Safe And Sound

Chapter Four

Nagising ako ng may nanunuyong lalamunan. Tumayo ako at lumabas ng kwarto, hindi sigurado saan matatagpuan ang kusina. Puro pinto lang ang sumalubong sakin paglabas ko ng kwarto.

Nakita ko ang hagdan sa dulo at doon ako pumunta. Though my head is still aching, it is a lot morr better than it was yesterday night. Hindi pa din ako gaano kalakas pero mas bumuti na ang lagay ko kesa kagabi. I hope I'm really recovering.

Pagbaba ko ng hagdan ay natagpuan ko ang kusina sa kaliwang banda ng bahay. Agad akong kumuha ng baso at binuhusan ito ng tubig na galing sa pitsel.

Natatanaw ko sa labas na madilim pa. Wala akong ideya kung anong oras na ba o kung nakatulog ba ako. Pero base sa atmospera ng paligid ay sigurado akong madaling araw na.

I can hear some voices mumblinh at the other side of the house.

Walang nasa sala pero natagpuan ko sila sa likod nito kung saan may isa pang kwarto at katabi nito ang dining area.

Masisilip mula sa nakabukas na pinto ng kwarto ang mga tulog na sila Dustin, Stello at Josh. Samantalang mukhang masinsinang nag uusap si Paulo at Philip na nasa dining.

"Hindi tayo pwedeng manatili dito. Hindi na ligtas ang lugar na toh" mahina ngunit mariin na sambit ni Paulo na nakasandal sa dulo ng mesa. Habang si Philip ay nakaupo sa silya at hawak ang kanyang sentido.

"Anong plano" Philip asked. "We have to leave before the dawn"

"Saan tayo pupunta?" i was just standing there the whole conversation. Base sa sinabi ni Paulo ay kailangan naming makapunta sa Villamill. Isang city kung saan nagtitipon tipon ang mga survivors sa region ng NCR.

Marami akong katanungan. Hanggang ngayon hindi parin nabibigyang linaw sa isipan ko ang mga nangyayari. At ngayon na may patutunguhan sila ay mas lalo akong natatakot. Dahil alam kong isa lang ang kelangan kong patunguhan, ang lugar kung saan naroon ang pamilya ko.

At kung sakali na wala na kong madatnan don, hindi ko na alam kung dapat pa ba kong magpatuloy. Natatakot ako sa ideyang walang kasiguraduhan ang patutunguhan ko.

"Mikee" doon lang ako nag angat ng paningin. Lumakad papunta sakin si Paulo at inalalayan ako papasok ng dining.
"Kamusta ang pakiramdam mo? May problema ba?" i love how Paulo sounded like an older brother caring for his little sister.

Kinapa nya ang noo at leeg ko, "Mabuti naman at hindi ka na ganon kainit" i sense his relief.
"Ano bang nangyayare? At sino kayo? Nagpapasalamat ako dahil napakabuting puso nyo para iligtas at patuluyin ako sainyo pero bakit nyo ito ginagawa?" parehas silang hindi sigurado kung saan magsisimula.

Malayo ang tingin ni Philip na tila iniiwasan na magtagpo ang aming mga mata.
"Last week there was an outbreak happened in Baguio. A sort of virus that came from an unknown disease. A virus that has symptoms of being violent and brutal towards another humans. The following day dumami ng dumami ang naiinfect nito sa Baguio  hanggang binan muna ng mayor ang lahat ng tao don na umalis ng city. Hindi din pinayagan ang kahit na sino na makapunta ng Baguio. But unfortunately, dahil sa takot ng mga tao na mahawaan sila ng virus ay nagpumilit silang makaalis ng city, not knowing that themselves were already infected" Philip states the story as if he was there witnessing the whole event.

"Sa loob ng isang linggo umabot sa metro manila ang virus. Ganon ito kabilis kumalat at walang magawa ang pamahalaan dito. I'm sure na wala pang isang linggo ay laganap na sa buong Pilipinas ang sakit" Paulo added.

This has been the content of every news channel in the television for the whole week. But i was too ignorant to know that this is some sort of very serious situation.

"Mikee, listen. Hindi nacontact ni Dustin ang parents mo. Walang kasiguraduhan na may madadatnan ka pag inuwi ka namin don" kunot noo kong tiningnan ang nagsalitang si Philip.
"What are you trying to say?"

He heave a sigh, "What I'm trying to say is there's no assurance that your family is still out there and alive" napakurap ako sa narinig.
"But i have to risk!" protesta ko. Pilit sinasalungat ang katotohanan na sinampal sa mukha ko.

"They're dead, for Pete's sake! Weren't you there when the virus turned every people in the mall into monsters? That's how fast the virus is and you still think that your parents are still alive?"

"Philip, tama na" mariing hinawakan ni Paulo ang braso ni Philip. I was unaware that my tears are already rolling down my cheeks.

I swear there's a better way to tell me the truth, yung paraan na hindi nya kailangan ipagduldulan sakin ang katotohanang hindi ko pa handang tanggapin.
What he said was so mean, and I'm deeply offended.

"Mikee, pagpasensyahan mo-"

"Uuwi na ako" agad kong hinawi ang kamay ni Paulo na akmang hahawak sakin.
"Hey, Mikee!" rinig kong tawag nya sakin nang magsimula akong lumakad palayo ng dining.

Dustin was already up at nakasalubong ko sya paglabas. He was confused on what is happening.
Dumiretso ako sa pinto ng bahay at pilit itong binuksan. It was locked.

I keep banging the door shouting to open it. Dustin is doing his best to calm me, but he made no good. I feel so worse. My emotions are beginning to take over me.

"Sige umalis ka!" natahimik ako ng sumigaw mula sa dining si Philip. And the next thing i knew he was walking towards me. "Umalis ka kung gusto mo! Damhin mo mag isa kung gaano binabalot ng dilim ang mundo!" he was angry as i am.

Nang makalapit sya sakin ay muli nya kong diniin sa pinto. "Uuwi ka? Sige umuwi ka! Pero tingnan lang natin kung makarating kang nasa katinuan pa" he banged me against the door. Making my back ache.

I fought so hard para makaalis sa mahigpit nyang pagkakahawak. Then i slap him as hard as i could, making sure i gave back to him all his words that made me feel so bad.

"Ano ba yan tama na! Philip what the hell do you think your doing?!" napasalampak ako sa sahig na may nanghihinang mga tuhod at nanghihinang loob. I'm crying and i felt so weak infront of this five men.

I can see how Philip's hands are trembling. He seems so angry and i don't understand where on earth he got the right to be angry.

Paulo is now shouting on him, making his best to calm himself. Dahil sa gulo ay naggising si Stello at Josh. Lahat sila ay nakakunot ang noo at hindi nagugustuhan ang nangyayari.

Inalalayan ako ni Dustin tumayo at muling makaakyat sa kwarto na pinanggalingan ko. He was quiet the first minute, unsure what to say to make me feel better.

"Pasensya ka na kay Philip ah. Lahat tayo namomroblema ngayon pero kase sya ang may pinaka nahihirapan ngayon" pag uumpisa nya. Wala akong ganang marinig ang pagtatakip nya para sa kaibigan nya.

"Isa kase yung family nya sa mga taong nasa Baguio last week. At lahat sila ay nainfect. They were killed because of their brutality. Alam kong sobrang mali yung ginawa nya at sinabi sayo. But i beg you to understand him" his head was so low as if asking h someone from high position for forgiveness.

A while passed Paulo show up in front of me. And i know exactly what he's going to say.

"Ayos ka lang ba? Mukhang malakas yung pagkakahampas nya sayo sa pinto ah" hindi ako sumagot at hinayaan lang syang magsalita.

"I'm sorry for his actions"

"Dustin already explained to me. Naiintindihan ko na" sagot ko.
Ramdam ko ang frustrations sa pagbuntong hininga ni Paulo.

"Wag kang mag alala, Mikee. Iuuwi ka namin" i looked up at him feeling thankful yet confuse.
"Hindi ko gustong maging makasarili. Ayokong may masamang mangyari habang pinipilit nyo kong samahan sa daan na dapat mag isa ko lang tahakin"

"We all want this. We all are concerned about you" mariin ko syang tinititigan.
"Bakit? Anong rason? I'm just a random stranger that Philip happened to save. Bakit nyo ginagawa ito?"

His eyes are full of emotions i can't bare to read.
"Cause you somehow reminds us of our own family we failed to save" hindi ako nakasagot sa sinabi nya. He is sad and lonely and hurting. But still manage to care for me.

"You're too young, Mikee. You can't go out there and find your way on your own. We can't let you do that. Instead bare with us and we will keep you safe until we can let you go in somewhere safe"

They are strangers. And I'm a stranger to each one of them. But they chose to fight for their lives while fighting for mine too.

***