As it turns out, Matthew landed on the mountain range of Sierra Madre, which is the largest mountain range in the Philippines. But fortunately, he was near one of the towns in Aurora: Casiguran.
It was not as bustling as Manila as it was quiet, cars passing by at huge intervals, and locals who were just busy doing their daily lives.
The best thing he could do at this point was to simply wait for a transportation vehicle to pass by and get him to Manila. Usually, in provinces, there would be buses or jeepneys that passed by, but they were infrequent, and sometimes it could take a while for one to show up.
Matthew walked along the dirt road, his eyes scanning the distance for any sign of a vehicle. The sun was high in the sky, and the heat beat down on him, reminding him of how much time had passed since his last chaotic encounter in the mountains. His thoughts drifted to his mother—she must be worried sick about him by now. He hadn't been able to contact her since his phone had been lost in the mountains during his earlier flight.
"Hopefully, there's a bus or something soon," he muttered to himself, trying to stay optimistic. His stomach growled slightly, reminding him that he hadn't eaten anything in hours. The thought of food made his situation feel a little more desperate, but he knew he couldn't panic. He just needed to stay calm and figure this out.
After what felt like an hour of walking, Matthew finally spotted a jeepney coming down the road. It was old and rattled as it approached, but it was a sign of hope. He waved it down, and the driver slowed to a stop, giving him a curious look.
"Where you headed?" the driver asked, his voice gruff but friendly enough.
"Manila, if possible," Matthew said, trying to sound casual.
The driver scratched his head, glancing at the passengers already inside. "This jeepney's not going all the way to Manila, but I can drop you at the next town where you can catch a bus. Manila's a bit far from here, kid."
"That'll work, thanks," Matthew replied, hopping onto the back of the jeepney and squeezing in between a couple of locals. He didn't mind the close quarters—he was just relieved to be making some progress.
Thirty minutes later.
The driver turned back and called out, "This is where you can catch a bus to Manila. Just wait at that stop over there. One should be along soon."
Matthew nodded and thanked the driver as he hopped off the jeepney. He stood by the bus stop, a simple concrete bench with a faded sign, and glanced around at the quiet town of Baler.
As he sat there, a bus pulled up sooner than expected, its engine rumbling as the driver opened the door. "Manila?" the driver asked, eyeing Matthew.
"Yeah," Matthew replied, stepping onto the bus.
***
Seven hours later, it was already evening. The trip from Baler to Manila took almost six hours and he didn't expect it. His mother would definitely be mad at him as he told he would return as quickly as possible.
Arriving home, Matthew opened the door and there, his mother was standing as if waiting for this moment.
"Where did you go? And what are you wearing?"
Of course, his mother would notice his clothes. It was not his, it was stolen from the campsite of the New People's Army.
"I told you, I was in Wawa Dam. I got this clothes from my classmates," Matthew lied.
"I see."
His mother seemed to have believed that explanation.
"Why were the police searching for you then?" his mother asked with a serious tone. It was like at that moment, she could have struck him with a hanger.
Matthew's face turned pale. "What do you mean police?"
"The police arrived in the morning, searching for you. Do you mind explaining to me what you did to the point the police had to visit us? Tell me now before your father learns about this," his mother demanded.
Is it possible that the police had figured out that he was the suspect of the killing of nine people at the alley? His heart beat faster as he tried to compose himself. Matthew could feel the weight of his mother's stare, her suspicion growing with each second of silence.
He needed to think fast, but lying to her felt wrong. Yet, if he told her the truth about everything—about his powers, the NPA, the massacre—he wasn't sure how she would react. He barely understood what was happening to him, let alone how to explain it to her.
"I... I don't know why the police are looking for me," Matthew stammered, avoiding eye contact. "I haven't done anything wrong, Mom."
His mother's expression remained stern, arms crossed, waiting for more. She clearly wasn't buying it. "Matthew, this is serious. The police don't just show up at our house for no reason. They had a subpoena—do you know what that means?"
Matthew winced. A subpoena? This wasn't just some random inquiry. They had legal grounds to question him. He couldn't brush it off as easily as he hoped.
"I didn't do anything!" Matthew insisted, his voice rising in frustration. "I was just at Wawa Dam with my classmates. I don't know why the police are involved, but I swear, I didn't do anything illegal."
His mother's eyes softened, but only slightly. "Then why does it feel like you're hiding something? You need to tell me everything, Matthew. Whatever's going on, we can fix it, but only if you're honest with me."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair, debating how much to reveal. He couldn't tell her about the massacre—not yet. He wasn't even sure if he was directly involved, but the way things were shaping up, it was possible the police saw him as a suspect or, at the very least, a person of interest.
"I'm just... confused about all of this too, Mom," Matthew finally said, his voice softer now. "I don't know why they're after me. I'll go to the police station tomorrow and sort it out, okay?"
"No…we are going now. Dress up and I'll come with you," his mother said firmly, leaving no room for argument.
Matthew blinked in surprise. "Now? But it's late," he protested, feeling a wave of panic rising inside him. He wasn't ready to face the police yet, not with everything going on.
His mother crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "You're my son, Matthew. I know when you're hiding something. We're going to the station now before this gets worse. I won't let you dig yourself into a deeper hole."
He could feel his stomach knotting up. His mother was determined, and he knew she wouldn't take no for an answer. Maybe going to the police station now would help clear things up—but there was still so much uncertainty. What if they had evidence linking him to the alley massacre? What if they knew about his powers?
"Fine," Matthew muttered, standing up. "I'll get dressed."
He retreated to his room, his mind racing. He had to figure out how to play this. As he quickly changed out of the clothes he'd taken from the NPA campsite, he considered his options. There wasn't much he could do except deny everything and hope for the best.
Minutes later, he reemerged, dressed in a simple shirt and jeans.
"Let's go."