Until Dawn (a MAICHARD fanfic)

Prologue

Maine Mendoza woke up to a rustling sound that seemed to close to her bed. She didn't know if what beside her was actually a human being or an infected person. In that age of the apocalypse, nobody would know for sure so she slowly and quietly grabbed the pocket knife that was under her pillow and slowly turned around, trying to look where the sound was coming from.

She saw a person in the opposite bunk bed, moving quietly. It was too dark to tell if it was a sane person so she took her chances and whispered softly. "Sino nandyan?" She asked. She knew if that was a person, he or she will understand what she just said, and if not, she had to deal with the consequences of her action.

"Si Den to." The person said quietly.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Maine stood up from her bunk and faced Den. "Sabi nila nakita ka na sumasali dun sa mga rebelde."

"Hindi naman sila masama. They're doing the things they do para sa kinabukasan ng tao. Lalo sa panahon ngayon." Den said. "And yes, isinali na ako ni Shaira."

"Gusto mo ba siya kaya ka sumali?" Maine asked Den. She paced the room, hoping that the answer was a yes.

"Hindi ko siya gusto. No, it's not that. Sumali ako sa kanila kasi I feel like I've been given a purpose in this world." Den grabbed Maine's hand and stopped her from pacing.

"Eh bakit bumalik ka? Alam mo namang pwede ka patayin ng mga nagbabantay dito sa quarantine zone kapag nalaman nila na rebelde ka." That was the first time she looked him in the eye since earlier.

"I came back for you. May ipapakita ako sa'yo." Den said. He held her face. "I missed you. I missed us."

"You left, remember? Di ka man lang nagpaalam." Maine said.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. At tsaka babalik naman ako. Lagi naman akong babalik para sa'yo." Den pulled her into a tight hug. "Come on. Para bago matapos ang curfew eh nakabalik ka na…nakabalik na tayo." He added.

"Saan mo naman kasi ako dadalhin?" Maine asked. "Baka naman mahuli tayo at mabaril pa tayo ng mga officers?"

"Hindi yan. Trust me." He took her hand and led her out of the room.

When they arrived at their destination, Maine was slightly annoyed.

"Dinala mo ako sa mall? Anong gagawin natin dito?" She asked him.

"Basta. Sabi ni Shaira, the government has been lying to us. Diba sabi nila wala nang kuryente yung buong city? Well, kailangan alam mo lang kung saan pupunta." Den replied.

They walked towards the end of the mall where the offices were. When they got into one, he pointed at a large lever and moved towards it.

"Ganito lang yan." He switched it on and the lights of the abandoned shopping mall turned on.

"Wow." Maine said as she looked at the newly lighted facility. "So, saan mo ako balak dalhin?"

Den grabbed her hand again, intertwined his finger with her then walked her towards their destination.

"Our first stop." Den said when they stopped at one of the shops.

"Jewelry? Seriously?" Maine whined.

"Actually, di naman na natin kailangan pumasok. I got this for you." He pulled out a necklace that had a rounded ornament and a heart in its middle. It was encrusted with diamonds. "It's a couple necklace. See? Etong heart sa loob, natatanggal. This one is yours." He removed the heart necklace from the set and  gave it to Maine. He put it on her. "This one is mine." He wore the other part for himself.