DELIVERANCE BOOK 1: Battle in Chimera [Revamped]

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: DIRECTOR'S ORDER

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Director’s Order

***

Audrey

We’re packing our things right now as fast as we could. The Director wanted us to go back to the facility sa hindi malaman-laman na dahilan. Pero sigurado akong hindi ito magandang balita.

“Torin! Tumahimik ka nga!” utos ni Elsa na abalang nililigpit ang damit niya sa bag niya.

I looked at Torin and he was staring at the window. When I looked at it, muli ko na namang naramdaman yung takot at pangamba na naramdaman ko kahapon, but it’s stronger this time.

I was about to continue packing my things nang mapansin namin ang bahagyang pagdilim ng liwanag mula sa bintana, at mukhang pansin din ito ni Elsa. Nagkatinginan kami ni Elsa habang si Torin ay tahol pa rin nang tahol.

We decided to glance out of the window at nagulat nalang kami nang makita naming umaambon ang langit in a very unusual way. Instead of dark colored clouds, it’s red. Pero hindi lang iyon, pansin din namin ang kumakalat na pula hamog. We don’t know what it was, pero sigurado akong nakakasama ito. Maybe this was what Mathew was talking about, the sign.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto na ikinagulat namin ni Elsa. Nang tingnan namin kung sino ang pumasok, nakita namin si Mathew na may suot na black masks habang hawak-hawak ang dalawang black masks na katulad sa suot niya.

"Wear these," he ordered habang iniaabot sa amin ang masks na hindi namin alam kung bakit. “This will protect you from that fog.” Paliwanag niya dahilan para agad namin itong kunin at suutin.

"Ano pala yang fog na yan?” nagtatakang tanong ni Elsa.

"It's one of Deros’ spells. It petrifies those who’ll inhale it." Paliwanag niya na ikinagulat namin.

"And how will these masks protect us?" tanong ko.

“It was crafted with high level protective magic,” tugon niya. "Tapos na ba kayong mag-impake?" tanong niya.

"Not yet pero malapit na." tugon ni Elsa na nagpatango kay Mathew. “Teka sa Torin pala. Will he be fine?” nag-aalalang tanong ni Mathew.

“I’m not sure pero mukhang hindi naman siya takot,” tugon ni Mathew at saka hinimas ang ulo ni Torin. "I’d be waiting at the living room." Pagpapa-alam niya na sabay naming tinanguan ni Elsa.

After a few minutes, at natapos rin kaming mag-impake. Agad na kaming bumaba at saka tinungo ang living room.

"Salamat naman at tapos na kayo." Reklamo ni Wayne na nababagot nang nakaupo sa sofa. Inirapan ko nalang siya.

"Let's go." Paanyaya ko na nagpatayo sa tatlo. Nang makalabas kami, mas nagulat kami nang makita namin ang kabuuan ng langit. The blue sky before was now tinted with red.

***

We are on our way towards the Observation and Surveillance Room as fast as we could. The Director ordered us na dumiretso dito para ipaliwanag samin ang nangyayari. Nang marating namin ito, bumulaga sa amin ang dose-dosenang mga computers. Sa harap naman ay isang malaking screen na kasinlaki nung nasa backdrop ng dome.

Series of live video footage all around the city flashed in the screen all at once. I can see how people panicked, while others were lying on the ground, eyes wide open, but can’t move. This was a disaster.

Nakita namin si Miss Blair na nakatayo sa gitna ng isang malawak na platform, habang pinanonood ang nangyayari sa mundo through the big screen. Nang makalapit kami ay agad siyang napalingon.