OUTCAST (PUBLISHED)

2: STUPID

“Now what?” I asked.

Ang basag na bumungo ni Ms. Esguerra ay nakaharang sa nag-iisang daan palabas sa rooftop. Even Ms. Esguerra’s blood was scattered around, and what’s worse? Her fucking eyeball was entangled to the doorknob.

Eww. Kaderder.

“Do you have your rubber shoes with you?” Parker asked. I nodded, and I stared at him with disbelief when he suddenly removes his goddamn shirt.

Enebe pereng tenge.

Well, hindi ko s’ya masisisi. His uniform was covered with Ms. Esguerra’s blood— masama pa rin siguro ang loob n’ya dahil kinailangan niyang patayin ‘yung crush niyang hindi siya na-crush back.

“Stop staring at me. And fucking change your shoes,” He beamed at me. Sinamaan ko siya nang tingin sabay duro sa kanya. Feeling n’ya ba yummy yung abs niya?

“Hey, stupid, hindi bagay ang rubber shoes sa suot kong unifo—”

“At ang fashion sense mo pa talaga ang inisip mo ngayon?” He asked. He has a point. I’m not too fond of it when people dictate to me what to do. Nakanguso kong binuksan ang bag ko, “Susunod din pala, ang dami pang arte,” he whispered.

“Tsk,” Kinuha ko ang rubber shoes ko sa bag saka iyon sinuot. This prestigious school has a cute uniform that consists of a blouse top, tie, and pleated skirt. It is cute, but it is not a comfortable attire during an apocalypse, “Hey, stupid! Let’s go to the mall!” I said.

Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang kinatok ang ulo ko, at umakto pa s’ya na parang nagulat. “Did Ms. Esguerra fucking ate your brain? Or you don’t have one, to begin with?”

Tangina nito ni Parker. Napakabastos ng bibig.

I raised my middle finger at him saka ko inalis ang mga pabigat na notebook at libro sa bag ko. Patay na ‘yung magtuturo. Bakit ko pa itatago? “Stupid, hindi tayo mabubuhay kung ‘yang baseball bat mo lang ang dala natin,” I said.

Right. There are many hardware stores in the mall. Even pieces of equipment used for huntings are sold in the mall. Hindi na rin naman namin kailangan lisensya sa pagkuha ng baril because the store owner or cashier is probably a man-eating beast na.

I looked at him from head to toe. He was also wearing rubber shoes like me, and his hands were covered with a thin cloth. I was busy staring at him when he suddenly went to my front and snatched both of my hands. And from his pocket, he pulled a thick pair of black gloves, and he gently put it on me.

“Shet. Kinikilig ako,” I joked. I even acted na para akong nahihiya at nagtakip-takip pa ng mukha para lamang surahin siya.

He suddenly smirked and turned his back, “Don’t fall for me. Baka hindi kita ma-crush back,” he countered. Parehas kaming natawa sa biro niya, but our laughter immediately faded when we face the door.

Ang realidad na tinatakasan namin sa simpleng biruan ay kailangan na naming harapin.

I gulped as Parker carefully removes Ms. Esguerra’s eyeball from the doorknob. Kanina ay sumilip kami sa ibaba kahit sobrang nakakalula rito sa taas. Tahimik namin na pinapanood ang ibang mga estudyante na takot na takot sa mga humahabol sa kanila. Most of the infected ones were the faculty members, but once they bit the students, they were immediately turning into a beast like the others.

The students were beginning to get rotten after thirty seconds. I don’t know if the virus has some kind of mechanism.

But all we know right now is they are drawn to noises— a single noise will kill us.