God's Rise | WOTG #2

Five

CADE

I DROVE FOR HOURS until we arrived at a vast and abundant farm. The whole trip was quiet and we just waited until we found a light. We followed it and that was the main reason why we were here. The road was murky and the only source of light we had was the moon and the light from the hovering truck. We passed through farms, fields of wheat, and plain lands. The road was a little bit rough compared to the smooth roads at the Districts but it didn't affect the ride since the truck hovered. I just noticed the roads here were different.

Napansin kong medyo naibsan ang presensiya ng teknolohiya sa kapaligiran. Siguro'y dahil na rin na malayo ito sa urbanized area tulad ng Districts. Bukod do'n, isa itong bukirin at hindi isang lungsod. 

Wala kaming nakasalubong kahit isa habang kami'y nasa biyahe. Hangin, ang malawak na lupa, at ang Districts lang sa likod namin ang aming kasama. Inabot na kami ng gabi sa kalsada at buti na lang ay kahit papaano'y may mga lumulutang na light orbs sa bawat sampung metro sa daan. Tahimik at madilim.

Muntik na nga kaming magtuloy-tuloy sa isang farm dito at buti na lang ay napansin 'yon ni Kato at napapreno ako. Siguradong magugulat 'yong mga may-ari no'n kinabukasan at sinong tanga naman ang sumagasa sa inosente nilang mga tanim.

Kung hindi pa namin makikita 'yong isang maliwanag na ilaw iilang metro mula sa amin ay paniguradong hindi namin alam kung saannkami mapapadpad. Sinundan namin kung saan nanggagaling ang mga ilaw na 'yon hanggang sa napansin kong habng mas nalalapit kami do'n ay mas lalong kumikinis muli ang kalsada. Hanggang sa nakarating na kami at nakitang isa pala itong maliit na community. Kung ikukumpara sa mga nadaanan namin kanina hindi hamak na mas urbanized ang lugar na ito at mas naramdaman ko ang pagbabalik ng presensiya ng teknolohiya.

Ang mga kalsada ay punong-puno ng mga puno sa gitna na mas lalong nagpaaliwalas sa buong lugar. Hindi ko alam pero ang kalmado ng dating dito kumpara sa masyadong busy na atmosphere ng Districts. Mayro'n pa nga kaming nakitang isang maliit na lawa na sa tingin ko ay pinaggagalingan ng irigasyon ng mga tanim nila dito. Kahit kaunti na lang ang mga tao sa labas ay ramdam na ramdam ko ang buhay nito dahil sa maliliwanag na light orbs na nagkalat sa paligid na nagbibigay liwanag sa gabi.

As expected, people here were completely confused about why there was a military truck hovering on their roads. Well, it wasn't their fault. Their full attention was now at us. They stared at us as if we were aliens. As if we didn't belong here and we were not from this planet.

After all, they were all farmers. And farmers weren't used to seeing military trucks.

They were peaceful people and violence was something they weren't familiar with.

The people here seemed not bothered by the events unfolding now at the Districts. They walked through the sidewalks without any worry of being killed painted across their faces.

They were peaceful people, just like I said.

We looked at the six tall buildings—their walls were filled with grass and vines and flowers—that surrounded a circular building that was mostly made of glass and solar panels—and of course, vines and grass and flowers.

"Guys, let's park there. I think we can get help," Bea suggested but it came out on her mouth like a command. "Siguro makakahingi tayo ng tulong." 

Sinunod ko ang sinabi niya at ipinarke ang sasakyan sa tapat ng pabilog na gusali. Bumaba na kaming lima at pinagtinginan ng mga taong gising pa ngayong araw. Hindi na lang namin pinansin ang mga mata nilang nakatitig sa amin. The atmosphere was filled with whispers and not only that, they didn't forget to stare at us in a way you looked at an unusual thing. We walked through the circular building when a man in his middle forties along with two young men greeted us. They all wore brown button-down shirts and light green coats that were a perfect fit for their bodies and pants that were the color of polished wood. They really loved their profession.