive at this rate.

"Ligi! Jump."

Ligi looked to his right and saw Resi hanging on a steel bar.

"I can't. I can't jump that high."

"Then you'll die. Use that shield of yours."

Then Ligi came up with a plan. He could use his shield to reflect the force of the spikes and use it to propel himself towards Resi. He got ready to execute this plan but he suddenly had a flashback. He couldn't trust Resi. Not after that incident.

Feeling his hesitation, Resi shouted.

"Trust me."

Fool me once shame on me; fool me twice shame on you. Should he trust Resi again with his life?