In the midst of darkness, we found our demise. We successfully closed the gate, yet it cost the life of a friend. I roamed my sight around, and it feels like we are trapped in the maze of endless nothingness. With our empty minds and hearts, our bodies failed to respond properly.

The cold whisper of the wind and the deafening sound of dripping blood echoed. All of a sudden, the street lamps glinted, lighting the path old the way to LIVE Corporation. I felt the sudden urge of mockery, that whatever was in that tower—it was mocking us by devouring Kelly in our presence.

“Let’s… Let’s do the mourning later,” Tyler said with a low voice. He languidly turned his back while fighting back his tears.

And even though I didn’t get the chance to fully met Kelly like them. Her sudden death already made a massive scar on my heart. Just like what happened to Chi.

“Kahit isang daliri lang… Kahit isang daliri lang ni Kelly ang makuha natin at ang mailibing… Nakikiusap ako.” Walang kahit isang sumagot sa pakiusap ni Peter. Tila ba’y alam naming lahat na walang kasiguraduhan kung may natitira pa sa katawan ni Kelly o buo itong nilamon ng bagay na iyon.

Ang biglaang pagbukas ng makina ang gumising sa diwa namin. Sinundan ni Tyler ang mga liwanag ng mga street lamp at pinaharurot ang RV. Wala kaming nagawa kung hindi ang kumapit na lamang sa kanya-kanyang puwesto, wala kaming lakas upang pigilan ang isang taong puno ng galit at hinagpis.

“Hey…” Alex called. I sadly looked up at him. He heaved a sigh and pulled me for a hug, “It is not your fault, okay?”

“But…”

“It is not your fault.” As we parted. He offered me a half-smile and said, “For now, forget about Kelly. Tyler is right. We will mourn later. At tandaan mo muna ngayon na ikaw ang gusto ni Daddy, ikaw ang pinoprotektahan naming lahat dito. Oras na may mangyaring masama sa’yo, dehado na kaming lahat.”

Tumango siya sa ‘kin saka bumaling sa harapan. Hindi ko ba alam kung dapat akong matuwa dahil protektado nila ako o malungkot dahil kung isusugal nila ang buhay nila para sa akin, maiiwan nila akong lahat.

The crushing sound of the RV and the impact of it made us hit the deck. And when I was about to stand when another wave impact almost threw us out of the RV. The used bullets and even our things in the RV are rapidly being thrown as we go up in a cylindrical path in the tower.

“Putangina.” Bigla na lamang prumeno ang RV dahilan upang mapasubsob ako sa pader.

Masukasuka akong lumabas sa RV habang masamang tingim ang pinupukol kay Tyler na ngumisi lamang sa akin at nagkibit-balikat. Samantalang ang katabi ko ay nagtatalon pa’t kulang na lang ay itulak ko siya sa bintana upang matanggal ang ngiti sa mukha niya.

“Isa pa! Rides ulit tayo!” Nagtatalon na sambit ni Spencer.

Sumandal ako sa RV at napansin na nasa loob kami ng parking lot sa ika-24 na palapag ng LIVE Corporation. Buntong hininga kong sinilip si Parker na hindi pa rin umiimik hanggang ngayon, nawalan kami ng koneksyon kayna Tito Pierre at alam kong nag-aalala siya.

At ngayon na nandito na kami sa LIVE Corporation, mas lalo kaming nawalan ng pag-asa na muli silang makausap. Alam kong delikado rin ang sitwasyon nila gayong ang pagpatay kuno ni Ginoong Samuel ang huli naming narinig, isa pa’y nasira ang nag-iisang daan na maaari nilang daanan patungo sa Alpheus City.

“Amira.” Agad akong lumingom kay Cara at malungkot itong nginitian, “Be safe—”

All of a sudden, the bulbs sparked, making us feel cautious. I weakly crawled back to the RV and looked for the katana. And when I get a hold of it, I immediately tightened my grip as Peter slowly covered my front.

“Let’s move.” We all followed Tyler when all of us are fully equipped.

As we march towards the 24th floor, the imaginary mass requiem of the dead echoed in my ears. My shoulders almost gave up when I finally took a glimpse of the entire vicinity.

Wherever we looked, the glass walls and doors are the only things that can be seen along with human test tubes in all the corners with humans inside them. They are swimming in a pool of water-filled Lycoris Radiata. Their eyes were closed, yet they all looked gruesome, with their veins popping out with their skin stealing the hues of the flower.

I unconsciously halted when I saw the familiar faces caged in the human test tubes.

“Amira? What are you—”

“Shit… Just when I thought I saved them…” I whispered.

Saglit akong sinulyapan ni Spencer, nag-aalala ito hanggang sa lumapit siya sa akin at pinunasan ang luhang aagos pa lamang sa aking pisnge, “Maililigtas pa rin natin sila, Fake Mommy.”

Ngumiti ito sa ‘kin saka naglakad patungo sa mga human test tube, humarap ito sa pinakamalaking test tube na siyang nagkokonekta sa iba pang mga test tube saka niya binaba ang bag na nakasukbit sa kanyang likuran at mula ro’n ay may isang botelya siyang kinuha.

“Hoy. Ninakaw mo ba ‘yan sa kanila?” Tanong ni Cara.

Umiling si Spencer habang binubuhos ang laman na chemical do’n, “Binigay nila sa akin lahat ‘yong ginawa nilang antidote gamit ang formula ni Fake Mommy.”

“Do you think that formula will work?” I asked.

They all eyed me as if I am asking such an obvious question. As Spencer snickered and said, “I trust you. We trust you. Your formula already saves a life, so trust yourself more, Fake Mommy.”

I pursed my lips and avoided his gaze. Wait, kinikilig ako kay Spencer. Medyo sweet siya sa akin ngayon e.

“Jackpot!” Cara cheered. Bumaling siya sa pader kung saan mayroong isang internet outlet sinundan niya iyon hanggang sa may makita siyang isang landline na nakatago sa isang cabinet, “Spencer, nasaan na ‘yong handheld radio?”

“Here!”

Kinalas ni Cara ang telepono at kinabit ang ibang wires nito sa handheld radio. Akala ko’y isang katangahan na naman ang ginagawa niya ng biglang nag-static ang radio kung saan naririnig namin ang boses nina Tito Tristan.

“Shit! We are running out of bullets!” I heard Tito Stephen shouted.

“Sa tingin niyo ba’y nakarating na sila sa Alpheus?” Tanong naman ni Tita Alleona.

Palakas nang palakas ang mga angil ng mga bozos sa kanilang paligid at kahit wala na kami sa Besodiah City, hindi ko maiwasan na kabahan para sa kanila.

Dahan-dahan kong nilingon si Parker, nakakuyom ang kamao niya. Masama ang tingin ang binabaling niya sa radyo hanggang sa tuluyan siyang tumalikod sa amin at inis na umalis, pinanood ko lamang siya hanggang sa tumungo siya sa isang silid na natatakpan ng kulay puting salamin na pader.

Nang mapalingon ako kay Peter ay ngumuso ito sa ‘kin, “Sundan mo. Nag-aalala lang ‘yon kayna Daddy.” Mahina naman akong tinulak ni Tyler dahilan upang wala sa sarili akong sumunod kay Parker.

“Hey—” As soon as I entered the room. I immediately shut my mouth because I was caught in surprise.

The clean, white room was filled with shelves aligned in sophisticatedly along with the capsules placed in a thin sheet of fabrics with care.

Parker quizzically looked at me as the familiar capsules were the ones inserted into the Apostles’ bodies.

“What the hell…” I mumbled.

Parker carefully held my hand as we roamed the entire room. Hindi ko alam pero parang may bagay akong nais isipin ngunit hindi ko iyon mawari. Na kahit anong hukay ang gawin ko ay wala talaga, nagiging blanko lamang ang isipan ko.

“Do you think they are safe?” It was his first words after we left Besodiah City. And to be honest, I don’t know what to say nor to reply.

He nervously laughed as he let go of me to reach a capsule on a shelf, “Damn. Just when I thought their names are somehow clear to this apocalypse… saka naman magiging ganito.”

“Parker…”

“I don’t want to live without any of our parents. It’s hard to move around without their presence.” His eyes glimmered melancholy while looking at the capsule in his hand, “I— I freaking hate my thoughts right now.”

“Don’t you trust them?”

“I do, but—”

“We will end this apocalypse alive.”

He blinked multiple times while looking at me. All of a sudden, with his magnificent strength, he destroyed the capsule bear hand.

And a very familiar scent captivated my entire system.

#