God's Cage | WOTG #1

Twenty-Nine

KATO

I SAT THERE WHILE holding my breath as the gun's barrel was pointed directly at the back of my head. Any sudden movement would be the end for me. Brain splattered. Skull powdered. Dead.

I raised my hands above my head and turned around slowly until the barrel was now pointed at my forehead. His smile could almost tear his face from ear to ear. His triumphant eyes met mine.

Little did he know . . .

I tried to submerge the smile threatening to form in my lips as the thought crossed my mind. But I failed. He saw it as it spread on my face.

"Anong nginingiti-ngit mo d'yan?" tanong niya at diniin ang rifle sa noo ko. "Natatawa ka pa na mamamatay ka na?"

Kung may nakakita man sa 'kin ngayon habang nakaluhod at may baril na nakatutok sa aking ulo ay siguro'y hinayaan na lang nila ako. Sa gitna ng kaguluhang 'to wala nang ililigtas ang ibang tao kundi ang sarili na lang nila.

Walang magliligtas sa 'yo kundi ikaw at ikaw lang.

"Bakit hindi mo pa iputok 'yang baril mo?" pang-aasar ko habang nakatingin ng deretso sa mata niya.

"Dahil gusto ko munang magmakaawa ka sa buhay mo," proud niyang sagot. "Kanina ang yabang-yabang mo. Ngayon, ano ka na?"

"Kung akala mong magmamakaawa ako sa 'yo, that's when you are wrong," I retorted and spat at him. It hit him square between his eyes.

He wiped it with his sleeve and stared at me with his eyes burning like hot coals. I just made him mad.

"Lintik kang bata ka!" he shouted and pulled the trigger.

Pero pasensiya na lang siya ay mas mabilis pa 'ko sa bala niya.

Agad akong nakaalis sa 'king pagkakaluhod at ngayon ay nakatayo na iilang metro ang kayo sa kaniya. Nagawa ko 'yon sa loob lang ng isang segundo. 'Yon nga lang ay nakapag-iwan ako ng bakas sa konreto. A burned trail traced its path from where I was kneeling to where I was standing now.

He looked at the trail until his wide eyes met mine. Nabura na ang ngising nakatatak sa kaniyang kabi kani-kanina lang at nakatingin siya sa 'kin na parang bang nakakita siya ng multo. Halos malaglag na nga ang mata at panga niya.

Hindi ako tinamaan ng bala at sa halip ay sa sahig 'yon tumama.

"Kahit anong bilis pa nang bala mo wala 'yang laban sa bilis ko," sabi ko at pinasayaw sa 'kinb palad ang maliliit na galamay ng kuryente.

"Isa kang h—ha—limaw!" sigaw niya at itinutok ulit sa 'kin ang rifle.

Pero bago niya pa 'yon maitalat sa 'kin ay binalahan ko na siya ng isang kuryente na nagpangisay naman sa kaniyang buong katawan. Lumapit ako sa kaniyang nakahandusay at nanginginig na katawan at lumuhod sa tabi niya.

"I'm the lightning before the storm." Tumayo na ako at nagmasid-masid sa paligid kung may nakakita ba sa ginawa ko. Nagtatakbuhan lang ang mga ta kung saan-saan at masasabi kong siguradong walang nakakita ng ginawa ko dahil lahat sila'y abalang-abala sa pagpa-panic.

"Don't worry. Mabubuhay ka pa naman pagkatapos mong mangisay," sabi ko. "'Yong nga lang ay kung may makakapagdala sa 'yo agad sa ospital.

Buildings were now burning and the distict was in utter destruction. I saw police officers trying to deal with terrorist in a gun fight. Bodies lay on the streets and some of their loved ones were kneeling on front of them, refusing to leave their side as rescuers tried to save them.

I was jogging when a street, with someone flying above it, caught my eye. Hindi siya nakasuot ng kahit anong device na makapagpapalipad sa isang tao pero ayon siya, lumulutang sa ere. Naramdaman ko ring lumakas nang bahagya ang hangin sa paligid kaya ang mga puno ay nagsayawan na para bang may isang malakas na bagyong paparating.

And one by one, he dealt with the six fighter jets alone. It was as if he was controlling the jets and swatting them like flies. Isa-isang nalaglag at sumabog ang mga sagitsit sa hindi malamang dahilan.

Hanggang sa maubos ang anim na fighter jets ay dahan-dahan siyang bumaba mula sa ere. Pagkababang-pagkababa niya ay pinalibutan kaagad siya ng mga pulis sabay tutok ng kanilang mga baril.

It turned out I wasn't alone.

It turned out I wasn't just the one with . . . abnormalities.

We were here.

We were just here. Hiding in the corners, waiting for something that would leave us no choice but to unleash this power inside us.

But by judging the people he murdered like they were just insects pestering him, I couldn't say these powers make us heroes, and I had to say that these powers did not make as any better or yet, it only made us even worse.