Zuki's Point of View

Nakatingin lamang ako sa labas ng bus. Habang ang aking tenga ay nakaalerto. I could felt their eyes on me. There are four demigods, and one satyr. The rest are full of monsters. The street was busy. Full of different kinds of vehicles.

Kasama ko sina Fuego at Erin sa iisang bus. At ang isang demigod na may teal green eyes. Katabi naman nito ang satyr na kinikilala niyang kaibigan. As far as I can remember, his name is Hanzel Mark Sarsozo.

At pinaghihinalaang anak ito ni Hermes basi sa hitsura niya.

We managed to gather information, thanks to Erin's invisibility and enhanced thievery. Kami ang naatasan sa Nangka National High School. Sina Blei, Blaze, Nkri, and Dash ay sa St. Francis Academy since tatlo raw ang nandoon.

Lady Heshiena, Mavros, Chry and Ace are the reinforcements.

In case something's gone wrong.

"You look so glum, pre," the satyr named Jan Paul commented.

Rinig na rinig ko sila dahil nasa second to the last row ako nakaupo. Good thing, wala akong katabi. Muli akong napatingin sa labas. The sun was glistening so beautifully. The clouds were looks so fluffy I could sleep on it.

Mayumi . . . where are you? A sudden thought came across my mind. Nagpakawala ako ng mahinang pagbuntonghininga. Inalis ko na ang aking tingin sa labas, at muling iginala ang aking mata sa loob ng bus.

The minotaur is at the side of the bus's door. There are quite a few of empousai. Right behind the driver's seat, may nakaupong matandang babae. The remaining passengers are men. They're probably monsters, or just an ordinary mortals.

"Napanaginipan ko na naman ang lalaking 'yon," rinig kong sagot ni Hanzel.

Napatingin ako sa kinaroroonan nila. Our eyes met. Jan Paul nodded at me, so was I, and immediately turned his attention back to Hanzel.

"You mean, the guy who's appearing in your dreams for three years?" kinompirma niya ito. "The guy who had the same teal green eyes as you?" pahabol niya pang tanong.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw him nodded as a response. Damn. That's been like forever. Imagine, there's that same guy who appeared in your dreams for three years. That would drive me insane! I would be asking and wondering why.

So far, the monsters remained on their seats.

But their eyes were constantly moving, as if monitoring our every move. Sina Hanzel at Jan Paul naman ay may pinagtatawanan. Nakatingin sila pareho sa screen ng cellphone na hawak-hawak ni Hanzel. Habang ako naman ay nanatiling nakaalerto. Maging sina Erin at Fuego.

Rinig ko ang pagkabagsak ng cellphone ni Hanzel sa sahig ng bus nang biglang nag-preno ang driver. Naiinis itong lumabas. Sumilip ako sa bintana. Napansin kong malapit ng magkabanggaan ang dalawang magkasalubong na bus.

Marahil ay ito 'yong bus kung nasaan ang grupo nina Blei, Blaze, Nkri, at Dash.

Iginala ko ang aking paningin para alamin kung nasaan kami. On the left side of the road, may kapansin-pansin na ancestral home. May maliit na eskenita na pinagigitnaan nila ng isang maliit na car wash business.

Sa right side naman, kung saan doon nakaupo sina Hanzel, Jan Paul, Erin, at Fuego, ay may daan papasok ng eskenita. Base sa bus namin ay papaliko ito roon. Ang hula ko'y doon ang punta ng field trip na ito.

"Ano ba'ng nangyayari?" Rinig kong tanong ng matandang nakaupo sa likuran ng upuan ng driver. Marahil ay isa ito sa guro na mukhang papa-retire na. "We don't have time. Baka ma-late tayo sa ating destinasyon," komento niya.

Tumayo ito sa pagkakaupo.

"Ma'am Alvarez!" ang pagtawag ni Hanzel sa babaeng matanda.

Tumayo siya sa pagkakaupo, ngunit napansin ko namang dahan-dahang inabot ni Jan Paul ang suot-suot niyang bracelet. Tinignan ko siya sa mata, tinatanong siya. He looked back, and give me a stare, conveying that whatever he's going to do is for Hanzel's sake.

When he finally succeeded, naputol ito't nagkalat ang mga beads sa sahig.

Natataranta niya itong pinulot. Napansin ko pang teary eyed siya. I felt bad for him. Pilit niyang hinanap ang mga beads na kulang. Nagpakawala siya ng marahas na buntonghininga't sumuko na lamang. Muli siyang tumayo sa pagkakaluhod.

My forehead furrowed in confusion when I saw his eyes gradually grew wider. His mouth fell upon the floor, and his tongue seemed to recede.

"W-what the h-hell?!" bulalas niyang saad. "M-monsters . . ." bulong niya.

Hindi pa rin nawala ang pagkakunot ng aking noo. There's only one reason I could think of. But I am not sure if I am right. Tinignan ko si Jan Paul. This time, he already teared his pants off, so as his shoes, revealing his hairy legs and a pair of hooves.

Tinanggal niya rin ang suot-suot niyang cap. Dahil dito ay tumambad ang maliit pa niyang mga sungay. Napaatras si Hanzel, habang ang kaniyang nakabukas na bibig ay nanatili. Napansin ko ring nanginginig na siya sa takot.

Mas lalo siyang nagulat nang lumingon siya kay Jan Paul.

"Pre."

"Pre."

Jan Paul tried to approach him, pero umatras lang siya. Takot na takot ito't naguguluhan sa mga nangyari. Empousai revealed themselves, so as that old woman sitting behind the driver's seat. She's one of the Furies.

Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa ni Fuego. Sinenyasan namin ang isa't isa. We never hesitated to move. Nakatayo na kaming dalawa sa harapan nina Hanzel at Jan Paul.

"We're here to protect you at all cost, Mr. Sarsozo," wika ko.

The three of them hummed in response. He looked at us suspiciously.

"You don't have to worry, pre," pagpapakalma niya kay Hanzel. "We'll explain everything after all of this. Everything that wonders you and confuses you, may mga kasagutan 'yan." He looked at him softly, relaying the message that he can trust him. "And for that to happen, you have to stay alive, okay?"

Tila napanatag kami nang dahan-dahang tumango si Hanzel. Nagtayuan naman 'yong mga lalaking may athletic na pangangatawan. They were looking at us dreadfully. Others were laughing, and smiling devilishly.

They then revealed themselves right before us. Our eyes grew wider. Laistrygonians, man-eating giants. Lumagpas ang kanilang mga katawan sa kisame ng bus. Mabilis na pumasok ang sinag ng araw mula sa butas. They're eight feet tall for fucking sake!

Napalukso sa gulat si Hanzel nang biglang may tumili sa kabilang bus.

Sumunod ang mga malalakas na kalabog, at daing na tila nasasaktan. The bus had only one door, and these monsters are blocking our way. I have to think of way how to get out of here. Aha! A light bulb suddenly appeared few inches above my head.

"This could be it, I am sure . . ." bulong ko sa aking sarili.

Erin didn't wait a chance for them to move first. A quiver appeared on her back, as the golden arrows and her bow. Thereafter, she rendered herself invisible. She attacked the feet of the giants, making them groan in pain. Some lost their balance.

Me, on the other hand, collected a good amount of sunlight to manipulate few spheres. In my peripheral vision, I saw Fuego manipulated fire. I know, those fire will blasts. Dahilan para bilisan ko ang aking ginagawa.

Nang matapos na ako ay tinignan ko sina Hanzel, na gulat na gulat, at si Jan Paul. "Stay behind me," ang pag-utos ko sa kanilang dalawa.

Hanzel was still surprised, causing Jan Paul to drag him with him. Dahan-dahan kong inilapit ang mga spheres sa mga upuan dito sa pinakalikod ng bus. Explosion echoed in my ears, and a temporary blinding light dominated the entire vicinity.

When the light subsided, we were greeted by a hole. Almost the entire edge of the bus melted. Sinenyasan kong lumabas ang dalawa. Lumingon ako kay Fuego. He was quick to understand what I was about to say when he nodded.

"Erin!" ang pagtawag niya.

A whoosh sound passed through me. Napailing na lamang ako nang makitang nasa tabi na nina Jan Paul at Hanzel si Erin. Lumabas na rin ako. I saw Fuego's jaw moved. He threw all the fire to the oncoming monsters before following us outside.

Sumabog ang buong bus. Gumawa ito ng malakas na ingay. But we were surprised when a fury passed through the fire unharmed. She grew her sharp claws. Lumipad ito pataas. But that didn't scared the shit out of me.

Nag-manipula ako ng pana't palaso na gawa sa liwanag. I aimed it to the monster's head. I didn't think twice to release the arrow into the air. Sa sobrang bilis nito, hindi ito makikita ng iba. I scoffed. The fury managed to dodge. Pero hindi naman nakaligtas ang kaniyang mga pakpak.

Before she could fall upon the ground, her two sisters came to rescue her.

Ngayon, nakatingin na silang tatlo sa amin nang masama. I was about to make another attack when I realized we are all now cornered with various enemies. On the right side, empousai were looking at us hungrily, especially to the four of us men. On the other side, there's the eight feet tall flesh-eating giants.

And in the air, there's the furies.

Napatingin kami sa kinaroroonan ng white bus. It's pretty bad there. Most of the glass windows are now completely broken. There are also plant vines in every corner of the bus. I gasped for air when an empousa was thrown out of the window with a celestial bronze dagger pierced on her heart.

She then dissolves into dust.

Napatingin ako sa mga taong nakasaksi sa mga nangyayari. They were laughing so hard as if watching a comedy show. Of course! The mist is doing her job to protect their mind from the reality that they couldn't comprehend.

Nabalik ang atensyon ko sa puting bus nang makarinig na naman kami ng malakas na sigawan. Fuego, Erin and I looked at each other's eye. Inayos ko ang aking pagkakatayo para ihanda ang aking sarili.

We decided to attack at once―"Mayumi!"―but I was stunned when I heard someone call the name of the person I badly wanted to see again.