I finished bathing and went upstairs. I told Etil that they can go and bathe. Etil nodded and took the towel and the clothes. I noticed that Aunt Mel is just staring blankly to oblivion. It can't be helped, whatever happened back there it must have been very shaking.
I then went downstairs and wrote a daily update in my journal. It has been two weeks since the outbreak started. I still had no idea what was the cause and where it came from. Everything happened all of a sudden and none of us were ready. I guess not watching T.V at all had its cons. But I find it a lot weirder, even if I don't watch the news regularly I should still get updated through other means. I should come across discussions about it from browsing the internet. Then I realize that the power was down, no power no internet. But then...Could it be? the virus started here in the Philippines? And it got here so quickly, then the roots were very close?! I contemplated for some time this idea. As a medical student, I know the Philippines isn't one of the big names when it comes to science but it doesn't mean it's not competent. There is a possibility that the virus was engineered here but there could also be a different manufacturer of this disease and tried it out on an isolated place surrounded by water. I don't know, these can only be my personal speculations, I could be wrong.
After Etil bathe, I was just sitting on the couch with a candle on the tabletop. I was using this faint light to write down on my daily journal. I just finished writing and was just chilling. I saw her wearing fresh clothes, my clothes, and a towel wrapped around her hair. I remembered her calling my phone and I wondered how was she able to call me. There was no internet...So then I asked her.
"By the way, how were you able to call me? You still have load?" I asked.
"You forgot? I'm on postpaid."
Yeah, I totally forgot that Etil's sim card is on a postpaid plan, she doesn't need to load her sim because she only pays for service monthly. And suddenly I remember, I haven't received any news from the government yet.
"Hey, since you still have service, let's check for news. Haven't had any news for a while now."
"Sure. Oh and by the way, got a comb?"
"Yeah, in my room at the far left corner in front of my closet."
Etil's eyes widened and she chuckled, I don't really know why but I didn't ask further as she already heads upstairs. After few moments she came downstairs with one hand combing her hair and the other toggling her phone. She walks towards me and hands over her device to me. I took it to my hands and opened the browser. I then type the link address of a website where the government uploads its latest updates. Although it's not technically a government-owned site, it should still provide me some updates. When it loaded, I clicked on the latest news article. The title of the article was "The Philippines Has Fallen" which brought my brows to furrow. I read through the article and my blood started boiling.
"Pheene, what's wrong?"
I put the phone down and faced Etil. The shadows covered half of my face and I moved my lips.
"No help is coming..."
Etil's brows furrowed and snatched her phone from my hand. She read the news article and I waited for her to finish. Her eyes widened and her face has gone pale.
"Copy the entire article and send it to me. Not the link, the article itself because I will be sending it to everyone..."
"But that may destroy their moral!"
"Should they keep holding on to false hope or should they learn the truth?"
"Pheene, it's better that they keep on hoping! It's what keeps others alive!"
"Maybe, but no one wants to be lied on."
"Not everyone is like you, Pheene! Not everyone is gonna take this news like a normal Monday morning news!"
"You think I like this news?! If you don't want to send it to me then fine, I will not tell anyone about this. Keep that information to yourself and don't tell anyone. I wonder how long could you keep this valuable info to yourself."
Both Etil and I were dead silent. Eventually, she decided to head upstairs to Aunt Mel. I didn't bother looking at her as I felt disappointed. Personally, I'd rather tell everyone the truth than not. I don't like holding on to false hope, it's very much the same when they would tell me that everything will be ok even though clearly it won't. Although I know at some point she's right, not everyone will take the news lightly.
I sat there on the couch in silence. I was getting ready to sleep when I heard the door from the master bedroom open. I waited and saw my nephew, Vol, coming out of the door. He took a stool and sat on it. It's his time to keep an eye out. I lied down with one foot on the floor and the other on the couch. I also held on to the SPE with one hand. And then, I decided to close my eyes. I then heard him whisper into my ear "goodnight, Aunt Pheene."
Slowly, my eyes felt heavy alongside my body. I finally closed my eyes and drift into sleep.
The next morning came, I woke up because of the heat. My clothes are drenched in sweat, goodness I hate summer. I got up and took my towel from upstairs. After then I went to the bathroom to bathe. On my way to the bath, I noticed no one has gotten up yet everyone's asleep aside from Vol. He was sitting on a wooden couch by the windows of the front house. He's just looking outside, I wonder how long has he been there. Surely he's not sitting there looking out the window all night? That's too boring.
I decided to head to the bathroom so he can finally rest. I took a quick bath and went upstairs to change. When I went down, I came up to him.
"So, anything out of the ordinary?"
"Is there anything to call ordinary anymore?"
I just looked at him.
"Well, so far, no. There's not even a single zombie outside. I think you and Daddy killed them all yesterday."
"Hmm, we can't really say for certain. But either way, thanks for watching over. You should go and sleep. You and your Uncle Lolu still got some cleaning to do later."
Vol nodded and he heads to the master's bedroom. And as for me, I didn't go out of the house. I stayed inside to exercise. I did my usual set, my stretches, and made sure that I sweat a lot. I also drank a lot of water in the process.
Soon, just when I finished exercising, my mom emerged from the bedroom. Like me when I woke up, she's drenched in her own sweat. I also notice the dark circles around her eyes. She moved groggily as if she didn't sleep at all.
"Mom?"
"Oh, good morning sweetie."
"Mom, did you sleep at all last night? You look very tired."
"Hmm, I did sleep but not very long. I keep waking up. It's too hot without the power."
"It's crowded in the room that's why it's hotter than it was just us three."
"Oh, it's fine."
"No, it's not mom."
"Oh shush, when I said it's fine then it's fine."
Mom headed to the kitchen, probably to prepare breakfast. I honestly thought how is it fine if others time and time again invades your personal space? I know that family is family but I don't think that it's a good idea to give everything to them. All those times when I was in charge of our food supply, I am very strict with budgeting them. Now that Frod's family being here with us, it's all ok to her about how wasteful they are.
I just try to brush off the thought in my head. I need to focus now and be highly alert. I took my SPE and went out the front door. Like my usual routine, I made noises to grab the attention of the zombies. Apparently, no zombies are coming. So far, the coast is clear. Now a new thought is circling my mind. Since our neighborhood is shaped like a horseshoe as the name implies "Horseshoe Drive Street," there is a way we can reclaim the entire neighborhood and make it a safe haven.