Saving Humanity

Chapter Fifteen: Prison Cells, Part One

Chapter Fifteen: Prison Cells, Part One

Holly

It's my first night as an official soldier of the New Army.

Last night, Jared and I stayed by Ephraim's side to monitor his condition. He took some injuries because of his duel against Max. I admire his courage, especially during the fight. Kahit na alam niyang hindi siya mananalo, he didn't surrender. He fought until he couldn't anymore.

Tonight, I'm on roving duty. I'm assigned to roam around the Institute's premises to make sure that the curfew is properly implemented.

"So, what's your story?" Raf asks me suddenly. There are four soldiers on duty right now. Raf is my roving partner. It's a good thing that I got him instead of Kris, Max's girlfriend. She's also on roving duty like me.

"My story?" I ask back. "Why do you want to know my story?"

He grins. "Unless they give us another task, we're going to be partners for a long time. Mas mabuti kung makikilala natin ang isa't-isa, diba?"

Hindi ko na siya sinagot. I'm not in the mood to have small talks, anyway. I want to spend my first night as a soldier peacefully.

It's already midnight, and the whole place is quiet. The sound of our footsteps seems to be magnified because of the silence. Some areas of the Institute are engulfed in complete darkness that we have to use our flashlight to properly see.

"It's kind of creepy, don't you think?" Raf says without looking at me. "Kung iisipin, hindi nagkakalayo ang sitwasyon ngayon sa labas ng Institute. Parehong tahimik at walang buhay."

He's right. If I close my eyes and focus on the stillness, I can almost imagine that I'm back outside with Jared and our other friends.

"Paano ka napunta dito?" I ask out of the blue. Raf glances at me before speaking.

"So you're in the mood to talk now, huh?" he says with a grin.

"Just answer the question."

Raf shrugs. "Pinalayas ako ng mga magulang ko noong araw na tumama 'yung syndrome. Naghahanap ako ng matutulugan nu'ng gabing iyon, kaya pumuslit ako sa school na 'to. Wala namang tao dito tuwing gabi kaya naisip ko na dito na lang ako matutulog."

Nakalabas na kami ng building at ngayo'y naglalakad sa school grounds. The cold night air sends chills down my spine.

"Nagulat na lang ako nang bigla akong makarinig ng mga boses," Raf continues his story as we walk. "Lumabas ako ng classroom na napili kong tulugan, at nagulat ako nu'ng makita ko na marami ng tao sa labas."

"But how did you survive?" I ask. "The syndrome, I mean. If you don't have any connections with the President and his scientists, why are you awake now and not asleep like the rest of humanity?"

"Kenji. He approached me and injected some kind of vaccine on my left arm."

I see. That explains it.

"It's funny how things turned out that day." Raf tilts his head up, briefly looking at the stars before returning his gaze to me.

"Why?"

"Akala ko napakamalas ko nu'ng araw na iyon dahil pinalayas ako ng mga magulang ko. But as it turned out, what happened that day was a good thing. Kung hindi nangyari iyon ay siguradong mahimbing rin ang tulog ko ngayon."

Gusto ko siyang tanungin kung bakit siya pinalayas ng mga magulang niya. But I realize that the question might be too personal so I decide against it.