19: worst enemy of mankind

My head was empty as I followed Bean and the old man. I had a faint idea of what life in Zone Z was like, but I didn't expect it to be this harsh. Akay-akay ang matanda, tahimik na sumunod ako kay Bean . He looked far from that scared, awkward kid who sacrificed himself so I could flee. Masyadong seryoso ang kanyang mukha habang naglalakad kami sa tila walang hanggang tunnel.

The place was rundown, but there were various modifications done to make it hold still. Walking through the dim alley made me think of a suspicious movie or book setting, and my heart pounded harder. Hindi ko alam bakit sumunod ako rito at wala akong ideya kung ano ang balak ni Bean.

I was only relieved when I saw light coming from the end of the tunnel. Maliit ang liwanag na nakikita ko, but it was an assurance that it's the end. Ang ilang minutong nilakad namin ay tila ilang oras. When we reached the exit, tama si Bean nang sinab n'ya na hindi niya mapapangako ang sariwang hangin.

The place was open, yes, pero abot roon ang masangsang na amoy ng kung anumang nasusunog. The place looked like a desert at tila napakainit ng panahon kahit umaga pa lamang. Maingay ang makinang maririnig mula sa tila malaking lighthouse na umuusok. What I thought was fog was actually smoke emitting from the huge furnace.

Tinulungan naming makaupo ang matanda. Naglabas si Bean ng tumbler mula sa kanyang lumang bag at isang maliit na kahon. It looked like a big matchbox, but he flipped it open and revealed a lot of pills inside. Tila inisa-isa niyang tingnan ang mga pills and after a while, he picked the blue one and handed it to the old man.

"This will calm you a bit," sabi niya at iniabot ang gamot.

Huminga nang malalim ang matanda at matamlay na kinuha ang pill. He stared at it for a while before he asked, "Hindi naman nito magagamot ang karamdaman ko, diba?"

Walang pag-aatubiling tumango si Bean. "Yes, but it will lessen your pain."

Naluha ang matanda at ininom ang gamot. "We all wanted to die but sometimes, the thought of dying is scary, hindi ba? Am I dying?"

I sat speechless, staring at the old man. Napatingin ako sa numero sa suot niyang uniporme. It was a bit faded, a sign that he wore it for so long.

"It is scary," sagot ni Bean. "And yes, you're dying." Bean was surprisingly frank and brutal. How could he straightly tell an old man that he's dying?

But on the brighter side, he's being honest. No words of comfort, no sugarcoating. He's plainly telling them straight what their future will be. Maingat na in-examine ang matanda. He had no medical equipment, so he relied mainly on checking the obvious signs and pressing somewhere which I believe were pressure points. Hinawakan rin niya ang ilang bahagi ng katawan ng matanda at napapaaray ito.

Mapait na tumawa ang matanda nang mapansin na nakatingin ako sa number sa suot niyang uniporme. His wrinkled hand traced the number. "10012, that's my name."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "But that's not what your real name is, right? Ano po ang totoo n'yong pangalan?" It was too late to realize that I shouldn't have asked that. Ano ba naman ang naisip ko at bigla kong naitanong ang pangalan n'ya?

Everyone in Sanip knows that people who will be imprisoned in Zone Z will be stripped of their identities. Kung nakulong ka, aalisin sa'yo lahat ng karapatan at pagkakakilanlan. And here I am, out of my mind, asking for his name. It's considered a taboo, but I always just do what I'm not supposed to.

His tears began to flow. Hinawakan niya ang dibdib na parang sinasabing may masakit roon. "It's the first time na may nagtanong sa pangalan ko."

Kinabahan ako sa umpisa. What if I really gave myself away by asking that? Minsan talaga ay hindi ko pinag-iisipan ang mga sinasabi ko. Gusto ko mang bawiin ang tanong na iyon, ngunit nauna ng magsalita ang matanda.

"Sa 62 years na pamamalagi ko rito, ito ang unang beses na may nagtanong sa pangalan ko—"

"Pasensiya na po, I know it's not right—"

"Steve."

Sabay kaming nag-angat ni Bean ng tingin. The old man bitterly smiled. "Steve Mendel."

None of us spoke, at natatakot ako na baka may matanong na naman akong hindi puwede. Whatever I'm doing might give them the idea that I'm not from here.

"It felt so good to say my name after 62 years," nakangiting sabi niya. His smile didn't reach his eyes and I know he's still feeling pain somewhere, physically and somewhere deep in his heart. "Nakulong ako noong 23 anyos pa lang ako... Involuntary manslaughter, 'yon ang naging kaso ko kaya napasok ako rito."

Steve coughed again. Ginamit niya ang panyong pinahiram ni Bean at pinunasan ang bibig. "Involuntary manslaughter took me 62 years." Mapaklang tumawa siya. "Kahit ang totoo ay gusto lamang nilang pagtakpan ang eskandalong ginawa ni Erika Glass at asawa ng isa sa kambal ng mga Marave na si Gregory Sales."

The unending feud between the Glass and Marave families has been passed down from generation to generation, a fact that everyone in Sanip knew. Pero may taong nagdusa dahil nadamay sa hidwaang iyon? I don't think it's right. Pero kung iisipin, napakaraming bagay na hindi tama sa mundo. Even if it's a little white lie, it's still not right. At maaaring may malaking impact ang mga maliliit na bagay na kahit hindi tama ay hinahayaan natin.

The feud between the Glass Family and Marave Family started a few generations ago. Magkapatid na sina Emily at Elisa Skin ay nag-asawa ng parehong mayayaman at maimpluwensiyang pamilya. Emily Skin married Amadeus Glass, an elite and a known entrepreneur of their generation. Elisa Skin married Kenny Marave, Amadeus' ex-best friend and rival in everything.

Emily and Amadeus had a daughter, Emilia Glass, samantalang hindi nagkaanak si Elisa kay Kenny. Rumors had it that Kenny developed a lab baby made from his own sperm, and that's Kevin Marave. May mga nagsasabi ring anak sa labas si Kevin, but the truth was never heard from the Marave family. The rivalry continued until Emilia Glass married and had a daughter, Erika Glass. Nag-asawa rin si Kevin Marave at nagkaroon ng kambal, Klein and Kelly Marave. The bad blood between the families grew stronger when Erika Glass, who was married to Neo Araune, had an affair with Gregory Sales—Kelly Marave's husband.

Erika Glass then had two daughters and a son: Catherine and Celeste Glass, but Celeste died at birth. Their son, Aquarius Glass, was considered a disgrace to the family. Apparently, the Glass Family wanted to strip Aquarius of the Glass name because of his sexual orientation. Kahit anong karangalan ang dalhin ni Aquarius sa pamilya Glass, his existence has tainted their name—as what the Glass Clan believes until now. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko mawari kung bakit ganoon sila kay Aquarius Glass. The man doesn't engage in shameful acts like corruption or murder; he just lived true to himself without stepping on anyone.

It's said that Catherine Glass had an affair with Daniel Marave, but no information supports this claim. Some say that the affair rumors weren't true and were merely meant to fuel the feud between the families. Si Daniel Marave ay isa sa tatlong anak ni Klein Marave.

To clear up the rumors about Daniel and Catherine, she married Denver Bane and they had a child, Wolff Bane Glass.

No matter how messy the relationships among the families, everyone in Sanip knew about it.

And Steve is just one of the many who suffered from all this drama surrounding the family.

"Ako ang valet ng hotel nang gabing 'yon," Steve recalled. His wrinkled face bore traces of his bitter life inside the largest prison in Sanip. "Nakita kong pumasok si Erika at Gregory. Kapalit ng limpak-limpak na salapi, sinabihan nila akong huwag sasabihin kanino man na naroon sila. I was 18 years old then, a brilliant mind but without the resources kaya tinanggap ko ang pera. I thought I could use it to fund my dissertation ngunit..." He sighed heavily, as if reminiscing about his past was exhausting. "In their attempt to escape being in the headlines, they fled immediately but were still followed by reporters. Pero masyado silang makapangyarihan. The chase resulted in a few accidents; some pedestrians were run over and a reporter's vehicle was hit. The next thing I knew in the morning, nilusob na ako ng mga pulis at hinuli. My dissertation was published but it was credited to someone working directly with the Glass family."

It was probably a bitter memory, untold for 62 years, and now Steve, who knows he's dying, has found this chance to share something long forgotten. I could feel my chest tightening, likely a mix of pity for the old man and anger at the unjust society.

Steve is just one of the many brilliant minds wasted by this administration. Getting a PhD at a young age is not surprising these days, but how could they shatter a young man's dream so easily?  What did he do  para magdusa sa kasalanang hindi naman niya ginawa?

Steve turned to Bean, who, like me, was listening intently. "Son, what's my illness?"

"I believe it's Black Lung Disease," Bean replied.

Steve nodded bitterly. "Considering I've been working in this coal mine for 62 years, hindi na ako magugulat. Kaunti na lamang ang nalalabing oras ko, at ang mapapayo ko lamang sa inyo, avoid people with power at all cost. If you encounter them on the road, turn back or kill yourself if there's no way out."

Nice advice, but it's too late for me. I've already done things considered messing up someone from the most influential family, the Glass. Just a reminder to myself—I stabbed Wolff Bane Glass with a pen.

It was bad advice, I know. If I were to die, why would I choose to do so without trying to right the wrongs? I'd rather die fighting for what's right than die without trying at all.

Bean might be thinking the same, but it's better to let Steve speak his heart out and release all the frustration from the 62 years he's been wasted. Bigla na lamang kinuwestiyon ni Bean ang ginawa ni Steve.

"My greatest fear is humanity, but I realized that what's scarier is not doing things you know you will regret in the future," Bean said. He adjusted his straw hat and glanced toward the end of the tunnel. "You've fought a good fight, 010012. I know you tried to clear your name, but did you try hard enough?"

Steve's mouth fell open na tila hindi makapaniwala sa kanyang narinig. Was Bean implying it was the old man's fault for not trying harder to clear his name?

Napatayo ako at naiinis na hinarap si Bean. "Are you blaming him?" I asked, my voice rising slightly.

Bean sighed. "Maybe I am. You're in charge of your future. Even if it's determined, it's still up to you how it turns out. If he's indicted for a crime he didn't commit, why didn't he change that fate? He could have done something to justify or fight against the accusation, or he could continue lamenting and remain that man for the rest of his life."

Naiintindihan ko ang punto ni Bean: if Steve was wrongfully accused, he could have fought to clear his name or accepted the consequences. But right now, Steve is more concerned about his health. Blaming him for what happened is too much.

"But it's not right to blame him!" I retorted. "Why not blame those who caused him misery instead?"

Bean's straightforwardness is evident, and he doesn't sugarcoat his words. But how would Steve feel hearing this?

"You tend to get so emotional, Hope," Bean remarked. He still remembered the name I gave him.

"Sinasabi mo bang dapat niyang baguhin ang ugali ng mga tao?" he laughed. "What you're suggesting is impossible. He's the one who needs to change because he controls himself. You can't expect others to change according to your desires just because you fought for what you believe is right."

I couldn't understand him. He said Steve should change himself because people can't change overnight, but didn't he also say that not trying to do things one might regret is his greatest fear?

Steve took a deep breath. "That's enough," he said, holding us back. We weren't exactly arguing; Bean was calm, but I might have been too worked up, dahil naiinis ako na tila kasalanan pa ni Steve ang lahat, when in fact he was just a victim.

"Thank you for your concern," Steve said, looking at me. " Pero tama siya." He turned to Bean. "I didn't try hard enough to escape this hellhole. When I was imprisoned, I spent my days crying and cursing Erika Glass and Gregory Sales. Hindi lahat ng nagtatangka ay magtatagumpay, pero ako? I never even tried it. In a way, I understand what he means. I can't change the Glasses or the Maraves' ways in Sanip. It might happen, but not immediately. Ang mababago ko lamang ay ang sarili ko. I am in charge of myself, and I should have done better. I didn't do anything to save myself; I just cried like a little loser and succumbed to the system."

We fell silent. Old Steve seemed relieved in some way. Between his coughs, he stood and walked toward the dragline excavator, gazing into the distance.

"There's no point in regretting the past. The name Steve Mendel will be forgotten, even though it was never truly known. But..." He faced us with sadness in his eyes. "I didn't even get to see my work, New-GEM, become one of the most sought-after inventions and discoveries. Nabulok ako rito na walang ideya kung ano ang nangyari sa pinaghirapan ko."

Bean's eyes widened. "You... you developed the New-GEM?"

I had no idea what the New-GEM was, but Bean seemed to know more about it and was intrigued.

"The theory is mine, but I never had it tested, and now the Glasses own it. Ang perang natanggap ko kapalit ng pananahimik tungkol kina Erika Glass at Gregory Sales ay hindi ko man lamang nagamit. Engineering Machine, took me several years. Enhancing the ancient methods of selective breeding and artificial selection gave me a chance to become what I wanted to be. Pawis, dugo at luha ang puhunan ko sa ideyang iyon."

He stood and faced Steve. "It didn't go to waste. Your advanced idea of tinkering with the human genome has probably become the greatest enemy of mankind."

Steve's smile was sad. "Why, is there an apocalyptic consequence?"

"Worse than that, I guess," he replied. "We're exploited and used as they please."

I was stunned by the revelation. Is this the NEW I've heard about?

"T-that's what the annual picking is about?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. "At least ,we can be useful."

"Think of it as a consolation, old Steve. But remember, there are many like you. Wrongly accused, unjustly convicted, and others who merely expressed opinions contrary to the administration's beliefs. We're all thrown here, and one day you'll lose your mind and identity. You're genetically engineered, exploited, and discarded once you're deemed useless."

Steve suddenly began to cry. He sobbed between his coughs. Ilang sandali ay nakarinig kami ng mga papalapit na yabag. In the brief moment we were distracted, Steve climbed the excavator crane.

"Steve!" Sigaw ko at sinubukan siyang hilahin pababa ngunit tanging ang sapatos niya lamang ang nahawakan ko. "Come down!"

"I'm a coward, but this time, I'll do what I think is right," he replied. Bean looked at him calmly but didn't try to convince the old man to come down.

"Steve!"

Steve continued climbing the crane, na walang katiting na pag-aalinlangan. The place was elevated, and the crane was positioned high. Below were massive pieces of equipment, including a running giant drill. If he jumped, it would be a bloody mess.

Suddenly,  soldiers arrived. Seeing Steve's intention to commit suicide, he shot the old man without hesitation. Umalingawngaw ang sigaw ko kasabay ng putok ng baril.

Mahuhulog o babarilin, ganoon pa rin ang resulta. If the soldier had let Steve kill himself, he would have been lifeless, but instead, the soldier chose to shoot him dead.

Until his death, Steve was defeated by the system.

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