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Chapter 4: Run.
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56KATANA.
Days went by smoothly at namalayan ko na lang ay pumapasok na ulit ako sa school. Si Kuya ang umasikaso ng lahat at tulad ko, nag-aaral siya ulit. He's pursuing his course in Manila— engineering. Habang ako, Grafe 12 student.
Nagkaroon ako ng ilang kaibigan sa eskwelahan, pero ang pinaka-close sa akin ay si Santi at Daryl. Daryl and I are classmates— unfortunately. And he just wouldn't stop pestering my life. Maging si Santi ay tuwang-tuwa kapag pinag-ti-trip-an ako.
Mga siraulo.
I remember this one time na kinuhanan kami ng dugo ng school. I didn't know what it was for pero sabi, requirement daw ng eskwelahan. I was scared of needles kaya matagal na pilitan ang nangyari. Matapos no'n, hindi na 'ko tinigilan ng dalawa. Maghapon ata nila akong inasar tungkol doon.
Unti-unti ko na ring nagugustuhan ang pagtira namin ni Kuya rito dahil tulad nina Mamala at Mommy, napaka-maalaga ni Nana Neli sa amin. Parati niya kaming ipinagluluto kahit sinabi ni Kuya na hindi na kailangan. Ginagawan niya rin kami ng lunch parati lalo pa nang magreklamo akong hindi ko gusto ang mga luto sa cafeteria. Parati niya rin kaming kinakamusta araw-araw— and it felt great.
Pakiramdam ko, nagkaroon ako ulit ng ina.
Lumipas ang mahigit anim na buwan at halos paulit-ulit lang ang cycle ng buhay namin ni Kuya. Maliban na lang kapag nag-aaya sina Jerome at Neil na mag-perya. Sa mga pagkakataong 'yon, parati kaming kumpleto.
Jerome, Neil and Kuya are the closest ones in our group. Si Ynah ay sa kanila rin sumasama minsan. Kadalasan naman ay kila Sandra at Belle dahil madalas din silang sumasama sa amin.
Kami naman nina Santi at Daryl ang parating magkakasama. Hindi ko alam kung anong ginawa ng mga 'yon sa 'kin pero kahit anong panti-trip nila, nagagawa ko pa ring sikmurain ang makasama sila.
Si Jeran naman, parating mag-isa. Minsan, sumasabay siya kila Kuya pero kadalasan ay nagse-cellphone lang. Minsan nga naiisip ko na sumasama lang siya sa 'min para bantayan si Daryl na pinsan niya.
Psh.
Our classes just ended and Daryl and I are already walking side by side. Habang pababa kami ng hagdan, nakatingin lang siya sa cellphone niya.
"Hoy!" Siniko ko ang tagiliran niya, kunot-noo naman siyang nag-angat ng paningin sa akin. "Kanina ka pa d'yan sa cellphone mo. Anong problema?"
He snorted and brought his gaze back to his phone's screen. "Sina Jerome. Nag-aayang mag-perya ulit."
"Lah," gulat kong sabi bago natawa. "Kagagaling lang natin do'n last week, ah?"
"Baka may chicks na binabantayan sina Neil," sabi ni Daryl na nagpatawa sa 'kin. "Bantayan mo si Karlos. Baka magkaro'n ka bigla ng sister-in-law."
Natawa ako at sinuntok ang braso niya.
Nang makababa kami ng building, naabutan namin si Santi na may kausap na babae. Pangiti-ngiti ang babae sa kanya at ganoon din siya. Hula ko ay hinihintay na naman kami ni Santi, kaya nang magtama ang paningin namin ng babae, masama ang tinging iginawad niya sa akin.
I just rolled my eyes and continued walking. Hindi naman na bago sa akin ang ganoon. Marami ang may galit sa 'kin sa eskwelahang 'to. Kesyo 'nilalandi' ko raw sina Santi at Daryl. Unfortunately, they're a bit famous in the whole campus— in short, heartthrob ang mga gago. Ang iba naman, nakikipag-plastikan sa 'kin lalo na 'yong mga nagkakagusto kay Kuya.
Psh. Hindi ko na lang sila pinapansin.
Nang marating namin ang labas ng gate, naroon na sina Kuya. Naghihintay sila sa amin sa loob ng kotse habang kumakain ng chichirya at chocolate.
"Sa'n kami uupo?" tanong ko ng makalapit. Nakaupo kasi si Kuya sa driver's seat at katabi niya si Jerome sa shotgun seat. Si Neil naman, nasa backseat katabi si Jeran— na nagpagulat sa 'min.
I didn't expected him to come dahil ang huling kita namin sa kanya ay three weeks ago. Naging busy raw siya pero hindi na siguro ngayon.
"Sasama sila Belle. Do'n kayo sa van nila," sagot ni Jerome at inalok sa amin ang malaking bag ng chichirya.
I took a handful chips before looking around. Wala pa ang kotse nina Belle.
Belle is a rich kid, you know. Ang parating sumusundo sa kanya ay ang family van nila. Kasama niya rin araw-araw si Sandra dahil magkapit-bahay lang sila at mag-bestfriend pa.
"Belle isn't here yet," sabi ko habang ngumunguya.
"Pinipilit pa siguro no'n ang driver nila na umuwi na," Daryl said.
We all waited for Belle to arrive. Hindi naman nagtagal ang paghihintay namin dahil maya-maya lang ay dumating na ang van nila kasama si Sandra.
Nang marating namin ang perya, as usual, naghiwa-hiwalay kami. Sina Santi at Daryl na naman ang kasama ko at naglaro kami ng kung ano-ano sa mga booths. We also tried the claw machines but we didn't get anything. Napagalitan pa nga kami dahil sinipa ni Daryl ang machine kesyo madulas daw at madaya.
We also rode different rides hanggang sa dumilim na. Namalayan ko na lang din na alas syete na nang mag-text sa akin si Kuya na nasa restaurant na sila at handa na para sa dinner.
It's the same restaurant where Lynn— the girl who waved at me the first time we went here— works.
She's Santi's cousin and we always tease her to give us a discount.
Nang makita namin sina Kuya, lumapit kami kaagad sa kanila. Not too long after, the food arrived and we started eating. Tulad dati, para na namin kaming mga leon na gutom na gutom. The table was even silent the whole time dahil busy'ng-busy kaming lahat.
When we finished our food, we all decided to go home. However, when we all stood up, a bloody scream filled our ears.
We all exchanged confused glances. Maging ang ibang taong nasa loob ng restaurant ay nagulantang ng malakas na sigaw na iyon. But the confusion in our systems widened when it was followed by another scream, and another wail, and another bloody scream and... people running.
Dala ng pagtataka, napatayo ako at napahakbang palabas ng restaurant. Doon, halos manlambot ang tuhod ko sa nakita.
People were running fast as if their lives depended on their speed. They were also screaming and although they're meters away from me, I could see the fear in their eyes.
Iginala ko ang paningin ko para hanapin ang dahilan ng takbuhan ng mga tao. But when I saw the reason why, my body almost fell on the ground.
There were people— if they still are because they don't look sane anymore— chasing one another as if they were a predators running after their preys.
But what surprised me more was their eyes. It was bloodshot and crimson red. The black part of the eye isn't even on theirs anymore.
My eyes widened at the sight of the people and the ones running after them. My breathing hitched and it was as if I forgot how to breathe.
I was just standing there, not knowing what to do, until someone pulled me by the wrist and shouted one word that pulled me out of my deep thoughts.
"RUN!"
I didn't know how, but I just found myself running with the people with nothing but panic and fear in my eyes.
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