Saving Humanity

Chapter Twenty-Six: Under The Stars

Chapter Twenty-Six: Under The Stars

Ian

Originally, we only planned to stay here for a week.

But ten days have already passed since we first step foot in this house, and yet we're still here, with no intentions of leaving soon.

I can say that I'm well-adjusted now. Sanay na ako na tumira sa isang bahay kasama ang maraming tao. Every other day, I would accompany Tony and his brother, Jack, outside to look for food and other necessary supplies. They even started teaching me on how to properly use different kinds of gun. It's kind of liberating, getting to keep something that will protect me.

Felicity has been helping Tony's wife with household chores. The two of them are inseparable. Halos araw-araw, nag-uusap sila tungkol sa iba't-ibang mga bagay. I can see that she's happy here, and that makes me happy, too.

Andre made two new best friends: Myla and Milo. I never would have guessed that he has a soft spot for children.

Pauline often talks to Dr. Roberto. I have no idea about the things that they talk about, but I hope that it can help us understand what is really happening. I know that it's a far shot for us to defeat the extra-terrestrial beings, but it would be good if we have some sort of knowledge about them.

For the past ten days, everything seems to be normal. Or as normal as it could be, with everyone else in the world asleep and the extra-terrestrial beings slowly invading our planet. For the first time in a while, I feel at ease, and safe. If you are to ask me, I'd say that this place feels more like the Sanctuary that we are looking for.

We could choose to stay here.

But everytime that thought crosses my mind, even if just for a split-second, Jared's and Holly's faces would flash before my eyes. I know that they're still alive, and we can't just leave them out there. We need to do something to save them.

That's why I'm doing my best to learn how to use guns. Not just to protect myself, but to protect my companions, as well.

I have to be better, in order for me to make sure that I'll be strong enough to protect everyone that I care about.

We can't stay here for long. Kailangan na naming umalis bago pa matapos ang ikalawang linggo namin dito. I'm already thinking about various ways on how to convince the leaders of the Sanctuary to help us find our missing companions. Pero nahihirapan akong mag-isip ng strategy, dahil hindi ko pa naman sila nakikita ng personal.

Pauline says that they would understand, that once we ask, they won't be able to turn us down. But I can't believe everything that comes out of her mouth. Beside, didn't she already told us about what happened when her father went missing? Hindi siya tinulungan ng mga kasama niya sa Sanctuary, kaya umalis siya doon at mag-isang hinanap ang kanyang ama.

Kailangan ko ng plano. Sa lalong madaling panahon.

*****

It is our eleventh night of staying here.

My companions are already asleep. Since we're already comfortable here, we don't need to stay up simultaneously to ensure our safety. We are pretty confident that Tony and his family won't hurt us.

Hindi ako makatulog, kaya lumabas na lang ako ng bahay.

This is what I like about this family's property. They practically have the place all for themselves. It is far enough from the main road, that even on a normal day, I'm pretty sure that they won't hear the noise of various vehicles. There are trees everywhere, too.

I sit down on the grass, tilting my head up. The sky is full of stars tonight.

Tony's truck isn't on the place where it's usually parked. I wonder where he went with his brother.

It is already eleven in the evening, and the whole world is quiet.

I hear nothing but the rustle of the leaves from the trees, and my own soft breathing. Everything seems so peaceful. But I know that underneath the silence, I'll hear the screams of the unfortunate people who are still trapped in an eternal sleep. Will they be able to open their eyes and regain consciousness again? Or will they forever be trapped in a slumber forever, unable to do anything as their bodies start to get stiff?

I wonder, will their bodies rot after a long time without any food and water? Gradually, starting with the failure of their internal organs, then their skin drying, and finally, the smell of their decaying insides.

I shake my head, willing my dark thoughts to disappear. The night is too peaceful for me to think about gruesome things.

I sigh, slowly lying on my back. I can feel the soft edges of the grass at the back of my neck, tickling me.

I lay there, motionless, just staring at the dark sky illuminated by a thousand of twinkling stars. They look so close, I could almost reach out and pluck one of them. I wonder if one of those stars is where those extra-terrestrial bastards came from.

Despite the peaceful feeling that I'm having right now, I wish that everything would just go back to normal.

I don't care if I wont be peaceful again for the rest of my life. I just want the extra-terrestrial beings to go back wherever the hell they came from, and for my fellow humans to wake up again.

I hope that, by some miracle, whatever kind of creature that invaded us would realize that this world isn't worth it, and that they should just invade another planet and leave this one alone. I hope, for the love of God, that they would release some kind of antidote to wake everyone up.

I don't like interacting with people, nor do I find any interests in doing so. I've never even liked a single person except for the people who raised me, the girl that I still love, and the companions that I have right now.

Still, humanity deserves to exist, to thrive. Not trapped in a slumber forever.

Those people... They have their entire lives taken away from them. It isn't a matter of who deserves to live or not. No one, not even the extra-terrestrial beings, have the right to take someone else's life.

I breathe deeply, taking in a lungful of fresh, unpolluted air.

My eyelids are heavy now. I could fall asleep here. I know I'll be safe, no one would hurt me here.

I let out a yawn, letting my eyes fall shut.

Just as the soft hands of sleep gets a hold of me, I hear a rumble. Soft at first, then it becomes a thundering noise that I can't ignore anymore.

I sit up, and a bright streak of light overwhelms my vision. I shield my eyes using both of my hands. The rumbling is gone now, replaced by urgent voices drifting down towards me.

I slowly open my eyes, and the first thing that I see is Tony truck in front of me. The headlights are off now, letting me see more clearly.

Tony steps out of the car, and he almost jumps as he notices me.

"Ian!" he half-shouts, half-whispers, "Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

I answer him almost immediately. "I can't sleep, so I decided to go out for a while." I look behind him. "Where's your brother?"

As if he what I just said, Jack steps off the truck.

"Where have you been?" I ask them. "Bakit ngayon lang kayo?"

Tony answers. "May kasama kami."

With my mind still half-asleep, I'm not able to process what he just said right away. A groggy "what?" comes out of my mouth.

Then Jack opens the truck's door again, and he drags something out.

No, not something.

Someone.

I stand up slowly, my eyes never leaving the person beside Jack.

Tony repeats what he said earlier. "May kasama kami."