Chapter 3

I have to save him.

I looked around and I saw a broken chair. Kinuha ko ang metal pole mula sa sirang upuan at tumakbo pataas gamit ang sira-sirang hagdan. I did my best to climb up those huge branches para matulongan si Apollo. There’s no way I’ll let him die. Siya nalang yung natitirang kasama ko.

"Whatever happens, I don’t care," I whispered while doing my best to climb up. There is no way I'm gonna run for my life. Para saan pa ba?

After climbing up, I immediately ran towards Apollo’s direction and I stopped when I saw Apollo struggling trying to stop her from biting him.

"HEY!" sigaw ko at napalingon sila pareho sakin. I saw Apollo's eyes widen.

Ms. Enriquez then ran towards me at napaatras ako sa takot pero hinigpitan ko yung hawak ko sa pole. It’s now or never. 

When she jumped in front of me, agad kong itinusok ang pole sa bibig niya and her body stopped moving as the pole plucked her insides. Binitawan ko yung pole at napahiga siya sa harap ko.

Napaupo ako while catching my breath. I can't believe I did that. If my parents saw that, they’ll be proud of me. Napatayo nang hinila ulit ako ni Apollo paalis. This time, we both walked in normal pace kasi pagod na kami pareho.

"You have my thanks," Apollo said while catching his breath. We heard an unfamiliar sound of a beast behind us.

Lumingon kami sa likod at nakita namin si Ms. Enriquez sa di kalayuan na tumatakbo papunta samin with the metal pole stuck on her throat. 

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” I shouted and we ran again

We turned right and Apollo grabbed me at pumasok kami sa isang room na walang pinto pero may mga cabinet at mesa pang buo. This is the English Faculty.

Binuksan ni Apollo ang malaking cabinet at pumasok kaming dalawa. It's so dark at tanging liwanag lang na nandito ay sa dahil sa sinag ng araw na lumagpas sa mga sirang parte sa itaas ng cabinet at ang harap namin na may konting butas.

Kitang-kita ko ang paligid sa labas at biglang dumating si Ms. Enriquez at huminto sa harap ng faculty. Something is really not right here. What the hell happened..

Bigla siyang tumingin sa cabinet na tinatagoan namin. Agad akong napahawak sa braso ni Apollo dahil sa kaba.

How can she tell that we're hiding here??

Umiwas ng tingin si Ms. Enriquez sa cabinet at dahan-dahang bumalik ang normal niyang mukha. Mula sa pagstretch ng labi niya hanggang tenga niya, ngayon ay bumalik na ito sa dati- a human face.

Hindi pa rin gumalaw si Ms. Enriquez sa tinatayoan niya, para bang may hinihintay siya.

"Sa daming pwedeng magising, bakit si Cass pa," rinig kong sabi niya "At kasama pa talaga niya ang Apollo na yun. This is alarming," she added

What's with us being awake? And what is she saying?

"Dalawa lang sila. Kailangan ko lang silang hanapin at patayin and everything will be fine," she added again and laughed like crazy

Mas nakaramdam ako ng kaba and this time, mas hinigpitan ko pa ang hawak ko sa braso ni Apollo. Gustong-gusto kong magsalita pero baka marinig niya, kailan ba siya gagalaw sa kinatatayuan niya?

"This is so unfortunate. The Brain of our school is awake, sa lahat ng taong nakilala ko, si Cass lang ata ang makakaalam ng lahat kahit wala pang magsasabi sa kanya. I really need to get kill that girl," she mumbled again with her crazy laugh.

She stopped laughing and she looked at the hole of the cabinet and I felt her intense stare na lumagpas sa pinto ng cabinet.

"She saw us," I whispered

Bago pa man makalapit si Ms. Enriquez, agad lumabas si Apollo.

"Hindi ko alam kung ilang taon na ang nakalipas but let me tell you this. If I was frozen and so is this," he said while raising his pen.

How can a pen help us?? DUMBASS.

He pushed the upper button and instead of a tip of the ballpen ang lumabas, a blade went out that sliced her face at napaatras siya. I take that back, he’s not dumb.

Napahawak si Ms. Enriquez sa mukha niya. Her wound regenerated at bago pa man ito mabuo ulit, Apollo grabbed her hair and sliced her neck. The body laid down while Apollo is holding her head.

"What the hell are you..." he mumbled raising our teacher’s head 

Dahang-dahan akong lumapit at tinignan ko ang hawak niyang ulo at ang nakahandusay na katawan.

Binitawan ni Apollo ang hawak niyang ulo at tiningnan ako.

"We need to get out here at kailangan natin ng matutuluyan. We can't stay in this ugly school," he demanded

Hindi ako umimik habang tintinganan siya na nakatingin lang rin sakin. He pushed the button of his pen again and the blade vanished. Linagay nya yung ballpen niya sa bulsa niya ulit.

Nagsimula na siyang maglakad kaya agad akong sumunod sa kanya.

Anong klaseng invention ba yun? Innovators, huh.

We went out from the main building hanggang sa nakarating kami sa gate ng school na punong-puno ng halaman.

WE WALKED OUTSIDE the gate and I can't identify which road should I take to go home. Everything in here is covered with plants. Wala na akong makitang bahay at buldings. Kung meron man, sira na.

I'm in a city that is hidden swallowed by nature. The nature is taking her territory back.

"This is insane," rinig kong sabi ni Apollo habang tinitingnan ng maigi anga mga halaman na nakaharang daanan.

Dahan-dahan na ring nawala ang sinag ng araw at napalitan ng mga ulap na may dalang tubig. Cumulonimbus Clouds.

"It will rain in any minute from now" I said at biglang naglakad papunta sa kanan si Apollo at agad akong sumunod.

Napakabilis niyang maglakad, parang wala lang sa kanya ang mga taong nabasag ang mga katawan sa daanan.

Unti-unti ko nang nararamdaman ang hangin na napakaginaw at ang pagpatak ng ulan.

"Andun," he said habang tinuturo ang ang isang kuweba

I think the different seasons and climates made other landmarks in our city. Given that we were asleep for a long time. Who would have thought that a new cave will be formed? I wonder how many new landmarks are in this city now.

Hinila niya ako papunta sa cave at nagsimula na ring bumuhos ang ulan. Saktong-sakto at nandito na kami sa loob ng kweba but we’re right here in the entrance, hindi pa talga kami pumasok but I can see how deep the cave was. The cave is not that deep na to the point walang passageways papunta sa kung saan. It’s just a 3 meter-deep cave with dead end.

"I wonder if we will be able to survive. Do you think we will we survive?" tanong ko bigla

Hindi siya sumagot at hinubad niya ang upper uniform at linagay sa shoulders ko. Sa laki nito, para akong may jacket.

"We have to," he replied and he stared at my eyes and he tapped my head. "I mean, do we even have a choice?" he asked in a sad tone and he brushed my hair with his fingers.

Hinila ulit ako ni Apollo papasok sa cave at dinala sa pinakadulo ng kweba na may malaking bato at may isang smooth surface.

"You can sleep," he uttered.

"Paano ka?" I asked

"I can handle myself so just rest," he answered coldly at sumandal siya sa ng bato na inuupuan ko. He took a deep breath at yumuko.

I saw how he clenched his fist maybe out of frustration.

I know Apollo. This is frustrating.