“Flashback: Survival Instinct”

Isang malakas na kalabog ang aking narinig at agad akong napatalon sa aking tinutulugang kama. Dalawang palapag ang aming bahay at nasa itaas ako ng bahay natutulog. Nasa ibaba naman si Dad nang nakatulog na ako sa aking kuwarto. Ang pagkakaalam ko ay nandoon siya sa ibaba na nagbabantay at naghahanda sa pagdating ng CRYPTIC.

Pinilit niya sa kanyang sarili na dadating ang kalaban ngayon gabi pero ayaw kong maniwala pero nang marinig ko ang malakas na kalabog ay doon na ako nagkaroon ng masamang kutob. Tumingin ako sa aking alarm clock na nasa kaliwang bahagi ng aking kuwarto. Doon ko napagtanto na hindi pala gabi ngayon. 3:30 ng madaling araw. Inaalimpungatan pa yata ako o sadyang napaniwala ko ang aking sarili na gabi palang dahil wala pang sinag ng araw ang pumapasok mula sa aking bintana.

Agad akong bumaba para tignan ang ginawa ni Dad. Pumunta na ako sa living room ng bahay pero hindi ko nakita si Dad. Tumingin na rin ako sa kusina kung naroon ba siya na nagluluto ng umagahan pero wala akong nakitang kahit bakas niya.

Hindi ko rin siya nakita sa kanyang kuwarto. Hinala ko tuloy ay baka iniwan niya ako rito sa bahay. Kinabahan na ako ng matindi nang isang ideya ang biglang sumiksik sa aking isipan. Hindi kaya ay dinukot siya ng CRYPTIC at hindi alam ng CRYPTIC na nasa pangalawang palapag ako ng bagay?

“Ano ba ang tinutunganga mo diyan? Halika at tulungan mo akong ayusin ito!”

Dahil sa pamilyar niyang boses ay doon ako nakahinga ng maluwag. Masakit pakiramdam ang malakas na pagkabog ng aking dibdib nang maisip ko ang bagay na iyon. Umupo muna ako sa isang sulok para pakalmahin ang aking sarili bago ako lumabas ng bahay.

“What are you doing, It’s  3 in the morning.” pagrereklamo ko sa kanya habang kinukuso ko ang aking mga mata.

“I need you to cut these woods. Last night, there was a strong wind that made this huge branch separated from our neighbors' tree. This branch is blocking our drive way. The forecast weather is always inaccurate. They said that there’s no storm but we experiencing this strong wind right now. Look, the skies are now invaded by dark clouds,” mahinahon  niyang sabi niya sa akin at tinuro ang kalangitan. Nakita ko nga na mayroong paparating na malakas na ulan.

“You need me to cut this thing?”

“Bakit?”

“Why me?” pagdadahilan ko.

“Because you’re  young and stronger than me. I need to fix my things so we can leave now.”

Hindi na niya ako hinintay na magsalita at agad niyang binigay sa akin ang palakol. Nagdabog pa ako ng konti at hindi ko iyon pinaramdam sa kanya dahil kapag napansin niyang nagdadabog ako ay paniguradong sermon ang aabutin ko.

Hinubad ko na ang suot kong sando at sinimulan ang pagpuputol sa malaking kahoy na humaharang sa daan ng aming kotse. Kahit alam ko sa aking sarili na matatagalan akong putulin iyon ay nagpatuloy pa rin ako.

Ilang saglit lang ay mayroong mga boses ang biglang nagsalita. Hindi ko iyon pinansin dahil abala ako sa aking ginagawa. Kahit pilit kong huwag iyong pansinin ay pumapasok pa rin ang mga boses nila sa aking tenga hanggang sa tinigil ko ang aking ginagawa at hinanap ang mga boses.

Isang matandang lalaking kaseng edad ni Dad at kasama niya ang isang babaeng kaseng edad ko. Sigurado akong anak niya ang babae. Umiwas ng tingin ang babae sa akin at ako naman ay inasar ko siya. Tinitigan ko siya ng matagal hanggang napansin ko na ang bawat detalye ng kanyang mukha.

Mayroon siyang mahahaba at magandang pilik-mata. Maganda at maayos ang hugis ng kanyang kilay na lalong bumagay sa kumikinang niyang dagtum na mga mata. Hindi rin nakalagpas sa aking paningin ang mapupula niyang labi. Katamtaman ang hugis ng kanyang mukha. Mala-labanos ang kulay ng kanyang balat at kapag inaayos niya ang kanyang buhok ay lalo siyang gumaganda. Panay kaseng sinisira ng malakas na hangin ang kanyang buhok kaya panay din niya itong inaayos.

“Hi, You are the son of Mr. Liu?”

“Y-Yes…” nauutal kong sagot sa lalaking kaseng edad ni Dad habang hindi ko inaalis ang aking paningin sa kasama niyang babae.

“May I—” Naputol ang kanyang sinasabi nang makita niya ang paglabas ni Dad mula sa bahay. “Mr. Liu! This is my daughter.” pagpapakilala niya sa kanyang anak na babae na hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako tinitignan.

“Mr. Wallmert. Ano ang problema at naparito ka?”  tanong ni Dad hanggang napansin niya ako. “Tobias, put some shirt on! You are in front of a lady and you just stand there exposing your body? Have some respect.” Saway nito sa akin na agad namang ikinahiya. “I’m  sorry about my son, he’s  just like that. Sometimes he just picked up the pizza delivery without shirt.”

“No. No. No. My son also wandering around our home without a shirt and I understand why he look like that and that’s why I’m  here. I’m  here because I owe you an apology about our tree. I’ll  help your son to clear the path of your driveway,” sagot naman ng aming kapit-bahay.

Agad ko namang kinuha ang sando at agad iyong sinuot. Nang maisuot ko na iyon ay hindi na naiilang ang kanyang anak na babae na tumingin sa akin. Natawa nalang ako sa naging reaksyon niya.

“I’m happy to help, Mr. Liu,”  sabi ng aming kapit-bahay. “This is my daughter and she is celebrating her eighteenth birthday tomorrow and she is inviting you and your son personally.”

Tumingin sa akin si Dad at sumenyas ito na tumingin sa anak na babae ng aming kapit-bahay. Nakita ko siya na mayroong binigay na invitation card at hindi ito makatingin sa akin. Agad ko namang kinuha iyon at ngumiti sa kanya.

“Magkaklase raw kayo,” sabi sa akin ng aming matandang lalaki.

Hindi ko alam ang magiging reaksyon ko sa kanyang sinabi dahil hindi ko alam na kaklase ko pala ang kanyang anak. Sinabi rin niya na nandito ang kanyang anak kahapon dahil nagdiwang ako ng aking kaarawan. Bakit nga ba hindi ko nakilala ang kanyang anak kahit magkaklase kami at magkatabi lang ang mga bahay namin? Siguro ay hindi ko madaling matandaan ang mga pangalan nila.

Sinabi ni Dad sa kanya na lilipat kami ng bahay kaya wala na raw oras si Dad na tulungan ako dahil nag-aayos siya sa loob ng bahay ng aming dadalhing gamit sa aming pag-alis. Nang matapos na ang kanilang pag-uusap ay agad na pumasok sa loob si Dad at iniwan na kami ng kanyang anak na babae.

“Okay son. Let’s  see how strong you are,” pagpapatawa ng aming kapit-bahay at tinulungan akong putulin ang nakaharang na malaking kahoy sa aming daan.

Matapos naming maalis ang nakaharang na kahoy ay agad akong nagpasalamat sa aming kapit-bahay. Inulit niyang inanyayahan akong dumalo sa kaarawan ng kanyang anak at ngintian ko nalang siya dahil alam ko sa aking sarili na hindi ako makarating dahil aalis kami ni Dad ngayon. Nang papaalis siya ay doon niya lang sinabi sa akin ang kanyang pangalan. Siya pala si Mr. Agustus Ruskov.

Nang makaalis na siya ay agad akong pumasok sa loob ng aming bahay at laking gulat ko nang hinagis sa akin ni Dad ang malaking bag. Muntik na akong madulas sa kanyang ginawa.

“We need to go now.”

“Already?”

“Yes. We have no time—” putol nitong sabi nang nakarinig kami ng putok ng baril sa loob ng aming pamamahay.
“It’s them?” I asked but my Dad tossed me a black bag and a gun. My eyes got widened after I touched our weapon. My Dad taught me a hand-to-hand combat but he never allowed me to use a gun.

After a moment, a bullet penetrated inside our house. They continued to release their bullets until the wall of our house had a dozens of holes. We couldn't stay here any longer. We needed to get out and to find a safe place. The trouble and disturbances we experienced was my Dad's new twin abecause of his loyalty to the Diasque.

He was willing to die for that Family. Given that we owed our life to the Diasque and Headquarters, we weren't sure that they could protect us from our enemies. My Dad risked his life for his mission. He ate together with his enemies, laughed with his enemies, lived in the same roof of the enemies, and he built a relationship with the enemies.

Dad got a lower rank of the CRYPTIC. He and Mr. Diasque were risking their lives to fulfill their mision. Mr. Diasque had a one step closer to discover the secret main base, he was working as their military forces while my Dad worked there for experimentations. Different department but they were in the same facility.

I tried to trained in Headquarters but I turned it down after two weeks. I was not born to pick up a gun and shoot people straight into their heads. I was born to be a simple lad with a normal life, not the kind of life that we were hiding like we were a prey from our predator enemies.

“Tobias! Lean Back!” sigaw ni Dad sa akin at tinulak niya sa gilid ng pader para hindi matamaan ng bala.

“Don’t  move or I’ll  shoot!” pambawing sigaw ng isang CRYPTIC na nakasuot ng itim na jacket.

Nasa gilid namin siya at handa ang kanyang mga daliri na kalabitin ang baril para kami ay patayin. Agad na gumalaw si Dad sa kanyang pagkakasandal sa pader. Aagd niyang inagaw ang baril sa CRYPTIC at agad iyong pinutok sa bungo ng kalaban.

One CRYPTIC abruptly showed up like a mushroom and he pointed us with his gun. It was trying to intimidate us, but then my Dad grabbed the family’s  saber hanging on the wall.

The saber was family’s treasure and it played a big part to our family tree. The saber witnessed the growing family of Liu. It was our family’s  weapon during the Holocaust. It was very valuable for us because besides from being our weapon, the handle of the saber was made of purely gold.

Dad slashed the enemy with a strong strike. Leaving the guy sliced in half, fell neatly into two pieces, and his blood flowing from his chopped body, stained our immaculate tiles.

The Holocaust that I was mentioned was happened 50 years ago. The exact details about what happened during that horrid event was buried down the grave when my great grandfather died. Even Dad hadn't got a chance to know the full story because no one from this City knew the story about the Holocaust. We had no idea what happened. Just the word Holocaust.

The people who fought in those times were the only ones who knew what really happened. They knew why did this Wall built. They knew what was the cause of the past. Their memories died alongside when they died fighting for what was right.

Our enemies premeditated the attack, they cornered us inside our house. The eyes of CRYPTIC soldiers were wearing a rages look, eager to kill us, eager to rip us.

They outnumbered us but my Dad was trained to be a great assassin. He was genius but he had a skill to kill. That was what CRYPTIC was lacking about Dad. They knew him as a sheepishly Scientist that was easy to hunt down, but they didn’t  know that the man can kill them all.

Dad slipped the gun from the CRYPTIC’s hand. Pointing it in the face of our enemy and a loud noise released from the gun. We couldn’t recognize the guy’s face because it was obnoxiously destroyed.

When Dad cleared the hallway, we ran towards to the door. We would leave no matter what. Their associates were continuously firing their weapons. Dad had no sign of slowing down, kicking the door strongly, breaking the neck of CRYPTIC’s, firing off five shots to our enemies, killing them with each pair of bullets.

He handed me the saber because he needed to drive us out of this mess. When a group of CRYPTIC trying to block our way, with no hesitation, Dad ran them over. He was enjoying the sound of agony from our enemies.

The enemies suffered a massive amount of blood that were leaking from their eyes and nose. Most of them were dead.

The enemies walked slowly in backward to deal their pain, staggering and trying to control his balance.  One CRYPTIC slowly fell on the ground, whimpering trying to ease his pain.

My Dad had no mercy because he decided to run the car over his body and I heard the squishy sound of his flesh ripping apart and a crushing sound of his skulls from the intense pressure.

“Where are we going next?” I asked.

“I don’t  know. A far from CRYPTIC. A far from—” He cut off his words when he kicked the brake of our car. We saw a girl crying and she was covered by blood. I couldn't recognize her because of the red stained her face. After a moment, I remembered her. She was the daughter of Mr. Ruskov, Wallmert Ruskov.

A young boy suddenly appeared and he was also stained by blood. He was holding a knives and he pointed his weapon towards us.

“Don’t hurt my big sister or else, I will cut your throats,” the young boy warned us.

Thank you for reading :)