We all wryly smiled while looking at Tyler. He was so frightened by my attitude earlier that he even drained the gasoline because of the speed. Other than that, we are so entertained by Spencer’s stupidity that we didn’t even notice that we already crossed Jethlah.
And now, we are in the middle of Izrahiah. Tahimik ang paligid, at bagsak na ulit sa higaan si Spencer dahil sa pagod. Samantalang, nasa kalagitnaan kami nang pag-uusap tungkol sa mga kukuhanin na supplies.
Hindi ko rin mapigilan ang mapangiwi nang lubos dahil napapaisip ako kung saan kami kukuha ng ibang supplies, katulad na lamang ng gasolina at iba pang bala para sa mga baril lalo na’t nasa gitna kami ng isang theme park.
“We need to get a blueprint of this place,” Parker announced. Ang mga mata ko ay dumapo kay Cara dahil alam kong paborito nila itong pasyalan ni Alex noon. Sigurado akong saulo niya ito.
“I know this place,” Cara stated.
A sly smile appeared across my face, “Accompany her, Parker,” I ordered. Inabot ko naman ang cellphone ko sa kanya upang magamit sa pagkuha ng litrato in case na hindi papel ang makuha nila.
“Why?” Parker asked.
“Anong why?”
“Tsk. Nevermind,”
Nagtatakha ko siyang sinundan ng mata nang tumayo sila ni Cara, at parehas kumuha ng mga armas na gagamitin nila sa paglabas. Sumunod sa kanila si Tyler sa nag-iisang entrance at exit namin sa RV upang siya ang magsara nito.
I heard Chi humming out of nowhere, making me curiously looked at her.
“Problema mo?” I asked.
Instead of answering me, she just teasingly smiled and poked my pointed nose, “You stupid, dense woman,” she beamed.
Balak ko sana muli magsalita ngunit dumating bigla si Tyler habang may dalang isang notebook. At dahil may pagkasatsismosa ako’y sinilip ko iyon, nagulat pa ako nang nilapit niya sa ‘kin ‘yon dahilan para mahiya ako.
“No, it’s okay... It is just a bunch of theories,” Tyler said while looking at me.
“About the apocalypse?” I asked.
He nodded. Sandaling nakuha ni Chi ang atensyon ko nang tumayo siya at tumungo sa kusina, “The tower...” I whispered.
“I have a theory about it, too. The apocalypse started after the explosion of the tallest tower— At first, I thought the infection started by a bite of an infected to an uninfected by it never make sense...”
My mind was actually curious about it, too. Kung nag-umpisa ang virus sa simpleng kagat, si Ms. Esguerra ay hindi dapat naging isang Bozo lalo na’t tatlong tao lamang kaming nasa may rooftop noon.
My eyes widened when Tyler pointed my nose. It might be connected to the awful and robust smell during that time. But again, it doesn’t make sense. Pare-parehas kaming nakaamoy ng bagay na iyon, and how come we aren’t infected by it?
Tyler softly laughed while looking at me, “Sobrang judgmental ko ba kung sasabihin kong nagugulat ako na nag-iisip ka ngayon?” He bluntly asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you are a cheerleader. Puro paganda, walang utak,”
I rolled my eyes, “People should stop judging others when they don’t even know about a single thing about them,”
“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Tyler softly said. Napapailing kong inagaw sa kanya ang notebook. He offered me his pen, and I began to think of the other possibilities, “Nasaan ka nang mangyari ang apocalypse?” I asked.
“Library,”
“Bookworm—”
“I wasn’t studying. I was tutoring Cara at that time—”
Napataas ang isang kilay ko sa kanya. And now, I am enlightened kung bakit magkasama sila—Dahil noong una ay nagtatakha talaga ako kung paano sila naging magkakasama.
“Sa pwesto namin, kita namin lahat, we even saw how Mr. Trinidad transformed into a hideous being,”
“S’ya ang unang infected sa library?”
“Yes, after that, he started to chase the students inside. At pagkatapos n’yang kagatin ang iba, nahihimatay lamang ‘yong ibang estudyante,”
I squinted my eyes and started to remember some scenarios while we are still at the school. Iba ang scenario na nakita namin noon ni Parker, the students were agile dahilan upang ang mga faculty members ang magkagatan. And after ten seconds, they are changing into Bozos.
“Do you think this has something to do with our age?” I asked.
Tyler removed his glasses and cleaned as he seriously looked at the table, “Hindi ko naisip ang possibility na ‘yan,”
Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko. First, the infection started with the aroma of certain mixtures. Second, the virus was being transmitted through bites. And we just need to prove my claim for my last theory,
— the age difference.
And if that’s true, then, Si Spencer ang pinakamatagal bago maging Bozo sa aming lahat. The potent aroma was no longer lingering in the cities, but I’m a hundred percent sure that once we enter the last city, we will be able to smell it again.
“Pharma ka ‘di ba?” I asked Tyler, making him nod.
We have a doctor in Parker, and we also have a pharmacist. Other than that, they have cute like me.
“Do you think—”
“Kanina pa kaming nakatayo rito tapos kayong dalawa, bulungan lang nang bulungan,” I look behind and saw Parker with his languid eyes. He has his arms cross, making me twist my lips.
Nang nilapag ni Cara ang blueprint sa lamesa ay napabusangot na lamang ako. After all, I’m inquisitive if we can alter the effect of the mixtures used that made the Bozos.
“So, Amira, anong nasa isip mong formula?” I squinted my eyes while looking at Spencer. I didn’t know that he was already awake and eavesdropping, “—Sugar, spice and everything ni—”
Before Spencer could finish his goddamn joke, Parker glared at him as he sat next to me na pati ako’y sinaam din nang tingin.
“PMS?” I joked. I zipped my mouth after glared at me once again and drifted my attention to the blueprint.
We are in between the carousel and Ferris wheel, which means that we really are in the middle of the theme park. Cara suddenly pointed to the new bump cars ride and looked at us, “This one is no longer using electric shits kaya makakakita tayong stocks ng gasoline rito,” she explained.
Makahulugan na tumingin sa ‘kin si Cara, “You don’t have to go, Amira,” she bluntly stated, making me raise my brow.
“Why?”
“This is a theme park,”
“And so?”
I heard Chi sighing, and then she lightly squeezes my cheeks, “Who knows if the Bozos around here are clowns?” she asked.
I pouted and avoided her glance. How can I still be fucking scared of clowns when there are already Bozos who were much scarier than them? I heaved a sigh, “Fine, and I’ll stay here,”
Parker opened his bag and put six walky-talkies in the table, “Number one is our communication transmitter,” He said. Pareparehas kaming kumuha nang tig-iisa ro’n.
They began to plan without including me in the tasks. Spencer and Parker are going to get the gallons of gasoline and searching for valuable weapons, while Chi and Cara will be heading towards the snack bars and food courts to get food. And lastly, Tyler will be heading to a pharmacy to get some useful medicines.
Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit gustong-gusto n’ya kumuha ng gamot, when in fact we can get it to the next city, and we still have medicines in the medical kit. He was really eager, as if someone is already in danger.
I walked towards Spencer and pinched his nose, sinamaan n’ya ako nang tingin dahil masungit siya ngayon. Wala ng epekto ang chocolates sa kanya.
“Take care, okay?” I reminded him. Nasa labas na sina Chi at tanging si Parker at Spencer ang naiwan sa loob kasama ko.
Spencer nodded, “Of course,” I smiled at him and gently kissed his forehead.
Saglit siyang namula at nag-iwas nang tingin, siguro ay inaalala niyang mommy niya ako’t bawal siyang kiligin sa ‘kin. Spencer shyly left the RV dahilan upang harapin ko ang nakangusong si Parker.
“What?” I asked.
Umiling siya’t lumapit sa ‘kin, he carefully held my hair and caressed it, “Be careful,” he said, “Even if you’re here, it doesn’t mean you are already safe,”
Tumango-tango ako sa bilin niya. I gave him a reassuring smile when he suddenly lightly kissed my forehead, “Ingat,”
“Come back...”
“To you?”
He was smiling, making me groan, “No, come back unscathed, and with that, I might also give you a good luck kiss in your next battle,”
Parker softly laughed and ruffled my hair, “Aasahan ko ‘yan,”
Nang masigurado kong nakaalis na sila ay dahan-dahan kong kinuha ang katana sa pader. Because just like Parker said, even though I’m here in the RV, it doesn’t mean I’m safe. Dahil kumpara sa sitwasyon nila— buhay ko ngayon ang delikado.
Especially with those leering crimson eyes are darting behind my back.
#