Lullaby

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prologue
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Synver

I could feel my legs shake, ramdam ko na yung hapdi at sakit na natamo kong sugat.

Bago pa ako tuluyan mawalan ng malay I launch a strong back kick into my opponent's midsection, propelling him through the trash and onto the concrete floor. Hindi ko inakala that I still have the strength to use so much force in this. I gave him one last look before he flopped onto the ground with a wet, fleshy thud.

A sudden sting felt from my right leg. "Tama na" bulong ko habang binibigyan ko ng presyon yung sugat ko upang hindi ito mas dumugo. I don't want to die as a result of blood loss. Napasandal ako dahil lumalabo na yung paningin ko at habol ko pa rin yung pag hinga.

Years had past walang nangyari pero bakit ngayon pa? Kung kailan may pinoprotektahan ako? Napatawa ako ng mahina dahil naiisip ko na hindi ba sapat yung paghihirap na pinagdaanan ko na kung kailan malapit na akong mabuo doon pa siya nag pakita.

If it's all about me, ako nalang dapat.

Bakit pati sila?

"Synver? Glad to know you're ok" that hit me, napatingin ako kung saan nang galing ang salita. Then saw, Steilah laying her back on the cold road almost lifeless.

Napatingala ako dahil sa naramdaman kong sakit habang pinipilit ang sarili ko na makatayo upang puntahan si Steilah. She's suffering and it's because of me. Despite doing my best nasaktan pa din siya at nahiwalay sila Leigh at Leirand. I can't afford losing more of my friends.

"It would be ok. You're safe here with me" I kissed her on the forehead and positioned her head properly on my chest.

"I'm sorry" sabi niya sa akin, ngumiti lang ako sa kanya and shake my head. "It's ok, just take a rest but don't leave us, please." nakatitig lang si Steilah sa akin with a smile on her face as she slowly drifted away.

Kilala ko si Steilah, that's why I'm doing my best to do the first aid, while the coast is clear.

I hope she's safe.

Leigh

"Let's make it out of here alive." paulit-ulit kong sabi sa sarili ko. Ayaw ko maging pabigat sa kanila. I've been a pain for the past few years, and now is the time na ako naman yung nandito para sa kanila.

We never stop running when we hear the song again, it's been up for almost two hours. Aside from the song, loud crashes, banging and shots are the only things I can hear. Whoever did this must be crazy. They're crazy.

"Ah" napapikit ako habang kinukusot yung mata ko. Napatigil ako sa pag takbo dahil sa biglang pag hila ni Leirand sa akin.

Napahawak ako sa leeg ko and coughed my life out. "Hinay - hinay naman Leirand, ikaw pa ata makakapatay sa akin" still coughing from the sudden force, inayos ko yung damit ko at napatingin sa paligid.

"Ang bilis mo tumakbo. Nagpaiwan si Synver, alam mo malaking natamo ni Steilah. Balikan natin sila. Kahit saan man tayo hindi parin tayo ligtas hangga't nasa loob pa rin tayo ng unibersidad" tumakbo kami pabalik sa eskinita bago lumiko papunta sa San Eiros Building ngunit napatigil kami nung nawala yung kanta.

Napatitig kami sa speaker na nakasabit nung poste. Tila ba may hinihintay kaming mangyari. This is so off. Mas lumakas yung kaba na nararamdaman ko.

"Leirand tara na. We can't afford to lose our friends, all of us are in danger" hinila ko siya sa service road para mas madali kaming makabalik kung saan namin naiwan sila Synver.

"Stay focus, maging alerto na rin. The silence is more terrifying. Hindi pa to tapos" napalunok ako dahil sa sinabi ni Leirand. I agree. As the music stops playing from the speaker everything went peace. Akala mo na tapos na kaso malakas yung kutob ko na hindi.

We started to run pero nakita namin sila Synver sa ilalim ng willow tree palapit sa intersection nung San Eiros at Krakel Museum. "Synver" mahina kong tawag.

Nakatitig lang ako kay Synver na tahimik tinitignan si Steilah. Thank God they're safe. Ngumiti ako sa kanya ng makita ko itong nakatingin na ito sa amin.

"Help me with Steilah please" agad naman tinulungan ni Leirand si Synver. Maingat nilang inihiga si Steilah sa damohan. Pareho silang halos nakabalot ng mga tagping tagpi na damit.

Tahimik lang kami at alam kong parehas kami ng iniisip ngayon. Kung bakit nangyayari ang lahat ng ito? Bakit may nangyaring patayan? And what makes it more difficult ay wala kaming nakikitang rason kung bakit nangyayari ito. Even the administration are unavailable, sila nalang yung pag-asa namin. Wengienfield University is out of the government's reach.

"Naabutan ba kayo?" napalingon ako kina Leirand dahil kahit ako nagulat.

Synver touched his wounds and nodded. "Didn't expect na pati yung pinagkakatiwalaan na tutulong sa atin, isa pala sa taohan."

"I didn't kill him, nawalan lang siya ng malay and took that opportunity to run. I got us items so that we could defend ourselves. Alam ko naman na babalik kayo. I know where safe if we're together" dagdag ni Synver.

It dawn on me na hindi pala siya yung may gawa nito lahat. He's just one of the people. I'm sure of that. He better not leave any clue because if he did, then it's the end of him. Hindi namin siya titigilan hangga't hindi siya mismo makakaranas sa mga pinag gagawa niya.

"Paano na sila Rovier?" mahina kong tanong. I bit my lips to stop myself from crying again.

Napatingin ako sa kamay ko ng hawakan iyon ni Synver. Nakita kong ngumiti si Synver to assure me na it would be ok. Bakas din sa mukha niya yung pagod. He had those sleepless nights dahil lagi siyang binabangungot. His experiences from childhood keeps haunting him and this happen. He would blame himself from this. From trusting that guy.

"Round we go, the world is spinning

When it stops it's just the beginning

And sun comes up we laugh and cry

When the sun goes down we all die"

Mabilis kaming napahawak dahil sa narinig na naman namin yung kanta. Then we heard a loud gunshots and saw a smoke arising to the sky.

"San Labrika Building?"

The location where we lost the half of us.

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