Cosima Sanctuary is a one of a kind safe house for teenage survivors, but when they realize that one of them is a psychopath, all hell breaks loose. The hunt is on for the psycho next door.
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MATULIN ang pagmamaneho ni Miller sa sasakyan kasama sina Cloud at Wolfgang. Tensyonado ang tatlo, walang kibuan habang tinutuon ang buong atensyon sa paghahanap sa truck na maaaring lulan ng kumuha sa mga kasamahan.
"Are you sure this is the road?" Sambit ni Wolfgang. Punong-puno ng pag-aalala at desperasyon.
"We've been circling this place looking for the Riverbank, this is the only road that a truck that big could pass in this part of town," giit ni Miller na mas binibilisan pa ang pagmamaneho.
"Wait, did you guys here that?" bulalas ni Cloud na nasa backseat. Napatulala ito, pinupukol ang buong atensyon sa narinig.
Agad na naihinto ni Miller ang sasakyan. Maging sila ay agad nilang pinakinggan nang mabuti ang paligid, ngunit di gaya ni Cloud, wala silang naririnig na kakaiba bukod sa mga kuliglig na nagkalat sa kalaliman ng gabi.
Kunot-noong nilingon ni Miller si Cloud. "What the hell are you—"
"Gunshots!" Namilog ang mga mata ni Cloud. "It's the crowned's signal! Tasha!" Walang ano-ano'y mabilis na bumaba si Cloud sa sasakyan at kumaripas ng takbo, nilukob ng taranta at desperasyon. Mabilis ding bumaba sina Miller at Wolfgang.
Takbo ng takbo si Cloud, pilit hinahanap ang pinanggagalingan ng ingay na narinig. Nakasunod naman sa kanya sina Miller at Wolfgang. Hindi nagtagal, laking gulat nilang tatlo nang makita ang isang truck na nagliliyab.
"Hindi!" Nanlulumong napasigaw si Cloud at tila ba naubusan ng lakas dahil sa nakita, umiiyak siyang nanatili sa kinatatayuan.
"Kleya!" sigaw ni Miller at mas lalo pang binilisan ang pagtakbo patungo sa nagliliyab na truck.
***
UNTI-UNTING idinilat ni Tasha ang kanyang mga mata. Natagpuan niya ang kanyang sarili sa loob ng isang maruming silid, sira-sira ang mga dingding, may maliit na bumbilya sa kisame na nakalutang at gumigewang. Paulit-ulit kinurap ang kanyang mata, masyadong maliwanag ito para sa kanya.
Nakasuot siya ng isang kulay puting damit, may benda sa kanyang braso, at wala na ang flower crown sa ibabaw ng kanyang ulo. Sa sobrang bigat ng kanyang pakiramdam, wala siyang kaalam-alam na wala na siyang suot na flower crown.
Napasinghap siya nang makaramdamang may nakapatong sa kanyang bibig; isang oxygen mask. Pilit niyang iniangat ang mahapding braso para tanggalin ito ngunit may kamay na biglang pumigil sa kanya.
"You've inhaled too much smoke. Don't take that off yet."
She looked to her left and saw Wolfgang sitting on a chair by her side. His hair was unkempt and the bandage on his neck has become red but it was as if it didn't bother him. He was just staring at her intently, his eyes filled with worry and sadness.
Tasha gasped, trying to move her lips, trying to speak under her oxygen mask. "W-where's Kleya?"
Wolfgang's jaw tensed up, a glint of anger crossed his eyes. "Isang araw kang walang malay. Nagkaroon ka ng paso sa braso mo at may mga sugat ka sa pulso dahil sa posas na ikinabit sa'yo. Unahin mo muna ang sarili mo bago mo alalahanin ang iba."
Tasha could only smile at him. She's still too tired to argue with him.
"Where's--" she's too tired to even complete her sentence.
Wolfgang sighed. "Kleya's got some broken bones but Kleya's still Kleya."
A look of relief flashed Tasha's face. Her smile grew wider and sweeter despite of her tired and drowsy eyes. Seeing this, Wolfgang sighed again. "You can't always stay behind for us."
"But this is how I fight... by staying," she said.
Wolfgang shook his head. Clearly bothered by her way of thinking. "Staying will get you killed, Tasha. And if it was Kleya on your position, she would've left you for dead. And you can't die. I don't want you to die."
"Thank you." She's having trouble moving but she was still able to let out a soft chuckle. "But I don't want to leave anyone behind either.
"For what?" he asked.
"F-for not wanting me to die," she said.
Wolfgang sighed again and reached out to the table behind him to get something. He then stood up and bent down lower to level with Tasha's face. And as they were looking at each other's eyes, Wolfgang gently pinned a flower crown to her hair.
"Hindi ako sanay na wala kang suot na ganito," he said, letting out a soft and gentle smile. A smile that he could only give to her.
****
"Quit looking at me like that." Iritadong sambit ni Kleya nang magising at madatnan si Miller na nakatitig sa kanya. Hinang-hina man at nananakit ang buong katawan, hindi parin nagbabago ang kilos at pananalita ng dalaga.
"Bullspit!" Sigaw niya nang dahil sa labis na sakit matapos subukang bumangon mula sa kinahihigaan. Mabilis na lumapit sa kanya si Miller upang alalayan siya pero nagulat na lamang ito nang bigla siya nitong suntukin sa mukha.
"What was that for?!" gulat na sambit ni Miller habang sapo ang mukha.
Napasinghap si Kleya dahil sa sakit ng kanyang kamao at mga siko. Suminghap siyang muli at pilit na umayos ng upo sa kabila ng matinding sakit sa kanyang katawan. "Th-that was for kissing me!" aniya habang napapangiwi at sumisinghap.
"Okay, I deserve that! But could you please stop moving?" giit ni Miller at sinubukan muling lumapit kay Kleya upang alalayan ito.
Hindi na nagmatigas pa si Kleya at hinayaan niyang maalalayan siya ni Millersa pag-upo.
"Where's Tasha? Is she okay?" tanong niya habang sumisinghap.
"Wolfgang's with her," sagot ni Miller kaya tumango na lamang siya. Napaansin ni Kleya ang isang maliit na ngiti sa labi ni Miller kaya naman agad siyang napakunot-noo.
"Why the hell are you smiling?" tanong niya.
"So you're friends with Tasha now?" tila ba nanunukso nitong sambit kaya napairap na lamang si Kleya. Sa isip niya, kung hindi lang siya sugatan, masusuntok niya ulit si Miller.
"Where are we?" tanong na lamang niya.
"The Riverbank; another one of Cosima's secret safehouse," wika ng binata. "Shawn was able to find them and they were able to help us rescue you."
"Si Ruela." Napasinghap si Kleya nang bumalik ito sa kanyang alaala. "That serial killer killed Ruela."
"We weren't able to save her body from the fire," nanlulumong sambit ni Miller.
Napansin ni Kleya ang panlulumo nito kaya iniba na lamang niya ang usapan. "Who's here?"
"Python and the other survivors," tipid na tugon ni Miller.
Biglang naalala ni Kleya si Ruth, ang nakababatang kapatid ni Miller.
"You found her yet?" pag-iiba ng usapan ni Kleya dahilan para unti-unting maglaho ang ngiti sa mukha ng binata.
"Tasha and the others tried to look for Ruth, Aaron, and Eva but they weren't in the hospital anymore," sabi ni Kleya kaya napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Miller at tumango-tango.
"Yan pala yung pinunta ko rito." Naupo si Miller sa paanan ng kama ng dalaga. "Magpapaalam ako, aalis muna ako para hanapin sila. Kailangan kong hanapin si Ruth.
