Dying Blood

Third Bonus Chapter - Kevin's New Life in the Philippines

Kevin's POV

  1 month after my departure from the United States, I'm now living in Iloilo City with my family. Ron is still in quarantine in Savannah, Georgia, and a cure for the zombie virus is still not yet discovered. But, from what I had read on the internet, signs of a cure are now showing up. Our home within the urban area of the city is big and more of a traditional house in terms of layout of the floor plan. That's because one of my uncles on my mother's side had given it away to us after he and his family to Legazpi City for a new life. The house had traditional windows, but it was retrofitted with modern ones to make it as a deterrent against thieves. Luckily, my uncle and his family left most of the furniture and a few appliances for us to use.

One Tuesday morning, it's school day, and after I did my slightly modified morning routine, I ate a delicious breakfast with my family in my school uniform.

  "I'm now in first-year in junior high," I thought while eating. "I'm now restarting it this year. Luckily I left my weapons back at Kaleb's base because I want to live a normal life."

My parents enrolled me in a private junior high school, which was a few blocks away from my house, unlike that public middle school back at Southeast Pines in West Virginia.

My thinking was interrupted when my mother asked me if I did my homework last night.

I then looked at her and answered, "Yes, all of them, so I could submit them to my teacher."

  "Okay, how about your assignment in English?" Estevan asked.

  "Done as well," I responded readily.

I then resumed eating my delicious meal consisted of fried rice, ham, and scrambled eggs.

  "Wow, you're smart as always, kuya," Juan commented.

  "Yeah," I replied.

  Shortly after breakfast, I brushed my teeth, and checked my shoulder bag if there are things that I didn't put in just in case. When I saw that everything was complete, I zipped it close, wear it, and returned downstairs, before grabbing my shoes and socks from the shoerack at the front door to wear them for school.

  "I'm going to school," I said to mom.

  "Good luck, anak," Miyo responded.

With that, I opened the front door and left the house, before closing the door.

  Outside in the streets, Estevan and Juan and Maria, who are now in elementary, are waiting for me in their car. Luckily, my father sold his car in America and used that money to buy another one here in the Philippines. I then ran to our car and opened the front door car, before hopping in and closed it.

As I wear my seatbelt, Estevan asked me, "Are you ready for school?"

I then looked at him and responded, "Yes, papa."

I then put my shoulder messenger bag on my lap.

With that, my father shifted the gear to Drive, and we left the house and towards my school.

Our home has a bakeshop left by our uncle, who had started an agricultural business on the outskirts of Legazpi City, so we would have a source of income alongside their side jobs.

Along the way, I saw the beauty of the city, which was similar to other big cities like Manila and Cebu City.

  "I want to go to the mall," I thought, "but maybe on the weekends instead."

  Later, at 8:22 a.m., we arrived at my school, Eastern Reformed Christian Academy, which was also located near our current church of the same name"

  "Okay, we're here," my father said to me.

I then unbuckled my seatbelt and opened the car door to get off with my bag.

  "I'll be going now, papa," I said to Estevan. "Bye!"

I then turned around and happily entered the school via the front gate.

  But, going to a new school means new people to be familiar with: classmates, peers, and teachers. But they're nice and friendly to me ever since my first day a week ago, so life in this school is good. As I walk down the hallway, I started to think about my friends back in America.

  "How are they?" I asked in my mind. "I hoped they had survived that zombie outbreak as well. Wherever they are, I will pray for them, as well as big brother, too."