In the year 3020X, as the population continued to surge while economic growth declined, the government faced an unprecedented challenge. When the economy hits rock-bottom and spiraled into despair, the government made a solution- to leverage human g...
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19: worst enemy of mankind
My head was empty as I followed Bean and the old man. I had a faint idea of what life in Zone Z was like, but I didn't expect it to be this harsh. Akay-akay ang matanda, tahimik na sumunod ako kay Bean . He looked far from that scared, awkward kid who sacrificed himself so I could flee. Masyadong seryoso ang kanyang mukha habang naglalakad kami sa tila walang hanggang tunnel.
The place was rundown, but there were various modifications done to make it hold still. Walking through the dim alley made me think of a suspicious movie or book setting, and my heart pounded harder. Hindi ko alam bakit sumunod ako rito at wala akong ideya kung ano ang balak ni Bean.
I was only relieved when I saw light coming from the end of the tunnel. Maliit ang liwanag na nakikita ko, but it was an assurance that it's the end. Ang ilang minutong nilakad namin ay tila ilang oras. When we reached the exit, tama si Bean nang sinab n'ya na hindi niya mapapangako ang sariwang hangin.
The place was open, yes, pero abot roon ang masangsang na amoy ng kung anumang nasusunog. The place looked like a desert at tila napakainit ng panahon kahit umaga pa lamang. Maingay ang makinang maririnig mula sa tila malaking lighthouse na umuusok. What I thought was fog was actually smoke emitting from the huge furnace.
Tinulungan naming makaupo ang matanda. Naglabas si Bean ng tumbler mula sa kanyang lumang bag at isang maliit na kahon. It looked like a big matchbox, but he flipped it open and revealed a lot of pills inside. Tila inisa-isa niyang tingnan ang mga pills and after a while, he picked the blue one and handed it to the old man.
"This will calm you a bit," sabi niya at iniabot ang gamot.
Huminga nang malalim ang matanda at matamlay na kinuha ang pill. He stared at it for a while before he asked, "Hindi naman nito magagamot ang karamdaman ko, diba?"
Walang pag-aatubiling tumango si Bean. "Yes, but it will lessen your pain."
Naluha ang matanda at ininom ang gamot. "We all wanted to die but sometimes, the thought of dying is scary, hindi ba? Am I dying?"
I sat speechless, staring at the old man. Napatingin ako sa numero sa suot niyang uniporme. It was a bit faded, a sign that he wore it for so long.
"It is scary," sagot ni Bean. "And yes, you're dying." Bean was surprisingly frank and brutal. How could he straightly tell an old man that he's dying?
But on the brighter side, he's being honest. No words of comfort, no sugarcoating. He's plainly telling them straight what their future will be. Maingat na in-examine ang matanda. He had no medical equipment, so he relied mainly on checking the obvious signs and pressing somewhere which I believe were pressure points. Hinawakan rin niya ang ilang bahagi ng katawan ng matanda at napapaaray ito.
Mapait na tumawa ang matanda nang mapansin na nakatingin ako sa number sa suot niyang uniporme. His wrinkled hand traced the number. "10012, that's my name."
