The Start of the Fall

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY

LJ'S POINT OF VIEW

I can't understand. How did things turn out like this?

Screams. Fire. Gunshots. Everything's in chaos again.

After the pleas for help from the evacuees, things went into a complete blur. Everything happened so fast that my mind can't even grasp what exactly is happening right now.

The ES is on fire. People are either being burned alive or chased by their fellow evacuees who turned into zombies while I am here all alone, waiting for the events to unfold. That very moment felt like hell. Nakakapanindig-balahibo ang sigawan ng mga taong animo'y sabay-sabay pinaparusahan sa dagat ng apoy.

Nabalik ako sa ulirat nang may bumunggo sa akin. "Tulong!" A teenage girl forcefully grab my clothes while pointing at what once her brother. "Yung Kuya ko... Tulungan mo siya."

I didn't know how to react because I know to myself that I can't help her. I'm as helpless as her.

"I... I can't," I tried pushing her away but she's persistent. "Bitaw, pakiusap."

Mas hinigpitan niya ang kapit niya sa akin. "Huwag! Tulungan mo kami!" Para siyang baliw na paulit-ulit humihingi ng tulong sa'kin.

"Bitawan mo ako!" I yelled to scare her off. She didn't budge so I forcefully release myself from her grip.

She fell on to the ground with tears streaming down her face. "Hindi pwede 'to. Tulungan mo kami! Ibalik mo sa dati ang kapatid ko!" It seems like she doesn't know what she's talking about. She's spewing things out of desperation.

Before walking away, I glanced at her for a moment to sympathize before shaking my head as a response.

I want to help her but I can't. I still need to find my family and friends.

"Desirene! Ma! Pa!" Sigaw ko habang nakatakip ang kamay sa aking bibig para hindi ko malanghap ang usok. "Anyone! Nasaan kayo?!"

"Lj, anak!" Someone called not far from me. "Tulong!"

It's my mother's voice. They need my help!

"Ma, nandito ako!" Tumakbo ako papunta sa pinanggalingan ng boses.

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ang kalagayan ng mga magulang ko.

My father is fighting a zombie and he's losing!

"Tulungan niyo kami!" Takot na sigaw ni Mama.

Hindi ako nagdalawang-isip na lumapit sa kanila. Tinadyakan ko ang zombie na nakadagan sa papa ko. The zombie growled angrily at us. It pounced at us the second it recover its footing. Umilag ako kaya ang mga magulang ko naman ang pinuntirya nito. I grabbed the zombie's hair and pushed it to the fire. Nasunog ang buong katawan nito pero pilit pa rin itong lumalapit sa amin. It collapsed after a few moments of being exposed to fire.

Another zombie unknowingly approached us. It tugged my mother which made her feel more terrified. It made me mad. I'm sick of this cycle; the running and all. Sawa na akong matakot para sa sarili ko at sa mga mahal ko sa buhay. Fear won't bring us nowhere. It's time to retaliate and show this good-for-nothing monsters who's the boss.

Kinuha ko ang isang monoblock chair na malapit sa akin. "Ma, yuko," sabi ko na sinunod niya naman.

Buong lakas kong ibinato yung upuan sa mukha nung zombie. The chair didn't kill it but it immobilized it for a while. Hinila ni Papa si Mama palapit sa kaniya samantalang ako naman ay lumapit dun sa zombie. Pilit akong pinapaalis ni Mama pero hindi ko siya pinakinggan. All I can feel is anger and there's no way I'll go without venting it to this monster.