THE SURVIVAL OF HELENA UNIVERSITY (On-Going)

CHAPTER 8: PROTECT

DARRA

As we sat around the bonfire on the rooftop of our university building, the city below us eerily quiet, the conversation took a deeper turn. The fire crackled and popped, casting an orange glow on our faces and creating dancing shadows on the walls of the surrounding buildings.

Shine, one of our seniors, was the first to break the silence. "You know," she began, her eyes reflecting the flames, "This apocalypse... It made me realize how fragile life really is. How quickly everything can change."

Craig nodded. "It's like we're characters in one of those dystopian novels," he said. "One day, we're worrying about essays and exams, and the next, we're fighting for our lives."

I looked around at the group, at these people who had become my makeshift family. "But it's also shown me the strength of the human spirit," I added. "Look at us. We're still here, still fighting. We've adapted, survived."

Kahit ang totoo ay unti-unti na akong sumusuko.

Franz stared into the fire. "I wonder what the world will look like when this is all over," he mused. "Will we go back to the way things were, or will we create something new?"

Tiningnan ko s'ya at mababakas ang pagod sa kanyang mukha.

Nang mapansin n'ya ang pagtitig ko ay tumingin din s'ya sa akin at ngumiti, ngunit hindi iyon kababakasan ng kahit anong kasiyahan.

We fell into silence, each lost in our thoughts. The fire continued to burn, the only sound in the quiet night. Despite the horrors we had faced and the uncertainty of our future, we found solace in each other's company and in the warmth of the fire. It was a moment of peace in a world gone mad, a reminder of our shared humanity amidst the chaos.

Nabasag lang ang katahimikan na iyon nang padarag na nabuksan ang pinto ng rooftop at gulat kaming napatayo.

May pumasok doon na mga kagaya rin naming estudyante ng unibersidad at humahangos.

“Close it now, damn it!” sigaw ng babae na kasama nila.

Pagkasarado ng pinto ay napabaling sila sa amin at nanlalaki ang kanilang mga mata nang makita nila kami.

“Roy!” tawag ng tatlong lalaki kay Roy na gulat ngunit mababakas sa kanyang mukha ang kasiyahan.

Teka! Sila Nathan, Gab, at Theo itong mga ‘to! Mga kaklase rin namin at kasama pa nila sina Crystelle at Sofia na kaklase rin namin.

“Oh my God! Thank God at ligtas kayo” ani Maika at naglakad palapit kila Crystelle.

“Pres…” tawag sa akin ni Sofia pagkatapos ng yakapan nila ni Maika.

“Sofia…” nakangiti ko namang sabi at binuka ang aking mga braso para mayakap s'ya.

“We're so scared! Akala namin hindi kami makakaligtas at akala namin nagung kagaya na rin nila kayo!” iyak ni Sofia habang yakap ako.

“Shhhh, we're okay now. We will survive together” pang aalo ko sa kanya.

Dahil sa mga kaklase namin at sa mga kasama pa nila dumagdag sa amin muling sumibol ang pag-asa sa aking puso.

Kaya namin ‘to.

“Ahhhh!” lahat kami ay napatingin kay Amira nang sumigaw ito at bakas ang takot sa kanyang mukha habang nakatingin sa babaeng kasama nila Sofia.

Unti-unti itong nagbago at nangisay. Tumigil ang pangingisay nito ng ilang segundo at nang gumalaw s'ya at tumingin sa amin ay kulay puti na ang mga mata nito.

Akmang aatakehin n'ya kami ngunit agad s'yang sinalag ng mga lalaking kasama namin.

Nanlaban ito at tinangkang kagatin ang mga sumasalag sa kanya ngunit agad s’yang nasipa ni Franz at tuluyang nahulog sa rooftop.