CHAPTER 2 – The City of the Lost
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Like a hoard of mindless undead creatures, Spencer, along with the other citizens, entered Macedonia City. Their feet and their breaths synced as if they had fallen into the grasp of the master of puppets. Niko and I followed them, angst and fear slowly occupied my mind… but we cannot leave Spencer alone in this state— no, we cannot leave these people like this.
Niko and I hid behind an abandoned car, and from there, we watched them like a hawk, waiting for something, anything, to happen. A loud, annoying scream destroyed the silent night, making Niko curse under his breath.
You’ve got to be kidding me!
“Oh… it’s your fucking best friend.” Niko glared at me as if I was the one who screamed. So, kasalanan ko na ngayon?
I looked at him with disbelief. Parang tanga si gago. Madalas, nalilimutan ko talagang mas bata sa ‘kin ang isang ‘to. “Si Sierra ang sumigaw, hindi ako!”
“Ah… I thought it was you. Kamukha mo kasi.”
“Do you want to die right now?”
“As if you could—”
Mabilis kong tinakpan ang bibig ni Niko nang marinig namin ang isang malakas na pagpadyak ng mga paa, kasabay nito ang sabay-sabay na pagpihit ng mga katawan nila sa direksyon namin.
Tangina mo, Sierra! Maiiyak na ako rito!
We unconsciously held our breath. This is a fucking frightening situation! This is Sierra’s fault! That stupid barbie cheerleader!
Inis na inalis ni Niko ang kamay ko na nakatakip sa bibig niya’t mas lalo akong sinimangutan. “This is your fault, Ate Amira. It was you who opened the goddamn door!”
“Malay ko bang ganito ang mangyayari?!” Inis kong bulong. “And why on earth is that stupid bitch doing in here?”
“Tayong dalawa ang magkasama, mukha bang alam ko rin kung bakit?”
ASDFGHJKL! Gusto kong magsabi ng masasamang words tsaka sakalin siya nang sobrang higpit. Ikalma mo lang, Amira, kadugo mo ‘yan. Marahan kaming sumilip sa direksyon nina Spencer, nang muling tumahimik ang paligid, sabay-sabay silang nagmulat ng kanilang mga mata.
Oh, fuck.
“Niko… uwi na tayo. Malaki na naman si Spencer,” pabirong bulong ko. Kabadong ngumiti si Niko habang nakatingin kay Spencer.
Their dull, bloodshot eyes stared enticingly at one of the well-known infrastructures of Macedonia City—the Bridge of Magdalene. It is the Philippines’ longest highway bridge ever built after attaining wealth as it connects Macedonia to Zerehiah, easing the shipments and trading in favor of Macedonia. Before the apocalypse, before the people named Macedonia the City of the Lost, it was first known as the City of Commerce.
Alpheus may be acknowledged as the capital, the wealthiest city, but it is only in terms of paper and legality. But Macedonia is different; this place is the den of the wolves acting like sheep. The buildings, infrastructures, and houses were typically built with no luxurious or exquisite displays of buildings as if it was a strategy for them to be unnoticeable. After all, real diamonds are mined deep within the ground—in layman’s terms, the real Macedonia City was hidden under our feet.
“They are marching again,” Niko murmured.
At kahit na wala kaming ideya kung saan kami patungo, tahimik naming sinundan si Spencer.
Hindi ko alam bakit tila parang ang bagal ng oras, o sadyang hindi nais umangat ng araw. Isa-isa silang pumila sa gitna ng Magdalene Bridge hanggang sa parehas kaming napatigil ni Niko nang isa-isa rin silang tumalon do’n.
Kagat-labi kong pinilit gumalaw at hinila si Niko pabalik sa reyalidad, “Niko, please, si Spencer!” Wala sa sarili kong sigaw.
“Shit! That moron—”
“How stupid of you to curse at him right now?! Just fucking run!”
“Edi, ikaw na lang! Stupid Amira!”
Spencer slowly walked to the edge of the bridge, readying himself to jump off the bridge when Niko tackled him with a hug. My heart was racing from the moment we stepped in, and it began to race more when the man behind Spencer pushed them out of the bridge.
“Tangina!” Nangibabaw ang malakas na sigaw ni Niko sa buong Macedonia.
At dahil kasalukuyang hindi gumagana ang utak ko dahil sa mga nangyayari, tumalon ako’t sinundan sila. Nang lumiit ang agwat sa pagitan namin nina Niko, pikit mata ko silang niyakap at hinintay ang pagbagsak namin. Ilang segundo, minuto ang lumipas nang humampas ang likuran ko sa isang malagkit na sahig.
“Stupid Amira…” Bulong ni Niko.
I leisurely opened my eyes. The strange smell, along with the unfamiliar place, slowly carved inside my head. I looked at my hand; it was covered with mud painted in crimson red, just like the entire atmosphere in this place. It was a strange… and terrifying sight.
It was like we found the Lost City of Macedonia.
Looking around, the underground city no longer exists. Instead, it feels like we were thrown into another world, another dimension where blood only exists. This place feels dangerous. From the cars to trees, even the moon that shouldn’t be here was drenched with blood.
“Niko…” I called. Lumingon sa ‘kin si Niko saka ako tumingin kay Spencer na nakapikit lamang sa tabi niya. Mahina niya itong yinugyog dahilan upang umungot ito.
Muli akong tumingin sa paligid, huli na para mapansin kong nawawala ang mga taong nauna kay Spencer na tumalon sa bridge. I don’t know if it’s a good thing, or not. But one thing is for sure, we will be doomed in this place.
“Nasaan tayo, fake mommy?”
Niko and I glared at him. This is his fault—well, not entirely his because I insisted on opening the door. Pero syempre, hindi ko aaminin sa harap ni Niko ‘yon.
“What are you—” mabilis naming tinakpan ni Niko ang bibig niya dahil sa malakas na ungol na umalingawngaw sa paligid, kasabay nito ang malalaking yabag papunta sa direksyon namin.
My eyes searched for somewhere to hide, but there was nothing near us beside the gooey, ewwy, mucus-like where we landed. Niko and Spencer shook their heads in disapproval, but we did not have any choice.
We covered ourselves with it, trying hard not to cry. And laid down, pretending we were dead. Ah, I hate my fucking life right now.
“Yep, I still have no idea what’s happening,” Spencer whispered.
Niko grunted. “Just… just fucking shut up before I kill you for real.” Yup, a real Fernandez temper.
Pigil sa inis akong ngumiti nang may maramdaman akong kakaiba, dahan-dahan nag-sisync in sa ‘kin kung bakit wala rito ang mga naunang tumalon nang makarating kami. We are slowly sinking to the bottom… Damn, it was a quicksand—quickmucus to be exact.
The loud footsteps suddenly vanished, and just when I was about to pull myself back, a familiar voice spoke. A voice that should no longer exist but does. What the hell is happening right now?
“Damn. Hindi na naman tayo umabot.” Sambit nito. Ang nakakairitang niyang boses ay dahan-dahan nagpakubra ng simangot sa malagkit kong labi.
“I told you that we should camp here. We need blood. We need Alyxandria alive, Kelly.”
Kelly grunted. “I know damn well, Mr. Samsom. I know. Especially that the God of this place is much more terrifying than Alejandra Nakamura.”
“Judas…”
#
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