( ANDREA )
How in the world did they build those houses??!
From this distance i can see a group of houses. They are made up of logs which made it lool like a cabin. It looks so good, na para bang vacation house lang. Mukha ring matibay. But what made me amaze more is the wall...
If i'm not mistaken it's height is around 20ft or more. Mukhang makapal din dahil mukhang napakatibay nito.
" nanaginip yata ako andrea.... "
" no, you're not.. Dyan ako nag aaral before the apocalypse. "
" pero bakit parang di ko pa naririnig ang school na yan? "
" it's not for ordinary people. Only powerful families can go to that school. It's only a decade old pero lahat ng grumaduate dito ay naging super successful. "
" t-talaga?? Pero diba pag mayaman ka, america or sa ibang bansa pinapadala? Maraming prestigious universities sa US, gaya ng Harvard, Princeton, Oxford. "
" you have a point... Special kasi ang school na to. Yung mga professors dito graduates ng mga school na binanggit mo. They need to have Phd before they can work here. And unlike those universities with thousands of students. WBS only accepts a total or less than a thousands of students. Minsan nga mas kaunti pa. And this school only have a couple of programs. It is originally a business school. But 8 years ago, nag karoon na din ng ibang programs. Did you watch the concert of Isha Mendez sa US? "
" ay naku hindi! Wala akong passport.. "
" stupid! Sa youtube "
" ah.. Oo naman! Nakakaproud kasi pinay tapos sumikat around the world. Bakit? "
" yung mga mga ginamit nyang damit noon ay gawa ng schoolmate namin sa wbs. "
" hala. Seryoso?! Ang gaganda nong mga gown at dress nya doon! Na issue pa nga yun kasi nag iisa lang daw sa mundo yon at hindi for sale "
" exactly... Kahit mga spoiled brats ang iba sa kanila, sobrang talented pa din. "
" wow.. Sino pa , meron pa? "
" not sure if you watched the international cheerdance competition last year. Yung final between us and California. We won actually. They are really good that other schools scouted them. Do you remember Audrey, yung gumamot kay Auntie, isa sya dun. Tapos yung bestfriend nyang si Monica , sya naman yung captain.. "
" yung dalawang Dyosa?! Di nga? Joke yan ! "
" i don't care kung di ka maniwala. I'm telling the truth. She's the queen of our school. "
" amazing! Talagang mananalo sila, ang ganda nila. Meron ka pa bang tsismis jan? "
Tsismis?!
Sinamaan ko sya ng tingin at nilingon sila Alex, na nasa isang kotse sa likod namin.
" si Lexi.. Her full name is Alexis Willford, family nya ang may ari ng WBS "
"my God.. "
Not to mention that she was bullied before. Ayoko ng i tsismis baka kumalat pa. She looks like a blabbermouth.
" we're almost there. "
" Andrea... a-ang taas! Dalawa pala ang wall? Parang yung sa attack of titans ! "
" anong attack of titans?"
" anime series yun. Basta di mo alam yun... Pero bakit ang taas naman sobra"
" para di kami makatakas, tapos security na din. Boarding school kasi , kaya halos buong taon kaming nandito. Wait, until you see the inside. "
Pagkapasok namin sa unang gate, mas nakita ko kung gaano kaorganize ang mga cabin. Hindi sya tabi tabi at hindi masikip tingnan. Mukhang hindi pa tapos ang construction pero nasa labing lima na ang naka tayo.
" God.. I remember those guys! Member sila ng football team.. "
" oh wow. Ako lang ba ? Bakit artistahin ata yang mga football players na sinasabi mo."
" Marissa, you don't understand. Those jocks are arrogant, bully and spoiled! T-They're building houses. "
" ang OA mo naman. Nag bubuhat lang sila, yung mga middle age yung gumagawa talaga "
" whatever "
I just can't imagine... The world is really changing.
" h-hoy andrea. Black gold ba yang gate nyo? Pati yung walls, bato ba yan? " i rolled my eyes at her.
" a-andrea, may mga tao sa labas. M-May mga baril!! "
Naningkit ang mga mata ko habang pinagmamasdan ang mga taong naka uniporme sa loob...
Fuck!!
" P-President.... "
Oh my God...
She's walking towards us with a couple of uniformed people. Just by looking, these people respected her.. Just like before...
Dad is right.. In terms of managing people, I can't beat Maegan. She's the only daughter of the late senator Gino Frey. If her parents didnt died that early, he will surely be elected and eventually win the presidency.
" andrea, sabihin mo nga sa akin? Bawal bang mag enroll ang mga pangit dito?!? "
Natawa ako at napailing.
" pwede.. "
" bakit ang gaganda at gagwapo ng mga tao dito. Feeling ko di ako welcome "
" hahahaha ! "
Natatawa pa din akong bumaba ng sasakyan. Nilibot ko nag paningin sa paligid. Malaki ang pinagbago ng WBS. It doesnt look like a school anymore but a base. I can see people at top of the wall with their guns and scopes. Meron din sa rooftop.
" Andrea. Sila Aunty umiiyak oh " napalingon ako at narinig ang paghikbi nila sa likod. Hindi pa sila bumababa ng sasakyan at patuloy lang sa pag iyak.
" you're crying too "
Pinunasan ko ang mata nya at ngumiti. I'm really grateful that we were saved. Will they accept me again??
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" buti nalang share tayo sa room andrea! "
" obviously, kanina ka pa kapit ng kapit sa akin.. "
Napapailing sa sabi ko. Nakahiga na sya sa kama habang ako ay naka tingin sa labas ng bintana. It's already 11 pm, the lights are out. I can still see them doing their rounds.
" nag eensayo pa rin sila? "
" yes. It's another batch. Parang di sila napapagod. "
" andrea... Yung grupo na tumulong sa atin kanina, X-squad daw ang pangalan. Kaunti lanh sila sa grupo nila at lahat magagaling makipag laban. Sabi nila halos lahat daw ng S.A at resource squad gustong mapabilang doon. Marami din silang na rescue na mga survivors. "
" t-talaga? Anong mga squad? "
" nakatulog ka kasi agad kanina kaya hindi ka naka sama sa pakiki tsismis ko "
" stop. Just tell me okay ? "
" oo na! So yun nga. May mga squad dito na pwede kang salihan. Merong X, R, S, A squad.. X squad yung grupo nila Alex. Ang sabi wala pa sa sampu ang grupo nila Alex. Lahat sila taga ibang school maliban kay Alex at Monica.. Tapos --- "
" what?! ibang school?! Sino? Students din? "
" e-ewan ko.. Chill ka lang. Di ko pa nakikilala yung iba. "
" sorry.. I was just shock. I thought her group was formed by the original students. "
" may explanation jan. Noong una daw kasi, walang gustong sumali sa kahit na anong squad kasi masyadong delikado. Lahat sila takot noong una. Halos lahat sa medical, agriculture, at food management group sumali. Walang kahit sino ang nagtangkang sumalin sa squad. Nung araw na lumabas ng gate si Alex para hanapin ang bestfriend nyang si Lyka, mag isa lang sya. Pag balik ay kasama na nya yung tatlong pretty girls. Yung lyka ay yung, nambully sayo "
" excuse me? I wasn't bullied by her.. "
" Oo na... Tapos kinabukasan din ng araw ng yon, sinundo nila yung iba pang students galing doon. Hindi ko alam yung exact number pero marami sila. Simula non, nabuo ang X-squad. May tatlong lalaki sa grupo nila at ang balita ko lahat gwapo at magagaling makipag laban. "
" did you get their names ? "
" Ang alam ko ay yung bestfriend ni Alex na si Lyka at mga friends nitong sina Aimie at Kirsten na nakilala natin. Yung iba ay sa pangalan lang. Ice, iSen at Seb ang pangalan nila. Ang cool diba? "
Tumango tango ako.
" yung ibang tumulong sa atin?? I know Henry, what about the rest?? "
" hala ka. Anong akala mo sa akin reporter?? Di ko na kilala yung iba uy.. Abuso ka na "
Napa facepalm ako.
" sorry. Ituloy mo na ang tsismis- i mean yung kwento mo "
" going back to what i'm saying.. Wow english, gosh "
" Marissa! "
" eto na nga.. After mabuo ng X-Squad, nabuo naman ang S.A squad. Nasa thirty members sila noong una. "
" what is S.A squad? "
1
" Shield and Arrow squad. Dalawang groups sila, na binuo para protektahan ang gate.. Yung mga nasa gate ang shield at yung mga nasa rooftoop at itaas ng walls ang arrows. Pagkatapos non, ang ibang members ng S.A ay napunta sa Resource squad. Delikado din ito dahil sa mga missions nila sa labas ng gate. "
" are they brave or just plain stupid? No offense.. Kung nandito na ako sa loob, di na ako lalabas. "
" yan din ang nasa isip ko. Hindi naman maipaliwanag ng iba kung bakit. Ang alam ko lang, iniidolo nila ang mga squad members kaya sumasali sila... And guess what.. Mahirap sumali sa training nila. Maraming sumuko pero marami din ang naka pasa. Sa ngayon, ang bilang ng squad members ay hindi bababa sa isang daan. Meron pang iba na nasa classroom training "
Classroom training?
" what about their training? " curious kong tanong..
" ang balita ko, ang training regime ay gawa ni Alex. Si President naman ang gumawa Base and training management. "
" s-si President.. Paano? "
" ayon sa nakalap ko, hindi daw gusto ni Alex na magpatakbo ng base kaya si President ang namamahala ngayon. At alam mo ba, sobrang galing ni Pres kasi hanggang ngayon ang stock ng pagkain ay pwede tumagal ng dalawang taon. Hindi tinitipid ang mga tao dito pero marami pa ding stocks. "
" P-Paano? Imposible yan. "
" sabi nila maayos daw ang management ng tao. Yung resource team, agruculture and food management team daw ang dahilan kung bakit naging succesful. At alam mo ba, yung nasa east gate pinagawan ni Pres ng farm. "
" East gate?? Oh! Yung may malapit sa man made river at pond..no wonder, pwedeng pwede yun for irrigation. That's amazing. Pero wala tayong machine para sa pag ani ng palay "
" naitanong ko din yan, sabi nila ay kaya daw gumawa ng sariling machine yung engineering schoolmates. At yung taga ibang school na botanist and biologist ang bahala kapag walang nakuhang fertilizers. "
" i can agree with the machines... But i'm afraid they can't create fertilizers or pesticides from scratch.. " i said worriedly. Rice and wheat are very important for survival.
" andrea, sayo na nang galing. Napakahusay ng school na ito. Ang tatalino ng schoolmates mo. Sabi ng Agriculture team, may paraan sila para makapag produce ng palay ng hindi gumagamit ng mga chemicals. Sabi nga nila.. In a traditional way. Hindi ko na kayang sabihin ang explanation nila kasi english. Ang point ay possible yun kasi wala namang fertilizers at pesticides noong panahon ni Dr. Jose Rizal "
She's right. Everything will go back to the older ways. Yung panahon na walang technology... But is this really the end?? Sa gantong klaseng pamumuhay nalang ba kami mabubuhay??
No. Not yet..
There's still hope. If we can negotiate with other countries, we will have a chance. But how?
" Marissa, i will go out. "
" pero gabi na.."
" it's okay. It's safe here. I'll be right back "
" sige.. "
Lumabas ako at nag hagdan pababa. Kahit may kuryente dito, hindi pinapagana ang elevator. I wonder how long it will take to run out of electricity.
Pag labas ko ng dorm building, nahagip na agad ng mata ko ang ilang uniformed S.A members. Base na din sa uniform, na may logo ng shield .
" hey. It's you "
" henry... Do you still remember me? "
" oo naman. I'll never forget how great you are at language class! "
" yeah right.. A very useless skill during apocalypse "
" aherm. Ano nga palang ginagawa mo dito sa labas? " awkward na tanong nya.
" oh. Right, can you tell me where i can find Maegan? "
" si Pres? Sa office ng dating Dean. Pwede mo syang puntahan, malamang gising pa yun "
" okay.. Thank you "
Nag lakad ako papuntang administration office. I knocked thrice but there's no answer.
I knocked again. I slowly opened the door and went inside.
The room was brightly lit. And i saw her there focusedly reading something. I looked around and found folders neatly arrange in her left and right side. There is big map pasted on a board and different pins on it.
" why are you here "
I flinch when i heard her voice. She's looking at me solemnly. I always felt intimidated by her. At first, i hated her. My Dad always praise her. He said i should be more like her.
" i-im sorry. I knocked twice and you didnt respond. "
" it's okay... What are you doing here? You could've meet me tomorrow. It's almost midnight "
" i.. i cant sleep. Marissa said you are looking for me. I Asked henry and he said you're still up " kinakabahan kong sagot.
" take your seat "
Tense akong umupo at tumingin sa kanya.
" what do you think about this plan? " inabot nya sa akin ang isang architectural document.
My eyes brightened
" this is perfect... The base can develop agriculture, construction and security at the same time. However, the materials are hard to acquire. Do we really need to build such huge base?? "
" Alex promised to get those materials. How and where is not my problem. And I trust her... " she said with confidence.
" it's so dangerous out there " i whispered.
" i know... But what i'm asking you is not the design. I'm asking what is your thought about creating a stronghold "
" s.s.stronghold?! "
" yes. Just like what it defines. We wanted to create a fortified base that can withstands attacks. We plan on rescuing people and create a new place with the same beliefs. Alex wanted to create a place for people to live in without fears and hunger. A place that can be govern by laws again."
She's crazy..
" that's impossible.. "
" i know... But agreed nonetheless. "
" bakit ka pumayag? "
She laughed chilly and looked at me condensely.
" if i don't agree. I would be hiding outside.. Hungry, Dirty.. And scared for my life day and night... For those people outside. They will pray to meet people who can save them and found a place they can live in peace. Won't you agree, Andrea? "
My scalp went numb. My face turned red and hot like someone just slapped me a couple of times. I'm so ashamed of myself. She's right. If there's no people like them and Alex, we won't be save. I forget easily now that i'm safe.
" i.i.im sorry. You're right. "
" don't apologize. It's perfectly normal. Si Alex lang ang hindi kaya masanay ka na. When i asked you, i just wanted to test you if we have the same beliefs. And if not, i wanted to check if we can change your mind. "
" i undersrand.. But why are you saying this to me? " i asked confusely.
" Alex wanted you to manage the inner district. "
" wait.. What??!! Anong inner district ? Bakit ako? "
" the whole mountain will be divided into three regions. The Core, Inner and Outer district. The inner district is the East, West, North and South's ongoing construction outside the gate. "
" w.w.why me?! I just got here ! "
" i know. But that's what she wants. She said that your management skills is on par with me. "
" i don't dare accept that.. " i said in shame. I don't even know if i can do what she did..
" don't get me wrong.. Only Alex thinks so. "
I froze...
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My hands trembled. I know my face paled and frozen. I looked at her and saw her looking at me coldy. It so cold that i'm sweating but my hands and feet are frozen.
" as a President's daughter, you are a dissapointment. "
My eyes widen..
They knew..
" no.. Your Father is the biggest dissapointment. "
She's staring at me sharply.
" i'm sorry "
" Alex once asked me.. If i am the president, what should i do?.. I answered her heartlessly... I will erase the a region to save the country.. Or I will destroy our country to save the world. Even if it will kill the most important person in my life. ..When i receieve the information, i was mad. He could've bomb us to ashes than let others suffer. At least, he can save half of the country.. But he loves you so much, he's willing to sacrifice million of lives for you.."
" i.i.m so sorry.. " my tears fall down. My chest felt so tight that i can't breathe.
" don't apologize... I should.. I judged you too early. "
I stopped crying. Her cold face was gone. It was replace by sadness and helplessness.
" Alex told me that i'm so cold, ruthless and heartless. That i need someone to correct my decisions if i go over the line.. She said I needed someone like you "
m.m.me????
" she said you have a kind heart. She's right. Your decision back then, it was for the best.. Sinadya mong hindi matuloy ang lahat hindi ba? You sacrificed your own safety, kasi alam mong hindi itutuloy ng Presidente ang plano nya kapag hindi ka naka alis sa lugar na to. Tingnan mo tuloy ang nangyari sayo "
" I-I miss him so much.. I want to meet him. I wanted to be selfish. But i can't.. Hindi ko kayang mabuhay habang kayo... I just cant.. I'm so sorry "
I can't stop myself from shaking...my tears are falling down like falls.
" 6 years ago, my parents died.. I didnt cry a single tear.. " she smiled sadly. It Breaks my heart seeing her like that
" it was too late for me to realize that i became cold and heartless. They died for the country, so it's okay.. That's what i thought.. I didnt realize that i am upset and hated them so much.. I grew up without seeing them. They are always working for the country. To stop the corruption, drugs and crimes. They said, they need to do it so they can give me a place that i can live in peacefully and safely. They asked me to understand. I always watch news because they are always there , getting praises.. But i never needed a nice place.. I just want to have a warm place.. It's so cold to be alone.. But look what happened. Who could've have thought that the world will be destroyed like this. "
I looked at her with complicated gaze. The person i looked up for being strong is actually a broken vase. People looked at her in admiration but failed to notice her grief. I failed to notice to.
" i.i didnt know. I'm sorry.. "
" don't pity me.. I found my place now. This time i will be in my parents' shoes now.. No, we will be in our parent's shoes.. You will help me with Alex.. "
" w.w.wait.. I didn't agreed yet! "
" you will.. But make up your mind as soon as possible.. The world is changing now. We can't waste too much time. You still need to get other member's trust and respect. You need to earn it "
" the world? Do you have news about country. We can get help from them "
" forget it.. The world is currently in chaos. The number of infected are all around the world. We don't have any lead yet on how the virus was spread. That's one of our mission. We need to know the root. "
" oh my God. "
There's no hope getting help from them. We need to rely on ourselves.
" wait.. How did you know?? "
" well. US satellites are still working.. Alex break their defense and hack into their system. Before the apocalypse, our parents are negotiating with other countries. But they refuse to budge.. "
" she hacked US data network? !! How can she do that?? "
She smiled wickedly making me confuse..
" You still have a lot to learn about Alexis Willford and the school.. Welcome Andrea "
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What the hell did she mean by that???
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Merry Xmass and Happy new year!!!
Maraming salamat sa patuloy na pag suporta kahit napaka bagal kong mag update.. I really like reading your comments.. Thank you so much... 😘
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