Masha

I flinched at the blinding camera flash. All I could do was hug myself and look down at the table, trying to calm my own breathing.

"Pwede ba naming malaman ang pangalan mo?" 

I raised my head a bit, trying to adjust my eyes from the bright white lights surrounding me. 

A woman dressed in a white hazmat suit sat across from me. Her voice echoed through her lapel microphone, "Ako nga pala si Dra. Jacinto. Ikaw? Anong pangalan mo?"

"M-Masha Octavios..." My lips trembled uncontrollably. "M-My friends, where are they? A-Are they—"

"Your friends are across the hall, getting processed just like you. It's okay. You are all safe here." Her voice was calm and gentle, but there was nothing that could ever make me feel at ease.

"M-My friends at the mansion. Did you find them?" I asked, desperate to find answers. "Are they okay? Is Jordan okay?"

"I'm still coordinating with my team. I will let you know as soon as I hear from them again," she said, trying reassure me. "Paano nga pala kayo nakarating doon sa poultry farm?"

"J-Jordan and I were confronting Chad when those... those freaks came and..." I closed my eyes again as memories came flooding back my mind.

We were at the basement parking lot. Jordan was helping me reach up the ceiling's window. I was able to throw out the rifle. My hands managed to reach outside. I could already feel the strong wind and raindrops. I was about to pull myself up but I suddenly felt a pair of hands grab ahold of me. Everything happened so fast.

Abot-langit ang takot ko. Pikit-mata akong nagpumiglas hanggang sa namalayan ko ang pagtama ng katawan ko sa maputik na lupa. Sa gitna ng napakalakas na buhos ng ulan, nagsisigaw ako at pilit gumapang palayo hanggang sa naramdaman ko ang mga kamay na humawak sa akin nang mahigpit. Kasabay nito ang naglalakasang sigawan.

"Mash! Mash, kami 'to! Kami 'to!"

"Masha, huminahon ka!"

"Masha, nasaan si Jordan?"

"Shhh! You fuckers, keep your voice down or they will hear us!"

Pagdilat, nakita ko sina Lincoln, Smoeki, at Gil na bakas ang taranta sa mga mukha. Nasa likuran naman ni si Ezra na panay tingin sa paligid. Pare-pareho kaming basang-basa sa ulan.

"J-Jordan! Jordan!" Kumawala ako sa pagkakahawak nila at agad na gumapang patungo gilid ng pader kung saan naroroon ang bintana ng basement parking.

Fear, guilt, anger—everything consumed me the moment I saw nothing but darkness. I screamed and cried like I never did before, horrified at the thought that I left both Jordan and Chad for dead. 

"Jordan!" Gil pointed his flashlight down below and to our horror, we saw that the entire basement was already overran by sleepwalkers.

"The door! It can only be opened from the outside!" Gumapang ako't pilit na tumayo pero bigla na lang akong hinarang ni Ezra.

"Nababaliw ka na ba?! Oras na buksan mo 'yon, diretso sa atin ang lahat!" giit niya.

"We have to help Jordan!" giit ko naman.

"No, Jordan would want us to run away and save ourselves!" Ezra argued back, kicking and screaming. "We have to go! Now!"

"Guys ayoko kay Ezra pero tangina takbo na!" sigaw ni Smoeki sabay turo sa likuran namin. 

Mabilis akong umiling-iling pero laking gulat ko nang bigla na lang akong binuhat ni Ezra na para bang isa akong sako ng bigas. Tanging iyak na lang ang nagawa ko nang magtakbuhan silang lahat. 

Habang tumatakbo palayo, nag-angat ako ng tingin at nakita ko ang sandamakmak na humahabol sa amin. Napapikit na lamang ako ulit nang mariin at pilit na nilunok ang mga hikbi ko.

Pagkatapos ng tila ba walang hanggang pagtakbo, bigla akong ibinagsak ni Ezra sa lupa. Sumalampak siya sa tabi ko, mangiyak-ngiyak at humahangos. "Fuck this shit! I can't feel my legs and arms! Shit! You guys have to carry me now, I can't fucking run anymore!"

"Okay ka lang?" Lumuhod si Lincoln sa harapan ko at marahan akong hinawakan sa magkabilang balikat. Naramdaman ko agad ang panginginig ng mga kamay niya.

"Tangina! Ako 'yong kumarga sa kanya mula sa mansiyon! Ako ang hindi okay!" giit ni Ezra na humahangos pa rin.

"Nakikita ko na ang poultry farm!" bulalas naman ni Gil kaya mabilis kong nilibot ang paningin ko.

Napakalakas ng hanging may kasama pang ulan. Sa kabila nito, naaninag ko pa rin ang lumang karatola ng abandonadong poultry farm dahil na rin sa liwanag ng flashlight na nakakabit sa rifle na hawak ni Gil.

"Dito lang kayo! Babalikan ko si Jordan!" tarantang anunsiyo ni Gil. Dali-dali akong tumayo upang sumama pero mabilis din akong nawalan ng balanse sa sarili at bumagsak muli sa putik.

"Sasama ako! Sasama ako!" Desperado kong iyak.

"Dito lang kayo!" ma-awtoridad na giit ni Gil, mahigpit ang hawak sa kanyang rifle. "Mas mabilis kung mag-isa lang ako. Pangako hindi ako—"

"Shh! Shh! Naririnig n'yo ba 'yon?!" biglang sigaw ni Smoeki dahilan para matahimik kaming lahat.

Bukod sa napalakas na hanging nagpapagalaw sa mga puno't halaman sa paligid, parang naririnig ko na rin ang napakalakas na tibok ng sarili kong puso. 

"Anong meron--" hindi ko na natapos pa ang sinasabi ko nang bigla akong may narinig na kakaiba. 

Wala sa sarili akong napalingon at gano'n na lang ang gulat ko nang makita ang nakakabulag na headlights ng dalawang malalaking sasakyang paparating. The vehicles came from the opposite side of the road where we came from. They weren't from the mansion!

"C-Cars!" Nanginginig ko itong itinuro kasabay ng paglagaslas ng tubig ulan pababa sa mukha ko.

"Help! Help! Help!" Biglang nagsisigaw at nagtatalon si Ezra sabay wasiwas ng kanyang mga kamay.

"Shit! H-Hindi natin alam sino 'yan! Linc, itago mo muna si Masha!" sigaw ni Gil bagay na agad kong ikinagulat.

Mabilis na kumilos si Lincoln at inalalayan ako sa pagtayo, pero bago pa man kami tuluyang makapagtago, bigla na lang tumama sa amin ang nakabubulag na floodlight na nakakabit sa unahang bahagi ng sasakyan.

In the middle of the pouring rain, all of us just stood there, confused and defenseless under the blinding lights. Gil, Lincoln, and Smoeki quickly made me hide behind them, all rifles raised for self-defense. Meanwhile, Ezra raised his hands, screaming his name, letting them know he's the son of the most powerful person in the island. We kept telling him to shut up, scared to attract sleepwalkers that might be nearby.

Gil remained silent but I could tell how his mind was already running in circles, thinking of a way out in case shit hits the fan. If Jordan was here, I'm sure she'd be the same too. 

Sumilip ako mula sa gilid ni Lincoln at nakita kong huminto ang mga sasakyan sa harapan namin. Doon ko lang din napagtanto na parehong may logo ng Derio Research Center ang mga sasakyan. 

Bumukas ang front seat door ng unang sasakyan. Tumalon pababa rito ang isang lalakeng nakasuot ng kulay itim na tactical gear. The guys, except Ezra, tensed up, raising their rifles even firmer.

"Walang magpapaputok! Huminahon lang kayo!" sigaw ng lalake sabay taas ng kanyang mga kamay sa ere. Naglakad siya papalapit sa amin, at bahagyang ibinaba ang tingin sa ID na nakasabit sa kanyang leeg. "Ako si Corporal Allen Eduardo. Miyembro ako ng rescue team na pinadala dito sa isla. Alam kong takot kayo, pero kailangan na ninyong ibaba ang mga baril ninyo. Lalabas ang mga kasamahan ko at dadalhin namin kayo sa isang ligtas na lugar. Huhubarin ko ang ID ko para makita n'yo nang maayos, okay?"

Gil nodded, prompting the man to carefully take off his ID. 

"Kailangan pa ba 'yan?! Bilis na! Ilayo n'yo na kami rito!" reklamo ni Ezra, dahilan para masiko siya ni Lincoln at Smoeki.

Hinagis ng lalake ang kanyang ID patungo sa amin at dali-dali naman itong pinulot ni Gil. We all stared at the photo on the ID and looked at the man's face again. The name, the bearded face—it was all the same.

"Ano? Ibababa na ba natin?" bulong ni Smoeki sabay tingin kay Gil.

"Duh?!" sarcastic na bulalas ni Ezra, pero pare-pareho namin siyang hindi pinansin. Bagkus, napatingin kaming lahat kay Gil. 

With Jordan not around, we can only look up to Gil.

Gil heaved a pained sigh. His eyes were sharp and menacing as he slowly lowered the rifle to the ground. I could tell he was full of doubts, but it wasn't like we had any other choice. The rest followed his lead and also lowered their rifles. 

As soon as we were unarmed, a bunch of mean in tactical gear got out from the vehicles—all armed with high-calibre rifles and wearing helmets that covered their faces. They started yelling, surrounding us like we were a bunch of wanted criminals.

Gil, Lincoln, and Smoeki tried to cover me but all of us were rendered helpless when the men started leading us to one of the vehicles.

"Saan n'yo kami dadalhin?!" Smoeki started screaming. "Ang kapatid ko! Please ang kapatid ko!"

Gil's head kept turning to our direction, trying to keep an eye on all of us, making sure we were safe and stuck together. 

Part of me wanted to tell them that Jordan was there in the mansion, but part of me was also scared if I would be doing the right thing. Are we really safe with these men? Are they really here to rescue us? Paano kung pareho pala sila ng mga puganteng bumihag kanila Jordan kanina? What if they are far worse than the sleepwalkers?

All of a sudden, gunshots blared all over the place. When I turned around, I saw a bunch of sleepwalkers in the woods, heading our way. Wala na kaming nagawa kundi sumakay sa sasakyan. At sa huli, sinabi na namin ang pinanggalingan namin, umaasang tama ang desisyon naming pagkatiwalaan sila.

"So, you're saying that Richard Del Sol is behind this?"

Nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Dra. Jacinto na nakaupo pa rin sa tapat ko. 

After explaining everything I've known so far, I still find them hard to believe myself.

"Y-Yeah, but I also don't think so..." Naipatong ko ang mga siko sa mesa at napasabunot na lamang ng sarili. 

"Anong ibig mong sabihin, hija?" aniya.

Napapikit ako't huminga nang malalim. "Chad said something about their plans being changed! They had specific targets! I don't think they wanted this—f-for all hell to break lose! I drank that water right in front of him when we were at the store! Chad would've stopped me!"

Mangiyak-ngiyak akong nag-angat ng tingin kay Dra. Jacinto. "Ch-Chad cares for me. He saved my life before! He wouldn't let me drink something that would turn me into a monster. He even insisted for me to be at that damn party to keep me safe!"

"Wait, you drank something?" Kumunot ang noo ni Dra. Jacinto. "May sinabi ka kanina tungkol sa tubig. Kung uminom ka, ibig sabihin..."

"I have it..." I cried as I confessed. "Once I fall asleep, I'll end up killing you."

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