God's Cage | WOTG #1

fourteen | this vicious rage

CADE
This Vicious Rage

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Kahit kailan hindi ko pa naririnig 'tong tunog na 'to. Bagong-bago siya sa aking pandinig akala ko mapadurugo nito ang tainga ko. Ang sigawan ng libo-libong tao ay sapat na para sirain ang aking pandinig.

Isang pagsabog ang sumunod sa mga tarantang sigawan ng mga tao.

Another blast came after. And another one after that. The fighter jets pulverized the streets and the buildings they chose, sending shards of glass and boulders and ashes below. Towers and roads had collapsed and turned into a smoking mess and powdered dust.

Tumakbo lahat ng mga tao sa iba't-ibang direksyon na parang mga bubuyog na nagkukumahog hanapin ang kanilang bahay-pukyutan. Mas dumami pa ang mga pagsabog at sa bawat minutong lumilipas ay nararamdaman ko na mas papalapit sila nang mas papalapit. It was as if the footsteps of doom was approaching us, and my heart was pounding simultaneously with the blasts.

Dumungaw ako sa bintana at tumingin sa langit. Tama nga ang sinabi ng anunsyo. The hijacked Philippine fighter jets sped above like scissors cutting through the blue fabrics of the sky.

"Papa!" sigaw ni Alex. "Anong gagawin natin?" Her voice broke and her eyes darted everywhere.

"Don't worry, okay?" Sinubukang pakalmahin ni Trina ang bunso naming kapatid pero mukhang siya rin ata ay kailangan ng magpapakalma sa kaniya. Hindi ako sigurado kung niyakap niya ba si Alex para pakalmahin si Alex o para pakalmahin ang kaniyang sarili. "Mayamaya lang dadating na rin 'yong mga pulis." Hinaplos niya ang buhok ng takot na takot naming bunso at sumandal naman si Alex sa dibdib ni Trina.

The fighter jets soared above us like gigantic eagles dropping bombs from their sharp claws.

"Trina," tawag ko at agad naman siyang tumingin sa 'kin. Umiiyak na si Alex sa braso niya. Nagtitigan lang kami sa loob ng isang sandali at hindi ko na kailangan pang banggitin pa mismo ang mga salita para malaman niya kung anong gusto kong sabihin.

Her hand snatched mine and gave me a stern look. "No. Stay here, Cade."

I took my hand back. There was no other way to deal with this. Right at this moment, the thought of the public discovering what I was had never occurred in my head. There was a single thought circling in my mind. I needed to save my family.

Ito na rin ang araw kung kailan malalaman na ng aking mga magulang kung ano ba ako talaga. Na hindi ako katulad nila. Hindi ako katulad ng kahit sino.

"Pa," tawag ni Mama. "Proceed na tayo sa city bunker?"

Nagmasid-masid muna si Papa sa labas. "Siguraduhin muna nating safe na lumabas, okay?"

Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang putukan sa labas. Wala na akong sinayang na oras pa at binuksan ang pinto ng sasakyan at lumabas.

"Bumalik ka rito, Cade!" Sinubukang hilahin ni Trina ang aking braso pero nasa labas na ako. Naalala ko na lang 'yong sinabi niya.

Trina tried to catch my arm but I was already outside. I remembered what she said.

P'wede kang maging superhero, alam mo ba 'yon?

The whole idea was ridiculous. And yet, look at me now.

"Cade!" I heard my mother scream my name as I ran away from them towards the intersection. From there, I could see the jets clearly and deal with them as fast as I could.

She was too late to convince me otherwise. I shut my eyes so hard it hurt and clenched my fist the knuckles turned white. I have no choice but to do this. This was the only way . . . The only way to save them was to let myself get killed.