Age Of Putrefy

Chapter 18 - Leave?

Knot's Point of View

I immediately rushed towards the room where Josh had entered. I found him, kneeling and looking at something. He seems to be fine with me. He is not in trouble at all. Maybe, he was just making fun of me? Fuck it.

I heard someone cried. A girl's voice? Wait. Ano bang ginagawa ni Josh? I stepped forward and saw the reason why Josh is kneeling. He is hugging a kid. What the fuck!?

"Anong nangyayari? Sino s'ya Josh? Sa'n mo s'ya nakita!?" I worriedly approached the girl. Fuck, what is she doing in here? She is alone? I checked her arms to see if she got bitten or not. "What happened to you?" I gently asked. While carefully fixing her hair and put it back behind her ears.

"S-si mama." she cried. Dang it, seeing a kid cry makes me want to cry even more. This cruel world don't deserve innocent children. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

"S-si mama, k-kuya, si mama. S-she got b-bit--" she can't talk that well. She is still traumatized. Fuck, we need to calm her down. "Sweetie, for now let's go outside. You are safe with your Kuya's. Don't worry, we will protect you." I said, that made her nod as a response. I carried her and walked outside. Fuck, now I am worried. Damn, it made me wonder if my sister is doing well too. Shit. I badly want to contact them but how!? The internet connection seems to be not functioning. I'll find a way. I'll find a way to contact my family. I'll promise that to myself.

"Anong nangyari? Sino s'ya Knot?" bungad sa amin ni Kim nang makita n'ya akong may dalang bata. "We found her, inside the house. She's not that ready to talk about what happened. She is still traumatized." I said. "We? It's me who found her, dumbass."

I rolled my eyes. Okay then, edi ikaw na. "Take care of her for a while. Babalik ako sa loob. Sakaling may mahanap akong mga gamit." I added, not minding what Josh have said.

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I came back and broight some useful supplies. Some toiletries, foods and medicine. I found two knives too. It's not that sharp though.

Inilapag ko ang mga gamit sa lupa at tinawag si Shae para tuluyang magsalansan ng mga gamit.

Thankfully, this is a camper van. Which is very convenient. Lalo na at merong mga drawers na pwedeng paglagyan ng mga gamit at pwedeng ibukas at isara ang isang parte ng sasakyan. However, we should make this more zombie-proof. May ikakalakas pa ito.

"Kamusta 'yung bata?" bungad ko kay Shae nang makasalubong ko s'ya. "Nandun sa loob. Nagpapahinga. Magang-maga ang mata. Maybe, it's better to not mention and ask what happened to her. She seems to be traumatized." anito.

I felt a big thorn struck my heart. It hurts so bad. Poor kid, she don't this such cruelity. "Sige, is she asleep?" I asked and she nodded as a response.

Shae started to arrange the the supplies we gathered and I helped her lift heavy things.

Inuna namin ang mga mahalagang gamit. Foods and medicine. As we enter the van, I saw and angelic face resting in the seat. Looking at this kid's face makes my heart melt somehow. I have a sister, and even though she is savage as fuck, still I witnessed how she grows up. And looking at this kid makes my eyes teary. The future is still waiting for them to survive. Hoping that they will still be the hope of our country.

"Mukhang pagod ka na yata Knot. Magpahinga ka muna sa tabi n'ya. By the way, she didn't mentioned her name so maybe let's talk to her later." usal ni Shae. I nodded and sit next to her.

I should have blamed myself if I didn't let Josh open that room. How pathetic of me. Fuck. Paano kung 'di namin s'ya nahanap? Edi mas malala pa ang sitwasyon n'ya. Napakagago ko talaga.

Lumabas ako para kahit papano ay makakuha ng sariwang hangin. Can we survive this? I hope so.

We need to gear up. We need to be more ready. Pero sa loot na meron kami ngayon, it's very complicated. Most of our weapons are not that efficient. And the same time, hard to use. So we better prepare our equipment and improve our weapons.

I look at the table, knives? What can I add to make them more reliable and durable in battles? I spotted the axe I picked up a moment ago. For now, the axe is durable, but it is not that easy to use. We may have some baseball bat that we found, but still it is not enough.

"What are you thinking?" I jolted as I heard his voice near to my ears. Damn, it gave me shivers. "What the fuck, you scared the shit out of me. At tsaka, anong pakialam mo?" I said looking directly to his round eyes. Fuck, I swallowed hard. His eyes are too--, nevermind.

He chuckled and looked at the weapons in the table. "For now, let's focus on looting. Mahirap na, baka mawalan tayo ng source ng pagkain lalo na't hindi lang tayo ang mga survivors dito sa atin." he said calmly. Tama s'ya, hindi lang kami ang mga survivors, mayroon pang marami, mapamabuti man o 'di kaya ay masama.

"Pero saan?" Kim inserted. "Wala tayong choice kundi pumunta sa masunod na bayan. Staying at a barrio like this will make our life harder. Dahil mas limitado ang resources dito, kumpara sa syudad na may mga stores, malls at lugar na pwede nating pagkunan ng resources.

"But I think, before we head to the city, we should think of a plan. Zombies aren't the ones who's roaming around the city." I said and left them.

I am still bothered by the thoughts, especially I am feeling guilty. The guilt of hesitsting on opening that door. Ganon na ba talaga 'yung trauma ko dahil sa apocalypse na 'to? Ganon na kalala ang trust issues ko. And, I am having some second thoughts if I should continue having this journey with these guys or not.

I scratched my head frustratedly and think. Nagdadalawang-isip ako kung sasama ako, dahil parang pakiramdam ko ako 'yung dumadala ng malas sa kanila. Sa mga tao na malapit na sanang matulungan ngunit ako yata itong tila nag-uudyok sa pagtulong nila sa iba. At para bang, mas nagiging pabigat na ako sa grupong ito. At isa pa, pakiramdam ko ay hindi ako ligtas at hindi rin sila ligtas kapag kami ay nagkakasama.

Maybe, maybe I should leave?

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