Alternate Change

Chapter 5

Mari ran as she heard explosions from her back. Screams of agony were heard at the building's third floor, making Mari turn her head. Gunshots followed as she ran farther away.

'I can't go back! It's way too dangerous. If I stayed, who knows what will happen to me.' her pace slowed down as she slowly reached the far end of the field.

The ground violently shook as she took a step forward, making her lose her balance and trip. She slowly stood up and looked around. As her eyes wandered through the scene, her breath hitched as she realized that it was a dead end. Not only that, she also saw two different places separated by a deep valley and she was a step closer from falling into it. She slowly stepped backwards, making her calm down a bit.

After she settled down, she examined the different sceneries. A horrible place with wrecked and bloodied buildings, inhabited by various mutants and monsters, was seen on her left. Big border walls protected a beautiful place with tall and wonderful sceneries, was seen on her right. Her breath was taken away on what she saw and had mixed feelings about it.

'So, this is what Mr. Worst was talking about. And I am going to become into one of those things. Since when did turning into a mutant a great thing?' she thought.

She shivered about the thought that she is going to turn into one of those mutants that the man talked about. While wondering, her stomach made a dying whale sound.

'How long was I starving? If I don't find food, I might want to crave for human flesh. Luckily, I've got mango tree beside me and sugarcanes surrounding me. It will definitely be a sweet treat in this horrid place.' she thought as she started pulling some sugarcanes beside her.

After cutting some sugarcanes, she used them to poke the yellow sweet-smelling mangoes and made them fall, catching them with her hands.

'Mmmm, these mangoes taste better than any other mangoes that I've tasted from home. Maybe the seeds came from Guimaras. I guess there will always be something good in times like this. Let's try the sugarcanes next.' she closed her eyes as she thought.

After finishing fifteen mangoes, she licked the fruit juices off her lips before she started to bite a sugarcane.

"I just wished I had my bolo, so that I can cut these with ease." she said to herself.

She peeled the sugarcane in her hand with her teeth. She also teared it and munched it.

'I also think that these sugarcanes are from Negros Occidental. Delicious!' she savored the taste of the sugarcane and spitted it out.

While she was savoring the flavors, sounds of gunshots were heard from her left side. Her ears perked up as she heard the sounds.

'I guess the earthquake came from there. Well, I have to go.' she looked from the left side as she started to run to her right.

After minutes of running, she finally reached the wonderful city. She crawled inside the small gap in the borderwalls, which protected the front side of the city from letting the people see the horrible place. She wandered around as she went in. Holograms occupied some spaces in the sky.

"The Great City..." Mari read in awe as she stopped to read the city's name in the holograms.

People were dressed like dolls. Not only they were dressed like dolls, but acted like they are one.

'They are all teens. Is this part of Mr. Worst's plan? To kidnap the teens and turn them into living dolls?' Mari cringed as she thought of it.

After strolling for a while, she saw a fashion store and went in. When she went in, there were signs that said: