The Plague: Rotten Flesh (UNDER REVISION)

CHAPTER XXI

LYDIA

I woke up with my body feeling numb. When I opened my eyes, hindi malinaw ang nakita ko. It was blurry and my head was still spinning kaya pumikit ulit ako. I opened my eyes again and gano'n pa rin.

I let my eyes close for approximately five minutes. And the next time that I opened my eyes, I realized that I was in a cage made of woods.

Panic immediately rose in my system.

Where was I? Anong lugar 'to? And where was Gunther?

I tried to remember kung anong huling nangyari bago ako napunta rito.

All I can remember was that I was trying to find the source of the whistle, then may biglang tumama sa akin, tapos wala na. Wala na akong matandaan.

Nawala na rin 'yong numbing feeling kaya nakaramdam ako ng pagsakit sa mga braso ko. Saka ko lang na-realize na nakatali pala ang mga kamay ko above my head.

Mas lalo akong nag-panic.

I needed to get out of here! Baka may mangyaring masama sa akin at sa baby namin ni Gun.

Nilibot ko ang paningin ko to look for anything na makakatulong sa akin na makatakas pero iba ang nakita ko. Beside me was a girl who was also tied in both of her hands and nakayuko siya. Natatakpan ng hair niya ang mukha niya so I couldn't see it.

Sa tingin ko natutulog pa siya. Maybe like me, may nakatusok din sa kanya causing her to fall asleep.

I decided to wake her up.

Tiningnan ko muna ang labas ng cage since may maliliit na gap to make sure that no one will hear me when I talk. Wala akong nakitang kahit sino na naabot ng eye sight ko, so, nilingon ko na ulit 'yong girl.

"Hey." I tried to wake her up.

Hindi ko siya maabot using my feet dahil nakatali rin ang mga 'to. She didn't stir.

Halos one meter ang layo namin sa isa't isa.

"Hey, girl. Wake up."

I still didn't get any response from her.

Napasimangot na ako. I couldn't raise my voice pa naman kasi baka marinig ako sa labas.

"Girl, come on. Wake up. Hey."

Finally, the girl stirred. My face lit up.

"Are you awake na?" I asked her habang sobrang sinusuppress ko 'yong tili ko because of excitement.

Sinubukan ko ring silipin 'yong face niya para makita 'to pero hindi ko pa rin magawa kasi napipigilan ako ng mga tali ko.

Who was she kaya?

"Hi, girl. What's your name?" I asked her even though I wasn't sure kung gising na ba talaga siya.

And I think gising na nga talaga siya kasi she slowly lifted her head up. And when I saw and realized who she was, my jaw dropped.

Disbelief was an understatement when I recognized Marga's familiar face.

My eyes widened and nagbukas-sara din 'yong bibig ko. I wanted to say something but I was too shocked.

Napatingin din siya sa akin. Same as I was that time, gulat na gulat din siya. Pero 'yong gulat niya, mabilis ring nawala and nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa akin.

Why? Bakit siya nag-iwas ng tingin?

"Marga?" I called her na nako-confuse.

Hindi niya ako tiningnan ni pinansin man lang.