We are trapped in the dead end.
***
It has been years since the global pandemic spread horror into the world, and now something sinistrous and terror is about to come. Another battle of survival between the living... and the dead. They have risen fr...
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That night, we decided to silently put barriers around Stella's house to secure our safety. Hindi namin makakayanang matulog ngayong gabi na dala-dala ang kaba na maari kaming pasukin ng mga halimaw sa labas ng bahay. We took everything to barricade the gate, the main door, as well as the windows. Gamit namin ay ilang mga kahoy na kinumpuni ng tatay ni Amber, pati na rin ibang mga gamit sa bahay nila pwedeng pakinibangan.
In this way, we knew we were safe... for some time.
We basically jailed ourselves inside this den to be protected. It was sophocating, but it was the only thing we could think to be safe. Hindi namin kayang lumabas at harapin ang walang katapusang lupon ng kamatayan. We were only unfortunate youngsters trapped in hell.
Dahil sa pagsara namin sa pinto at mga bintana, hindi na namin alam kung tuluyan na bang kumagat ang dilim. Kulob na sa loob ng bahay at medyo mainit. Wala, tiis-tiis lang.
For dinner, we only shared two cans of sardines to control our food supplies. Hindi pwede maging patay-gutom kung ayaw naming mamatay sa gutom. Kahit nga nakakain na nang kalahati ng isda at kakarampot na kanin ay nagugutom pa rin ako dahil hindi ako sanay na kumain ng kaunti.
We didn't want to drink tap water, too. It might be contaminated by the virus that turned the people of Pio into flesh-eating monsters pulled out of hell. Mabuti na lang at may iilang punong galon ng mineral water pa sa bahay ni Stella. It would suffice for now, I guess.
"Kaya ba nating mabuhay ng gan'to?" Orion asked. Nanglulumo s'ya habang pinagmamasdan ang rasyon ng tubig at pagkain na tinabi namin sa mga cabinet na nasa taas ng lababo.
"Kung pipiliin nating tipirin 'to, kaya naman siguro," it was Perseus.
"Sooner or later, lalabas rin tayo para manatiling buhay. We can't stay caging ourselves here forever," Forest said, stating the fact. At ano namang klaseng mundo ang bubungad sa amin sa oras na kailanganin na naming lumabas.
Ngayon pa nga lang, e! Kahapon pa lang nang magsimulang lamunin ng sakit ang siyudad namin pero ang tindi na nang nagawa nito. What's more bukas? O sa susunod na mga bukas?
"Wala na ba talagang tulong na darating sa atin? Last na 'yon? Baka may 2nd batch pa gano'n," pabirong turan ni Jin. He was just hiding his fear through throwing jokes.
"For now, we are safe. For now," bulong ni Spade. It was his idea to barricade the house and rationalized the food we have.
I saw Minrod's jaw clenched. Baka hindi rin okay sa kan'ya ang sitwasyon namin--wala namang okay sa nangyayari sa amin, e. Who wanted to live in an apocalyptic world?!
Si Stella naman ay napasandal sa akin. Ramdam ko ang pagtulo ng mga luha n'ya na pumapatak sa aking balikat. Awtomatikong kumilos ang kamay ko upang aluin s'ya. Hindi pa nauubos ang luha n'ya simula nang ilabas namin ng bahay ang bangkay ng kan'yang mga magulang. Forest said that the corpse's could be bad to our health--which was painful for Stella. Hindi n'ya kayang itapon ang katawan ng mga magulang n'ya nang basta-basta, pero wala naman s'yang pamimilian. I felt so bad for her. If I could only take the pain away from her...
