Zombies From Nowhere

Chapter 27

"You good?" Kaagad akong napadilat nang marinig ang boses ni Drake. He sat beside me as I stared into the unknown. "Si Zoe 'yong nagmo-monitor ng mga stocks, and she said it's been 19 hours since you last ate, Jam. Why is that?"

I heaved a sigh, before looking away. It's been already two months since that incident happened as we reached this abandoned prison. Dalawang buwan ko na rin kinukulong ang sarili ko, na hangga't maaari, malayo ako sa kanila.

Dalawang buwan na rin ang nakalipas. . . simula nang bumalik ang mga alaala ko at muntik na akong makapatay ng tao.

"Have Yel eaten?" I asked, completely ignoring the topic he was trying to build between us.

Nag-iwas siya ng tingin, at mukhang nairita kaagad nang marinig niya ang tanong ko. "Hearing that bitch's name—"

"Drake," I said in a warning tone.

"Let's not talk about her," nagpipigil ng inis na bulong niya. I could hear his groan, trying to suppress his anger.

"How are you coping up, Drake?" I asked after a long, pressuring silence. Tiningnan ko siya, hoping I could read what's in his mind through his eyes.

"I'm good as new, Jam. How about you?"

I smiled. "I haven't been well since that day. I'm still trying to pull myself together, but I just can't. Hindi ko kayang magkunwari na parang walang nangyari noong araw na 'yon."

"You're doing great, Jam. You're doing great, hmm?" He pulled me into a tight hug. "If you need a friend, I'm here. If you want to cry, you can cry on my shoulder. I'm damn well free just for you, Jam. You know that."

"Thank you," I whispered to him. Itinago ko ang mukha ko sa dibdib niya nang maramdaman ko ang pamumuo ng mga luha ko. "But I'm not crying because I'm weak, okay?"

"I get it. Your eyes were just sweating." He gently planted a kiss on my head. "Come back to us, Jam. We need you."

︶꒷꒦︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶꒷꒦︶

I could sense them throwing meaningful stares at each other as we eat dinner here at the wide space outside the prison. Napailing na lang ako bago ko dinampot ang isang lata na may laman na tubig at ininom ito.

Bumaba ang tingin ko sa plato ko nang nilagyan ito ni Logan ng dalawang pork beans. "You should eat more. Lagpas isang araw ka na raw na hindi kumakain."

"I don't eat pork beans, Logan. I hate it," I sighed. Ibabalik ko na sana ito sa plato niya, nang bigla na lang iyon kinain ni Drake.

"Hey," gulat na bulong ni Logan.

"What?" maang-maangang tanong naman ni Drake habang ngumunguya.

Iiling-iling na lang akong natawa. "Gosh. Just eat."

"Ayan na naman sila. Porket bumaba na si Ate Jam, e," natatawang bulong ni Luna kay Raine. I really know that these two will be best of friends.

Sa loob ng dalawang buwan na 'yon, hindi ako nakasabay sa kanilang kumain, kahit isang beses lang. Nasa taas lang ako, kasama ang binoculars, nagmamasid sa paligid namin. I happen to make a slingshot to ease boredom, and I—not boastingly—got good at it.

"Kay Kuya Drake ako," bulong ni Raine. Kumunot naman ang noo ko sa pagtataka.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Luna sa gulat. "Akala ko ba best friends for life tayo, uy? Si Kuya Logan ko rin dapat 'yong manok mo, beh."

"Yeah, we're best friends for life, but Ate Jam and Kuya Drake would look cute together? Serious-Witty couple type," giit naman ni Raine.

Napailing na lang ako. "I could hear you two."