The place was dark and tensed, with the decision I just made and the fact that the people I am with today aren't fully trusting those walking ahead of us, leading our way.
Tahimik ang lahat at para bang walang gustong magsalita, at tanging sumusunod lamang sa lugar kung saan kami idadala ng dalawang taong nasa harapan namin ngayon.
Ngunit tulad nang kung saan kami sinanay ay hindi maaaring hayaan lamang namin ang mga ito sa kung saan kami dadalhin.
I am watching carefully those two, and I know that I wasn't the only one, since the hawk-like stares from my companions are what I could feel, and I know that these people in front of me are feeling the same too. Yet the woman is decided to remain quiet because they know that speaking could make us change our minds.
Both of them moving so gracefully that I'm doubting that they're planning something dangerous for us.
I'm actually thinking of different scenarios where they will lead us into a zombie-zone area— a place full of flesh-eating monsters, trapping us in that place and that's what I'm being cautious about.
Lalo na't halatang alam na alam nila ang daan, alam nila kung ano ang pasikot-sikot rito, at pakiramdam ko'y alam nilang may mas malapit na daanan ngunit mas pinipili nilang sumunod sa kung anong alam namin— na siyang ikinatataka ko.
Is it because they don't want to break our trust. . . that wasn't there in the first place? Or maybe they wanted to gain our trust— that's why they're being careful at what they're doing?
Kaya't nang hawiin nila ang makapal na nakababang sanga ng puno ay bumungad sa akin ang isang factory na nasa ibaba nitong lugar at kalagitnaan ng palayan na halatang sira, ngunit dulot sa repleksyon ng ilaw mula sa bubong na siyang mula sa maliwanag na langit, ay siyang nagpapahiwatig na tama ang aming pinuntahan.
The solar panels above the factory are the ones reflecting the light from the east part of this Whiteridge town— the one that Dreyard said to us.
The girl looked at her back, to us and gave us a small yet sincere smile.
Natigilan ako habang nakatingin rito, at dulot sa liwanag mula sa kalangitan ay doon ko lamang nakita ang mukha niya.
Her eyes. . . looks sad.
Nakita ko ang marahang paghila sakanya ng lalaki at umiling na hindi ko maipaliwanag kung ano, at natauhan lamang ako nang hawakan ni Zeon ang aking siko.
“What's wrong?” he whispered and concern was visible to his voice due maybe to my sudden silence, even though I was always silent.
He's so close that I could smell his natural alluring scent. Humangin ang paligid mula sa kanyang likod na dahilan upang mapahawak ako sa aking buhok upang hindi matamaan ang kanyang mukha ng mga hibla noon.
It's just that, what's bothering me is the sad eyes from that woman filled with grief and heaviness.
I shook my head and smiled before I looked at those two who seemed as if talking— whispering about something they only know. I cleared my throat to get their attention.
Napatingin sila sa amin na dahilan upang maalalang may kailan pa kaming gawin. Tinignan ko sila nang malamig at deretso.
“Aren't we going down?” What I said made them looked at each other.
The man, to remind her about something as if they needed to do, while the woman, who shook her head before she looks at us with courage yet I couldn't deny the fear underneath the courageous face she's showing.
That's what could be seen on their face and it's so obvious.
“It's dangerous,” the woman suddenly said that made me look at him in surprise.
My forehead creased a little at what she just voiced out while the man pulled her elbow again as if reminding her about something.
Dahil doon ay tuluyang kumunot ang aking noo at hindi nakatiis, ngunit nanatiling naghihintay dahil pinalaki akong hindi bastos.
From my gaze to the woman, I transferred it to the man who looks angry, yet he's trying to hide it with the serious face he's showing.
One thing I'm good at is looking at their emotions carefully and deeply.
I sighed heavily in frustration, and with that, the woman tensed, feeling my irritation, maybe.
“What's wrong?” Malamig at mariin kong tanong at talagang hindi ko inalis ang aking tingin hanggat hindi nito nakikita ang aking itsura, at hindi ako nagkakamali.
Tumama ang tingin nito sa akin at siguro'y talagang nakakatakot ang aking tingin dahil nabakasan ko ang takot doon, bago ito nag iwas ng tingin ang lalaki at hindi makasagot.
The woman closed her eyes tightly before she looked at us with a cautious and scared expression. . . for what?
That expression made my heart pounded, yet I remained with an ice-cold expression.
She sighed heavily.
“Listen, it's dangerous to go there. I mean, it really is. Behind those tall grass—” She pointed at those grass that's what we will pass through. “— are zombies hiding within those thicknesses, and sometimes, those special ones.”
“Special?” Faye asked for me.
The woman nodded her head while her companion remaining looking away, as right now, I saw guiltiness plastered on his face, the reason why he couldn't look at us.
Nakakatakot magtiwala, lalo na't dahil ganito ang pinapakita nya.
Something is wrong with how he's acting right now, and we all know that. And for sure, it will affect what will happen later, unless, we will know the deeper meaning of how he's reacting like that.
“Yeah, just like what you've fought. . . earlier,” the woman whispered yet my eyes remained locked at the guy who couldn't look at us.
But based on how guiltily he looks right now, it seemed as if the woman he's with just spilled the secrets they're about to do. I couldn't help but smirk as my eyes transferred to the woman.
It's cruel, mister. But your kind-hearted woman would do everything to gain our trust, including spilling your secrets.
Hindi pa man kami handa at hindi pa napoprocess ang pangyayari nang mabilis na tumalikod ito at halos magpatihulog pababa, na siyang ikinalaki ng aking mata kasabay ng pagmumura ng lalaking kasama nito bago ito sumunod pababa.
We all ran to the end of this slanted land— in which we saw the movements from the tall grass that's surrounding the place.
Mabilis kong ni-ready ang aking baril at tumutok doon, kung saan napansin kong hindi lamang ako ang may gumawa noon kundi pati ang mga kasama ko.
Totoo nga, dahil hindi nagtagal ay nagsilabasan ang mga zombies na para bang nagtatago sa makakapal at malalaking damong iyon.
Nagsimula akong bumaril habang ang dalawa ay nanatili sa pinakadulo kung saan nagsisimula ring bumaril sa mga papalapit sa kanila.
Tsaka ko naalala ang mga granadang nakuha namin. My eyes seek Phoenix.
“Hey, kinuha nyo ba ang mga granada?” I asked him— them, in which they looked at me questioning, except Phoenix who quickly lowered his gun and started seeking for the grenade I asked him on the bag he's carrying.
Hindi nagtagal nang inabot nito ang aking hinahanap. I smirked, looking at the HE grenades in my hands.
This isn't a simple HE grenade that could be seen in the military, yet I know that it's a grenade. I was suddenly feeling excited.
“Fire in the hole!” I shouted to get those zombies' attention before I pulled the safety lever and threw it away with all my might.
Blinking lights and sounds from it is what could be heard in our ears— the reason why zombies are coming in that place where I threw it before we all duck to protect ourselves from the impact of it.
As the sound became fast, I know that it's about to explode, which is I wasn't wrong because it does.
Nakaramdam ako ng kaunting hilo ngunit mabilis akong umayos ng tayo upang tignan kung ano ang nangyari.
It was loud and the pressure was strong, and that explosion created an impact on the place where I threw it.
Kitang-kita ang pagkahawi ng mga damuhan sa lugar na iyon kung saan mula sa aming pwesto— dahil nakataas ito mula sa pwesto sa ibaba mismo, ay kitang kita ang mga nagkalat na dugo na nakadikit sa mga damo na mula sa mga zombies mismo.
Tumingin ako sa dalawa na para bang nakahinga nang maluwag, bago tumingin sa aking mga kasama at tumango.
Right after that, I slide to that slanted land, which ended up in front of those two who almost jumped at the sight of my presence.
Sumunod ang mga kasama ko sa aking ginawa ngunit wala nang oras dahil humarap na ako sa aming harapan.
“Let's go,” I said as I lead them.
Nakakatatlong hakbang pa lamang ako nang may humawak sa aking siko na dahilan upang mapabaling ako sa aking likod, kung saan nakita ko si Zeon na madilim ang tingin sa akin.
Kinunutan ko ito ng noo, “What?” I am confused!
His forehead creased more.
“Can't you stay behind me and let me protect you instead?” Naaasar nitong sabi na ikinamaang ko.
What?
Does he really expect me to stay behind and let him lead the way?
I sighed heavily. “Zeon, I'm not the damsel type of woman,” I said slowly, but clearly as if reminding him of that fact, that his face darkened more.
This isn't what he's expecting me to say, I know it. But this is me, do I need to change myself to please him?
Nope.
Even though he saved me many times, I'm not stupid to follow on his back and let him protect me this time. I was one of those leaders with him, we should rule our army together. I wouldn't stay behind and watch him sacrifice his life again like what happened yesterday.
Once is enough.
That's why I gave him a tight smile.
“If you want, lead the group with me. Just don't expect me to stay behind and let you protect me again.” Once is enough. . . no, I mean, what happened yesterday was enough where he almost sacrifices himself for our safety.
His forehead was still creasing yet I saw how he relaxed a little. He licked his lips as my eyes followed it, but when I realized it, I quickly averted my gaze and turned to look in front again. Shit!
“Fine,” he retorted in a defeated tone before I felt him beside me.
Napangiti ako ng tipid bago nagsimulang maglakad, lalo na nang maramdaman ko ang pagsunod ng mga kasama ko sa aking tabi.
It was a silent adventure, and it actually reminds me of what happened earlier.
However, this one is tenser and the addition of these tall grass that are restricting us from seeing our pathway is what making it worst!
Ramdam kong papalapit na kami rito, dahil mula sa itaas ng aking mata ay nakikita namin ang papalapit na bubong ng bahay na na iyon.
Hinawi ko ang mataas na damo sa aking harapan kung saan bumungad sa akin ang malawak na pwesto— ang harapan ng factory na nasa harap namin kung saan sinundan ng mata ko ang daan palabas sa malawak na lugar na iyon.
There's also a small crane machine— an Ace Hydra Mobile Crane on the side of this factory.
I sighed in relief and was about to go on it when my eyes transferred on the house. . . where I saw something that I didn't expect in which I would see this. . . early.