Kalison City, Philippines.
March 13, 2037. Friday.
8:40 am.
12:23:49:59 left.
Jayce Santos.
"Put Herald's name na agad!"
I stared at monitor 219. Just like 091, both have the mechanical sound but feels like there were people behind these.
We stopped our track and studied the monitor. Sabi ko hahanap kami ng upuan pero nauna pang lumabas ang 219.
"Si Jayce na lang ang leader."
"Nag-iisip ka ba, Maui?"
"Malamang. Igagaya mo pa ako sa'yo. Pupusta akong si Jayce rin ang pipiliin ni Timotee."
"Si Jayce rin pipiliin ko. Magkasama kami kanina pa e' at hindi rin niya ako tinulak sa mga zombie."
"Oh my gosh! Seriously? Iyon ang basehan mo? Why are you so naive? Malamang he's weaker than you kaya hindi niya kaya."
"Andrea kapag hindi ka pa tumigil, susungalngalin na kita."
Pinilit kong huwag pakinggan ang pagbabangayan ng tatlo at itinuon ang pansin sa hologram.
Information such as the total population of Kalison City and its municipalities were indicated. The remaining days, hours, minutes and seconds were also displayed at the lower part. Our group was named 219, the last number as of the moment.
To summarize this Project Revise, we will be in a 13-day survival tournament. All teams have a goal and that was to secure a place on the sole quarantine which is a secret. The only way to know the exact location was by solving the clues that we will get if we finish the tasks given by our monitors. Or—cheating which was highly legal.
But right now, none of the information here was related to the first task—
"Ah, nakatawag na ba kayo sa parents niyo? Gumagana naman ang signal kapag around Kalison. Natawagan ko pa si—"
Shit. I forgot someone.
I hurriedly unclasped the strap of my backpack and rummaged for my phone. Kaagad kong pinindot ang pangalang Isaiah sa contacts at tinawagan iyon. Mabuti na lang at may sumagot kaagad.
"Kuya Jayce!" Nanginginig ang boses niya at—pambata.
"Seya, it's you, right? Where are you?" I asked in the calmest voice I could.
"Kuya Jayce... I'm scared. N-nanay Miling is acting weird." I can feel how he was trying his best not to stutter and keep down his shivering voice. A clasping sound was heard. He's probably trying to calm himself. Such a brave child.
"Listen to me, Seya. Don't go near Nanay Miling. As much as possible don't go near anyone."
"Yes po."
"Now, get out of the house quietly. Don't make a noise. If someone approaches you, run. I'll meet you at our secret place. Just don't make a noise."
Pinatay ko ang tawag at saka nilingon ang aking mga kasama. Kumpleto na silang apat. Nakabalik na si Herald mula sa pakikipag-usap sa ibang estudyante. I can feel some hostile glances directed towards us but I did not paid any attention to them. Nothing won't change kahit na ayaw nila sa mga kagrupo nila.
Nakapulupot na kay Herald si Andrea habang asar na asar ang pagmumukha ni Maui at si Tope ay nanghihingi ng tulong.
"Is that Isaiah?" Herald asked. I nodded.
"Put your name already so we can leave." Itinuro ko kay Herald ang monitor. "I still need to save Seya."
"What? No way! Magdadala ka ng bata sa team natin?"
They must have heard our conversation.
"Pati ba naman bata pagdadamutan mo?" balik sa kanya ni Maui.
"Oh my gosh! Ano bang malay natin baka pabigat—"
"Can you shut the fuck up? I didn't even ask you to take care of or protect him." I gritted my teeth.
As much as I wanna stay calm, I can't. That 16-year old friend of mine is out there trying to save himself from something he doesn't have a goddamn idea about. Worst—it's his eight year old alter that took over the control of his body.
"Ah Jayce, ikaw ang nilagay na leader ni Timotee."
Napabaling ako sa direksyon ni Herald. Katatapos niya lang isulat ang pangalan niya sa ibaba ng pangalan ko. Gusto ko pa sanang makipagtalo sa kanya ngunit tumitig lang siya sa'kin. And goddamn because I just knew he meant if I argue with him right now, I'll be late for Seya.
"Put your names there too while running. We're leaving."
I immediately assumed the position of the leader.
"Saan tayo?" Tope asked. Katatapos lang niyang maglagay ng pangalan niya.
"Parking lot," maikling tugon ko habang nakatitig sa monitor.
Pagkalagay nila ng kanilang mga pangalan ay isa-isang lumabas ang mga impormasyon tungkol sa amin. These information were secured by the government yet the HAVOC can easily release these.
"What car do you want?" dinig kong tanong ni Herald nang makarating kami sa parking lot.
"Woah, may mga zombie rin dito," bulalas ni Tope habang pinagsisisipa ang isang undead na lumapit sa kanya.
"Mabuti na lang talaga at hindi masyadong marami ang may klase ng 7 am ngayon."
Maui's right. Kung tanghali nangyari ang outbreak na ito ay baka wala ng matirang estudyante.
"We can use your car naman, 'di ba, Herald?"
"Masyadong masikip," Maui rejected.
"I agree." I pointed my finger at the yellow school van used by the elementary students. "Do you think we can use that?"
A smirk slowly formed on Herald's lips. He brought out a set of keys. It was probably the duplicates of every key owned by KalSU.
"Who's going to drive?"
UNDERREVISION
Kalison City, Philippines.
March 13, 2037. Friday.
On the road.
8:58 am.
23:24:42:39 left.
San Manico Condominium was supposed to be a twenty minute drive from KalSU but the first task got Tope scared shitless he halved the time we should have spent.
Bago pa man kami makaalis sa KalSU ay nag-pop up ng prompt para sa unang task.
Task 1
Be there at Dasalia Mansion.
Dasalia Mansion was known as the Abandoned Mansion located at one of the most expensive high-rise land in Kalison. Word goes that a foreign businessman built that mansion for his Filipina girlfriend.
Unfortunately, the mansion became the lair for the girlfriend to do her debaucherous acts. In a fit of rage, the guy killed his girlfriend and the three other men.
Dasalia Mansion's location is only a 15 minute drive from San Manico Condominium. That's the only good thing about the location.
Nasalubong din namin sa labas ng condo si Seya na yakap-yakap ang isang kulay brown na stuff toy. Nakaupo siya sa tabi ng poste habang nakatulala sa undead na naglalakad sa kanyang harapan. Nakatakip ang kanyang kamay sa bibig habang patuloy na umaagos ang kanyang luha.
I got out from the car and hurriedly pulled him under my embrace. Isaiah is suffering from dissociative identity disorder or DID. Mukhang hindi kinaya ni Isaiah ang stress na nangyayari ngayon kaya lumabas si Seya, ang batang alter niya. It would've been better if it was Uno who came out. He could at least protect himself.
"Kuya Jayce, are we safe now?" tanong ni Seya nang makasakay kami sa school bus.
Si Herald ang katabi ni Tope sa driver's seat habang si Maui ang namalagi malapit sa pintuan ng back seat. Si Andrea naman ay umupo malapit sa puwesto ni Herald.
"Not yet," I answered plainly while wiping the tears on his cheeks.
"I thought bata. He's acting like bata lang pala," pagpaparinig ni Andrea.
"Kung wala kang magandang sasabihin, tikom mo bibig mo ha," pagpapatigil ni Maui.
Seya clutched his teddy bear and I just knew how afraid he was. Andrea's lucky Uno hasn't snapped out yet.
"Don't listen to them, alright?"
"May ano..." Maui tried her very best to think of the right words but she failed so I just answered her. I appreciate the effort.
"Yes. He was clinically diagnosed with DID two years ago. He's Seya, the eight years old alter."
"Hi Seya! I'm Ate Maui. 'Yong nagda-drive, si Kuya Tope mo iyon. Tapos iyang malditang bruha na iyan, si Ate Andrea. At 'yung katabi ni Kuya Tope mo, si Kuya Timotee." Maui introduced everyone to Seya.
"Hi Seya!" Tope greeted him from the front seat.
Seya smiled.
"How have you been?" Herald asked while glancing at the mirror that was reflecting us.
"Been good. How 'bout yah?" A smirk formed on Uno's lips. Sa accent pa lang niya ay alam kong wala na si Seya.
Just how traumatizing Herald was for Isaiah and Seyah that they were willing to let Uno out?
Uno threw the stuff toy at me. Kinuha ko ito at inilagay sa bag sabay labas ng ipad. We need to sum up the information we gathered.
"Hi! Ako si Maui," muling pagpapakilala ni Maui. She must have felt the tension between the two.
"No one's asking," Uno ignored her. Nahiga siya sa binti ko at pumikit. May balak yatang matulog.
"Wake up, we're almost there." Tinapik ko ang kanyang balikat.
"Hmp! May gana pang matulog," bulong ni Andrea sa gilid ngunit narinig ko pa rin.
"Sleepy. Isaiah stayed late last night."
"But you don't even know what's happening right now."
"It's no use."
"Then let Isaiah come out."
"The guy's too scared. The kid's unstable due to him." He halted for a moment before getting up again. "Fine. I'll listen. But write it in case either of the two comes out."
Sinimulan ko sa mga pangyayari at impormasyong lahat kami ay alam na upang makasunod si Uno. The guy was silent but focused and sometimes nodding.
"The undeads are very sensitive to sounds. Our speaking voice is still okay but once you make a noise, you'll get their attention."
"An undead alone isn't what you should be afraid of. If they are in horde, their senses will heighten. Mas lalo ring bumibilis ang kilos nila and it'll be easier for them to find prey—" dagdag ni Herald ngunit hindi pa man natatapos ang kanyang sasabihin ay biglang huminto ang sasakyan.
Muntik ng sumubsob si Maui kay Uno na inalalayan naman ng huli. Ako naman ay napakapit sa railings at si Andrea ay napahawak sa aking braso.
"What's that?" Andrea asked. Dali-dali niyang tinanggal ang kamay niya sa braso ko na pinangsuporta niya nang biglaang magpreno si Tope.
"May mga zombie na nakaharang." He paused. "May bata rin."