Chapter 5

"You saw one of them too?" she said

Dahan-dahang binaba ni Apollo ang hawak niyang sword and clicked his pen. Pinasok niya ulit ito sa bulsa niya.

"Nagising rin ba kayo ngayon? It's like we were frozen for a long time by something but all of a sudden we woke up? I wonder if that loud bang caused it?" she added

"We woke up yesterday. We almost got killed. And yeah, I think that loud sound might be it. It was also the last thing I remembered right after I woke up." sagot ni Apollo

"Saan mo kinuha yung sword? yung naging ballpen?" biglang tanong ni Zavier

"I got this from school. It is one of my prototype inventions, I had many in our school. I can actually get some." he answered

"But the question is andun pa ba?" Zavier asked

"It has to. Isa pa, I buried it so I'm sure it's there" Apollo answered

"I see" he answered

"I'm Zavier" he added habang inabot ang kamay niya samin

"I'm Avelox" rinig kong sabi ng babae at lumapit na rin samin.

Apollo took his hand and he introduced himself.

"Apollo" he said

"Cass" I added

"Cass? You mean Cassiopeia?? The Science President of Springville?! I'm a fan!" Avelox said charmingly

I smiled at her.

"Thank you but it's only Cass now" I answered

"So what are we going to do now?" tanong ni Zavier

Sabay nila akong tiningnan. I ate the rest of the apple and gave them a why-are-you-looking-at-me look.

"You know a lot of things about science. I'm sure you'll think of something" sabi ni Apollo

"Well ..." sagot ko

Think, Cass. Isipin mo na bumalik tayo sa nakaraan kung saan walang alam ang mga tao. Think as if we're natives . Think about how natives started civilization. We need proper shelter, food, a weapon and clothes. We need to get some food first but we don't have any weapons... wait, we do have..

"Apollo" tawag ko

"Sa tingin mo nandun pa talaga yung swords sa school niyo? I think we need more than that." I asked

"I'll look for it if it's necessary" he responded

"Anong plano mo?" tanong ni Zavier

"We need weapons and to get food." I replied

"Go get some food. Pumunta kayo sa river and get some fish. Just be careful, crocodiles are lurking there" Apollo ordered at naglalakad palayo

"San ka pupunta?!" tanong ko

"I'll find those pens. I might also find some useful invention namin dati para dito although it's kinda impossible. Pupuntahan ko lang kayo dun." he said habang naglalakad palayo

"Apollo!" I shouted again at tumigil siya

"Babalik ka, di ba?" I asked and he walked towards me and he tapped my head

"I'll be back" he said

You better be. 

This time, I'll wait.

Hindi na siya umimik ulit at naglalakad palayo siya hanggang sa naglaho siya sa paningin namin. When he was gone, nauna akong maglakad sa kabilang direksiyon at sumunod sila Zavier at Avelox.

"I used to love this place but right now, this place is getting creepy." sabi ni Avelox

"I know. It's aesthetic but it gives me chills" sagot ko

"Right, a complete mess" she answered

Nang nakarating kami sa puno na tinatayoan ko kanina, umupo ako at hinubad ulit ang sapatos ko.

"You're not planning to jump aren't you?" tanong ni Zavier

Umiling ako at tumawa. I climbed at the tree at kumuha ng isang sanga. A sharp twig to be exact.

"What are you doing?" tanong ni Avelox

"Making a fishing rod?" I answered habang kumuha ng mga sanga. I have to get a lot of them kasi some are weak.

I jumped down holding three twigs. Binigay ko kay Zavier at agad naman niya itong tinanggap. Sinuot ko ulit ang sapatos ko and I looked at them both.

"Zavier, can you rip off some skin from that tree?" sabi ko habang turo ang isang kahoy na nasa kabilang banda. That tree's skin is quite thick, if we gather enough we'll be able to make a rope from it.

"Uhh yeah? But -- why though?" he answered

"We need a rope. We will make one." I replied and smiled

Binigay niya ang hawak niyang twigs kay Avelox at naglalakad papunta sa puno.

"Anong gagawin natin?"

"We'll make hooks" I replied and smiled

Linagay ni Avelox ang twigs sa ilalim ng puno and we walked around.

"I'll find something sharp to sharpen the twigs that I got, you go find something that can lure fishes" I said

She nodded and started looking somewhere. I started looking some stones that are small but sharp. May mga nakita rin naman ako pero hindi gaanong maliit, masyado malaki. Napatingin ako sa itaas and I felt the wind blowing towards my direction.

"Cass!" sigaw ni Zavier

Napalingon ako at nakita ko siyang hawak ang balat ng puno. That was fast! Well, that's an athlete for you.

"Do you know how to braid?" I asked

He smiled and nodded. He immediately sat down sa ilalim ng puno and organized the stuff that he got. I think he knows what to do because he even knows the exact formation before braiding. He gathered 4 skin strings that he got and started twisting it with each other to form a perfect braid. If he's able to do that, I bet he takes care of a little girl. A sister maybe?

"Cass, is this fine?" bigla naman tanong ni Avelox

She's currently bringing a weird violet fruit. Are those grapes?

"San mo nakuha yan?" I asked

"Malapit lang sa puno na binalatan ni Zavier. I think these are grapes. May isang malaking space din doon, pwedeng tayuan ng bahay. If I'm not mistaken, I think it was the soccer court before." she replied

I smiled at lumapit sa kanya. These grapes are ripe.

"Do you wanna drink some liquor?" I asked at napatigil si Avelox

"We'll make it tomorrow, but for now, let's use this to get fish. Well, I hope makaka-attract ito ng fish. I have no idea at all" I said

"Kakagat kaya sila?" he asked

"I guess, there is only one way to find out" I replied

Nang natapos ni Zavier ang pag braid ng lahat ng balat. We tied it into the twigs that I sharpened using a sharp stone that I found at kumuha na rin kami ng iba pang twigs at ginawang hook.

It's a lot easier since may dalang kutsilyo si Zavier. Zavier also made a basket out of the tree's skin which was amusing. Not only does he know how to braid, he also knows how to make baskets. I think he grew up in the countryside with a sister or in a house full of women?

It's getting darker and Apollo is not back yet.

We placed a grape in the hook and climbed up sa puno. We threw our ropes papunta sa river at naghihintay na may kumagat sa pa-in na ginawa namin.

"Paano pag buwaya ang kakagat?" Avelox asked

"Bitawan mo nalang" sagot ni Zavier

"Unless gusto mong maging pagkain" he jokingly said and we laughed. I guess having strangers as friends isn't so bad at all.

Biglang gumalaw ang hawak kong fishing rod kaya I pulled it up pero masyadong malakas ang nakakagat.

"Pull more" Zavier ordered

I pulled even more at agad naming nasilayan ang isda na nakakagat sa hook ko. The fish was still alive and was moving para makatakas but it failed. Agad akong bumaba sa puno at nilagay ang isda sa basket na ginawa ni Zavier.

Ramdam ko ang pag ginaw ng paligid dahil sa hangin, not just that, palapit na rin ang gabi.

"Zavier, I'll go get some stones and twigs to make fire for tonight" I said

"Yeah, hintayin natin si Apollo at dumeritso na lang tayo sa tinulogan namin kagabi ni Avelox" he replied

"In that way, walang makikitang usok ang mga halimaw na yun. We'll be staying at Zavier's house" Avelox added

I smiled and nodded. I walked away and started to collect twigs from dry plants. The sun is setting and Apollo is not yet here. Umalis siya kanina and our shadow was short when we were facing the sun, it means he left at noon, 11-12? can be.

 I can't have accurate time calculations since my watch isn't working. Right now, the shadows are long and are located at the right side, the time might be 5-6 pm. What took him so long?

Something is not right about this.