[W E E K S  A F T E R  XIV]

"Kailangan na nating umalis."

I didn't bother looking at who talked. I am just at the floor, hugging my knees as I let myself feel the pain of lost. Hindi ko pa rin matanggap.

My eyes now hurts because of crying hard and wiping harshly at my eyes. Parang hindi sila nauubos.

Nate is just patiently waiting for me outside our room. I don't know what he is doing but I couldn't careless. The only thing in my mind is her, and her lifeless body.

"Puwede bang dito na lang ako?" Wala na din naman akong rason para magpatuloy pa. Sa simula pa lang, si Mama lang naman ang dahilan ng lahat.

Now that she's gone, I feel like everything I've been through is worthless. There is no reason to continue anymore.

"Don't be selfish here, Kimberley." I looked at Nate with what he said. He's looking at me like I was the stupidest person he have ever met in person.

"You just don't know how painful it is for you to see your mother died without you on her side." I gritted my teeth. The nerves of him to call me selfish.

"You know nothing." Nagsukatan kami ng tingin na dalawa pero sa huli, siya din ang sumuko. He sighed, holding to his thread of patience. "Please, we can't just leave you here."

"Why not?"

"Sa tingin mo ba, kaya naming magpatuloy habang bitbit ang konsensiyang may iniwan kaming tao? You don't know how heavy that feeling is, Kimberley." He's trying to explain his side to me. "And I am pretty sure that your mom won't love it if she found out that her daughter became incompetent like you."

I looked at my mother and my tears began pooling again. She knew me as a tough kid. Someone who's not easily giving up everything.

"Please, be strong for us again, Kimberley. We still need you. Kuya Rehan, Ate Laelyn, I. We need you."

"Shit! You two, bumalik na kayo sa kotse! Zombies are approaching again!"

I harshly wiped my tears. Tumayo ako nang marinig ang natatarantang boses ni Laelyn. She's always composed so when I heard the panic in her voice, I know that something is getting worst.

Lumapit ako kay Mama at hinalikan ang noo niya. I don't care kung nangangamoy na ang katawan niya.

"I'm sorry, na-late ako." A tear escaped on my eyes. "Maybe next life, world will be less harsh for us."

Without wasting any second, I get my crossbow and ran downstairs with Nate. I saw him smiled but I can't smile back.

A zombie is approaching us that's why I shoot her head. She fall on the ground, but still growling. Nilakaran namin siya ni Nate saka nagpatuloy sa pagtakbo.

Agad kong hinampas sa ulo ang sumalubong sa akin na zombie saka ito binaril sa ulo. Nate was also doing the same. May iilan na rin zombie sa paligid ng kotse na dinidispatya naman nina Rehan at Laelyn.

Hinagis ko ang crossbow ko sa isa sa mga zombie kaya naman tumama ito sa noo niya. I then grabbed the pistol on Nate's waist and shot the mob three times. Two missed, but I still made him fall down.

Hawak ko pa rin ang pistol nang tumakbo ako palapit ng sasakyan. Nate is at my back, trying to protect me from zombies on my side.

Binuksan ng babae ang pintuan kaya agad akong pumasok sa loob no'n. Sumunod naman si Nate at pabagsak na isinarado ang pinto. Rehan and Laelyn on the other side immediately maneuvered the vehicle.

"Shit, shit! Umandar ka na."

I looked back and see the approaching zombies! Habang patagal ata nang patagal, mas lalo silang dumadami! Five person can't make them fall! Especially that our weapons are limited.

"Fuck, nandiyan na sila!"

"Ano bang nangyari?"

"Hindi ko alam! Hindi umaandar!"

"Tangina, palapit na sila nang palapit!"

"Kaya niyo bang tumakbo?"

It was chaotic inside the car. All of us felt the tension. I can even hear my own heart beating so loud! Parang kakawala na ito sa dibdib ko.

"Tatakbo tayo, naiintindihan niyo?" Tumango kaming lahat kay Rehan. "Pagkabukas ng pinto, tumakbo kaagad kayo! 'Wag kayong hihiwalay!"

As if on a cue, we opened all the car doors in unison and helped our feet to run in one direction. Magkakasabay sina Rehan, Laelyn at Nate, habang kami namang dalawa ng babae ay nasa medyo likod dahil maikli ang biyas namin.

Parang nanuyo ang lalamunan ko kaya naman lumunok ako ng laway at sinubukang bilisan pa ang takbo. The girl tried her best to keep up to us, though I can sense the exhaustion in her eyes.

Pero hindi kami dapat huminto! Those zombies were just meters away from us! If we did, we'll end up getting consume by them too!

"Sa building!"

We followed Rehan as he made his way to the building. Nang makapasok ang babae, dali-dali naming sinara ang pinto kaya bumangga lang ang mga zombie do'n.

It cracked!

I heard them cursed before letting go the handle, which made the zombies fall on the ground. Ginamit namin ang pagkakataong 'yun para umakyat sa itaas!

I can hear how their bones broke, and it made me winced. Nahuhuli na ang babae sa amin kaya sinigawan ko siya para bilisan niya.

Naririnig ko ang mabilis na pag-akyat ng zombie sa hagdan kaya mas binilisan ko pa. If I am not mistaken, this building had five floors. At may rooftop 'to kung saan puwedeng magpahinga muna.

"Tangina, bilis!"

Pinauna ko na ang babae na pumasok saka ako sumunod. Rehan hurriedly closed and locked the metal door. Napaatras pa kaming lima nang sunod-sunod itong kumalampag.

Nate and I immediately look for something heavy and put it on the door para hindi makapasok ang mga zombie. With their number, I am not sure how long will this door can endure their force.

I released a sigh as I leaned to the wall. Napaupo naman ang mga kasama ko sa sahig. All of them looks tired with what just happened. Naririnig ko ang mabibigat na paghinga nila kahit na nasa rooftop naman kami at open.

"Okay ka lang ba?" Rehan went near me and surveyed my body. His expression changed when he saw my eyes. "Sorry...for the lost."

"Salamat, pero okay lang ako. At least, hindi na siya mahihirapan pa, 'di ba?" Tumawa pa ako pero walang bakas ng tuwa do'n. "Masaya naman siguro siyang nakikita akong lumalaban pa din. Okay na sa'kin 'yun."

Even though she's not here anymore, as long as I can, I'll try to continue fighting for humanity.

"Umamin ka!"

Napatingin kami pabalik kila Laelyn nang marinig ko ang galit sa boses nito. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makitang sinasakal niya ang babae na iniligtas namin. Umangat na siya sa lupa habang nagpupumiglas pa din.

"Laelyn!" Nagmamadaling sumugod si Rehan para awatin sila. Nate is just watching them. Pumunta din ako do'n para tingnan kung anong nangyayari.

"Bitch! Just tell the truth! You have connections on them!" Rehan attended the girl and I tried my best to stop Laelyn.

"H-Hindi ko maintindihan ang s-sinabihan mo..." Umubo-ubo ang babae habang hawak ang leeg niyang noon ay namumula.

"Pinadala ka ba ng organization na 'yun kaya nalaman na naman nila kung nasaan kami?" Laelyn is really mad. Mabuti na lang at hindi niya ako tinutulak.

"Paano mo naman nasabi, Laelyn? She's a kid, for pete's sake!"

What organization? They didn't tell me about that. Kahit na naguguluhan, hindi na lang ako nagtanong.

"Sino bang naiwang mag-isa kanina sa sasakyan? Siya lang! She probably told those our location!" She looks so frustrated.

"The zombies' sense mutated, that's why! You see how aggressive they are now!"

Nagtatalo sina Rehan at Laelyn pero napunta ang atensiyon ko sa babae na noon ay nakayuko na lang. Ladlad ang buhok nito na humaharang sa mukha niya habang nakahawak pa din sa leeg. 

I gasped when I noticed the black veins travelling on her pale arms. It made me step back as I watched how that blue and black veins travelled.

Umangat ang tingin nito at saktong nagtama ang paningin namin. My mouth went agape when I saw her eyes.

It turned red, then white!

I can't utter a single word, still shock.

Habang nagtatalo pa din si Laelyn at Rehan, tumayo ng tuwid ang babae saka tinagilid ang ulo na siyang nagpabilis ng tibok ng puso ko.

She opened her mouth and a dark red thick liquid started to drop. And before we realized it, she attacked me.