Stay Alive

STAY ALIVE S2 Part 1

Gunshots.

Lots of gunshots.

Napipikit ako nang mariin. Nakakatakot ang mga tunog. My heart was racing inside me, and it felt like I wanted to puke.

"Newt..." I heard Heinz's voice. "I-Is it you...?"

I wanted to open my eyes, but I can't.

"Fuck... Newt...it's really you..." rinig na rinig ko ang gulat sa boses ni Heinz. "W-What happened? How are you even alive... why did you join them? Newt... I'm confused as fuck..."

I didn't hear anything from Newt.

"S-Saan ka pupunta?" rinig ko pa rin si Heinz. "I-Ikaw ba talaga 'yan? Buhay ka?! Newt! Newt!"

When I forced to open my eyes, isang puting kisame ang bumungad sa akin. Doon ko simulang narinig ang ingay sa paligid ko. May umiiyak. May nag-aaway.

When I saw Neska was crying just beside me, that's when I came back to my senses. Nasa ospital ako ngayon at napapalibutan ng Death Chasers. They didn't even notice that I already regained my consciousness.

"Kung hindi tayo nagaway-away, hindi magkakaganito si Aubrielle," rinig kong sabi ni Neska. "She's the only family that I have. Hindi ko kayo mapapatawad!"

"Hindi namin kasalanan iyon, Neska," sagot ni Avery. "Why blame us for this? We never wished this to happen."

"What she's saying is, it felt like we aren't really a team," saad ni Andrius. "Sobrang dami nating sikreto sa isa't isa. That's normal, okay, but if that secret has something to do with us as a team, we should deal with it as a team."

"Exactly. Sa sobrang daming sikreto, Aubrielle felt like she was alone in the dark. The Eagles probably saw that she's always alone, that's why they attacked her. Kasalanan natin 'to!" Neska added.

"I'm sorry," sabi ni Tyler. "I won't defend us anymore. That makes sense, Aubrielle might've felt like she was outcasted. I'm really sorry. Sorry kung hindi namin hiningi ang opinyon n'yo sa pagpapalaya kay Heinz. I understand where you guys are coming from."

"Tyler, hindi natin kasalanan!" sagot ni Avery. "We only did what we thought was right. Hindi matatapos itong pananakot sa atin, especially kay Neska, kung hindi natin pinalaya si Heinz. It was the only way to end this mess. Atsaka, why are you guys pinning it on us—"

"TAMA NA!" biglang sigaw ni Courtney. "Please, tama na..."

Lahat ay tumingin sa kaniya.

"I... I have something to tell you..."

Tears were visible in her eyes.

"Courtney..." Traise uttered and held her hand tightly. "Are you sure about this?"

"They need to know," Courtney said and touched her belly. Kitang-kita na ang laki niyon, which makes sense dahil kabuwanan na rin niya.

"What do we need know?" Andrius asked.

She faced everyone.

"Remember the novel that I wrote?" Courtney started.

"Iyong nawala?" tanong ni Avery. "I knew how frustrated you were that time. What about it?"

Courtney gulped and looked at Traise, as if she was gaining strength from her husband's presence.

"It's..." panimula ni Courtney. "I don't know, but it's—"

"HAYOP KA! DEMONYO KA!"

Napatili at singhap ang ilang tao sa ospital nang biglang may sugurin ang isang matandang babae. May dala itong kutsilyo at kamuntik nang saksakin ang pasyente sa kabilang kama.