Echoes of Red [BINI AU]

Chapter 20

Third Person's Point Of View

Sheena stood up, holding her forehead where the blood had started to dry.

"Ate, ang sakit ng ulo ko," she groaned, wincing in pain.

Mikha tried to stand, but pain shot through her ankle, forcing her to sit back down with a wince. "I know, Shee. We need to get out of here."

The woman who had saved them reappeared, a look of concern on her face. "I can't call for help," she said. "The people are nowhere to be found."

Mikha sighed, frustration bubbling up inside her. "I guess there is no service. I can't contact anyone right now."

Sheena looked at the woman standing in front of them.

There was something familiar about her face, but Sheena couldn't quite place it.

Just as she was about to say something, her phone chimed.

The sound was echoed by the phones of the woman and Mikha.

All three pulled out their phones to see the same message: an announcement regarding a designated safe place, urging people not to panic and assuring them.

Mikha's frustration boiled over. She finally managed to stand, leaning heavily on one foot. "Anong 'wag mag panic? That's bullshit! And now they're expecting us to go there?"

Sheena, still holding her head, looked at Mikha. "Baka nandun si tita... the others might be there as well."

Mikha rolled her eyes but couldn't deny the logic. She turned her gaze to the woman who had saved them, examining her more closely. She wasn't that old, maybe around their age. Her serious expression and the way she handled herself spoke volumes about her experience, despite her youth.

"I'm Colet," she introduced herself. "You can call me Colet."

Mikha's suspicion softened slightly. "Fine, Colet. Ano nang gagawin natin ngayon?"

Colet glanced at the two girls, assessing their condition. "We need to get to the safe area mentioned in the announcement. But first, we need to make sure you're both able to move."

Sheena nodded, trying to muster up some courage. "I can help Mikha walk. We just need to find something to support her ankle."

Colet looked around the room and found a sturdy piece of wood from a broken chair. She handed it to Mikha. "Here, use this as a crutch."

Mikha took the makeshift crutch, wincing as she stood up with Sheena's help. "Thanks."

"Let's move quickly," Colet urged, leading the way towards the exit. "Baka we're already wasting time without us knowing."

The trio made their way out of the house, heading towards the designated safe area with caution.

-

The tension was palpable as the group tried to regain their composure.

Just as Maloi asked, "Apuli?" their phones chimed simultaneously, cutting through the silence.

Gwen rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Wala na talaga silang ginawa para sa mamamayan nila," she muttered, shaking her head at the government's lack of preparedness.

Jhoanna wiped her tears and approached Gwen. "Okay ka lang? Mag isa ka lang ba?" she asked softly.

Gwen nodded. "Oo, oh, bakit ka naiyak?"

Seeing Jhoanna and Gwen's interaction sparked a flicker of jealousy in Stacey. She muttered under her breath, "I can do better. Tsk."

Stacey stormed towards Jhoanna's car, trying to get it to start out of sheer frustration. She hit the wheel repeatedly, venting her anger.