Killing Lies (English-Tagalog)

On the sixteenth of April each year, the Fortalejo family would extend their invitations to their whole clan, including the ones who are not closely related to them. This is for celebrating the last day of the Pahinungod festival, which is a three-day feast that has been observed since the year 2047. It had been over three decades since Talia Fortalejo started their family tradition of gathering on this day as a gesture of thanksgiving to the gods and the ancestors who had come before them. It was also a way of honoring the rich history of the Segunda island and the bountiful harvest that sustained them. However, it is unfortunate that the true spirit of this gathering has gradually faded away over time. It used to be full of love, joy, and unity. Now, it's just an event where people only show off their expensive clothes and family jewelry. But most of all, people only came here to maintain their connection to none other than Aroñes Fortalejo, a name that is often whispered in hushe

Snow-like ashes fell from the sky. The night became more suffocating and foggy than before. If not for Trixie slapping my face, I would remain petrified like an idiot in the middle of haywire. Unfortunately, the only exit point was the entrance itself, so we ran as fast as we could, dodging fallen debris from ruined establishments and avoiding the flames as we made our way through the perya. We held each other so tight. I could feel our pulse resonating against each other. Our breathing was rapid and shallow as we tried to make sense of the chaos around us. All of my focus was interrupted, and everything else faded away as Trixie stumbled down to the ground, twisting her ankle in the process. I tried pulling her up, determined to help her walk, but each time we tried, we always caught off balance, causing her to cry out in pain. At that moment, I knew Trixie's injury was more serious than I initially thought. I glanced at her ankle and saw a deep laceration, caused by the

The mirror in front of me reflected the same fear in Trixie's eyes when I left her behind the booth. I turned on the faucet and let the cold water cascade over my skin. I tried so hard to scrub away the filth and blood that clung to me. Despite my efforts, I still couldn't get rid of the guilt that had settled deep within me. thud-thud-thud I honed in on the thumping sound from the girl's restroom. I thought about Trixie, about how she had been mauled by a zombie. I thought about Shae, about how she had become one of them. Their desperate cries for help echoed in my mind. It was a haunting reminder of what I had done. In my whole life, everyone has been waiting for me to slip up. This night was supposed to be me breaking free from their expectations. I can't believe I made another mistake. If only I had never suggested to escape the gathering, they would still be alive. But, now they're gone and I had to live with the fact that I'm the reason why they're dead. Panic gripped

The car slowed down as we passed a line of abandoned vehicles on the side of the road. Bloodstains marred their surfaces when I peeked inside. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea. Maybe the Grove is already overrun by zombies," Caite said, her voice tinged with uncertainty. I could see the hesitation in Vino’s expressions. He was starting to doubt our plan too, but we needed to meet our friends as we had planned earlier. “Look, we should still head to the camping site,” I suggested, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “We agreed to regroup there.” Caite shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “But what if it’s too dangerous? We could be walking into a trap.” “We can’t just leave them behind,” Vino countered, his brow furrowing in thought. “We need to at least check it out.” “Fine,” Caite relented, though her tone suggested she was still uneasy. “But if it looks bad, we head straight to the District Hall for backup.” I nodded, feeling the weight of our decision. With tha

Yesterday, something inhumane taints our blood, turning almost everyone into killers. In just a few hours, mayhem and misery claim so many innocent lives. Most of them don’t get the chance to say goodbye to their families. Some don’t even realize their entire family is also dead. The most solemn part of it all is that they die alone, without knowing the reason for their ill fate. Afterward, our healthcare providers can only cover their bodies in white cloth. An euthanization act by striking their brains prevents them from mowing down the remaining survivors of this devastation. It becomes the unspoken rule every time one of us dies, which is traumatizing since we are all cooped up here, confronted with horror all day long. Then, they transport the corpses outside the barricades. However, they can’t dig a mass grave given our current situation. Because of that, the plaza turns into a mortuary site. It’s obvious everyone can’t rest well, knowing we need to pierce the heads of our d