Title: Zombie Heart
one-shot (Sci-fi)

Karga ko sa isa kong braso ang dalawang taon kong anak na babae. Habang sa kabila naman ay hinihila ko ang anak kong lalaki. Walang kahit ni isang tao kang makikita sa daan. The whole place's almost deserted.  Napakatahimik ng paligid pero alam kong nasa paligid lang sila. We have to hide bago kami maabotan noong humahabol sa amin.

May namataan akong basement ng isang malaking bahay. Hinila ko si Ken at pumasok kami sa basement upang magtago. I put my daughter down and let Ken hold her. Catching my breath, I closed the entrance of the basement.

Pabagsak akong napaupo sa sahig dahil sa pagod. Binalingan ko ang anak kong babae na walang kaalam-alam sa mga nangyari. I caress her face and she smiled at me innocently. Inangat pa niya ang kanyang dalawang braso upang magpayakap.

“Mama, hug!” Stephanie squealed.

Ngumiti ako at niyakap siya ng mahigpit. Hinalikan ko ang tutok ng kanyang ulo habang pinipigilan ang luhang pilit na kumakawala.

Lumapit sa akin si Ken. Tears streaming down his face. I know he's confused with what's happening right now.

“M-Mommy... W-We have to get back. He-”

“No,” I answered sternly without even letting him complete his sentence.

Dejected, he sat down beside his sister and let out a cry. Huminga ako ng malalim saka inabot ang radio at sinubukan itong paganahin.

I don't know what happened basta pagkagising namin kinaumagahan ay ito na. My mom, dad, and our neighbors, they turned into a flesh eating monsters. The city's a mess. Nakita ko kung paano dinakma ni daddy ang kasambahay namin at hindi man lang ito nakalaban and the next minute she also turned into one of them.The horrifying scene kept on playing in my mind.

“Mommy, the radio,” tawag sa akin ni Ken.

Hindi ko ito napansin dahil hindi ko namalayan, nakatulala na pala ako. Mas nilakasan ko ang volume ng radyo dahil hindi ito malinaw at putol-putol pa.

‘— zombie virus— hide in a safe place— survivors. Damage their brai— that's the— way— to kill them. Stabbing or hurting them— not enough. There— shelter in every city—’

Pagkatapos ay bigla itong namatay pero tama lang ang aking narinig upang makakalap ng impormasyon. Kinuha ko ang baril na naisilid ko sa bag kanina. Tiningnan ko ang magasin kung mayroon pa ba itong bala. Apat na bala na lang ang natira and I have to use it wisely. Hindi ako maaaring mag-aksaya ng bala. Dalawang bata ang kailangan kong protektahan. I would willingly risk my life for their safety.

Kumabog ang aking dibdib nang makarinig ng kalampag. It's not coming from the entrance but somewhere inside. Mahigpit na hinawakan ko ang baril saka tumayo ako at inikot ang aking paningin sa buong paligid.

Napansin ko na mayroon pa lang pinto sa loob ng basement. Probably it's the way inside the house. I pulled my kids behind me, shelding them from the creature trying its way inside. My heartbeat's beating wildly as I pulled the gun's trigger and pointed it towards the door.

After a few seconds, it finally destroyed the door. The creature that they called Zombie, stood across the room. It looked at us with hungry eyes, ready to devour us. But for a second, I saw pain and love in its eyes. I know... I know... I was about to put the gun down when I noticed Stephanie running towards it excitedly. Bumalik na naman sa pagiging gutom ang mga mata nito at handa nang lapain ang si Stephanie pero alam kong sa kaloob-looban ay pilit nitong pinipigilan ang sarili.

Muli kong inangat ang aking baril at pinikit ang aking mga mata. I have to make a choice. It either I'll kill the zombie or I'll let it kill my children. Bago pa man tuluyang makalapit ang anak ko rito ay pinutok ko na ang baril.

Dinilat ko ang aking mata at tiningnan kung tumama ba ang bala sa ulo nito. It was there lifeless, lying on the floor and pooling around its body.

“No!” Ken wailed.

He ran towards the corpse and with a shaky hands, he touched its face.

“Papa sleeping?”– Stephanie looked questioningly at her brother. She nugded the lifeless body trying to wake it– “En-en, help. Papa gising.”

Umiiyak na umiling si Ken sa kapatid nito at humihikbing sumagot, “We can't, Stephy. I am sorry,” –puno ng galit ang mga matang tumingin siya sa akin– “Why did you kill him?! Why did you kill daddy? How could you mommy?!”

Nanghihinang napaupo ako sa sahig. Nabitawan ko ang baril dahil sa panginginig ng aking mga kamay.

“P-Patawad mahal. Patawad asawa ko.”

I tried to swallow my sobs but I can't. Pain was taking over my whole body. I killed my husband. I killed him with my own hands.