See You Soon, Soldier (Ambience Series #1)

Chapter Twenty

Experiment

Tumahimik ang buong paligid. Nabingi ako sa sinabi ni Secretary Walter. His words kept crawling back to my head. It's slowly consuming my sanity away from me. Unti-unting kinakapos ako ng hininga.

"That is a major accusation, Secretary Walter."

Nangingibabaw ang boses ng lalaking kakapasok lang sa kwarto ko. He's wearing an military combat uniform with honorable bandages knitted. May katandaan na tansya ko ay malapit sa edad ng nanay ko.

Sumunod sa likuran niya ang buong grupo ni Worth kasama si Stuart. May iba pang mga tauhan na nakauniporme rin ang pumasok. Pumwesto sila sa iba't ibang sulok ng kwarto ng nakaarmado.

Pumasok rin si Andromeda at si nanay. Mabilis silang tumingin sa direksyon ko. Kaba at lungkot ang nakikita ko sa mga mata nila.
  
Hanggang ngayon ay nanatili akong walang kurap. I was still completely stunned by Secretary Walter's words. 1.6 million deaths..

Nasapo ko ang baba ko nang tuluyang rumehistro sakin ang sinabi niya. Hindi.. Imposible iyon. Wala akong ginawa, nag-iingat ako. Nandito ako sa bundok. Hindi totoo 'yun.

I haven't done anything..

Bumaling sa likuran niya ang sekretarya. "Ah! Lt. Commander Esperaz. Marshal, I thought I had to wait longer."

The marshal saluted him. Binaba niya ang kamay niya at tinanguan ito. "Secretary Lowes Walter of United States, there is in negative way that I would pledge to make you wait, sir."

"The terrorists are still on the area. Thinking that we were keeping the cure here but, that is of course, one of the spreaded rumors. You know how those telecommunications work," pormal niyang saad.

Tumatango-tango naman ang sekretarya. "Yes. Well, I was just clarifying to the main host her exploitation to the world," Tinuro niya ako ng bahagya. That caused the Marshal to look at me.

"The worldwide pandemic she caused." mariing dugtong ng sekretarya.

Nanatili ang mga kamay ko sa dibdib ko. Nakayuko lang ako sa harapan nila. I know I'm surrounded now with powerful people. My supposed to be quiet and peaceful room was filled by armed forces and scientists.

Everything sinked in to me. The people in covered white I saw on the road. Ang bagay na sinasabi ng nanay ko na hindi ko kakayanin kapag nalaman ko, ang tinatago ng lahat sakin.

Pakiramdam ko masisiraan ako ng bait.

I glanced at my mother. Tahimik lang siya nakatagilid mula sa pintuan at tinatakpan ang bibig niya. Hindi siya nakatingin sakin. Tumataas baba ang baga niya. She's sobbing.

Ang dami ko ng paghihirap ang binigay sa kanya.. at nauwi ang lahat dito?

My body swayed because of the slap I was given. Pakiramdam ko mawawalan ako ng malay. Kung totoo nga ang sinasabi nila hinihiling ko nalang mamatay ngayon.

"Nonsense, Secretary. You can't blame her for the people's irresponsibleness and disobedience. You, politicians have messed up many things too. Let's not point fingers here." usal sa kanya ng marshal.

Sinulyapan niya ako. "She doesn't even know anything yet, let me talk to her, secretary."

Magsasalita pa sana si Secretary Walter nang tinaasan siya ng kamay ng marshal para patigila ito sa kung ano mang sasabihin nito. He glanced at Worth on the side.

Napadako rin ang tingin ko kay Worth. He's my only strength now. My mother can't look at me, the scientists were all around me, looking at me as if I'm their new precious research.