Midnight Angels

Chapter 19

'Xions'

ZIA

Napapikit nalang ako. What will Mom do in this situation? How will she fight a creature so scary?

And there I felt it, its movements. Its claws digging on the cement, clearly making an attack. Agad akong umiwas at saktong tumama na ang mga kuko nito sa cemento na kinatatayuan ko kanina. If I didn't move, I would've been torn to pieces. I wasn't even able to catch my breath when the creature made another move again.

Umiwas ako at tumalon papunta sa isang pinto pero tumilapon ako dahil bigla itong bumukas dahil may isa pang nilalang na paparating sa akin. Now there's two of them.

I landed on my feet at tumingin sa dalawang nilalang na kaharap ko. What kind of creatures are these? Rinig ko parin ang sigaw ng mga warden at guards na nilalapa sa ilang cell na pinagtaguan nila. I can still hear their bones crushing. I can hear everything. It was disturbing me.

Napahawak ako sa tenga ko at saglit na pumikit.

"Remember, Zia. Sound covers us. It's around us. People like us, who hear even the farthest sound have trouble shutting out these sounds. And when this situation comes, just focus on your own voice. Your voice is the only thing that can shut off these sounds."

Tito Seth's words. I immediately trembled on my spot. Even at this very moment, their words linger.

"Mom." I said, listening to my voice, finally slowly shutting all the noises from around me at tumingin na ako sa dalawang nilalang na kaharap ko. "Dad," I said again and listened to my voice as I was running to those creatures.

My voice covered me, making me focus on running without wincing. Hinabol ako ng dalawang nilalang na iyon at tumalon ako at ginawang apakan ang likod ng isa nito. "Dino." I recited their names.

"Vernon," I said as I slid through a door and threw it to one of the creatures. "Baxter," I said again and made a shield for myself when the creature threw something at me. "Duke," I said and threw a fireball at them with the intent to burn their flesh but it didn't work.

Tumakbo ako papasok sa isang cell pero agad akong napaupo noong makita kong nilalapa ang isang warden sa mismong harap ko.

"M-Matthew." I stuttered while I was backing off. Now there are three of them. The creatures roared at me and ran towards me all at once. Umatras ako at tinakpan ang tenga ko. "Milo," I said as fire came out of my hands, using it to defend myself.

"Wolfie," I said but I coughed out blood when something hit my back. Tumilapon ako sa isang bakal na locker, slicing my shoulders because of the spiking metal. Napasigaw ako at ginawan muna ng shield ang katawan ko.

Team Alpha doesn't fight like this.

"Walter." I said again, jumping out of the locker, blood dripping from my hand as I gripped a metal rod so tight it wounded me. Agad ko itong isinaksak sa leeg ng isa sa kanila at sinipa pa ang metal rod kaya nasali sa pagtuhog 'yong isa pang nilalang na nasa likod niya.

I then burned them, hearing them scream in pain.

Those screams don't equalize the screams I heard from the warden and guards being eaten alive. Napahawak ako sa pader nang maramdaman kong yumanig ang paligid. More of them were coming down the stairs. I immediately used ice to block it and eliminated the other one that was about to attack me.

But I acted slow enough.

Nakagat nito ang braso ko at napasigaw nalang ako nang maramdaman kong nabali ang buto sa braso ko. I looked at the creature's eyes near its right ear, looking at me. The creature even smiled, but I smiled too. "Yes, eat it—" I said, furthering my hand into its mouth.