[W E E K S  A F T E R  XIII]

"Shoot!"

As if on a cue, we positioned our guns in union and pointed it to the approaching mobs. I aimlessly pulled the trigger, shooting them on their head, unsure if it will hit them but wouldn't careless.

Maingay.

Umingay sa loob dahil sa sunod-sunod na putok na nanggagaling sa baril namin at sa ungot ng mga zombies. Mabilis silang nagtumbahan sa harapan namin, ilang metro ang layo.

When I ran out of gun with my pistol, I used the rifle one. It's more powerful, and it can down a group of zombies.

Habang nakikipagbuno sa kanila, unti-unti kaming umatras patalikod dahil alam naming hindi sila kaagad mauubos. Para akong tanga na ginagaya lang ang ginagawa nila.

"You already did that?" Laelyn talked while still shooting. I looked at her for a moment before I gaze back at the mobs.

"Oo." Rehan answered shortly. I even saw him nod at Nate which made me frown. "Bring her."

"Tara na." I didn't have the time to ask what's going on when Nate just suddenly pulled me. We ran upstairs, leaving the two behind.

"Saan tayo pupunta?! Iiwan natin sila do'n?!"

"Just...just please cooperate, okay? We don't have time."

Based on his voice, he was seriously talking, kaya kahit na madami pa din akong tanong, nagpadala na lang ako sa kaniya.

I ran with him to the second floor until we reach the emergency exit. He surveyed the surroundings before pulling me again inside. They had other plans, I know that, so I didn't make a single opposition.

"Shit, where are they?"

When he reached the back of the mall, we were already both gasping for air. I looked around, trying to find them anywhere. Nakahawak pa din ng mahigpit ang kamay ni Nate sa braso ko kaya hindi ko mapunasan ang pawis ko.

"Ahhh!"

I squeal when I heard a loud boom! Napayuko din ako sa lupa kasama ni Nate na noon ay nagsilbing harang sa'kin. I can feel the ground shaking as I closed my eyes.

The sound almost broke my ears! Parang may sumabog.

"W-What happened?" I asked him, still under his body who's hugging me.

"We bombed the mall." He answered which made me startled me.

"But they are still inside!"

"No. They made it." Umalis siya sa pagkakatabon sa'kin at tumayo. I watched how the building set on fire. The dark smoke coming from it is so thick. "Rehan already knew there are mobs outside, so he planted a bomb."

"You didn't even tell me?!"

"Ask him, Kimberley." That was the first time he called me by my name, and it made me quiet.

"Sorry." Umiwas lang ako ng tingin. Nadinig ko ang buntong-hininga niya pero hindi ko ito pinansin.

"Hey!"

My face lit up when I saw the two running towards us. Mukhang galing isa sa emergency exit dahil malayo ang pinanggalingan nila mula sa fire exit.

Hinintay namin silang makalapit. Rehan surveyed my body, checking any damage, before turning his glance on Nate, doing the same. Nagsisimula nang malaglag ang iilang abo na nanggagaling sa sunog.

"Are you both okay? We need to hurry now. There are more of them coming." That was Laelyn.

"What do you mean?"

"Ugh, stupid people and their questions."

I snorted with her remarks. I was about to talk again when Rehan held my wrist, pulling me with him. We then started running, leaving the building on fire.

Umikot kami ulit sa mall para balikan ang kotse namin na naiwan. Our supplies are there so we really had to go back. Plus the fact that for now, that's the only car we have, and we can use.

I borrowed Nate's crossbow because my guns are now useless. Ang dami kong sinayang na bala! He handed it to me without a word while we're still running.

I loaded it and aimed at that one zombie who's about to approach us. It missed, but I tried another one. It shot his head dead.

Nang makarating kami sa sasakyan, hindi na ako nagsayang ng oras at kaagad sumakay. Tama nga si Laelyn, dahil may paparating na naman na zombie sa'min.

I immediately closed the door making that mob bumped his head on the glass window. Kaagad namang pinaandar ni Rehan ang kotse kaya nakahinga ako ng maluwag. I looked back from the back window and saw zombies running towards us.

"Kumapit kayo."

I immediately hold on the backrest of the seat in front of me when Rehan talked. Naramdaman ko ang pagbilis ng sasakyan kaya napapikit ako.

Tumili pa ako nang bigla niyang iliko ang sasakyan kaya ang mga tumatakbong zombie ay nabangga sa pintuan kung saan ako banda naka-upo!

Kulang na lang ang mayupi ang sasakyan dahil sa lakas ng pagkabangga nila! I gulped the lump on my throat before releasing a heavy sigh.

That was a tough chase! Kung hindi nila binomba ang mall, malamang wala na kami ngayon dito.

We are heading back again on our main destination; the new hideout. I just wished that we encounter no more mobs on the way there.

I had enough already!

We're still on the city but I am holding on the hope that there will be no more. Alam kong mas madaming zombies dito, compared sa ibang lugar. Those zombies we killed and bombed were nothing compared to its population.

"May tao."

Nate pointed a lady who is, I guess, just younger than me years. Sa tingin ko, 17 pa lang siya.

She's running and a zombie is chasing after her. Kaagad namang hininto ni Rehan ang sasakyan saka bumaba.

From my seat, I saw him shoot the mob three times on its head, causing it to fall on the ground. He then approached the girl who's now crying while hugging her self.

I pitied her to experience this with that age. Pero wala namang pinipiling edad ang pandemya. It will attack, regardless of your age, or gender, or level on the society.

All of us are dead.

All of us will die at the end.

He pointed his gun at the lady, guarding his self. Naka-uniform pa ang babae at base sa itsura nito, makikita mong madami na siyang pinagdaanan.

She cried again while kneeling in front of Rehan. My brows furrowed but refused to say a word.

Sa huli, tinapik niya ang balikat ng babae at sinenyasan na sumunod sa kaniya. I sighed. Akala ko iiwan namin siya ng gan'on ang kalagayan.

"Tubig?" As soon as she stepped her feet on our car, I offered her a water. She shyly accepted it.

Umisod kami ng kaunti ni Nate para makaupo siya sa gitna namin. Her hands were still trembling while holding the bottle. She even struggled drinking it because of too much shaking.

If she ever survived, I know that what happened will leave a deep scars on her memories. Like shadows, these scenarios will always follow her.

"T-Thank you..."

We didn't waste more time, and immediately continued the trip again. I looked outside, the trees are still green, also the grasses. Though, there are many plastic waste everywhere.

Habang patagal nang patagal, kumunot ang noo ko nang mapagtantong pamilyar ang daan na tinatahak namin. I looked at everything carefully, trying to confirm if I am right.

But, no! I can't be wrong. How can I be wrong with my own place?

Ito 'yung lugar kung saan ako nakatira! Dito na ba kami tutuloy? Or somewhere near here?

Malaki ang chance na makita ko si Mama!

"Dito ako nakatira..."

I said out of nowhere. A smile was formed on my lips as I touched the window, staring outside. Watching how devasted our used-to-be lively place made my heart hurt.

Weeks before, everyone here is just noisy, but today? There was nothing but a silence of danger.

"Gusto mo bang bumaba muna? Puwede kitang samahan."

Napatingin ako kay Nate nang magsalita ito. Nakatingin lang din ito sa'kin, binabalanse ang magiging sagot ko. I smiled at him and nod.

Rehan stopped the car. Mukhang nasaksihan niya ang pag-uusap namin. From the rear view mirror, he looked at me, asking if am I really sure about my answer.

"Come on."

Naunang buksan ni Nate ang pintuan ng sasakyan. Sumunod sa kaniya ang babae na hindi ko pa din alam ang name. Pagkababa ko'y nasa baba na silang lahat.

Nilibot ko ang paningin ko sa paligid. May mga tricycle pa rin naman kaso nakataob na ang karamihan. Ang mga motorsiklo naman ay nakatumba at nagkalat sa daanan.

I can't believe that I will be here again after weeks.

Humampas sa'kin ang malamig na hangin. Dahil na din siguro sa dami ng itim na usok ang nilabas ng mga nasirang bagay sa mundo, natakpan na nito ang atmosphere kaya hindi na nakakapasok ang sinag ng araw, na naging dahilan ng paglamig ng paligid.

"M-Maghihintay na lang po a-ako dito..." Laelyn eyed her but still give her a nod, leaving the girl behind. "Mag-iingat po kayo."

Nagsimula na kaming maglakad. Rehan and Laelyn took a different path. They said they'll try to look for some survivors too. Nate stayed with me as we strolled to the narrow pathway.

Napapapikit na lang ako kapag nakakarinig ng kalampag at mahihinang ugot. Ang mga kapitbahay namin noon na nagc-chismisan sa labas ng mga bahay nila, wala na. Naging halimaw na.

I am scared, I admit it.

I don't know what I will see when we reached our house. Natatakot akong...baka iba na ang abutan ko.

Napatingin ako kay Nate nang hawakan nito ang kamay ko. He probably saw me shaking, that's why. Hinayaan ko na lang siya at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

I am still holding the crossbow I borrowed, just in case. Faint growls became louder and I guess, it is coming from Ate Chi's house. Our fat neighbor.

Meters away is our house. From here, I can already see the padlock and chains on our door. My eyes glimmered and I doubled my pace.

There's a possibility that she locked her self and survived!

'Yun lang ang pinto na meron kami, kaya kung naka-padlock 'yun, posibleng nasa loob siya't naghihintay sa'kin!

As soon as I reached the door, I tried to destroy the lock, but it's so difficult! Pinatabi ako ni Nate at binaril ang lock. It's good that he put silencer on it, so the sound won't attract the zombies.

I opened the door and surveyed the surroundings. My hope raised when I see that our furnitures looks untouched. I immediately go the kitchen. Our refrigerator was left open, and everything here is messy.

My heart broke, realizing that my mother was alone her all those days I am gone.

"Kimberley, I think you need to see this."

Kaagad na kumalabog ang dibdib ko nang marinig ang boses ni Nate. It came from our room, my mother and I. Nasa itaas na bahagi 'yun ng bahay.

Kabado man ay nagawa ko pa ring itapak ang paa ko sa hagdan. I still can feel my system trembling as I made my way on the second floor.

Something is on his voice that worried me. Mabibigat ang paa ko habang naglalakad palapit sa kuwarto namin ni Mama.

I bit my lips as I entered the room. My eyes started to pool with tears when I saw my mother feet and the Hello Kitty blanket we used to share.

My knees fell on the ground when I completely saw her state. She's brownish, a sign that her body is starting to decompose. Basa din ang bed sheet namin dahil siguro sa naagnas na katawan niya.

My chest tightened with the view, and before I realized it, I already shed tears. Silently. I made no sound as I let my self mourn over my mother.

"Sorry..." I heard Nate speak but nothing can comfort me.

I can't accept it.

I can't believe I will felt fear, horror, and pain at the same time.

I am late.

The reason why I tried hard to survived...didn't.

She didn't turned into monster, but she still became a dead body.

She died while still waiting for me.