Daphne's Point of View
I was cramming myself in the corner of this room, embracing my trembling knee hoping it would ease my fear but to no avail. I failed to do my father’s command for the nth time so as a punishment, he sent me to what he calls punishment room. This room has no window. I am all alone inside but it felt like it is too crowded. It is not breathable at all.
I don't know what exactly is the cause of my trembling body. My fear or my hunger. I have not eaten anything since yesterday. Not even water.
Dad told me I can’t have any meal nor water if I don’t memorize five hundred Filipino words correctly in a day.
Everyday, I have to memorize and learn Filipino language because that will help me a lot in my mission. He says I have to befriend with someone in the Philippines.
All I have to do is to get close to her, gain her trust then betray her after we get the code. That's it. That would be easy for me. What's hard is that I have to study her language. Her likes, her interests. Just so we can jive.
Dad already taught me about their plans of spreading chaos in Aregdon once the formula of the virus is complete. My only goal is to study Filipino and get close to that girl.
I don’t want dad to get disappointed and so I began to recollect all of the words I have read earlier. I spent three hours for me to be able to recollect half of them. I asked the guard outside the punishment room to bring me to dad’s experiment area because I have something to tell.
“What?” He asked coldly as soon as I enter the room. He didn’t even take a quick glance at me. He is busy typing something in his desktop.
“I have regained some Filipino words.”
“Ok go on, I’m listening.” I mustered all the courage I have before speaking.
“Lapis is pencil.”
“Good. How can you say can you lend me your pencil in Filipino?” I gulped. It took me twenty seconds to remember the phrase my mom taught me.
“Pu-puwede…puwede k-ko bang mahi-mahiram ang…ang lapis mo?”
“Good. What else?”
“Kumusta ka is how are you?”
“How do you say it’s been a long time how are you in Filipino?”
“Uhmmm…” One minute has passed and I can’t complete the phrase.
“You’re wasting my time. I could've done something more worthy than listening to your bullshits.”
“Dad please let me eat. I promise I’ll study harder tomorrow.”
“If you want to eat, follow all of my commands.”
“Can I have at least a water?” My tears fell when he didn’t respond.
Mom entered the room. He removed her lab coat and she hugged me tight. “Did you memorize it all?”
“Mom I’m hungry.”
“You can’t have any meal unless you study the books I gave you. Memorize it all and come back here when you’re ready.”
“Thomas baka naman puwedeng pagbigyan mo ang anak mo.”
“Kaya lumalaking matigas ang anak mo dahil kinukunsinti mo.”
“Paano siya makame-memorya kung walang laman ang tiyan niya? Kahapon pa siya walang kain.”
They’re speaking something I don’t understand but the way I see it, I felt the tension slowly rising in the room.
“Hangga’t hindi niya naisasaulo ang mga librong iyon ay hindi siya makakakain. And you!” He pointed at me. “Go back to punishment room!”
I am in this routine since last month. I don’t know how to feel. Maybe my pain and sufferings are all because of that girl. If it weren’t her parents, my life would be much lighter. I did not see her face yet but I hate her already.
As soon as I came back to the punishment room, I tried my best to memorize all the books dad gave me. There are ten books in total but I know I can handle this. I spent my days and nights memorizing and studying Filipino language. Things are getting easier as the days pass.
Five years has passed
“Napakahina mo talaga. Paano ka makaliligtas sa outbreak kung tatlong zombie lang hindi mo mapatay?”
“Pero dad natatakot po ako atsaka diba po may antidote ang virus puwede pa naman silang maging tao ulit kung—”
“Shut up!”
Na-master ko na ang Filipino ngayon and I can say bihasa na ako magsalita using that language. Kaya lang si dad kasi iba naman ang pinagagawa sa’kin ngayon. Nandito kami ngayon sa training room. Kailangan ko kasing mag-training kung paano pumatay ng zombie.
Two months ko na itong ginagawa at hanggang ngayon, gabi-gabi akong pinapatay ng konsensya ko. Hindi ko sila magawang patayin.
The day after my training, my muscle crumps ako kasi bago ako isabak sa pagpatay ng zombie, kailangan ko munang mag-exercise para ma-ready ang katawan ko sa bakbakan. It’s not as easy as what you think. Mahirap siya at nakatatakot.
Dito na kami sa lab naninirahan, marami namang maids at guards dito pati mga scientist na laging nag-e-experiment ng kung ano-ano.
Ginising ako ng maid ko kasi kailangan daw ako ni daddy. Kaya nagpunta ako agad sa experiment room kasi ron naman siya palagi tumatambay.
“Follow me.” Pagpasok ko pa lang ay yon na agad ang sinabi niya so lumabas kami ng room. Nagpunta kami sa isang kuwarto na may second floor. Andito kami sa taas at nakikita ko ang ibaba, mayroong maze alam kong gawa lang ‘yon sa kahoy pero tinitignan ko pa lang sumasakit na ang ulo ko.
“Kailangan mong makalabas sa maze na iyan at makipaglaban sa zombies. I’ll give you thirty minutes.” Pagkasabi niya non binitbit ako ni scar face at dinala sa first-floor ng kuwarto.
Ganon palagi ang naging training ko every day. Mabuti na lang at may mga useful materials na nakakalat sa paligid kaya nagagamit ko ang mga iyon sa pagpatay sa zombies. Noong una ay nakatatakot pero kapag pala nasa life and death situation ka ay lahat gagawin mo para mabuhay.
One time nagkalagnat ako dahil sa training at galit nag alit si dad kasi bakit daw ako nagkasakit eh, kailangan ko raw mag-training.
“Gawain ba ng matalinong tao ‘yan?”
“Thomas ano ka ba naman huwag mo nang pagalitan at may sakit na nga.”
“Kinukunsinti mo pa!”
After two days, kahit nilalagnat ako ay araw-araw pinararanas ni dad sa’kin ang impyerno. Kahit may sakit kailangang mag-training. Araw-araw dinidikdik sa isipan ko ang mga plano niya.
Ang pagsakop sa Aregdon.
Ang mga Yamaguchi.
Ang ZMB Virus.
“Na-break down na namin ng mommy mo ang posibleng anak ng mga Yamaguchi. We are not hundred percent sure pero malakas ang pakiramdam ko. I am always right so I think you are ready to fulfill your mission.” Inabot sa’kin ni dad ang isang picture ng babae at nakasulat sa ibaba ang pangalan niya.
“Lalabas ka ng lab at magpapanggap bilang estudyante sa Aregdon National High School. Befriend with her, gain her trust then betray her. At sinomang haharang sa daan mo papunta sa misyon mo ay papatayin mo. Am I clear?”
Tumango ako. “Copy dad.”
“You have to hate her. Siya ang rason kung bakit ka nag-training nang ganon, kung bakit ka nahirapan and all that.”
Kung ano-ano pang siniksik ni dad na paninira sa babaeng nasa picture.
Nakatitig lang ako sa picture ng babae. Tama siya ang dahilan ng paghihirap ko. Ang training ko. Kung bakit may ZMB Virus. Dahil sa mga magulang niya at dahil na rin sa kaniya.
Nanginginig ang mga kamay ko habang nakahawak sa picture niya. Tinitignan ito nang masama as if my looks could throw daggers to her face.
She has long hair, Japanese-like eyes and a fairy-like skin.
“See you in hell, Melody Delfin.”
BINABASA MO ANG
Chaos in Aregdon
FantascienzaMelody Delfin is just an ordinary student-teacher who has unending interest in weird and unique wights like mermaids, vampires and even zombies. Until one night, her life with her friends turned upside down when something unusual and creepy happen...
