“Now what?” I asked.

Ang basag na bumungo ni Ms. Esguerra ay nakaharang sa nag-iisang daan palabas sa rooftop. Even Ms. Esguerra’s blood was scattered around, and what’s worse? Her fucking eyeball was entangled to the doorknob.

Eww. Kaderder.

“Do you have your rubber shoes with you?” Parker asked. I nodded, and I stared at him with disbelief when he suddenly removes his goddamn shirt.

Enebe pereng tenge.

Well, hindi ko s’ya masisisi. His uniform was covered with Ms. Esguerra’s blood— masama pa rin siguro ang loob n’ya dahil kinailangan niyang patayin ‘yung crush niyang hindi siya na-crush back.

“Stop staring at me. And fucking change your shoes,” He beamed at me. Sinamaan ko siya nang tingin sabay duro sa kanya. Feeling n’ya ba yummy yung abs niya?

“Hey, stupid, hindi bagay ang rubber shoes sa suot kong unifo—”

“At ang fashion sense mo pa talaga ang inisip mo ngayon?” He asked. He has a point. I’m not too fond of it when people dictate to me what to do. Nakanguso kong binuksan ang bag ko, “Susunod din pala, ang dami pang arte,” he whispered.

“Tsk,” Kinuha ko ang rubber shoes ko sa bag saka iyon sinuot. This prestigious school has a cute uniform that consists of a blouse top, tie, and pleated skirt. It is cute, but it is not a comfortable attire during an apocalypse, “Hey, stupid! Let’s go to the mall!” I said.

Nagulat ako nang bigla niyang kinatok ang ulo ko, at umakto pa s’ya na parang nagulat. “Did Ms. Esguerra fucking ate your brain? Or you don’t have one, to begin with?”

Tangina nito ni Parker. Napakabastos ng bibig.

I raised my middle finger at him saka ko inalis ang mga pabigat na notebook at libro sa bag ko. Patay na ‘yung magtuturo. Bakit ko pa itatago? “Stupid, hindi tayo mabubuhay kung ‘yang baseball bat mo lang ang dala natin,” I said.

Right. There are many hardware stores in the mall. Even pieces of equipment used for huntings are sold in the mall. Hindi na rin naman namin kailangan lisensya sa pagkuha ng baril because the store owner or cashier is probably a man-eating beast na.

I looked at him from head to toe. He was also wearing rubber shoes like me, and his hands were covered with a thin cloth. I was busy staring at him when he suddenly went to my front and snatched both of my hands. And from his pocket, he pulled a thick pair of black gloves, and he gently put it on me.

“Shet. Kinikilig ako,” I joked. I even acted na para akong nahihiya at nagtakip-takip pa ng mukha para lamang surahin siya.

He suddenly smirked and turned his back, “Don’t fall for me. Baka hindi kita ma-crush back,” he countered. Parehas kaming natawa sa biro niya, but our laughter immediately faded when we face the door.

Ang realidad na tinatakasan namin sa simpleng biruan ay kailangan na naming harapin.

I gulped as Parker carefully removes Ms. Esguerra’s eyeball from the doorknob. Kanina ay sumilip kami sa ibaba kahit sobrang nakakalula rito sa taas. Tahimik namin na pinapanood ang ibang mga estudyante na takot na takot sa mga humahabol sa kanila. Most of the infected ones were the faculty members, but once they bit the students, they were immediately turning into a beast like the others.

The students were beginning to get rotten after thirty seconds. I don’t know if the virus has some kind of mechanism.

But all we know right now is they are drawn to noises— a single noise will kill us.

“Moron…” I called. He was carefully opening the door, when he looked at me as if he was asking what I wanted to say. “Don’t let the Bozos eat me ha,” I whispered. I wanted to avoid his gaze ngunit ngumiwi siya at binibigyan ako ng mapanghusgang tingin.

“Bozos?” He asked. I nodded and pointed Ms. Esguerra using my pouty lips as I drifted my eyes turquoise sky, “This stupid cheerleader actually gave a fancy name for zombies,” he said with disbelief.

Napabusangot na lamang ako habang kinukuha ko ang gamit namin. I put my backpack on and handed him his bag. Dahan-dahan kaming umalis sa rooftop, at bawat hakbang namin pababa ay iniiwasan namin na gumawa ng ano mang ingay. We halted when we reached the last step of the stairs; he gestured me to wait when we walked to the hallway while inspecting the surroundings.

Nang muli siyang sumenyas ay sumunod na ako sa pwesto n’ya.

Hindi ko maiwasan ang kabahan dahil kahit saan kami lumingon ay walang magiging ligtas na daanan. Oras na makuha namin ang atensyon ng isang Bozo ay sunod-sunod nang darating mga tulad nito dahil sa magagawa naming ingay.

“Where are you going?” I whispered.

“Admin,”

“Why?”

“Keys,” He answered. The Admin Office is just right at the corner, so it is not that far. Ilang hakbang lang naman ang lalakarin namin para makapunta ro’n.

I quizzically looked at him when he suddenly handed me the baseball bat. Bigla akong napaatras nang nilapit n’ya ang mukha niya sa akin. Hinawakan n’ya ang likuran ng ulo ko upang hindi ako makagalaw, “Wait here, if I don’t come back for five minutes. Fucking save your ass,”

“You’re coming back,” I stated. He suddenly poked my forehead before leaving me.

Sumandal ako sa pader upang hindi ako makita ng mga Bozos. I let out a sigh, and close my eyes.

If Parker and I wanted to stay alive, we must go to the other side of the wall. But it will not be that easy, especially that we should cross the other ten cities before we reach Alpheus City.

The wall dividing Luzon and Visayas has no doors to escape with. But beneath Alpheus City, an underground tunnel was built to provide the two islands’ connection.

Faint screams and screeches filled the surroundings. Even the soft growls are coming from all directions. Kung hindi siguro gumana ang pagiging chismosa ko, isa na rin siguro ako sa tumatakbo o humahabol sa mga nabubuhay pa.

It’s funny how I wanted to see other students who actually hated me now. I wanted to see them in their flesh, not with their flesh and limbs falling apart.

But I can’t also neglect the reality that Parker is the only one I can lean on right now. He saved my ass earlier, though I was the first one who smashed Ms. Esguerra’s head.

Naramdaman ko ang mabibigat na yabag sa paligid. At nang saglit na nawala ito ay may mabibigat na hininga akong naramdaman sa ‘king noo dahilan upanv mapangisi ako.

Just like I thought, he is coming back.

I slowly opened my eyes with a smirk plastered on my face. But it immediately faded when I met a Bozo face-to-face.

And my initial reaction? I fucking smash its head.

My body automatically moves on its own. My adrenaline rush through my body as if it moded to the attack-defense mechanism.

Fucking bozos.

The Bozo slammed to the ground— double dead. Kinuyom ko ang palad ko dahil sa isang alaala sa nakaraan. I fucking hate this feeling. I tightened my grip on the bat when I felt someone walking behind my back.

I was about to swing the bat when it was immediately stopped. Napabuga na lamang ako ng hangin nang makita si Parker lamang pala iyon.

“That’s a fucking home run,” He whispered. Nagpapalit-palit pa siya nang tingin sa akin saka sa Bozo na iyon na tila hindi siya makapaniwala na ako ang gumawa no’n.

“Did you get it?” I asked.

He showed me a lot of keys. Binigay ko sa kanya ang baseball bat at kinuha niya iyon kasabay rin sa pagkuha sa kamay ko.

“Stay close,” He softly whispered.

I stared at him. Hindi ko pa rin talaga marehistro sa utak ko na ganito kami. Magkaiba ang ugali namin— I was considered as the stupid bitch, while he was the calm and serious type. And now, napapaisip na lamang ako na weird combination kaming dalawa.

“Do you trust me?” He asked.

“Do I have a choice?”

He glared at me as we entered an empty room. Parehas naming sinara ang dalawang pinto upang maiwas kami sa kahit anong gulo. Nang buksan niya ang bintana ay naguguluhan akong tumingin sa kanya.

“Wh—what are you pla—planning?” I asked while stuttering.

“Bago ako bumalik ay sumilip ako sa hagdan. They are all over the first floor. We don’t have a choice,”

“What if ma-sprain tayo? What if—”

“Calm down. Ako ang mauuna, sasambutin kita,” He assured. Paano kung hindi n’ya ako masalo?

Bago pa man ako makapagsalita muli ay tumalon na siya. Hindi iyon gumawa ng malakas na ingay dahil sa matataas na damo na hindi pa napuputol.

I was about to jump when I saw him staring at me. I covered my skirt and glared at him.

HE’S A PEEPING TOM!

I heard a noise behind my back, and I looked behind. I saw someone slowly rising behind the teacher’s table— fucking hell! The Bozo slowly roamed his sight around, and I can’t fucking feel body right now.

And when our eyes met, the Bozo began to slam his hands on the desk. And I think, if his face isn’t sliced in half, he must be wearing a wicked smile.

Mas lalo akong naalerto nang dumami ang yabag mula sa labas. The Bozo was attracting the others, and then he began to run in my direction.

“Shit! Jump!” Tila napabalik ako sa realidad at kusa na lamang humakbang ang mga paa ko patalon.

I was internally screaming as I fall. And when I felt Parker’s arms ay medyo gumaan ang pakiramdam ko. Ngunit mabilis kaming tumakbo paalis dahil tumalon din ang mga Bozos upang habulin kami.

Gusto kong sampalin ang sarili ko dahil sa kagagahan ko dahil hindi ako agad ako tumalon. Though, we really thought it was an empty room— that fucking Bozo was not like the others; it was using its brain.

Nang makarating kami sa parking lot ay agad na tumakbo kami papunta sa isang bus. Good thing that it immediately opened when Parker swiped his I.D. and was closed after we entered.

Ngunit ang hindi maganda ay pagkalampag ng bus dahil sa mga Bozos na nakasunod sa amin. They are growling, and it is sickening.

Parker pulled me, and we hid under the seats. We were both panting from the exhaustion of the sudden marathon.

“Fucking apocalypse,” he cursed.

Gusto kong maiyak dahil ilang saglit na lamang ay masisira na ang mga salamin at tatagilid na ang bus dahil dami nang tumutulak at nagpupulit na Bozos na makapasok dito.

A thunderous thud occurred, which made the Bozos attention drifted away from us—tila ay malaking building ang bumagsak sa kalupaan.

Malalakas na yabag paalis ang sumakop sa aming tainga at ilang saglit pa ang aming hinintay bago tumayo sa aming pwesto upang inspeksyonin ang labas.

“We can’t use the bus,” I stated.

We both know that this thing is loud as hell, baka bago pa kami makarating sa mall ay patay na kami.

His eyes were fix to specify the direction, and when I looked at it, I can’t help but smile wryly.

Fucking brilliant idea.

Agad namin pinuntahan ang direksyon ng bagay na tinitingnan ni Parker. And now, I am hoping that we could reach the mall before we die.

And right now, we are on our way to the mall while using…

A fucking bicycle.

#