“That’s my three months’ worth of food.” I looked up and saw Tita Alleona grimacing at me. Apparently, my great grandmother Agatha Nakamura, who imprisoned her here, had been restocking her mini-convenience store every five years.
And that woman will no longer be feeding her, especially that Agatha Nakamura died four years ago because of old age.
“We’ve been locked in here for 12 hours—”
“Ikaw lang. I’ve been living in this place for God knows how long.” That made me shut up. Hindi ko alam kung na-offend ba s’ya o sadyang walang seryoso lang siya dahil wala siyang communication skills dahil sa tagal n’yang pakikipagusap sa mga bozos at kay Alejandra.
Nang mapasulyap ako sa mga tanim n’yamg Lycoris Albiflora ay bigla ko na lamang naalala ang pangako ko kay Tito Tristan na dadalhan ko siya ng maraming Lycoris Albiflora pamalit sa dalawang pinahiram n’ya sa akin.
“Do you mind if I get some Lycoris Albiflora?” I asked.
She suddenly raised her brow and shrugged her shoulder, “Why do you think I waste my time planting those shits?”
“Pang-gluta mo?” I mean, she’s white as snow. Malay ko ba kung pampaputi n’ya upang magpanggap na multo para matakot niya si Alejandra pati ‘yong mga bozos.
“Apparently, you’re just beautiful.” My jaw dropped when Tita Alleona left together with my backpack and went to the Lycoris Albiflora field.
What the fuck?! Tyler inherited her salty attitude!
I grumpily followed her. Tita Alleona took her time to pick up the flowers while I was watching her; she was plucking them with gentleness. Kung ako sa kanya ay hihigitin ko na lamang ‘yan basta-basta para mabilis s’ya sa paglalagay sa bag.
“I’ve been thinking…”
She raised her head with a gasp while looking at me, “You know how?”
“Nakakasakit ka na ha, Tita.” Bigla na lamang siyang tumawa dahilan upang ismiran ko siya, “Anong gagawin mo pagnakita mo na si Tyler?”
“What do you think? I was kidnapped by my own grandmother when he was 5 years old. And now look at you, you are like a piece of crap—”
“Bakit ako na naman ba? Si Tyler ang usapan! Si Tyler!” Sinamaan ko s’ya ng tingin ngunit nginisian lamang n’ya ako. “That reminds me… May theory kami noon about the bozos— err. I mean, infected.”
“Hmm?”
“Naisip namin na baka may kinalaman ang edad ng tao sa epekto virus.”
Saglit na tumigil si Tita Alleona sa pamimitas ng bulaklak saka niya tuluyan na sinara ang bag at binigay sa ‘kin. Nang sumulyap s’ya kay Alejandra ay ngumisi siya bago muling tumingin sa ‘kin.
“Age does matter,” she stated. She suddenly flipped her long dark hair and sat on the chair near Alejandra’s coffin, and roamed her sight to the bozos on the other side, “Kids and young adults are not easily affected by the airborne transmission unless they are wounded. If they are wounded by an infected, the transmission of the virus depends on what kind of infected affected him.”
Bigla na lamang akong napalunok dahil sa kakaibang thrill na nararamdaman ko sa aking dibdib. Hindi ko alam kung kabado ako o sadyang na-eexcite lang sa maaaring sunod kong malaman tungkol sa fucking Genesis Project na ‘to.
“Depends on what kind of infected? You mean, depende sa stage nila? C-Stage? B-Stage?”
She suddenly smirked and said, “Exactly. If a kid or a teenager were wounded or bitten by a C-stage, it would take months before he will turn to one.”
“But why age differs the flow of infection?”
Tita Alleona suddenly crossed her arms and pointed her temple, “It is because of our antibodies. Our immune system is made up of cells that help us adapt to any disease, and the most attested cell among them is the T-cell. The younger you are, the more T-cells available in your body.”
“Wait… The absence of T-cell makes us our vulnerable?”
“Yes. Kapag lalong tumatanda ay mas nauubusan ang katawan natin nito, hindi rin ito bumabalik dahil nag-ooverflow lamang ang T-cell sa ating katawan noong mga bata pa tayo,” pagpapaliwanag niya. Ibig sabihin kaya matagal bago naging isang ganap na bozo si Chi noon ay dahil sa uri ng bozo na nakasugat sa kanya pati na rin sa edad n’ya.
“What about the S-stage? How long the transmission of the virus will occur?” I curiously asked.
“Seconds.” Tita Alleona suddenly stood, making me follow her. She gestured to me to follow her and get my katana.
Nagtatakha ko s’yang pinagmasdan habang sinusuot ang backpack. Sinukbit ko ang katana sa aking gilid saka ako sumunod sa kanya. Tumungo kami sa dulo ng glass wall kung saan nagkukumpol halos lahat ng mga bozos, dahan-dahan niyang tinulak ang glass wall upang magkaroon kami ng daan paalis sa underground ng Nakamura Household.
“Our only escape is through the wall… As far as I know, it has a way towards the museum in Besodiah,” she mumbled and walked to the crowd of bozos as if they are not flesh-eating creatures.
As I followed her, I still didn’t let my guard down. The bozos lurking in this area are much more sickening than those living in the cities; some had their butchered bodies from head to toe, while the others are thin as if they are just made out of bones and as tall as bamboo. And most of them had leering crimson eyes with their teeth covered with charcoal, and their tongues are long and ready to reach the ceiling.
I stayed quiet along the journey. Even though the bozos are somehow not aware of our presence, their ears are still responding.
“Fuck…” Nakatapak ako ng isang bungo dahilan upang maglingunan ang mga bozos sa direksyon ko.
Mabilis ang naging kilos ni Tita Alleona dahilan upang labag sa loob s’yang kumuha ng kalansay ng tao sa sahig at binato ‘yon sa wall upang gumawa ng malakas na ingay at doon tumakbo ang mga bozos.
“I’m sorry…” I whispered as soon as the bozos left for their hunt.
“Be careful,” she reminded, “Even though they possess eyes… Those infected can’t see us. Unlike, Alejandra who still has her sight.”
“Why didn’t we kill Alejandra?”
“Why would we?”
“Because she’s the source!”
Tita Alleona twisted her lips when we arrived at the division between Luzon and Visayas. The vicinity was more pact with bozos, unlike the underground; it was a hideous sight to witness bozos eating each other. I tried my best not to vomit.
Parang noong nakaraan lang ay pinakita sa ‘kin ni Peter ‘to. Hindi ko naman inaasahan na makikita ko ang live action.
Halos mapamura ako nang tumama ang backpack sa isang bozo dahilan upang mahigit ako nito. Tahimik at mabilis ang ginawa kong pagkilos upang pugutin ko ang ulo nito na isa palang masamang ideya.
Naamoy ng mga bozos ang dugo ng kasamahan nila sa aking katana dahilan upang tumakbo sila sa direksyon ko, mabilis akong hinigit ni Tita Alleona saka niya tinanggal ang benda sa sinugat niyang kamay. Binigay niya sa ‘kin ‘yon ngunit hindi ko magawang mapunasan ang katana dahil sa aming pagtakbo.
“This way!” Tita Alleona instructed.
I somehow felt really foreign to this country. Though I’m still actually amazed and flabbergasted by the advancement of the Philippines’ technology. There was a bridge that connects Besodiah to the division, yet it was not visible in the other city, which made me conclude that it was camouflaging like us, so others won’t be able to see it.
And when we reduce our speed, I was able to wipe the blood out of the katana.
I breathe heavily as soon as we reach the door. The bozos behind us were no longer on the hunt for us, maybe because the cloth that I used to clean the katana has the scent of Tita Alleona’s blood that possesses the Lycoris Albiflora.
She carefully opened the door, and I looked at the room with surprise when I saw myself back in the thirteenth facility, the room where the survivors from Alpheus City are used as food for the bozos.
Tita Alleona grimaced while watching some bozos eating the flesh of Mr. Revileza’s wife. Nang makapasok kami sa loob ay dahan-dahan na lumingon sa amin si Mr. Revileza, ang balikat n’ya ay halnit na at mga mga mata niya ay puno ng luha habang umiiyak at pinapanood ang ginagawa sa kanyang asawa.
“Tu—tulong… Tulungan niyo ang mi—misis ko…”
Saglit kong nilingon si Tita Alleona habang dahan-dahan kong sinasara ang pinto. Pinagmasdan niya si Mr. Revileza saka ito nagtatakhang tumingin sa ‘kin.
“Why are they not becoming hideous monsters?”
#