Yannah | Zombie Apocalypse Story

Chapter Seventeen

 
—present...

Jeramel's Point of View

I slowly opened my eyes, and the light bulb made everything white. I blink twice again, and finally, my vision is clear. My breathing was ragged, and with every inhale and exhale, my rib cage ached. 

"Oh my gosh! Kuya Jeramel is awake!" I hear a familiar voice. Then I heard the door opening and footsteps starting to run in my direction.

Ngayon ko lang na-realize na nakahiga pala ako sa kama. I couldn't move my head because I am wearing a neck brace. I tried to speak, but nothing came out. 

"Aaah..." I really can't talk. Hindi ko na pinilit dahil mas lalo lang sumasakit iyong lalamunan ko.

"Salamat sa Panginoon!" I heard Brylle say as he leaned to make me see his face. I gave him a smile, and he was also smiling at me. Maya-maya ay tinaas na nila ang upper part ng bed so that I could see them and I didn't need to sit down.

All of them are smiling at me. Brylle, Riane, Shanen, and a doctor. But the first one I wanted to see was not there. I couldn't help but crease my forehead while roaming my eyes around the room. I am confused.

Where's Yannah?

Wait a minute... The last thing I could remember was a helicopter crash on the building's third floor. I went there, and it exploded—knocking me out against the wall.

"It's good you woke up after two and a half months; I thought you would remain in a coma for a year," the doctor said. He was American, not Filipino. That made me guess that we are already in the safe zone in the United States. But I can't help but think of Yannah. Why is she not here? Was she also hospitalized?

"Ya..." I was struggling to talk, but I still forced myself. "Ya... Yannah..." That was the only thing I could say, but I am sure gets nila iyon. 

Biglang nalungkot ang mukha ng tatlo. Umiwas ng tingin ang dalawang bata sa akin, at si Brylle ay nakasimangot.
I felt my stomach drop. My breathing became so fast that it made my lungs and ribs hurt. I tried to calm myself by stopping myself from overthinking things, but I couldn't. 

Yannah, where are you?

"Sorry Jeramel..." Brylle said. My forehead creased because I wanted him to explain further. Sorry for what? I know what he meant pero hindi ko matanggap. I don't want my brain to process what he said. Ayaw ko.

"Riane at Shanen, pumunta muna kayo sa labas," Brylle told them, and the two kids willingly followed his order. 

Umiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya because I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. No, this is just a dream. Ayoko dito, gusto ko nang magising.

"Sorry..." Iyon lang ang sinabi niya ulit.
I was hoping to wake up from this nightmare. Pero hindi ako nagising. I bit my lower lip as tears flowed down my cheeks. My fist clenched, and I couldn't help but cry. Brylle and the doctor were silently standing beside me as I continued to sob.

My ribs, my lungs, my neck, and my throat ache. Pero mas masakit ang nararamdaman ko sa puso ko ngayon. Ang bigat. 

The thought of Yannah not being alive anymore is making me wish na sana namatay lang rin ako. It is so unfair. How come she didn't make it? 

Hindi ko matanggap. I didn't notice that I had been crying for almost an hour now. The doctor already left awhile ago while Brylle was still here. He kept saying sorry, and I could see the guilt in his eyes.

I swallowed hard. "It's... not your," I swallowed again. "Fault," I continued.

"Sorry talaga Jeramel, hindi ko nagawan ng paraan para maligtas si Yannah," he started to burst out. Umiiyak na rin siya and that made me more sad.