CHAPTER 8

*Ulysses Shaine Verrere POV*

'We'll go and save the kids and the others before going back here.' (Korean) i told IU habang

nakangiti. She seemed hesitant na aalis kami but she still nodded regardless.

I smiled at her then

nagsimula na ulit kaming lumakad. But this time iniwan naman namin si Art sa kanila. Hindi pa

siya marunong makipag laban and we haven't had time na turuan siya so he have to stay behind.

I didn't really think na makaka usap ko si IU ng malapitan. As a fan that's the greatest thing that happened to me.

Dire diretso lang kami and pag may nakitang stray zombies ang mga kaibigan ko

pinapatay agad nila so mabilis naming natarating yung room na pinaglagyan ng mga bata. When

we tried opening the door naka lock siya, kaya tinignan namin sila Grace at Blaine.

"We told them

to lock the door para safe sila" paliwanag niya and we all just nodded. Humarap sa pintuan si

Grace and knocked with a rhythm, then narinig namin na natanggal yung lock so we opened it.

The moment the kids saw us, especially Blaine and Grace umiyak sila. Grace hugged them with

her clean clothes. We changed clothes gamit yung dala nila Art and kahit na nakikipag laban

kami kanina dahil marunong na kami hindi manlang natalsikan ng dugo yung damit namin.

We

got ready na umalis, nilagyan namin ng blindfold yung dalawang bata para hindi nila makita ang

mga katawan sa labas and binuhat sila ni Grace at Blaine since sa kanila lang sila sumasama.

Habang yung baby naman, well, sa akin siya napunta, dahil bigla siyang nakatulog when I held

her habang umiiyak naman siya sa iba. Napa iling nalang ako while looking at her sleeping

face, marami akong pinsan and I'm the oldest kaya marunong akong mag handle ng mga bata.

Napangiti ako nung nakita kong naka tulog rin yung mga bata, mukhang takot talaga sila and

hindi pa sila nakakatulog since the apocalypse. It looks like they also often had nightmares since Hindi stable Yung metal health nila based sa sinabi nila Blaine.

The others looked relieved Nung naka tulog Yung mga bata. Ano kaya Yung mga pinagdaan nila to not sleep for a week. Pansin mo rin ang ngiti sa mukha nila habang naka tingin sa mga

bata.

"It was the right choice na iligtas natin sila" biglang sabi ni Sky na nagpatango sa amin.

We started walking papunta sa kung saan nila nakita yung mga grown ups habang bitbit namin

yung mga bata.

I started thinking kung anong sasabihin namin sa kanila para ma convince sila na

lumabas sa room nila with a blindfold. Pero I think na hindi sila makikinig. Sigh*

"what's wrong?"

I looked at Sky.

"Do you think they can tolerate this scene?" Tanong ko pabalik without needing

to explaine.

"I don't think so," he gave an akward smile

"even we, the one who did this can barely

tolerate it, pano pa kaya ang ordinary people?" He added at tumango lang ako.

"Pero hindi sila

maniniwala sa atin, I just hope na yung pregnant woman will listen to us." We talked while walking

in unhurried steps, madyado ng marami yung dugo sa paligid namin, with the piles of corpse on

top of each other, one wrong step and you would be swimming in a pool of blood, eww.

So we

decided na since hindi naman ganun kalayo yung room ng mga bata sa pinagtataguan ng iba

that we'll take our time.

"She's unusually peaceful with you" sabi ni Sky while looking at the little

girl in my hands.

"I have many younger cousins, and most of the time I become a babysitter so

I know how to handle kids" sabi ko habang hinehele yung baby. We all stopped nung biglang

tumigil sina Aireen at Suichie sa harap ng isang pinto. They nodded kaya tumango rin kami and

kumatok sila sa pinto also rhythmic.

When the door opened, maliit lang muna yung bukas and

we saw a woman in mid twenties. When she saw the two makikita mo ang relief sa mata niya

and binuksan niya yung pinto with a small smile. We went in with Aireen leading us.

I told them

na sila ang magmukhang leader ng group so we can find out kung anong klaseng tao sila. Nung

nakapasok na kaming lahat, dali daling sinara ng isang lalakeng nasa 30's yung pinto. Mukhang

takot siya.

Yung isa namang lalake na nasa 30's ay masama ang tingin sa mga batang dala

namin, habang yung senior naman parang nawalan ng buhay ang mga mata niya but he still held

a gentle smile on his face while looking at the kids.

Yung tatlong midle aged women naman ay worried

when they saw the kids blindfolded and sleeping. Now I know kung sino sa kanila ang worthy

na isama sa HANEUL and sino ang hindi.

"We need to go now" sabi ni Aireen with a professional

stance. Siya ang makikipag usap sa group na ito to further emphasize na siya ang leader namin.

Tumango naman sila pero halata mo ang takot sa mga mata nila. Naghanda na silang lumabas

habang nakasuot ng bagpack isa isa, pero nabato sila sa susunod na salita ni Aireen.

"But you

have to go out blindfolded" she said without emotions that put a small smile in my face. Mukha

man siyang mapagbiro and jolly but once she's doing business nag iibang tao siya. She's a

professional in what she does.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Tanong ng babaeng buntis at bakas ang takot sa mga mata niya. She's smart, alam niyang siya ang pabigat sa grupo namin and

if we ever need a scapegoat, that would be her.

Pero kita mo sa kilos niya na hindi siya takot

para sa sarili niya but for her baby. Tinap ko yung likod ni Aireen telling her na aalis na kami.

I already know who's trustworthy and not and kung sino ang pwede kong isama, if they ever

agree. Na intindihan naman ni Aireen yun and she cleared her throat before continuing.

"That is

if you want, we're not forcing you to do anyhing" she said still emotionless. Parang nakahinga

ng maluwag ang mga kasama namin, pero the moment we stepped out of the door namutla

ang mga mukha nila sa nakita.

Corpes, piles of it and a pool of blood that soaked their shoes.

Pagkakita nila sa lugar halos lahat sila ay sumuka, natakot ako para sa buntis so I helped her

up then blindfolded her.

Hindi naman na siya nagtanong and just held my hands. Ganun din ang

ginawa ng iba sa mga babae habang yung mga lalake patuloy lang sa pag suka. We didn't bother

with them and just started walking.

Kilala ako ng mga kasama ko and Sky knows me so they

didn't bother asking and just followed me. Mukhang napansin ng mga lalake kaya tumakbo

sila papalapit sa grupo namin, carefully not to step at any limbs or heads that's littered on the

ground.

We calmly walked habang hawak hawak yung mga girls. I looked at the little angel in my

arms, she's barely 3 months old, it's a wonder how they were able to hold her in that cramped

space.

She was sleeping comfortably in my arms looking beautiful. I can hold her with one hand

because of how small she is. We stopped in front of the double door of the conference room

and knocked rhythmically.

Bumukas agad yung pinto as if waiting for us and the first thing I saw

was Art's cute face that has a beaming smile. I smiled back at him and he widened the door to

let us in.

Nung nakita niya yung mga taong naka blindfold he didn't say anything pero halata ang

pagtataka sa mukha niya. Nung nakapasok na kaming lahat siya naman ay nasa pinto pa rin so

he saw the scene outside that paled him.

I let go of the pregnant woman's hand then patted

his head. He nodded and closed the door before clinging to my arm. Pumunta kami sa iba na

gumawa ng isang bilog and was intruducing themselves.

Mukha namang hindi mapakali sila

IU, maybe because they can't understand tagalog kaya tumabi sa kanila and I acted as their

interpreter.

They casted me a thankful look and listened carefully habang nagpatuloy naman

yung iba na magpakilala, eventually umupo na kami still inside the circle and got comfortable

with each other.

It's a great relief na although they just went past the apocalypse they can still smile, especially the kids. All of us were hiding at the room even before the start of apocalypse so we didn't suffer the trauma of seeing other people turn.

Unlike them they took the full impact of the apocalypse since lahat ng tao sa taas bumaba dito. They hid while looking at their parents getting eaten. Pushed others to their deaths with guilt and many more.

In this room walang makakapag sabi kung Sino Ang nakalagay na ng tao but I'm sure they have a weight on their shoulders. I looked at the little circle we formed and the smiles on their faces. I want to protect that smile.