Silakbo

Kabanata 5

Topic Warning: Violence, Physical, and Verbal Abuse.

—————

ARIELLA

"Pasok na!" Utos sa akin ni Renz. "Ako nang bahala rito!"

He's telling me to go inside the empty small room. Pero ayoko. Ayokong iwan siyang mag-isa na nakikipaglaban kay Paul.

Paul is extremely strong now. Para siyang nasapian ng tatlong demonyo. Hindi siya nasasaktan sa suntok at palo.

He used to be a guy who was weak and dependent. He has anger issues kaya madalas ay talagang napapaaway kami dahil sa kanya. Mas lalong nati-trigger ang anger issues niya kapag may nagtangkang umaway sa girlfriend niya, si Kc.

Whom he killed.

I still can't believe it.

The one he's protecting the most is the one he also killed in the end.

"AAAAAARGH!"

Nabigla ako nung sumigaw si Paul. Napahawak ako sa bibig ko nang makita ang pwesto nila ni Renz.

Paul was leaning against the wall. Sakal-sakal siya ni Renz at may nakatarak na drumsticks sa mga mata nito. Renz's face was full of Paul's blood. Galit na galit ang kanyang mukha.

"Putangina, Ariella! Do what I said!" He exclaimed in anger.

Dahil sa takot ko, dali-dali akong pumasok sa maliit na room at umupo sa pinakasulok. My tears are rapidly falling into my eyes. My legs and arms are trembling because of the fear that I was feeling right now.

I was silently crying when he came and sat beside me.

Tinignan ko siya.

Hindi ko makita ang pagsisisi sa ginawa niya.

I don't know. Paul was now blind because of him. Binulag niya si Paul. Binulag niya ang kaibigan namin!

"Patay na si Kc…" I whimper.

He just looked at me carelessly.

"Zombie na si Paul…" I sobbed. "Wala ka bang sasabihin?"

But I immediately regret that I asked him that question. Lalo lang akong naiyak at nasaktan sa mga isinagot niya sakin.

"Wala akong pake, Ariella. Wala na akong pake basta buhay ako!" He trailed off.

I looked at him in disbelief.

Hindi pa man siya infected pero parang kagaya na rin siya Paul.

I don't know what's gotten into him. After we broke up, he became a completely different person. Wala na siyang pake sa lahat ng bagay, wala na siyang pake sa mga taong malapit sa kaniya, at wala na siyang pake samin na kaibigan niya.

What happened to you, Renz?

THIRD PERSON POV

"General, we need an infected person to be examined. Yung hindi patay gaya ni Mr. Baltazar." A Doctor approached the General. She's holding a report about Akira Baltazar.

General, nodded. "Uno and Dos, go and get Paul Bertoldo. Be careful, he's stronger than you two. Make sure that you won't kill him."

The two soldiers lined up and saluted him. "Copy that, General."

Sa kabilang banda, nagsama-sama naman sa iisang kwarto ang mean girls at ang grupo nila Harold.

"Ano ba? Ayaw mo bang makalabas dito?" Chrystal asked Aoi.

"Girl, you looked like pinagbagsakan ng langit at lupa." Krissandra rolled her eyes.

Aoi was frowning earlier until they got into the room. She doesn't know if naiinis ba siya dahil ikinulong sila sa abandonadong lugar or dahil kasama nila sa iisang kwarto si Gabriel.

"OMG! Anong nangyayari sa inyong dalawa?" Asked Angelica while her hands were up imagining that she was taking a selfie with her missing phone.

Aoi rolled her eyes. "Correction, nangyari." She responded emphasizing the last word.

"Wait? Oh my gosh! Girl, what does it mean?" Chrystal dramatically asked.

Aoi walked towards Gab. "Gab naman… akala ko ba you will marry me pa in the future?"

"Aoi, I'm sorry. Pero sa tingin ko, hanggang dito na lang talaga tayong dalawa." Gab responded by not looking at Aoi.

"What do you mean dalawa?" She paused. "Tatlo. Buntis ako Gab!"

Gab looked at her, not believing. "Sa akin ba 'yan?"

"Ay, butiki!" Krissandra jumped into her place, shocked, nang biglang lumabas sa likod ng pinto si Rose Ann at Baby Jean.

"Sabi sayo, tama ako e!" Rose Ann proudly said.

"Magiging tito na si Arellano at Rockwell~" Baby Jean sings.

Chrystal threw the small wood at them. "Alis nga, mga chismosa!" She exclaimed, frustrated.

The two gossipers ran outside the room while laughing mockingly.

"AAAAAAAAARGH!"

The four girls shouted again when Paul came to their room. Hawak na nito ang drumsticks na nakatarak sa mata niya kanina at pinakikiramdaman ang paligid.

"Fuck, ang ingay nyo kasi!" Inis na saad ni Alyssander sa mga babae.

The mean girls ran towards the corner of the room. They're covering their mouths para hindi lumikha ng ingay.

Gabriel whistles to lure Paul into their way.

"Tanga, anong ginagawa mo!?" Inis na tanong ni Harold sa kanya.

Hindi siya pinansin ni Gab at sinugod na lang si Paul while holding the thick wood that he picked up near them.

He beat Paul in the head using the thick wood pero nasira lang ang kahoy. Napaatras siya nang lumingon sa gawi niya si Paul.

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!"

Nahawakan siya ni Paul sa balikat at binato. Tumama ang katawan niya sa pader ng silid bago siya bumagsak sa sahig. Nanlalaki ang mata ni Harold at Alyssander nang makitang tumatakbo si Paul sa direksyon ni Gab.

Harold looked at Alyssander. He was hiding behind the chair. "Do something!"

"Fuck you!" Alyssander hissed. Kinuwa niya ang nakitang tubo at tumakbo para tulungan ang kaibigan.

Pinalo niya ang tubo sa ulo ni Paul kaya bahaya itong natigilan.

"Let's go, dimwits!"

Inalalayan ni Harold si Gab at sabay silang tumakbo para sundan si Alyssander palabas ng room. Sumunod naman sa kanila si Paul, nagwawala pa rin.

"'Yan! Sino nang po-proktekta satin ngayon?" Chrystal whined.

No one answered her.  Krissandra and Angelica were busy with their clothes.

They stopped what they were doing when Aoi coughed.

"Omg!" Angelica looked at her, grossed out.

Aoi's friends were thinking the same thing about her.  She looked at them, begging.

"No… hindi ako infected!" She stood up for herself still coughing because of the dust.

Chrystal picked up the tube that Alyssander used to beat up Paul.

"Girl, what are you trying to do!?" Krissandra hysterically asked.

"Prevention is better than cure," Chrystal smirked.

à suivre...