After grieving her dead, I take all the courage left in me. One last try. It is now or never. After few minutes, I reached the plank that I stepped on where I saw the glimpse of light from the outside. I breathe deeply and take the steps that will cost me my life. Through God's mercy, the plank that I have stepped on is not fragile. The light becomes brighter as I steps on more elevated planks. Until finally, I see the last plank leading to the outside of this house. The light finally touches me. I can see myself covered in blood and dirt. I smiled. Because of the light, I can now see what are the fragile parts of the plank that I should not step on. I took my final step and I am so glad. I desperately opens the window of the ceiling and opens the entire house. I look down and cry. "I reached the top! Mother! Can you see me? I am at the top!" I said. I heard a loud ring that it almost deafens my hearing senses. I covered my ears for the time being. The loud ring stops. I open my eyes and I sigh.
I quickly comes out of the window to see the outside, and a ruined city befalls in front of my eyes. "What happened here?" I asked myself.
Then, meanwhile, two men come to me. "You there! Did you just come out from that roofwindow?" one of the men said unto me.
"Yes, I did." I answered.
Then, we heard a loud growl from below. That is where I came from. I am about to check what is it, but the two men stop me. "Don't! We have to get out of here right now!" he shouted.
"Follow us!" the other man said.
A large hand comes out of the window, and it breaks it. My eyes widen. I quickly run away as much as I could. I look back and see a gigantic guy with bald head and extremely bulky arms and upper body. Its lower body is small though. It creeps the hell out of me. It has small eyes but large mouth. I follow the two men and we run away as fast as we could. Because I cannot feel fatigue, I think I can run away for eternity, however the pain I have to endure is just too much. That is why, I need to stop from moving as well. As we are running, one man talks about what is going on. "I'm sure that you are truly confused of the strange things happening right now. I am Daniel and this guy right here is my partner, Miko. What is your name?"
"My name?" I asked. Even I do not know myself. I just realized that I do not have a name, or I have but I cannot remember. My mother never called me by my name. I do not even know what is her name. "I honestly do not know. What the hell is going on?" I asked them.
"More than a decade ago, something horrible befell upon our planet. Strange malevolent species such as that one chasing us wiped out 80% of our population. The rest fought those species with nuclear war, however it only worsened the situation. Radiation killed the other 10% of the population, and the remaining 10% are still surviving. We are one of those 10%." he explained.
However, I cannot still comprehend that. I only understand that I am in an post-apocalyptic world by now. "Okay. That thing chasing us is one of those strange species, but all of the years inside that house, why it only appeared right now? It should have murdered us back there."
"It was asleep. Those species sleep for many years and will only wake up to eat. The reason why it is awake now is because of the siren which causes a piercingly loud sound that signifies someone made it out of the underground structure. They created that thing to alarm them that someone escaped from their pit. And that thing back there is not a house. It's a deep pit made by those species. They may look and act like a wild animal, but they are somehow smarter compared to any animals."
"So that's why I heard a loud ring from a while ago." I responded.
"Yes. We also heard of that. That's why we quickly rushed to the sound and we saw you."
Now, things are making sense. Although I am still a little bit confused, I understand some of the things he is saying. I ask him one more question. "But how do you think I end up in there? I mean, there are people in there like me who were trapped in that pit. How did we all end up in there?"
"Those species are abducting humans for them to have something to eat if they ever feel hungry." Daniel answered.
"But why my body had changed? I don't feel hunger, thirst, and fatigue at all. Although I can still feel being weakened."
"That, I have no answer. Your body must have been modified by someone."
"But how?" I asked.
"I don't know either. We are in the year 2101. So many things have changed. There are cyborgs, robots, and other advanced technologies nowadays." Daniel said. "My partner is a cyborg. Maybe you guys are both the same. Although his body is part machine, his personality still remains." he added.
"You do not remember your identity, right?" Miko asked.
"Yes, I don't." I answered.
"You're modified. However, unlike you, I feel hunger and fatigue. I don't know who modified you, but that modifier must really be an expert in bionics."
We look behind us and we did not find the species. It seems like we outran it. We rest at the side for a while. I am extremely sad. I am part machine but I still have feelings and emotions. I can still feel being hurt inside. I am still a man. I cry when I am hurt. I smile when I am happy.