I'm so happy to let you know that Stay Awake got shortlisted for the 2017 Watty Awards! To show you my gratitude, here's a surprise update for you guys! Enjoy! :)
Chapter Seventeen: Expect the Unexpected, Part Two
Three months.
"Are you serious?" I ask Pauline with a groan. When she told us that three months have already passed since the whole world fell asleep, my body tensed up so hard my back started to hurt even more.
"Yes," sagot niya. "Do you think I can be this good at fighting by training for just one whole day? Yes, I'm pretty fucking serious."
This is absurd. The entire humanity falling into a deep sleep was strange enough. Tapos madadagdagan pa ng ganitong klase ng revelation? I don't think my mind can cope up with these strange happenings anymore.
I had survived the attack earlier, yes. But right now, my mind isn't as safe.
Pauline's expression changes nang makita niya 'yung mga mukha namin. Holly opens her mouth to speak, but no words came pouring out of it.
Ian is the first one to recover. He speaks up, more to himself than to us. "We thought... We thought that only a day had passed since the whole world fell asleep. How is this even possible?"
"Hold up," Pauline says. "Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Confusion is written all over her face, her demanding gaze roving on all of us.
"Nagising kami kahapon, without any idea that the whole world had fallen asleep," Felicity states. "Akala namin, noong isang gabi lang nangyari ang lahat. But we're wrong."
"So this means that we were affected by the mysterious syndrome, too," I say. Sumandal ako sa hood ng kotse namin. "If that's the case, then why are we awake now?"
The question hangs in the air, rendering us all speechless. The silence between us gives us time to think and to formulate our speculations about this mysterious syndrome. Hell, I don't even know if syndrome is the right word for this shit.
After a few minutes of silence, Andre speaks up. "I have a theory."
He stands up straight and looks at us with a serious expression. We all look back at him, waiting for his next words. When he doesn't speak up, Holly interjects.
"So?" she prompts, eyebrows raised.
"What if... The reason why we're awake and standing here right now is that the effects of this so-called syndrome had already worn off?"
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"What I mean is... What if temporary lang 'yung syndrome na ito? What if... The people all over the world are starting to wake up, and we're only the first ones?"
Napaisip ako sa sinabi ni Andre. I can't help but admit that his theory is a smart one. It can also be possible, but there are certain loopholes that are too difficult to ignore. Like the food, 'yung Dunkin' Donuts na kinain ko noong nagising ako. Pati 'yung mga ingredients na ginamit ko sa pagluluto ng baked chicken and waffle sandwich. Kung totoong tatlong buwan na ang nakalilipas, hindi ba dapat expired na 'yung mga iyon?
Sinabi ko sa kanila 'yung mga tumatakbo sa isip ko. Nang matapos ako, si Ian naman ang nagsalita.
"That's a solid loophole." He starts to pace back and forth, lost in his thoughts. "There's gotta be some scientific explanation about all of this." Then he looks at Holly. "Any ideas?"
Holly's gaze is unfocused. She seems to be looking at the horizon, except there's nothing here but tall, boring buildings.
"How can you be so sure that she's telling the truth?" She looks at Pauline suspiciously. Tumingin lang din si Pauline sa kanya, her expression unreadable.
When no one answered her question, Holly continues to speak. "We just met her. Who knows, baka kasabwat siya nu'ng tatlong lalaki na humahabol sa inyo kanina."
Pauline laughs. "Seriously? Iyan din 'yung naisip ko kanina when I woke up from a temporary black out because someone smacked me in the face." She gives me a pointed look. Napalunok ako nang muli kong mapansin 'yung black eye niya.
Yeah, I did that.
"I'm sorry," I say, putting my hands up in apology. "It's just that, I was so shocked by your sudden appearance that I reacted badly. But believe me, I don't usually hit girls."
"Geez, you don't need to apologize," Pauline replies. "It's completely fine. Mas malala pa dito 'yung mga injuries na nakuha ko while training."
Ngiti lang ang tangi kong naisagot sa kanya. She smiles back.
"It's true, you just met me," she continues. She looks at each of us straight in the eye, her gaze unfaltering. "But I can assure you, I'm not your enemy. Hindi ako kasabwat nu'ng tatlong lalaki na humabol sa atin kanina. Sa tingin mo ba tutulungan ko kayong makatakas kung totoo 'yung sinasabi mo?"
She have a point. Pero pwede rin namang isa lang malaking palabas 'yung lahat ng nangyari kanina to lure us towards the real danger. But... ugh. I honestly don't know what to think anymore. Imbes na mabawasan, mas lalo lang nadadagdagan 'yung mga tanong sa utak ko dahil sa mga revelations na nalaman ko ngayon.
"You said you were training," Holly says, still suspicious. "Who were you training with, then. It's not like you can train all by yourself. Surely, someone taught you how to fight, right?"
"I never said that I was alone," Pauline answers while playing with her swiss army knife. She looks at each of us in the eyes, grinning lazily.
Holly looks around, mocking Pauline's statement. "Where's your companion, then?"
"You think we're the only ones awake? Well then, you're all wrong. There's a whole bunch of people who are awake, just hidden in plain sight."