⇏ F R O S T
I'm not a fan of books.
I'm not the type of person who relates every written words or poetries in my life, but I do appreciate the beauty of it.
My eyes don't go wow when I see a nice book cover from a book store. My nose doesn't even like the smell of pages being flipped, but I do love the sound of it. I don't read books at all simply because I'm lazy. Books look like pillows to me, as soon as I start reading, I fall asleep.
I'm more of a movie person. When I want to relax and spoon feed my entertainment, I watch movies or TV series. I love watching stuffs like gore and slasher because it distracts me from reality, my reality. Horror movies taught me a lot especially not to be Dumb.
Yes, with a capital D.
"Sana all may isip." Chandler suddenly spoke when he caught me spacing out.
"Hanggang sana all ka na lang talaga kahit kailan." Asar ko sa kaniya.
Nagmake face lang siya sa akin. He placed a tray filled with fries and burgers on our table. Then I saw a Sprite in a can, what the hell. "Sorry ka, they ran out of your favorite root beer."
Nasapo ko na lang ang noo ko. Why is this cafeteria doesn't have enough stock of my favorite drink? Three days na akong hindi nakaka-inom ng root beer. Para akong made-dehydrate!
"Okay na nga 'yan! Umupo ka na, chikahan tayo!" Sinenyasan ko pa siyang umupo sa harapan ko. "I just rewatched my favorite classic horror movie film." I took a sip of my drink. "The Exorcist!"
"Thought your holy grail was The Silence of the Lambs?" Nagsimula na siyang kumain habang hinihintay ang sagot ko.
"Well, I just realized I like it better. I love the thought behind it, never doubt your faith." I quoted in the air. Natawa si Chandler sa akin.
He's not into horror films pero handa siyang makinig sa mga kwento ko tungkol doon. More on pabebe movies lang kasi siya kaya minsan hindi kami nagkakasundo. Lalo na kapag naiisip naming mag-movie marathon, we always fight which movie to play.
Palibhasa walang jowa kaya panay nood ng romance films. Doon na lang kasi siya kinikilig. Kawawa naman.
"Ikaw? Still can't move on from Titanic?" I chuckled.
"Nah, don't mention it. That shit's heartbreaking." The Jack Dawson wannabe pouted. Sobrang idol niya talaga si Leonardo DiCaprio, sinubaybayan niya lahat ng movies no'n. Can't blame him, he's a really good actor though. "Plus I love that movie not just because it's romantic, it also talks about capitalism and how greedy people can be."
That's why I like that movie as well pero hindi kagaya ni Chandler, naka-move on ako agad kasi nga just like what I've said I'm nothing but a horror freak.
"Let's ride a ship someday, I want to recreate the iconic scene with you." Tinaasan niya pa ako ng kilay na para bang nang-aasar.
"The draw me like one of your French girls scene?! Utot mo, Chandler!" As if namang maghuhubad ako sa harapan niya para lang i-drawing ako 'no! Duh!
"The 'Jack, I'm flying' scene. Siraulo." He rolled his eyes at me. Okay sorry, mas tumatak kasi sa akin yung nabanggit ko.
Pero the scene that Chandler mentioned, it was so romantic. I also want to feel that kind of freedom with your special someone whom you really trust.
"So you wanna kiss me?" Si Chandler naman ang inasar ko ngayon.
"Only if you want me to." Sagot niya naman.
Chandler is my best friend and he's like my sibling as well. Ulila na ako at siya ang tumulong sa akin noong mga panahong kailangan ko. So basically, I live in their house. His parents let me and have no problems with me living in the same roof with them. Sobrang smooth lang ng samahan namin, minsan nga parang ako pa yung anak nila. Only child lang kasi si Chandler at gustong-gusto raw ng parents niya ng anak na babae kaso hindi na pinalad. Tuwang-tuwa pa nga sila noong pinakilala ako ng sarili nilang anak.
"Thought you're going to the library? Magbabagong buhay ka na?" Humalakhak si Chandler. Alam niya kung gaano ko kinamumuhian ang lugar na 'yon. But that was before because I will try...to read.
Putek! Hahawak pa nga lang ako ng libro nakakaramdam na ako agad ng antok.
"Ito na po." Naka-irap akong tumayo saka kinuha ang mga gamit ko.
Pagkarating ko sa library ay iilan lang ang tao. Siguro may klase pa ang iba. Awkward pa akong tumayo rito sa entrance kaya hindi ko namalayan na hinihingan na pala ako ng I.D at pinapapirma sa kung anong record book nitong librarian na ubod ng sungit.
Tumuloy na ako sa loob pagkatapos. Sobrang tahimik. Parang kasalanan talagang mag-ingay.
But wow! I can't believe I'm going say this thing, but library has some really amazing stuffs. I've scanned a few books and now I'm torn between these three novels that I'm carrying right now—To Kill a Mockingbird, Tuesdays with Morrie and World War Z. "Hmm, what to read?" Nakakainis kasi isa lang raw muna ang pwedeng hiramin. Nadala na yata ang librarian sa mga hindi nagbabalik ng libro noon.
World War Z kaya? It's suits my taste. Apocalyptic horror novel, huh?
Saglit, ano 'yon?
Napukaw ang atensyon ko ng kulay itim na libro na nakasiksik masyado sa shelf. Para bang sinadya itong itago ng gano'n para walang makakita. But since I have a good eyesight and a little observant, napansin ko agad. Nang kuhanin ko iyon ay agad kong tiningnan ang book cover para alamin sana ang title pero walang sulat rito ni isang tuldok. Purong itim lamang ang disenyo ng libro. It looks classic and creepy at the same time.
I flipped the blank cover.
'In the middle of this darkness, no one will give you light, only yourself.'
Nagtaka ako sa nabasa ko sa unang pahina. What is this book all about? Wala man lang description. But, why do I feel like something's pushing me to read this one?
"Excuse me." Someone tapped my shoulder. "I've been looking for that book, are you going to borrow it as well?" A student, I guess younger than me, gave me a pleading eyes while pointing at To Kill A Mockingbird. Wala sa sarili akong umiling at ibinigay sa kaniya ang libro. Nagpasalamat siya sa akin bago umalis.
Suddenly, I'm no longer interested with anything aside from this unknown novel.
"Zombies only live in our imaginations slash in movies. Go talk about something relevant instead." Harper rolled her eyes at us and painted her lips dark red, just the way she likes it.
"Kaya nga 'what if'." Paglalaban pa ni Kobe at pabirong gumanti ng irap. They've been talking about that zombie folklore for quite a while. The two science freaks—Kobe and Tristan are having an interesting conversation about it habang kami ay nakikinig lang, minsan we tell our insights pero mahirap talaga makasingit doon sa dalawa.
My group of friends aren't the typical barkadahan na puro walwal ang alam. Yes, sometimes we do that pero mas gusto namin ang chill movie nights then later on we're gonna talk about the film while drinking canned beer.
Kapag naman hindi kami nanonood ng movies, ganito lang kami, usap-usap lang tungkol sa mga bagay bagay. Sometimes we talk about relevant issues at si Harper ang promotor doon, she often brings up how shitty the government is. Bagay nga siya sa Law school.
There are also times that we talk about our future, kung saan nga ba kami pupulutin kapag naka-graduate na kaming lahat. We're all graduating and all of us are chemistry students. First year college kami noong nabuo ang barkada, kami kasi ang magkakatabi sa likuran noong block section pa kami.
"Sana may wifi pa rin kapag nagka-zombie apocalypse para hindi ako ma-bored." Natawa kami sa sinabi ni Kaylee. That's Kobe's twin right there and she's currently baking cookies for us.
"Play hide and seek with the undeads if you're bored." I hit bit boyfriend, Marc, lightly because of his joke. Natawa siya at inakbayan ako.
"Agawan base kapag gusto mo ng thrill." Humalakhak si Kobe at nakipaghigh five rito sa katabi ko.
Someone suddenly opened the television and I bet it's Harper since she's holding the remote. Ayaw kong manood kaya naman tumayo na lang ako. "Maglilipit lang ako, babe. Nakakahiya naman sa bahay nila Kobe." Sabi ko kay Marc. This is my role, ako ang laging nagliligpit ng kalat nilang lahat kasi I hate seeing dirty surroundings pakiramdam ko kasi hindi ako nakakagalaw ng maayos.
"Zoe Fajado, our clean-derella!" Humalakhak si Kobe kaya naman sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. At least naglilinis, hindi katulad niyang puro kain ang alam.
'Two civilians were found dead in front of the infamous Science Laboratory, 8:18 this evening.'
"Hala, ano kayang nangyari?" Rinig kong tanong ng bestfriend kong si Kirstel. Napatingin na rin tuloy ako sa TV. The camera focused on the victims' wounds—may kagat sila sa bandang leeg at braso. Sariwa pa ang dugo roon at ang isa ay nakatirik na ang mga mata.
Kinilabutan ako sa nakita.
'According to the witness—'
"Fuck!" Napamura si Tristan nang may biglang sumagi sa live cam kaya bumagsak iyon. Bigla rin kaming nakarinig ng static kaya nagbalak si Harper na patayin ang TV pero pinigilan siya ni Tristan. "Don't turn it off yet! Something might happen!"
Suddenly a loud explosion was heard by the whole neighborhood, the whole city. The furnitures even shook and I almost lost my balance.
What's happening?!
"Guys, sisilipin ko lang." Nagmadaling umalis si Marc kaya naman sumunod ako. "Where the fuck does it came from?" Nang buksan niya ang pinto bigla akong napatili nang isang duguang babaeng punit ang mukha ang bumungad sa aming dalawa.
The horrified looks in our faces and the fear in our chest was unexplainable.
They are here...
The undead...
"What the hell?" Nadismaya pa ako dahil doon natapos.
The undead? Oh, ano ng meron sa mga undead na binanggit?
I was about to flip the pages when I felt a presence nearby. Beside me, stood a tall, young man wearing a black kimono sweater and his expensive Gucci necklace shines everytime it catches light. "Hihiramin mo?" Tanong ko dahil parang kanina pa siya nakatingin sa binabasa ko.
"That happened in real life." He told me. Bigla siyang umalis mula sa pagkakasandal sa shelf at marahang kinuha sa akin ang libro. "And yes, this is indeed the one I've been looking for." The stranger bit his lip while scanning the book.
"Sorry, but I got it first." Binawi ko iyon sa kaniya. Ito na talaga ang balak kong hiramin.
Pogi ang kausap kong 'to pero wala akong balak magparaya. Walang pogi privilege rito.
"And what? Are you saying that this horror shit is non-fictional?" Nagpapatawa yata ang isang 'to.
"Hindi ka naniniwala?" He's wearing a smug face, parang anytime ay mababara niya ako.
Sino ba kasi siya at bakit siya biglang sumusulpot? Hindi ko na lang tuloy sinagot ang tanong niya kasi nawei-weirduhan na ako.
Suddenly, he took something from his pocket—a cellphone. "Here."
"Anong meron?" Kunot-noo kong tiningnan ang phone niya.
May pinakita siyang litrato. Selfie ng isang babae. Kulay dark brown ang buhok nito. Matangos ang maliit niyang ilong. Cat eyes kaya mukhang masungit kahit nakangiti naman siya sa picture.
Oo, maganda siya pero ano namang gagawin ko diyan?
"She's Zoe Fajardo, the writer of that book." Napanganga ako kaya umangat lalo ang isang sulok ng kaniyang labi. "And this is the picture of her record sa cruise ship—ang safe zone ng lahat noong panahong naganap ang outbreak." He scrolled at his phone and continued to show me some pictures.
Lalong nalaglag ang panga ko. Sobrang reliable ng evidences niya pero may part sa akin na duda pa rin. Syempre, baka mamaya gino-good time lang ako nito. Ang sabi kasi ni Chandler mukha raw akong uto-uto.
"I'm Vrej Lecarde, a virologist." He showed me his I.D. "I see that you are interested so pardon for this, but can you help me find that woman? We need her to find the perfect cure."
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