The Last Quarantine

Season 1: Episode 10

Mataman akong nakikinig kay Kuya Nero. He is now infront us. Like a General ready for a dreadful war, he is spilling words that will be our combat against these unimaginable foes.

"Santhy will be our bait," Kuya Nero is still hesitant for me to play this role, I can really sense that, "he will do everything to distract these infected people."

He put his hand above my shoulder blades then he pat me there, "You will going to maneuver them away from the bus. There," he pointed the direction on the side of the bus, iyong sa gilid ng kabilang kalsada, "you are going to make them drag their feet towards that direction. Para kapag nagkagipitan man, you still have space to flee."

That direction is perfect for me. May malaki iyong pader at may bakal na hagdan ang naka-attach doon para makatawid ako sa kabilang direksyon.

Yeah, I can still flee whatever odds will happen.

"And you," Kuya Nero turn his gaze at Kuya Finn, "You are going to help me. You need to be my look out habang isinasalin ko iyong gasolina sa bus. The place are still packed with zombies, we will never know kapag may infected na palang lalapa sa likod natin."

Tumango si Kuya Finn. His blazing eyes are telling us that he will do his best just for this plan to be a success. Like, no one is going to die tonight.

"Let's start?" Kuya Nero asked.

I nod quickly.

Kinakabahan man, alam kong kaya ko ito. Kailangang makaya ko ito. Because after all, this is for my own good. This for my source of strength. This is not about making a shit out of me, this is about proving and disappointing the pessimist side of my system.

Right at that moment, hinubad ko na ang cat backpack ko at inilapag sa kalsada. I kneel down, nilabas ko si Orion mula doon at niyakap. Kasi alam ko, kahit ano pang positivity ang ipasok ko sa utak ko, may chance pa rin na ito na ang huling beses na mayayakap ko siya. And to be honest, I am still not ready to leave this damn cat alone.

I kiss his forehead, "You'll be fine."

He is running his forehead on my chin. Humuhuni siya habang para bang minamasahe iyong dibdib ko. Tila bang pinipigilan ako sa gustong kong gawin.

Tanginang 'yan, pati ang pusang 'to, hindi rin naniniwala sa kakayahan ko? Gagawin ko talagang siopao 'to kapag talaga ako nakaligtas.

I chuckle, "I will be fine, don't worry. Makakarating tayo kay Dad nang ligtas."

He is scratching me on my arms when I put him back to the cat backpack. Then on the transparent round glass, he is meowing. Para bang nakikiusap siyang 'wag ko siyang iwan. Kinakalmot niya pa iyon. Tila bang gustong makawala para mapigilan ako.

"Kuya Finn," I hand him the cat backpack, he stares at it as if it was an alien, "ikaw na muna ang bahala kay Orion."

"Are you fucking serious?"

I wince, "I am afraid, I am."

Tumaltak siya. Parang hindi pa rin nakaka-move on sa desisyon kong ako na lang ang mag-distract sa mga zombies. Then he averted his gaze at Ate Alexis. "Hey, Alex. How about you? Tutunganga ka lang diyan? Ano?" He let out a mocking breath, "Boss ka?"

Ate Alexis rolled her eyes at him while crossing her arms. "What?"

Kuya Finn pointed his lips at my cat backpack, "Get the motherfucking cat. Para naman may participation ka. Ako ang nahihiya para sa 'yo, eh."

Padabog at iritadong inagaw ni Ate Alexis ang cat backpack mula sa akin. Then she put it on her shoulders, nakaharap sa akin si Orion and his eyes are like pleading me to stop and just stay on the safe side of the moment.

"Okay na ba?" Kuya Nero began again. "Simulan na natin?"

I nod. At sinabayan iyon ni Kuya Finn.

"On my count of three, you'll run near them. You'll distract them and will drag them away from the bus. Kapag umandar na ang bus, it's the cue for you to run for your life." Kuya Nero is gazing me with all of his genuine concern. "Are we clear?"

Tumango ako. "Opo, crystal clear."

"Good." Humugot muli siya ng malalim na buntong hininga bago muling ibinaling ang mga mata doon sa patuloy na dumadaming mga infected. "Sisimulan ko nang magbilang . . ."

I ready myself.

With my jaw starting to tighten, I shove my cell phone off my pocket.

"One . . ."

This is for my own strength. I have to make this a success.

Kaya ko 'to.

Kakayanin ko 'to.

"Two . . ."

Kasabay ng paghinga ko ang pagbilis ng tibok ng puso ko. Kinakabahan man, pinili kong ibaon sa limot lahat ng kinatatakutan ko.

I really have to do this.

I must do this.

"Three!"

That moment, I turned on the flashlight of my cell phone. Then I run towards the zombies while shouting shits like, "I am here, motherfuckers!", "Focus your attention to me, you shitty ass corpses!", and "Puta kayo, mamatay na sana kayong lahat kahit patay na talaga kayo!"

Winagayway ko nang winagayway ang cell phone. Hanggang sa . . . hanggang sa ang karamihan sa kanila ay lumingon sa direksyon ko. Nabali ang leeg nila sa paglingon. Ngayon, nakaharap ang ulo nila sa akin pero iyong likod nila ang nakikita ko.

Kitang-kita ko kung papaanong halos mabiyak ang balat nila sa labi dahil sa pagbuka nila ng kanilang dumudugong mga bibig. Their white eyes are wide as hell. I am really afraid that any moment, some of it will pop out of their skull.

Matapos ay umakto sila na para bang inaabot ako. That's the moment when I started to walk towards the direction where Kuya Nero told me.

Unti-unti, nakuha ko ang atensyon nila. Halos lahat sila ay naglalakad na patungo sa akin. But I kept my distance dangerously near them, because I know kung hindi ko iyon gagawin ay baka bumalik na lang talaga sila doon sa bus.

Patuloy ako sa paglalakad ng nakaharap sa kanila. I am facing my back towards the direction kung saan ako dumidiretso. Wala akong ka-alam alam na maling desisyon pala ang ginawa ko. Na kagaguhan para ang ginagawa ko.

Hindi dapat ako naglakad nang patalikod!

Shit!

My back hits the wall.

With the zombies dangerously close to mine, with only a few inches coming between us, at iyong hagdan na bakal ay ilang metro ang layo sa akin, I was not ready to think of any fast solution at the moment.

Putangina!

Shit!

Wrong move!

Nagpalinga-linga ako. Wala akong malusutan. Wala akong lulusutan!

Papalapit na nang papalit sa akin ang nga zombies.

Hanggang sa matigilan na lang ako.

With my mouth agape, I close my eyes.

And I irritatingly ready myself to the next thing that will happen. My shitty death.

Pero ganoon na lang talaga ang gulat ko nang may biglang humablot ng cell phone ko. When I open my eyes, my cell phone phone is no where to be found. Darkness started to succumb my environment.

"Putangina, pogi! Nagpapakamatay ka ba?!"

Then I widen my eyes to what flashed before my eyes.

It was Tito Theo . . .

He is holding two samurai swords on his hands.

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