P I E R C E

"Noong minsan, nakatapak ako ng tae sa daan pero dahil masipag akong estudyante, pumasok pa rin ako kahit may bahid pa ng tae ang ilalim ng sapatos ko!"

"I don't know if that's supposed to make me laugh or feel grossed, Alixe."

Thirty minutes...

It's been thirty minutes since Belinda entered the room where she sprayed Aloha's perfume. Thirty minutes since she took that bottle from me and put her life at stake. Napabuga ako ng hangin at napasapo sa sariling noo. So far, nothing unusual is happening to her. She went inside the room with a phone as per Alixe's suggestion at ngayon ay magka-video call silang dalawa. Nasa sala si Alixe habang kami naman ay nakahiwalay sa kaniya. Belinda seemed hate the idea of people being so concerned about her kaya ayaw niyang maraming tao sa background habang kausap niya si Alixe.

But there's no way we would not feel worried.

"Amihan," Amihan went to the fridge next to me to get a glass of water. Kanina pa rin siyang walang imik.

"She'll be fine." I said in an attempt to make her feel better, but I know na walang talab iyon. Matapos uminom ay ibinaba niya ang baso saka huminga ng malalim. She placed her palm against the counter table where I'm leaning and bowed her head.

"What if I was wrong?" she asked, bakas sa tono ng boses niya ang pinaghalong kaba at takot.

"We have few minutes left and so far, Belinda's not showing any sign of turning into a Dripper. This could be a good sign for us." She sighed again then looked at me.

"Are you not going to ask me anything?" I looked at her. Alam ko na kung anong ibig niyang sabihin. She's probably referring to me witnessing her hallucination earlier.

"I won't ask. But... I'm willing to listen."

Five seconds.

"Amihan," Arc suddenly came.

It's always five seconds before our eyes let go of each other. It's like a different five second rule between us.

"Are you feeling better?" tanong ni Arc at tumango anman si Amihan. She flashed a quick smile na halata mong pilit.

"Puntahan ko lang si Alixe," she then excused herself and left the two of us in the kitchen.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing." Arc said while getting the glass of water beside me where Amihan drank. I just rolled my eyes and scoffed in disbelief.

"Whatever I am doing should be out of your business, Arc. Amihan is no longer your girlfriend, baka nakakalimutan mo." Agad niyang ibinaba ang basong hawak niya saka ako kinuwelyuhan. Hindi ko siya ginantihan sa pagkwelyo niyang iyon pero ginantihan ko ang nanlilisik niyang mata.

"Stop acting like I am the only reason why Amihan's hurting. Does she know? Alam niya ba talaga ang rason kung bakit galit na galit sa kaniya si Keva? Should I tell her?"

Ngayon ay ako naman ang humawak ng kwelyo niya. 

"Shut up." He smirked.

"Amihan already has too much on her plate, huwag mo nang dagdagan." He just gave me a sarcastic look na lalong nagpainit ng dugo ko sa kaniya. But before the tension between us could go any further ay nakarinig kami ng komosyon mula sa sala na agad naming pinuntahan matapos bitawan ang kwelyo ng isa't-isa.

"Belinda!" Alixe ran towards Belinda who just came out of the room looking completely normal.

"Are you okay?" tanong agad ni Amihan matapos yakapin ng mahigpit si Belinda. Belinda just nodded and showed us the perfume, halos wala na itong laman.

"Confirmed, it's not this." She announced.

Lahat kami ay nakahinga ng maluwag. I looked at Amihan and she also looked at me, now with a relieved and genuine smile.

A M I H A N

"Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday, happy birthday, happy birthday to you~!"

BELINDA BLEW on the lighted candle on top of her strawberry cake. Masaya kaming pumalakpak bilang pagdiriwang sa kaarawan ni Belinda. We all gave her the gift we prepared for her, perhaps she knew about it already but we still made an effort to wrap it as surprise.

"Ano pala wish mo?" Biglang tanong ni Alixe. Tahimik kasing nag wish si Belinda kanina kaya hindi namin ito alam. Belinda looked at us with her sad but hopeful eyes.

"I just wish everything will be back to normal. I wish we survive this misery complete. All six of us." She curved a smile while we, or should I say, Keva and Alixe shed some tears.

One months. One month had passed already, and everything just got darker and deadlier. We survive everyday just so we could live again tomorrow.

Isang buwan na ang nakakalipas at walang naging improvement sa mundong ginagalawan namin. Hindi na namin alam kung marami pa bang kagaya namin na lumalaban o lahat ay naging kalaban na. The last thing we heard from the news was that the government was doing their best to reach the affected areas and save who's left alive. Buhay pa naman kami pero wala kaming natanggap na tulong.

But this time, it's different. We are all hopeless hoping to survive. Alam kong magulo pero ganoon na nga. It's like running without knowing what's on the finish line. Is it a finish line welcomed by cheers and confetti? Or a finish line that will finish us all?

One month had passed and we already grew in the situation. It's no longer surprising to see a rotting undead walking on the street. Parang mas nagugulat pa kami kapag nakakakita ng tao.

After what happened to Alixe and I, we never trusted anyone again aside from ourselves. We have learned a lot in a span of one month. We even learned how to steal from grocery stores and other shops. Natatawa na nga lang ako sa tuwing magso-sorry si Alixe kada magnanakaw kami.

Alixe improved. He's still a scaredy cat who would hide behind me and the others. But he won't go home from a bloody trip without shooting an enemy.

Belinda has always been the Big Sister in our group, especially now that she turned 20. She cooks for us, cleans the house, do the dishes with me and more normal things a Big Sister would doㅡ have I mentioned we lost track of how many Drippers she has killed already? Simula pa lang ay napaka tapang niya na. I still remember how she insisted to expose herself to the perfume a month ago. I'm so glad she's still with us.

Pierce remained as the leader. Laging nangunguna sa mga lakad. Laging nasa harap sa bawat pag-sugod. He's a Tsundere. I have noticed that since before. Sa kabila ng malulutong niyang mura ay ang taong laging nag-aalala at tumutulong sa amin.

Keva. Keva haven't killed a zombie but she's skilled in stealing. Hindi siya basta kumukuha ng pampabigat sa gamit namin. She even checks expiration dates and all. She also helps Belinda in cooking.

Arc. Arc is still the same. I don't even know how to explain it but he's still the brave Arc I know and loved. Pero sa loob ng isang buwan, I managed to keep my distance from him and Keva. Iwas gulo. I cleared everything to him. Ayoko na ng gulo. Ayoko nang sumabay sa init ng ulo ni Keva dahil obviously, walang patutunguhan ang away naming dalawa.

I looked at the notebook I am writing on and ticked off the last box on it. Nagche-check kasi ako ng supplies namin if we still have enough left for this week. The food supplies might last for just two days now. We have to go out again.

Going out is not that scary for us anymore. Although there's that worry hindi na siyang kasing lala ng dati. Besides, we have learnt so much from the past weeks. Aside from learning that the perfume did not cause all of this, we've also learned that it rather attracts the Drippers to come to you.

Some of the other things we learned and realized:

1. A Dripper's bite does not turn you into a Dripper, but it could kill you.

2. Drippers are attracted to the scent of Aloha's perfume. They go on spiral because of it. Something with its chemistry, possibly.

3. Drippers are consisted of slow walkers, crawlers, and runners. The second one being the hardest to escape because they do not only crawl on grounds, but they also crawl on walls and ceilings regardless of its height.

4. They are sensitive to sounds, it's second to Aloha's perfume that can draw them to you.

5. They have fixation. Just like how Sun was supposed to get supplies before he turned to a Dripper, it was he fixation when he became one. The good thing about knowing this is sometimes, when they get what they wanted, they stop. They will stop following you as long as they are satisfied with getting what they wanted. The thing is, it's hard to know a Dripper's fixation unless you know them personally.

6. Telecommunication has been cut off. No signals anywhere, no news to watch, no calls and messages to make. Only radio transceiver works like a walkie-talkie and we're lucky enough to have gotten one each but it's so risky to use because of the sound it makes when transmitting messages.

And the list goes on to not more than 10 things we have learned so far. The thing is, we still don't know what caused it nor the cure to it.

"September 19..." I read on the mini calendar I drew on my notebook.

Limang araw...

Hinila ko ang unang drawer sa tabi ko at kinuha mula roon ang maliit na box na kulay puti. I opened it and there I saw the ring I used to wear before Arc and I broke up

Engagement ring... Arc and I were engaged.

I know we're still young to get married. But that's his father's last wish before he dies. We didn't oppose it dahil nang mga panahong iyon ay sigurado kami sa isa't-isa. My Mom did not oppose it either dahil may tuwala siya kay Vanth. He can support me in my study and dreams and we are both motivated in everything we do.

It's sad that things turned out this way. Nakakainis na nakakatawa lang isipin na hindi sapat ang singsing para manatili kaming iisa.

But now, we are not even sure if his dad is still alive or what... Like what I said before, his dad is hospitalized, and he didn't even know Arc and I broke up.

"Amihan?" I heard a knock on the door kaya mabilis kong itinago ang singsing pabalik sa lagayan nito at binuksan ang pinto.

"Bakit, Belinda?"

"Keva is not feeling well. Arc and she was supposed to go out to get supplies pero mukhang hindi siya makakalabas." Tumango-tango ako saka kinuha ang jacket ko.

"I'll go."

"Are you sure? I mean, I can go. Pierce also volunteered to go. Alixe, he's already sleeping."

Umiling-iling naman ako saka pinatong ang kamay ko sa magkabilang balikat niya.

"You rest, birthday mo pa naman. time out muna sa mga germs, okay? It's not really a good idea to pair up Pierce and Arc, baka sila ang maglaban imbis na Drippers ang kalabanin nila. Besides, it's Pierce and your turn last time, ang usapan, pair-pair lang." Napatango na lang si Belinda sa haba ng sinabi ko.

"Tara na," sambit ko matapos kuhanin ang raketa ko. It has always been my weapon. Mas upgraded lang sa dami ng paki at matutulis na bagay na nakalagay rito. Arc on the other hand both has his crossbow and a gun as his spare weapon.

"We're not kids, I can go with him." Pagpigil ni Pierce noong paalis na kami.

"Hindi rin ako bata, Pierce. Nahihinaan ka ba sa akin?" I raised my eyebrow at him at napabuga na lang siya ng hangin.

"Comeback safe." I just nodded and strode outside the door. Nauna na ako sa sasakyan at sumunod naman si Arc na siyang magmamaneho. It's our first time pairing up for this.

"Pierce was right. Hindi na kami bata, we could go together."

"Nakaupo na ako, Arc, wala na akong energy para bumalik pa sa loob. I would appreciate it if you just start driving." Saglit siyang tumahimik at wala na ring nagawa kung hindi paandarin ang sasakyan. Hapon na kaya siguradong aabutin kami ng gabi sa daan.

It's going to be a long night.

To be continued...