The Runners

HER.Since our grandmother's death, my brother talked about moving out. He said a new environment would be a great help for us to move forward especially now that we've got no one left by our side.And speaking of 'new environment', he meant Terryn, our family's hometown. At first, I disagreed with his decision, but I just found myself sitting in this goddamn car for almost six hours already.For the past hours, all I did was think about all the memories I had with Mamala, our grandmother, and with Mom who passed away three years ago.And it made me teared up somehow dahil wala nang ibang pumapasok sa isip ko kundi pangungulila.I couldn't help it. Ulila na kami. It was really hard for us when Mom died, ano pa kaya ngayong si Mamala naman ang nawala? Siya pa man din ang tumayong mga magulang namin simula noong mamatay si Mommy especially because our father is nowhere

KATANA. Kuya introduced me the people earlier. The three dudes are Jerome, Neil and Santi. They were my brother's friends back then and they kept in touch all through these years that passed. They also remembered me when I was still a kid when even I, myself, don't. They even stayed for a sleepover dahil miss na miss daw nila ang isa't-isa. Ang babae naman kanina, si Nana Neli, she was my brother's nanny and Ynah is her daughter. They were also the ones who took care of the house when we were in Manila so they lived here for almost 16 years. Kaya naman nag-desisyon si Kuya na hindi na sila paalisin pa. I mean, it's a win-win situation. Walang bahay sina Nana Neli kaya pabor sa kanila iyon. Kami naman ni Kuya, magkakaroon kami ng kasama. Nana Neli was even more than willing to work for us dahil napakarami raw naitulong ng pamilya namin sa kanila. Turns out, Mamala gave Ynah a scholarship kaya napaka-thankful ni Nana Neli. I didn't k

KATANA.Hindi ko na napansin kung nasaang parte na ako ng perya. Pero ang unang pumasok sa isip ko ay ang tumakbo patungo sa parking lot sa pag-aasam na naroon sina Kuya at hinihintay ako. On my way there, I saw long metal pipes on the ground— probably some parts of one of the unavailable rides. I didn't know what has gotten into me but I picked two of the pipes and continued running. Minsan pa akong napapalingon sa likod ko but whenever I do, halos bumigay ang mga tuhod ko sa tuwing nakikita ko ang mga mapupulang mata ng mga taong humahabol sa amin. Saka ko lang din napansin na marami ring mga sugat ang mga humahabol sa amin. Puno sila ng mga dugo at parang bali-bali na ang mga buto. It was as if... they were zombies...No... That can't be...I shrugged the thoughts off my head and continued running. Nang marating ko ang parking lot, naiiyak akong nagpa-ikot-ikot sa pwesto ko para hanapin sina Kuya. "KAT

Everyone agreed on my plan, so the first step we should do now is to go home.Usually, it will only take us twenty minutes to go home from the amusement park. But the road was, unfortunately, in disaster right now and it's taking us long. Right now, we've been in this van for half an hour already.When I peeked outside the window, it was the same view.There were cars everywhere. Lahat ay nakahinto at nakaharang sa kalsada. Ang iba ay nakabukas, senyales na wala na ang may-ari sa loob, habang ang iba ay nag-aapoy na.The owners of the cars probably left in a hurry, or maybe... they're already dead undead.Yes.It's hard to explain, but that's that.If you were bitten, you should be dead, but you wouldn't, so you'll be undead because you're no longer alive.Get it?Even I, myself, don't understand it.

KATANA.The whole van smelled blood and dirt and sweat, but no one's complaining about it.Even Belle and Sandra were quiet about it— at nakakapanibago iyon dahil sobrang aarte nila.We were just silent as my brother drove the car, and it was the type of silence that's calming.I was leaning on my seat and my gaze is outside. Tulad ng mga naunang nadaanan namin, magulo na ang kalsadang tinatahak namin pauwi. Nagkalat ang mga nag-aapoy na kotse at dugo sa paligid, at nakakatakot iyong tingnan."G-Guys..." Ynah suddenly uttered, breaking the silence. All of us turned our heads towards her direction, ready to listen for what she might say. "W-What if the zombies already reached our neighborhood?" she asked, voice's trembling and eyes are brimming with tears. "P-Pa'no si Nanay? Pa'no kung... pinasok 'yong bahay tapos... tapos...""Ynah..." Neil called out. "'Wag ka munan