Saving Our Times

[PROLOGUE]

My consciousness is starting to take over my body, which I think had been probably dead for a couple of hours. I begin hearing noises, whispers, audible sobs in a distance, clanking of metals and the unusual and shivering sound of forced silence. When put together they somewhat create a song that would perfectly fit as a background music for a blockbuster horror film.

Without even having to look fully at the surroundings, my gut feeling is telling me to run if I still want to breathe some oxygen. Literally. But I can't. I couldn't even move an inch. My head feels so heavy as if my neck is carrying an equivalent of three. My body is glued in an unfamiliar surface, sticky, cold, and strangely soft surface caressing my back. Maybe it's because of the wind or the usual breeze of a fine monotonous summer night, except for me, except for us. However, I can still feel my body scorching from the inside which makes my senses go crazy on what exactly to feel at this very moment.

I am getting short of breathe, and even more short of time. Which supports my decision of needing to flee as soon as possible. But no matter how determined I am, my fucking headache is on the way. It's no ordinary headache, it's the horrible caused of drugs kind of headache. Or at least that is how I would define it.

I lay there for a couple of minutes, rolling my eyes which is the only part of my body that I managed to control. Trying to scan the place as far as I could using the light coming from the small windows near the high ceiling. Then I realize that I am in a fucking warehouse! How did I get in here? I tried remembering what happened but I couldn't think clear, my memories are on bits, blurry and they are hard to connect.

After a while of nothing but distinct sounds, suffocating smell, and fear that's gradually creeping in, I can feel my tears building on the corners of eyes when I saw a red bracelet wrapped on my left arm with some numbers on it after trying endlessly of moving a little. It's the kind of bracelet that no matter how hard you try to tear them, they won't come off until you cut them with a scissors.

I am very aware of what does it mean, so I pulled all my strengths together and tried harder to be able to sit at least. That's one of the biggest regrets of my life. I can't believe what my eyes are seeing which made me puke on the hospital gown that I am wearing.

Watching my clothes getting soak with saliva and undigested food confirmed my assumptions. I am a Corona Virus patient. However, this circumstance, of me being infected of a disease that has no cure and would probably be my cause of death anytime soon if I can't overcome it, cannot compare to the shock I have looking at this pile of unconscious if not dead bodies all over the warehouse. And right now, I am on top of one of those pile!

Realizing that, made me screamed my lungs out as I crawl down over them. Some of them are still producing sounds but too weak to continue. So that was it, I am lying on other people's body all this time.

I am still crying when someone grabbed my leg that I screamed for the second time. I look back and there I see a familiar face, a friend.

We crawl towards each other, both out of breath and almost dying.

"Patawarin mo ako Allona, kasalanan ko 'to. Sorry talaga, h-hindi ko naman alam na aabot sa ganito. Iligtas mo ang sarili mo." Bulong niya sa'kin bago siya nawalan ulit ng malay. I don't understand, bakit niya naging kasalan? Ano ba kasing nangyari?

"Gumising ka please, wag kang mamamatay!" I pleaded desperately as I cried for help. "Tulong! Tulungan niyo po kami, pakiusap tulungan niyo po kami! Nandito kami sa loob"

Then I heard footsteps, plenty and heavy footsteps. Someone might have heard me, someone is coming to help us. I hope.

At that point, the big, high doors of the warehouse opened and the blinding light coming from the outside, lights up the whole area. I never thought that this place could look 10, 000 times scarier when fully illuminated.

Bodies all wearing the same thing as mine and are covered with bloods. Some are missing body parts and some could still be alive but majority are surely dead. This sight would be enough for anyone to pass out, but I pulled myself together, I needed to save myself and my friend.

Then the owners of those footsteps came. THEY ARE SOLDIERS WITH GUNS! Wearing the personal protective equipment or PPE that front liners are using as protection from the virus, and they are carrying another two of my friends that are beaten into pulps! WHAT IS HAPPENING?! My hopes of getting saved vanish in an instant so I covered my mouth trying not to get their attention.

"Ilagay niyo na lang ang dalawang yan sa gilid, baka kailanganin pa sila." Utos nung isang sundalo na siguro ay platon leader nila. The four soldiers carrying my friends instantly follows, naglakad sila papunta sa kanto at pabagsak na inilagay ang mga kaibigan ko.

"Yung iba kumilos na at hanapin kung sinong patay na para masunog na natin ang mga katawan nang hindi mangamoy kinabukasan." He continued. I hold my mouth harder suppressing even the tiniest sob.

The soldiers started sorting the bodies and I lay on the exact same spot while tightly holding my friend's hand. I know I can't get away from them even if I tried. So I just close my eyes praying that they won't come near us.

My tears are flowing the whole time as if something happened with my tear ducts that they couldn't stop them. "Mamatay na ba talaga ako?" I asked myself.

I can't. I can't die in vain like this. I don't want to die, yet. Totoo nga siguro talaga yung sabi nila na kapag mamamatay ka na kusa mo na lang maaalala ang mga mahahalagang bahagi ng buhay mo. Pero ang karamihan doon ay mga bagay na pinagsisihan mo, mga bagay na sana ginawa mo. Gaya na lang sa'kin sa mga oras na 'to, I can trade everything if it means that I'll be able to be with my love ones even just for a minute. But I guess, it'll be impossible.

Hindi ko namalayang nakatulog na pala ako at muli lang nagising nang may yumuyugyog na sa katawan ko pero sa sobrang takot ay hindi ako nagmulat ng mga mata. Paano kung yung isa sa mga sundalo ito?

"Allona, gising. We need to get out of here now." Whispered of the voice I can recognize.

Nakahinga ako ng malalim nang makitang tama ang hinala ko sa kung sinong may-ari ng boses. As soon as he sees me opened my eyes, niyakap niya ako agad ng sobrang higpit. I even heard him sob a little kaya pati ako ay napaiyak na rin ulit.

"What took you so long? I am so scared, umalis na tayo dito pakiusap." I said in between of my cries.

"Hush now, don't worry hinding-hindi kita iiwan." He said as he kiss my forehead and tried to carry me.

"Teka lang, paano siya? Tapos yung dalawa pa nating kaibigang naroroon sa gilid? Hindi natin sila pweding iwanan dito."

"Makinig ka sa'kin Allona. We need to leave now. We can't trust any of them. This is our only chance, please believe me just this once." He said while holding my face.

Puzzled and dazed, I just nod and let him carry me. Hindi ko alam kung tama bang inisip ko muna ang sarili ko, pero wala nang oras para mag dalawang isip. I needed to get out of here and breath some fresh oxygen or else I'll probably die from suffocation.

We got out of the warehouse using the back, regular size door. Pagbungad pa lang ng sariwang hangin sa akin ay huminga ako ng malalim at sunod-sunod. May ilaw ang mga poste sa paligid kaya mas nag-ingat kaming walang makakita sa amin. Habang buhat niya ako, napatingin ako sa suot niyang damit.

"Why are you wearing a doctor's gown?"

"Ah, eto? I wear it as a disguise para madaling makapasok dito." He said while averting my eyes.

He continued running until we got cornered.

X/X