Stay Awake (ORIGINAL DRAFT)

Chapter Nineteen: A Joke

Chapter Nineteen: A Joke

I almost cry out because of the sudden pain that I felt on my back after the car jerked.

"Be careful, man," I say to Andre with a glare. Tumingin lang siya sa rearview mirror at kumindat. Ugh. What an ass.

We're on our way to Malacañan now. It's already six in the afternoon, and the sun is already beginning to set. Earlier we contemplated if we should go back to our own homes before going to Malacañan, but Pauline insisted that we go there immediately. She said that we can spend the night there, since it has a residential area.

I admit, the thought of sleeping in the Presidential Quarters is exciting.

"So, Pauline," Ian says. "Pwede bang sabihin mo na sa amin kung ano 'yung hahanapin mo sa Malacañan?"

Pauline sighs loudly. She's clearly not in the mood for talking. Katabi siya ngayon ni Holly sa likuran ng driver's seat.

"Fine. Gusto kong makuha 'yung mga secret documents na nakatago doon."

"For what?" tanong ni Felicity. She's currently sitting beside me, taking care of my injury. Dumaan kami kanina sa isang convenience store upang kumuha ng mga medical supplies.

I feel awkward right now, because I'm sitting beside my crush with my shirt off, while she's staring at my back and putting some ointment on the bruises there. I feel a chill on my spine everytime her fingers touch my bare skin.

Ugh.

"For the sake of solving this mystery," sagot ni Pauline. "My Dad said that the government is hiding something from us, and the only way to know for sure is to steal those freaking documents."

"Your Dad?" tanong ko. "Where is he? Bakit hindi mo siya kasama ngayon?"

Pauline stays silent for a few moments. She turns her gaze on the window, thinking about something. Maybe her Dad is already dead, that's why she's not answering my question. I shouldn't have asked that.

Magso-sorry na sana ako about sa Dad niya nang bigla siyang magsalita.

"He was captured by those bastards," she says, still looking out the window. "He was desperate to get those documents, but no one wants to risk their lives to go with him. Ako lang 'yung sumama sa kanya."

We stay silent, waiting for her to continue.

"Isang araw after naming makalabas sa pinagtataguan namin, we were ambushed by a group of men. I don't know if the ones we encountered earlier were there, but I'm certain that they're all working under the same leader."

"Paano ka nakatakas sa kanila?" I ask.

"My Dad sacrificed himself to save me. Ginawa niya ang lahat upang ma-distract 'yung mga lalaki para makatakbo ako." She pauses, sucking in a lungful of air. "I don't know if he's still alive. I hope he is."

Lahat kami, tahimik lang dahil sa kinuwento ni Pauline. Even Holly can't produce a good retort. We saw the extreme longingness in Pauline's face while she's saying those last words. Somehow, we now all feel the same thing for her.

Pity.

I still don't trust her, though.

"I'm so sorry, Pauline," Felicity whispers, the bruises on my back now forgotten.

Pauline goes back to her usual expression. "No, It's okay. I'm fine."

"Leader?" biglang tanong ni Holly. She gives Pauline a questioning look. "What do you mean, leader? May alam ka ba tungkol sa mga taong iyon?"

"My Dad told me something about them... About the ones who started this mayhem in the first place."

"Who are they?" Ian prompts.

Pauline's voice is gravely when she answers the question. "The real question is... What are they?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

Tumingin muna sa amin si Pauline bago siya sumagot. "My Dad told me that they are not humans," she states. "That they're not from this world."

Biglang tinapakan ni Andre 'yung preno and the car suddenly jerks to a stop. This time, napahiyaw na talaga ako dahil sa matinding sakit na naramdaman ko sa likod ko.

"Andre! I told you to be careful, didn't I?" bulyaw ko sa kanya. Pero hindi niya ako pinansin. Bagkus, lumingon siya at tumingin kay Pauline.

"You mean... Aliens?" tanong niya dito.

Pauline nods slowly. "Yeah... Parang ganu'n na nga."

Kung hindi lang masakit ang likod ko ay siguradong humagalpak na ako ng tawa. Alam naman ng lahat na hindi totoo ang mga aliens.

This is extremely absurd.

It seems that my companions share the same view about this as I am. Kitang-kita ko sa mga mukha nila na nagpipigil din sila ng tawa. Except for Andre. Siya lang ang mukhang naniniwala sa sinabi ni Pauline.

"You're joking, right?" natatawang tanong ni Holly.

Yeah, she is definitely joking.

"No, I'm not," pagtanggi ni Pauline habang umiiling. "He's my Dad, and I believe him."

"Well, have you seen any proofs of extra terrestrial invasion already?" Holly asks. When Pauline doesn't answer, she laughs. "See? Aliens are not real. They're just figments of imagination that someone created because he got nothing else to do and was probably bored to death."

Pauline glares at her. "I don't care what you think. I'm going to retrieve those documents, and if you want me to take you to the others who are awake, you will help me."

Andre turns his gaze back on the road and starts to drive. We all stay silent for a while, letting the tension around us disappear.

Since mukhang tapos na si Felicity sa paglalagay ng ointment sa mga bruises ko sa likod, I put my shirt back on and stare outside the window.

The streetlights were already busted, and the only thing illuminating the dark road ahead is the light coming from our car. Without the usual activities of human beings, the world looks peaceful and menacing at the same time.

Isinandal ko 'yung ulo ko sa salamin at tumingin ako sa langit. With all the thoughts running inside my head, I didn't notice the strange lights blinking in the sky. Not until Andre points it out.

"What is that?" he breathes, pointing.

At first it looks like an airplane with the assortment of different colors of blinking lights: red, blue, green and white. But when it comes closer, I almost faint at the sight of it.

Holy shit.

It's a fucking spaceship.

It is shaped like a capsule, with two wings protruding on either side of it. The lights scattered all around its body gives it an intimidating aura. It is enormous, maybe four or five times bigger than a regular airplane.

"You believe me now?" Pauline asks, almost elated at the sight of it.

She's right. They're real.

When the spaceship is directly above us, our car's engine sputters, then dies. I didn't notice the pain at my back when our car finally jerks to a stop.

We all watch, in complete awe, as the spaceship flies into the horizon, until we are left in utter darkness.