HYEORAEK

Part 1: Zombie Outbreak

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Alice's POV.

"Ayos ka lang, Miss?" he whispered while we're both catching our breath. This is the long run I've ever had. I nodded to the unknown man beside me and continued to observe the look like-have-a-rabbies people at the middle of the open area of the subdivision we've entered.

We're currently hiding from the trashcan that was rowed in the corner of the old building and we're behind on it. Those creatures... para silang mga wala ng buhay kung kumilos. Napangiwi ako nang mapuna ko ang ilan sa kanilang nabubulok na ang balat at parte ng katawan. Hanggang dito ay amoy ang parang nabubulok nilang laman kasama na ang mga basurang nakatambak hindi kalayuan sa kaliwa ko. I cover my mouth and stop myself on vomiting. They're also like having epilepsy and convulsions that makes my heart pump faster.

I squint my eyes when I saw closer the white eye they have. Kahit noong nasa hospital ako ay 'yun rin ang napansin ko. What's with their eyes? Are they blind or have a problem on their mesh?

Napakapit ako nang mahigpit sa nanginginig kong mga tuhod nang maalalang hindi ko natawagan si Kuya para matanong ang lagay niya. I'm definitely sure that I heard the same yells and uproarious sounds on his line. Hindi ko na alam kong ano ang gagawin. Is he okay right now? What happened to him?

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?
Alam mo bang delikado ang lugar na ito sa mga taong katulad mo?" pabulong ulit niyang tanong sa 'kin na biglang nagpabago nang nararamdaman ko kanina.

Kunot noo ko siyang nilingon. Who is he to tell me where to go?! I pursed my lips and glared at him. "Sa mga nangyayari ngayon wala ng ligtas na lugar kaya kahit saan ako magpunta, magiging delikado pa rin. Itatak mo 'yan sa kokote mo," bulong ko sa kanya na may halong diin. Humawak ako sa dump waste sa harap ko para kumuha ng supporta. Kanina pa kami rito nagtatago habang nakatungkod ang mga tuhod namin para hindi nila kami mapansin. I'm feeling numb already!

He raised his two hands like surrendering and pouted like an idiot. "Woah easy, parang nagtatanong lang eh," nakasimangot niyang bulong saka tinignan din ang kanina ko pa pinagmamasdan. Pinunasan ko ang pawis ko sa noo at napatingin sa tirik na tirik na araw na mas lalong nagpadagdag sa inis ko.

What I'm gonna do now?! I was stuck here with this unfamiliar man that acted like a child and surrounded by those biters. Wait... biters? They bite humans and spread their virus like a wildfire. I look at them again and noticed their familiar actions and what they did on people they encountered with. They're familiar... I think I saw their likes before but the words stuck at the tip of my tongue.

Sigurado akong nakita ko na ang mga gaya nila. Napapikit ako para isipin nang mabuti ang tawag sa katulad nila na pakiramdam ko ay narinig ko noon sa bibig ng bunso kong kapatid. "Hoy! Ano nang gaga--" Nagsalubong ang mga mata namin ng lalaking nasa tabi ko lang at biglang naputol ang sasabihin niya nang makita ang ginagawa ko. "Teka... huwag mo sabihin sa aking nagiging katulad ka na rin nila?" pabulong niyang tanong na mababakas ang takot kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"I'm not!" asik ko rito at agad na hininaan ang boses sa takot na marinig kami ng mga umaabang lang sa amin. Napagmasdan ko ang mukha ng kasama ko at napakunot noo. He looks like he's on his twenties already and maybe same on my age but he acted like a child lost in this area. Ang ingay niya pa.

"Zombie..." I suddenly uttered and widen my eyes when I realized what I've said. Right! They're called zombie. I already have glimpse of their likes because my parents with my younger brother likes to watch supernatural and things that didn't really exist. My mother even named my two names from one of the movies they've watched but I can't recall what title it is. I'm not scared in ghosts or horror story. And those kind of movies my family watched didn't really captured my interest.