Adelaide: Today For Tomorrow

Chapter 2

"Don't mind him. It's good enough compared to your first day." Selena pat me in the back before she jogged to open the gates, making sure it's clear outside as she pointed her rifle in front of her, doing one eighty.

The thought of Phoenix being eaten in the middle of the road scares me to death. He won't allow us to come with him dahil mabilis lang naman daw sya. Kaya hinahatid ko na lamang sya ng tingin at ipinagdadasal sya.

After what happened to my family, which still saddens me, I consider every life around me precious. Ramdam ko parin ang nakadagang mabigat sa dibdib ko. Gabi gabi ay umiiyak ako dahil namimiss ko sila. Walang minuto na hindi sila laman ng isip ko.

On my first half day of practice, hindi muna nila ako tinuruan kung paano bumaril. They taught me first the type of guns that I could possibly try. They taught me how to assemble a gun from seperated parts and split them up. They gave me a Beretta M9A1. But what I used in clearing outside is an AK-74 rifle. Damn. I don't have a broad knowledge about guns. I'm just good at memorizing their names but they're all the same to me. They can kill a changer and that's enough.

Nanatili ako sa harap ng bahay, malayo sa gate pero tanaw ko ang daan na tinahak ng sasakyan ni Phoenix na hindi ko na nakikita ngayon.

Si Selena ay kasalukuyang nasa likod ng bahay dala ang radyo nya. Nagmamasid sa mga puno sa labas ng pader. Kahit doon ay sinisigurado nyang walang umaaligid na changer.

The walls that separated us from an open field before the road surrounded by trees is a ten feet-high wall. May mga luwang ito kaya nakikita parin namin ang mga nasa labas. Pero hindi ito basta bastang maakyat ng sino man.

We hadn't hit the road yet to gather supplies. Selena said it's still too early, pahupain daw muna namin sa labas. And besides, hindi pa ako ready. Hindi na umangal si Phoenix kahit alam ko namang gusto nya ng makakuha na ng mga kakailanganin namin bago pa may makauna.

Tumingala ako, I saw birds flying in the sky. How I wish I could fly too and see what's going on in other places.

Too bad. Hindi ako marunong magpalipad ng eroplano. Sometimes, I wonder how other people are doing in the urban places. I'm sure mas maraming changers ang nagkalat doon. May mga buhay pa kaya? It's not impossible dahil buhay ang isang tulad ko ngayon.

I heard a groan kaya agad akong napatingin sa pader. Wala akong nakikitang Changer. I swallowed and took a deep breath bago dahan-dahang naglakad palapit sa pader which is five meters away from me. The groan went clearer nang dalawang metro nalang ang layo ko sa pader. And there, I saw it.

It's a woman, I bet the same age as mine. Sniffing in the air because she did not see me.

She has several bites in her body. Brown thick blood spreads across her face. Wala na ang isang kamay nya. Nanginginig ang mga kamay kong itinutok sa kanya ang baril kasabay ng pagtingin nya sa akin. She gnashed her teeth then hobbled towards me.

I fired. It hit her neck and made her paused for a second but she continued walking groggily towards me hanggang nakaabot na sya sa pader. I took a step backward. This time, inalala ko ang mga itinuro sa akin ni Phoenix. I don't want to disappoint him always.

I breathe and held it, focused and aimed for her head. I fired and her body fell lifelessly.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag pagkatapos non.

But I gagged as soon as I took a step forward. Damn. When will I get used to their stench? Or will I ever get used to it?

Dumating si Selena at napagdesisyonan naming kami na lang ang magligpit sa mga patay sa labas. Since the outbreak and clearing outside the walls, we burn their bodies because it requires a lot of strength and time to dig a hole para dun sila ilagay. For now, this is the easiest thing to do.