Cord Connection

FLASHDRIVE

Chapter Eight

It's been two days since Dr. Faraday said that he going to help me search my parents. Hindi ko alam kong ano ang mararamdaman ko ngayon. Halo-halong emosyon na ang bumabagabag sa aking isipan.

Heto kami ngayon at naghahanda na upang hanapin ang aking mga magulang kasama si Dr. Faraday.

"Everybody's ready?" Dr. Faraday asked each one of us.

Napatingin kaming lahat sa kaniya na noo'y nakasuot ng kulay gray na pulo at dickies na short. Katamtaman lang ang laki ng tiyan nito kaya bumagay sa kaniya ang kaniyang suot.

"Uhuh?" Matt answered.

Naka-ito na long sleeves si Matt at itim na short suot din niya ang itim niyang sneakers.

I nod my head while Cedric gives him the thumbs up as a response.

Nakapagpalit na rin kami ng suot ni Cedric. Suot nito ang kaniyang Cowboy hat, striped polo na black and white at brown na sapatos.

Habang ako ay naka-longsleeve na gray t-shirt. Black jeans at sneakers. Handa na kaming lahat upang lumabas ng campsite at magtungo sa Holmanians.

"Dad, I want to join!" Ellina bubbled.

Suot nito ang kaniyang sports b*a, subalit kulay gray na ang kulay nito. May suot din siyang itim na jackets na may zipper at hinayaan niya lang itong bukas.

"It's so dangerous for you, darling. Please stay here hmm..." Dr. Faraday sincerely uttered.

"No, Dad." Napailing si Ellina sa inusal ni Dr. Faraday. "If it's dangerous for me, then why not to you? Matanda ka na po para dito. In fact, I can handle myself. I'm old enough na," she replied. Basi sa tuno ng boses nito ay talagang walang makapipigil sa kaniya.

Dr. Faraday deeply sigh and look at Ellina's eyes as if seeking deep within her soul. "Okay fine!"

Ellina curves her lips on ehat she heard. Yumakap siya kay Dr. Faraday ng mahigpit.

Ilang sandali lang ay biglang nagsalita si Dr. Faraday. Napakalas si Ellina sa kaniyang Dad mula sa pagkakayakap.

"Wait," sabi nito. Umalis sandali si Dr. Faraday at agad nanagtungo sa isang silid. Palabas nito, bigla na lang nablnlaki ang aming mga mata.

Napangiti ito sa amin at isa-isa niyang ibinigay sa amin ang hawak niyang bagay.

Dr. Faraday gave us a thing which we can use to protect ourselves. It was something like stick which had a red button on the tip of it, when you push the button, the strong voltaic appears as if thunder bolts. I believe, if someone will directly hit by the bolt. They'll be totally paralyze.

After a couple of minutes, we reach the top of the Camp. Nasa ibabaw na kami ng Earth.

Tulad ng inaasahan ko. Ang lugar na ito ay wala ng kabuhay-buhay pa.

"We have to fast, the spacecraft might trace us here," said by Dr. Faraday.

Lakad-takbo ang aming ginawa habang i-nililibot ang aming mga mata sa buong paligid.

We're now walking on a chaotic places heading our destination. Nakalulungkot lang pagmasdan ang walang buhay na lugar na ito. Nakapanghihina!

"Ouch!" Cedric shouted.

Suddenly, we stop walking and fix our sights to Cedric. Nangunot na lang bigla ang aming mga mata habang pinagmamasdan namin siya. He was groping his nape. Nakangiwi ito habang hawak ang kaniyang batok. There's something in his back.

"What?" Dr. Faraday asked.

Napatingin siya kay Dr. Faraday bago nagsalita, "Nothing, Dr. There's something bite my nape. It was mosquito maybe..." he replied. He flashes a smile matching with his iconic peace sign.

"Tsss... tara na nga, puro ka kalukuhan kuya," said by Ellina.

"Pft." It's Matt.

"Let's continue," Dr. Faraday said. He turns his back and begin to walk again.

Sumunod na lang kaming lahat sa kaniya sapagkat siya lang ang nakaaalam nang camp. Hindi pa kasi ako nakalalabas ng Holmanians dati dahil sa hindi ako pinapayagan ng aking mga magulang. But, I am aware that the Earth has been destroyed. Dahil na rin sa i-pinakitang mga larawan ni Dad sa akin dati nang hindi pa kami sinugod ng mga Cyborgs.

After a couple of hours, we successfully reach the Holmanians Campsite. Hindi na ito tulad ng dati pa. Puro bakas nalamang ng apoy at kalawang ang bumabalot sa lugar. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi manlumo habang unti-unti ako pumapasok sa loob ng Camp kung saan ako lumaki.

Upon looking at the place, I felt shock. Everything turns to dust, and there's nothing is significant. Halos hindi ko na ito makilala pa. Ang laki ng pinagbago nito.

Wala ng mapapakinabangan sa lugar. Ang mga benches, bakal na lang ang natira, ang mga kwarto ay sirang-sira na rin ang mga dingding.

I bow my head when I feel my tears about to burst. Tila may bumara sa aking dibdib. Bigla na lang akong nahirapang huminga. There is something pokes my heart and it triggers me and arouses the emotions inside of mine.

"Are you okay?" asked by Cedric. He rubs my back.

"Yeah..." I timidly replied. Honestly, I wasn't. I was lying.

"Everything is destructed," Dr. Faraday said. He then turns his gaze on us. "I wonder where you parents go," he added.

He roames his eyes to the chaotic place. Kitang-kita rin sa mukha nito ang panlulumo na unti-unting bumalot sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Saan natin sila hahanapin? What if they're abduct and put them to the Asymptote Universe?" Ellina suggested.

"Possible," Matt assented.

I got petrified. I lost my voice as well as my brain. It wouldn't function. Hindi pa rin ako maka-recover sa nangyari sa camp namin haluan pa ng mga palaisipan kung ani na nga ba talaga ang nangyari sa aking mga magulang.

Everthing was rubbish. The computers are broken down into pieces, the floor, and the place where we execute travelling to the asymptote. All of it are destroyed.

"Let's go back, then," it's Cedric.

I shake my head. I don't want to leave this place. I'm hoping my parents will do come back here.

"I'll wait for them here," I said gripping the emotions arouses inside of me.

"You might be in danger here Juts! Let's go back," Dr. Faraday sincerely uttered.

"No. I will wait here for them," I replied. I want to shout. I want to cried out laud, but there is no tears come into my eyes. Halo-halong emosyon ang aking nararamdaman ngayon.

Napakuyom na lang ako ng aking kamay. I managed to control myself with the emotions slowly swallowing my system. I feel my eyes fill with tears.

"Iyakin amput! Hahahaha..." Ellina craked that makes me cringe.

Nanlamig na lang ako bigla nang marinig ang mapang-asar na tawa ni Ellina.

"Pft." Bigla akong napatingin kay Matt, pero naging seryoso rin ito ng makita niyang nakatingin ako sa kaniya.

"Anong iyakin? Hindi no?!" I lied and smeared the tears in my eyes.

"HAHAHAHA... Palusot! Buang!" she exclaimed.

Hindi ko alam kung inaasar niya lang ako para hindi ako umiyak o talagang inaasar niya ako kasi trip niya lang talaga.

I fix my eyes to Ellina and give her the fierce look. Why she treated me like this? Inaano ko ba talaga siya? There's a time she hated me, and now she teased me? How ironic at the same time weird.

"Bumalik na nga lang kasi tayo..." she insisted.

"We will find them, okay, I promise," Dr. Faraday uttered with sympathy.

"Let's go. Baka gabihin tayo sa daan," Matt suggested.

They all turn there back and left me. Ayaw kong lisanin ang lugar, napapikit akong sandali at bumuga ng hangin sa aking ilong. I summarize the things I had in my mind.

I turn my back and bow my head. Tama sila, nabuga ako ng hangin.

I step my feet but, my eyes spotted something in the ground that stops me.

My eyes turn wide. Agad ko iyong kinuha ng mapag-alaman ko kung ano iyon. It was a flashed drive.

"Dr. Faraday..." I shouted. Napahinto silang lahat at lumingon sa akin ng nakakunot ang kanilang mga noo. "I found something po!"

Lumakad ako patungo sa kaniya. They all fixated their sights at me. I showed them the flashdrive I foun when I reach them.

"I believe this was belong to my parents, maybe we can find something helpful here," I handled the flashdrive at Dr. Faraday.

His eyes pinned on the flashdrive. "Wow, this is such a great help for us," he replied.

"Himala yatang hindi masunog ang flasdrive," Ellina said wondering.

"Yes. Nakalagay lang siya sa tiled floor. Hindi umabot ang apoy sa lugar kong saan ito nakalagay, " I explained.

"Tara na, baka ma-trace tayo ng mga shutanga dito," Ellina agogly uttered.

Cedric crossed his arms unto my shoulder and we walked together.

Naatango na lang din sina Matt at Dr. Faraday biglang pagsang-ayon sa inusal ni Ellina.

Tuluyan kaming umalis at nagtungo sa hagdan patungo sa i-taas ng camp. When we reached outside. Our eyes turn wide, the spacecraft was hanging in the air.

I gulp as if my throat got dry.

The spacecraft roaming at the place, seeking for something. It was like the spacecraft I saw last time I met Cedric. Circled which has a transparent glass on the top of it.

Nakakabingi ang tunog nito. We hide ourselves, but in our horror, the spacecraft landed on the ground. Hindi naman ito ginagawa ng spacercraft noon.

Napakunot na lang ang aking noo habang nakat A green laser light spread in the ground as if creating waves. I gulped, what the hell it is doing?

"f**k! It was radar!" Dr. Faraday mouthed.

I gulped as I felt my throat got drained.

A weird sounds echoed that occupied the whole place. Biglang may tubong lumabas sa ibabang bahagi ng spacecraft.

"Run! It will firing us!" Dr. Faraday shouted.

I felt like I'm get splashed with cold water. My feet as if had its separate mind. It abruptly moved. We run as fast as we can. Biglang nagpaputok ang spacecraft. It creates large thud resonated the whole place. Sunod-sunod na itong nagpaputok. The g*n coming from the spacecraft is so strong, it was as if laser light but it can destroyed things in just one hits. Sumusunod sa amin ang b***l. We dodged as much as we can. Zigzag ang takbo namin para hindi kami matamaan ng bala.

"Go! Go! Don't look back! Keep running!" Dr. Faraday yelled.

Nagpatuloy kami sa pagtakbo. The Spacecraft continued firing behind us. Mabuti na lamang at hindi kami natatamaan. I don't know how we did it, but we are! We dodging it.

"Dodge now!" Voice coming from somewhere echoed.

Hindi ko na napansin kung sino ang sumigaw sa amin. We run too fast until we heard the large explosion behind. The spacecraft behind us stopped firing.

Immediately, we stopped running. Napayuko ako. Each one of of us holding our knees whilst panting really hard, gasping for air. I think I lost the air inside my lungs. I gulped for a thousand times.

When I fixed my eyes on them. They are to tired too, especially Dr. Faraday. Sweats are all over his face.

"W-what the hell happen?" Dr. Faraday uttered. Kapos hininga na itong magsalita.

We turned are back. Amusement began to swallowed me. The spacecraft had been destroyed. Who did that?

I roamed my eyes and I finally saw a girl wearing a revolving machine g*n.

My eyes turned widened when I finally realized who the girl is. "Mom?" I uttered.

My heart skipped a beats. Am I hallucinating?

"Britty?" Dr. Faraday affirmation.

She faced us and her eyes went widened. "Frances? Zyck?" my mom uttered. Amusement are all over her face.

Patakbo akong lumapit sa kaniya. I hugged her so tight as if there's no tomorrow. My tears burst out in my eyes as if river flew from the highest mountain.

I can't help myself. My Mom hugged me back with care and love. "You're safe..." she bubbled.

"Mom..." I cried to the point that I can't heard my voice.

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