We managed to get 6 fishes kahit muntik na rin kaming makain ng mga buwaya. It was kinda fun although it was dangerous. I've never been into something like this before because all I did was study and research.
"Woooh, muntik na yun ah," sabi ni Avelox habang buhat ang mga fishing rod
"Akala ko tayo na talaga yung makain." Zavier added habang dala niya ang basket na may anim na isda.
The shadows are getting longer and it's getting darker.
We heard some footsteps behind us kaya napatigil kami. We glanced at each other while Zavier slowly tried to get his knife out. I can't believe we'll be facing another morphing human again.
"I'm sorry I took so long," Apollo suddenly said mula sa likoran namin at napaupo kaming tatlo out of relief. I looked him and he was surprised when he saw us sat on the ground.
"U-Uhh does fishing makes you tired that much?" he asked and I shook my head
"You scared us," I answered and he raised one of his eyebrow at bigla niyang nilagay ang dala niya. I just realized now na may dala pala siya.
"Nice catch," sabi naman ni Zavier while I froze there watching the dead forest pig he caught.
"Are we eating meat tonight?" I asked
"I can't cook," Apollo said
"Leave that to me." Avelox said while picking up the fishing rods na nahulog niya nang napaupo kami kanina
Nauna na naglakad sina Avelox at Zavier at sumunod kami. I'm currently carrying twigs for the fire tonight while Apollo was carrying his catch behind me.
"May nakuha ka bang pens?" I asked
"Yeah I got three. Yung iba hindi na gumagana because it was not frozen like us. Luckily, may tatlong pens na nakatago malapit sa freezing incubators namin, its an incubator that can preserve things. Display sana para sa mga sumusunod na generation but this happened so I'm glad that we managed to save three. I'm sure we have more, I'll find it next time," sagot niya
"That's good to hear," I said
I looked around and I still can't believe that this road that we are taking was a busy street with street foods. This road was called as festive road because every single day, it's lively. Foods everywhere. Loud sounds vibrating through the air. People dancing on streets and even couples making out in public. But now, it's just an abandoned road swallowed by nature.
I noticed that the plants in this area are a lot healthier kung ikukumpara dun sa school. The bushes are thicker, the trees are larger, the leaves are all green. I bet the soil here is healthier as well. I wonder if there are other living things here other than us.
"Andito na tayo," sabi ni Avelox at agad kaming tumigil
I was stunned when I saw a huge house na kinain na ng mga halaman. It's creepy but aesthetic at the same time. The window glasses were all broken because of the outgrown branches.
Napatingin ako sa gilid and saw a broken house na nasa centro ng pond. Well, the place is huge. Also, we can catch fish here and we can start planting edible plants since the soil is healthy. A perfect place to live.
"Tara na" sabi ni Zavier
Sumunod kami at pumasok sa loob. THe ceiling was about to collapse but it was stopped by the huge branches na nasa loob ng bahay. I can really tell na nilinisan nila ito. This place needs more cleaning para saming apat since the upper floors were unusable but in this state, this place is better than none. Things are well arranged, yung ibang gamit kagaya ng mga hindi sirang baso at pieces of plate na pwede pang magamit ay linagay sa mga branches ng kahoy na pumasok na sa bahay. The stairs are broken but it looks like it has been fixed. The stairs were used as cabinets where they put some kitchen knife that can be useful.
"We cleaned this kanina," sabi ni Avelox, "Pwede na bang tirhan?" she asked
I smiled and nodded.
"Just put the fishes and pork here, ako nang magluluto." Avelox offered
"I'll make fire," sabi naman ni Zavier
"Just rub this stones and the friction will make heat and you know what to do," I ordered
He nodded at nilagay ko ang twigs at ang mga bato na hawak ko sa tabi niya. He formed the stones into circle and kinuha niya ang natitirang dalawang bato and rubbed it into each other.
"I'll go get some clean water," I said
Lumabas ako at naglakad papunta sa sirang bahay na may pond. The water is not that clear. What should I do? I need to purify this water. Boiling? I can but it takes time and a lot of twigs and it's not convenient for now ... right its not the only water purification technique, there's another one.
"You need help?" biglang tanong ni Apollo na tumabi sakin
"Do you know how to purify water?" I asked
"Well, uhh I made a machine before that filters water but I can't make it right now. I don't have any materials." he answered
"We need a bottle, charcoal, small rocks, sand an a small piece of cloth." I said
"May nakita akong bottle sa loob ng bahay." he said
"I'll go get some sand and rock, you go get those bottles." he added
Agad akong tumayo at tumakbo papunta sa loob. Avelox was already cutting the meat using Zavier's knife while Zavier was preparing the fire. I looked around and saw 5 bottles of an old wine.
"Can I use that?" I said while pointing those bottles
"Sure, for what?" she asked
"You'll know later," I answered at agad kinuha ito.
I looked around to look for something na pwedeng lagyan ng mga bato at sand. Things are broken, guess I have to make an alternative. Lumabas ako dala-dala ang mga botilya. Naabutan ko si Apollo na may dalang bato at sand.
"Is this enough?" he asked showing his two hands filled with sand and rocks
"Yeah, I need an alternative thing para maipasok ang filtered water sa old bottles na ito." I answered while washing them
"We can use the barks of trees and make it a cone, tie it with the rope you made and put the materials" he said
I didn't think about that. This guy is really an innovator, no doubt about that.
He stood up at pumasok sa bahay. I continued to wash the bottles until they're all clean. I gathered the materials that Apollo brought para iprepare ang lahat.
Bumalik si Apollo na may dalang cone-shaped na bagay na gawa sa balat ng puno. It was tied up by the rope of the fishing rod to maintain its shape.
"Can I borrow your tie?" I asked and he gave me the filter bark and his tie and I tied the tie at the tip of the cone.
Una kong nilagay ang bato tapos ang grass na nasa tabi ng pond, I made sure that I washed it and then the sand and the rocks.
"I need charcoal" I mumbled
"I'll go check if Zavier made a fire at kukuha ako dun," he said and walked away
After a couple of minutes, bumalik siya na may dalang charcoal na nilagay niya sa dalawang kamay niya. I guess Zavier made it. Naaamoy ko na rin ang aroma ng niluto ni Avelox.
Kinuha ko ang charcoal mula sa isang kamay niya at nilagay sa cone where I put everything else. Now I need to put another layer to make this complete— rock, grass, sand and charcoal and we're all set. 2 Layers are needed for accurate results.
Pinasok ko ang tip ng cone sa transparent bottle of wine at kumuha ako ng tubig gamit ang isa pang bottle.
"The water's color is brown, how can we drink that?" he asked
"That's why I'm filtering it" I answered and poured the water into the cone.
The brown water then turned into a clean, clear and drinkable water.
"Science is really cool." he said and I nodded
I know right, it excites me.
CASSIOPEIA"Ang saraaaaaaap!!" Loki said cheerfully habang tinikman ang niluto ni Avelox. I glanced at Hunter at nagulat rin siya sa sarap na inihanda ni Avelox."For the first time in 100 years or more, nakatikim na ulit ako ng pagkaing pang tao," he said at kinain muli ang niluto ni Avelox na tira-tirang baboy ramo na dala namin.It's lunch time kasi galing ng mina sina Neo, Zavier, Apollo, at Hunter sa cave na nakita namin pero wala pa rin silang nakita. While they are doing that, I minded my own business such as getting samples from the new species kasi pag-aaralan ko ito pagbalik namin. Pag may makita na kaming coal, si Lokina ang bahala sa lahat. Ngayon ko lang rin lang nalaman na he's specialty is making chemicals while mine is on biology. Basically,
CASSIOPEIA"You live here?" I asked as I look up to see the tree house he made clearly. It's not small and not huge at the same time, kasya lang talaga siya dun. A perfect tree house for one person. I looked around, I saw jars he made from mud. This guy has his own way of living and I liked it."Oo, I actually have someone with me," he responded at napatingin kaming lahat sa kanya, "But he turned into a monster," he added with a sad tone"He turned into a monster?!" Loki exclaimed at nagtinginan kaming dalawa. Is it possible that a normal human like us will turn into morphing monsters? Bakit paranag kinakabahan ako sa research na ito."Yeah, at first he was able to control it kaso habang patagal ng patagal, he started losing himself. The next thing I knew he carved a note on the tree where we first met and found his body, hanging." he replied at napaupo.That's tragic. I can't believe he was able to live with it kasi pag ako yun sig
CASSIOPEIA“Putang inang buhay to!!!” Zavier shouted habang tumatakbo kami palayo. Kayo ba naman habulin ng tatlong tiger, sinong di tatakbo.“I did not sign up for this!!” Loki shoutedNapalingon ako and yeah, the tiger was right behind me. I stopped and I activated my pen. Agad kong itinusok yung yun malaking sword sa bibig ng tiger at binitawan ang sword. Napaatras ako while the tiger was lying dead. The other two tigers stared at us and decided to run away. Thanks to my adrenaline rush I did that.“That was bad ass,” Zavier said habang tapik-tapik yung likod ko.“Great job, I can see that your training is paying off,” Apollo said and I smiled
CASSIOPEIA“Tapos na?” I asked and Loki noddedIt’s been 2 weeks. 2 weeks of trial and error and finally, we got the perfect glycerin. Na-stock up kasi kami sa paggawa ng lye, we had to make multiple lyes and test it to see if it's a good product. We boiled the ashes from the woods in the rain water for 30 minutes and dipped a feather to test it. If the feather dissolves, then it’s considered as a success pero napakahirap gawin yun. We had almost 15 tests, bago pa namin nakuha ang perpektong lye.“Sa wakas,” Zavier said with a sigh at napahiga sa grass“So we have to let this glycerin sit for a month and within that month, hahanapin natin yung iba pa nating kailangan,” sabi ko“I
CASSIOPEIAIt’s been a week now at unti-unti na kaming naghahanda para sa aming paglalakbay. Bago pa man kami lalakbay, kailangan muna naming gumawa ng Glycerin. We need it to make the giemsa stain and we have to let it sit for weeks or even months so gagawin namin yun bago mag-mining kasi para pag may nakita na kaming enough ingredients, the glycerin will be ready. At least we get to save some time.“Eto na yata lahat, Ate,” Loki said with a smile. Halatang excited na siya sa gagawin namin ngayon.“So, we’re making what again?” Zavier asked“Glycerin,” I answered at kinuha yung dala niyang coconut, “Glycerin is a sugar alcohol derived from animal products, plants or petroleum. But in our case, we’ll be making it using this coconut a
CASSIOPEIA "So, may ibang kasama ba kayo?" Loki asked while walking with us palabas ng school. He looked around but he always glanced away pag may nakita siyang frozen bodies. "Yeah, apat kami. We've been awake for almost a year now and marami ng nangyari," I said with a deep sigh. "Like what?" he asked with a huge smile. Walang kang dapat nginingitian Loki, kung alam mo lang. "Near death experience from being eaten and Cass was attacked in here too tapos hinabol ng lion. Next, she almost drowned," Apollo replied and his huge smile started to vanish and later turned into a nervous smile. "That's um… traumatic, " he replied at napatigil siya sa paglakad