Lethal Fangs

This story is only a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, businesses, and incidents are only the product of the author's imagination and are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblances to actual person, living or dead, places or some events is purely coincidental.

No part of this book may reproduced, trasmitted or distributed in any manner without the permission of the author. Plagiarism is a crime!

Warning: Typographical and grammatical errors ahead. Some scenes are not suitable for young readers. Read at your own risk!

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P R O L O G U E

"If you want to survive, if you want to live... run!" Tanda ko pa ang huling mga salita ng matandang babae sa akin ilang araw ang nakalipas. I was too damn scared para wala na akong magawa kundi ang sundin ang kaniyang sinabi. "But they'll chase you forever." I just don't know what to do but running.

Dagsa ang buhos ng aking luha habang tumatakbo sa kakahuyan. I just keep on running, trying to escape from them, going to nowhere lalo na't wala siya rito sa tabi ko.

I'm only alone in this fight.

My friends, my everything who became now my enemy. Am I really alone in this fight?

Run? Habangbuhay na lamang ba ako tatakbo sa kanila? I know they won't stop. They won't fucking stop until they reach me.

If I'll stop and surrender, it would be my death. When it comes to their job, mercy is out of nowhere. Kahit pa na kaibigan nila ako at ang dami naming pinagsamahan. It's now their job who used to be our job.

Minsan na rin ako naging kasapi nila but because something happened, like a catastrophe, my beautiful catastrophe, all was in chaos.

I was a victim. A willing victim.

Suddenly, I heard guns from afar. Tired and wounded, pinilit ko ang sarili kong tumakbo pa nang tumakbo dahil ang tunog ng isang sasakyan at kung ano pang tunog ay papalapit nang papalit.

Hindi ako makakapayag na mahuli nila akong ganito.

As much as I wanted to explain everything to them, hindi ko magawa. Kahit na sabihin kong wala akong kasalanan at hindi ako traydor, at the end of the day, kahit na walang mapapala ay mamatay din lang.

I know how the organization works when they have catched a victim.

First option is to examine their bodies. Everything weird or strange. They'll examine everything how does it work, how does it function---all of the questions: what, why, when, where, who, which, and how.

Hunger for information about us. Our beings. Some died during experiments dahil hindi nakayanan ng katawan nila since lahat naman ng mga nandoon sa laboratory ay pawang mga biktima lamang at hindi ganoong sanay sa ganoong estado.

After that, they will just dispose the corpses somewhere. Sa kung saan lamang!

They will going to kill me!

Killing me as if I've never been part of the team.

They will hunt you forever!

For the second time, I heard gunshots and scream from a man with a familiar voice.

"Sasha!" Indeed, it was him. My co-worker.

Malalaking damuhan ay doon ko naisipang magtago at magpahinga, hoping they will not find me. It was a foolish idea to hide on the bushes but I've got no choice. Wala naman iba pang available na mapagtaguan. This is a freakin' forest!

Isinandal ko ang sarili sa punong kahoy ay tanging hingal ko ang aking naririnig. Wala na ang ingay ng mga taong humahabol sa akin kaya nagkaroon ng konting kalma sa sarili.

But it didn't last a minute.

"Sasha! Sasha we won't harm you, I promise." Another deathly comforting words from Regie pero hindi ako naniniwala. Tahimik lamang akong pinagpapahinga ang sarili.

Kailan ito matatapos?

Sana'y hindi nila ako makita. They're just wasting their time and my time! Wala silang makukuha na impormasyon sa akin or whatsoever dahil I promised him with a promising kiss. Surely, won't break that promise.

Pero nasaan siya?

In times na kailangan na kailangan ko siya, doon pa siya wala.

"Sasha!" Another call but this time, it was a voice of a woman. Very familiar dahil isa ito sa naging kaniyang kaibigan sa trabaho. A very, very close friend.

I smiled bitterly. Kamakailan lamang yung panahon na kasama ko sila sa ganitong sitwasyon, but now... I couldn't imagine it turns out like this.  Welcome to my fuck-up life!

I heard distant voices. They're here! Just around here. Dalawang boses ang naririnig ko. It's from my bestfriend and Regie. They are talking about... me.

"I should've killed her the moment I sensed something is wrong. Recently, I doubt her actions like something is odd and just so unnatural pero hindi ko pinakinggan ang hinala ko! But she is my bestfriend, Regie. I can't just kill her." parang hindi niya alam kung ano ang sasabihin. If she really cares about me or about the job.

I was crying silently on the bushes, I can clearly hear their conversation and it breaks my heart. If only I could bring back the time, hindi na sana ako nagpakagat... or not. I was willing, I remember! Nagpadala ako noon.

Pinilit ko ang sariling hindi gumawa ng ingay kahit na humahagulgol.

"Sasha, I love you but I'm sorry."

In just a glimpse, bigla na lang akong tinutukan ng baril ni Regie at ni Lisa.

"Nice hideout," kumento pa niya.

Doon ay mas lalo akong napa-iyak. Ito na ba ang katapusan ko?

"I love you Sasha. You are a good friend and you are a victim but our job is what who we are," sadness was shown on his face. Ganoon din naman ang kaibigan ko. "Sa lahat ng tao, bakit kasi ikaw pa?" Napaluha si Lisa.

Nanginginig ang kaniyang kamay na nakatutok sa noo ko at nakapikit habang lumuluha. Ganoon rin naman ang itsura ko dahil kanina pa ako umiiyak. Paniguradong mugtong-mugto ang aking mga mata.

"I'm sorry," I muttered.

Napapikit na lamang ako at inilapit, itinutok pa ang noo sa hawak nilang baril. Suddenly, I feel like I'm ready. At least I can see they're quite feeling guilty for hunting me.

Now, I understand dahil kung ako rin ang nasa pwesto nito ay maaaring ganoon rin ang gagawin or much worse dahil kilala ako bilang 'walang-puso' pagdating sa trabaho.

I was ready for the guns pero hindi na rin ako nagulat nang ako'y pinosasan ni Lisa. "We can't kill you, Sasha. Not now," she gulped trying to sound like she doesn't care or heartless kahit na in fact, It was evident on her eyes na ayaw niya rin itong ginagawa.

"You're fooling yourself, Lisa."

"Shut up!"

But Regie seems to be determined to shoot me. As if everything went on slow motion nang itinutok niya muli ang baril sa aking ulo and pulled the trigger. Hindi na nag-sink in sa akin ang nangyayari sa paligid but Lisa was now screaming. Everything was on slow motion and I can see the bullet coming through me.

Ngunit may isang taong humawak sa akin at mabilis akong nahila. Sa kaniyang paggalaw ay unti-unting bumalik sa tamang bilis ang pangyayari.

Am I hallucinating?

He's here! He is fucking finally here!

He held me in a warm embrace and whispered, "You're safe now, baby. I'm sorry for being late." And then everything went black.

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L E T H A L   F A N G S
a novel by aeshyrel