Siegfried

Chapter 2

She was everything real

In a world of make-believe

- Atticus

Chapter Two

When Darkness falls

"I, Joselito Talledo, the president of the Republic of the Philippines... Confirming that our country is in the state of catastrophe. The government doesn't know who started this but we're doing our best to protect the survivors... We've done everything, we've tried... But I'm solemnly asking for forgiveness, I'm sending my apologies, condolences and sympathy to the citizen's of the Philippines... I can no longer protect our country... I'm a president not a superhero, just like all of you... I'm scared too. So to those who survived... Stay wherever you are and hide as possible as you can, run as fast as you could. Be with your families, protect one another and trust no one." He bow down for a couple of minutes and when he looked again at the camera, his eyes were already bloodshot. "Godspeed... Keep safe, Philippines... Keep safe... World"

Isang buwan na mahigit simula ng ipahayag iyan ng presidente.

The president gave up, the government already abandoned us.

Mas lumala pa ang kaguluhan, ni hindi na namin alam kung mayron pa bang mga survivors maliban sa'min.

"Alas-otso na ng umaga pero madilim pa rin sa labas"

Malungkot kong nilingon si Steve, he's looking at his wrist watch. We're all in the sala, fear is visible in everyone's face. Kung mayron mang nagpapakatatag, iyon ay ang mga may pamilyang umaasa sa kanila. The kids, babies, they're naive, innocent and vulnerable. Anong laban nila, namin sa mga nilalang na iyon?

What will gonna be our future? Is this the end of human race?

Are we going to be like them? A coldblooded monsters.

Mabilis ang lakad ko na sinamahan ko pa ng takbo para makalapit agad kay lolo.

"Franchesca, I thought you---"

"'Lo, mom called. I'm worried, she sounds different. Her voice, it's different... I need to go home, I need to be with my mom and dad, 'lo"

I gaped and observed the men in the sala. Hindi sila umimik, may mga ilan akong nahuling napapailing na lang.

"'Lo?" I was fighting back my tears as I stared at him.

He's sitting in a chair and holding a sharp bolo, he's gripping it while jaw clenched.

"You're not going anywhere," he calmly said.

The corners of my eyes crinkled. "Wha-What's wrong with you?"

"Go back to your room"

"No, I'm going back to Baguio whether you allow me or not."

"It's dangerous outside, Franchesca---"

Hindi ko sya pinansin, patakbo akong lumapit sa pinto at sinubukan iyong buksan pero hindi ko mabuksan.

"Someone open this door" I yelled.

I punched the door when no one listened to me. "Open this f*****g door"

"Get her and lock her in her room"

Bago pa ako makaimik ay may dalawang lalaki ng humawak sa'king braso. Punong-puno ng sakit at galit ang mata ko ng tingnan ko si lolo.

"I'm sorry, apo..."

You, fool, look into my eyes and say that. Why can't you look into my eyes.

"But your mom is not your mom anymore"

I heaved a sigh and stared at my phone. Hanggang ngayon ay galit pa rin ako sa lolo ko. Ikinulong nya ako dito at ni isa sa amin ay walang lumalabas. We're forever stuck here.

I just want to see my mom and dad, may mali ba doon? Gusto ko lang naman silang makasama, I missed them so bad.

Ni hindi ko alam kung saan sila kumukuha ng pagkain namin. But now, our food is limited.

"Hindi ba dapat mapanatag tayo na simula ng matapos ang solar eclipse ay hindi pa rin sila sumubok na kunin ang apo mo,"

Narinig ko minsan ang pag-uusap nila lolo at aunt Andrea. Napadaan ako sa library dahil hinahanap ko ang journal.

Sumilip ako sa maliit na siwang ng pinto.

Umiling si lolo. "Mas kinakabahan ako. Alam kong may plinaplano sila at hindi ko hahayaang magtagumpay sila"

Napakurap-kurap ako ng lumakas ang apoy sa chimney dahil sa paglagay ng kahoy ni Steve.

"Ventura" sigaw mula sa kung saan. "May naaninag na papalapit na lalaki"

Napatayo ako. Nagsimulang mag-panic ang ilan.

Sumunod ako sa kanila lolo sa second floor at pumasok sa isang kwarto kung nasaan ang malawak na balkonahe.

We're restricted to enter here, only lolo and his armed men are allowed here.

Someone gave lolo a telescope.

Naglakad ako palapit sa tabi ni lolo at kumapit sa barandilya. I'm greeted by the cold weather, the wind gentle kissed my face and it's calmly blowing my hair.

Inilibot ko ang tingin sa paligid, mula sa kinatatayuan, kahit madilim ang paligid ay may naaninag akong usok mula sa malayo na tila may nasusunog.

It's only eight in the morning but we're still surrounded by darkness.

"Babarilin ba namin?" Tanong ng lalaking may hawak na riple.

Tumango si lolo, mabilis kong hinanap ang tinutukoy nila.

My eyes widened. "No,"

Tinulak ang lalaki't tumakbo palabas.

"Franchesca"

"Open the door" sigaw ko sa mga lalaking nagbabantay doon habang pababa ng hagdan.

Nagkatinginan silang lahat.

"Buksan nyo ang pinto" sigaw ko na mabilis naman nilang sinunod.

I covered my mouth with my hand when finally the door widely opened.

"Harry" bulong ko ng makita sa labas ang pinsan.

I know he's alive. I know they're alive.

Ang ilang nandon ay nagtago, ang mga kalalakihan naman ay humarang sa daraanan ko at tinutukan ng baril si Harry.

"What are you all doing? That's my cousin"

"Tumabi kayo" utos ni lolo.

Nang makaalis sila ay mabilis akong lumapit sa pinto pero nakakailang hakbang pa lang ako ng may humarang na braso saking harapan.

I clenched my fist when I saw lolo blocking my way.

"'Lo, what are you doing?" I pointed at my cousin. "It's Harry---"

"He's not Harry"

I gritted my teeth and glanced at Harry who's now on the door, he lifted his arms and hold the doorjambs. He's a mess. Magulo ang buhok, marumi at punit-punit ang damit.

He smiled at me. My tears ran down my cheeks. I really want to hug him. I missed him so much.

"Closed the door"

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa utos ni lolo. Hinawakan ko ang braso nya. I can't believe him.

Aktong isasarado ang pinto ng magsalita si Harry.

"Grandpa, this is me... Harry... Your favorite grandson"

Lolo clenched his fist.

"Closed. The. Door"

Napalayo ako sa kanya. My lips parted. I shook my head. Nang tuluyang maisara ang pinto ay sinugod ko sya't pinaghahampas pero mabilis akong hinila ni Steve at aunty Andrea.

"What is wrong with you?" tears filled my eyes, that everything I see, even him, is becoming blurry.

I understand that he's just protecting the people here from the monsters, I understand that he cared for them. I understand that he can't simply trust outsider especially after the solar eclipse but it's my cousin, it's he's grandson... He's favorite grandson... It's Harry.

Damn it!

"Intindihin mo na lang ang lolo mo, Frances... Nag-iingat lang sya"

Malungkot akong ngumiti.

Inilagay ni aunt Andrea ang isang tray na naglalaman ng pagkain ko sa side table.

"Wala na ho ba sya?" Nanginig ang labi ko. "Si Ha-Harry?"

"Bigla na lang syang naglaho"

Bumuntong hininga ito bago lumabas.

"Franchesca"

Bigla kong iminulat ang mata ko ng marinig pamilyar na boses na iyon. Bumangon ako't mabilis na nagbihis.

A knitted jacket, jeans and leather boots. Naglagay din ako ng scarf sa leeg ko dahil siguradong malamig sa labas.

It's already ten in the evening, ganitong oras ay natutulog na ang karamihan.

I need to get the hell out of this place before darkness consume my brain, body, heart and soul. Because frankly speaking, my heart is filled with hatred. And once that darkness consume my brain totally, I don't know what possible things I can do.

I don't want to become my grandfather, I will never be like him. He's surrounded by darkness, he's already filled with darkness.

Walang ingay at may pag-iingat ang bawat hakbang ko.

Kahit hirap na hirap ay nakaya ko namang buksan ang pinto. Pinagpapawisan at hinihingal ako ng tuluyan kong mabuksan ang pinto.

"Franchesca,"

Nahinto ako sa aktong pagsara ng pinto at dahan-dahan akong lumingon at mga ilang hakbang sa kinatatayuan ko ay nakatayo si mom.

"M-Mom"

"Well! Aren't you going to hug your mom?"

I smiled and run towards her direction pero bago pa ako makalapit sa kanya ay mayron ng humarang sa harapan ko.

My smile faded and stared at the man in front of me, I gasped. Kumabog ang dibdib ko, because he's wearing a hoodie, I can't see his face but even he has a long hair I know his he because of his sturdy body. He's tall, even taller than lolo.

He raised his hand to me like I'm supposed to hold his hand too. Well, does you really expect me to accept your hand? Duh! I don't even know you.

Lumagpas sa kanya ang tingin ko ng biglang tumakbo si mom sa kakahuyan.

"Mom, no" aktong hahabulin ko ito pero may humawak sa braso ko dahilan para matigil ako.

"Ano bang problema mo?" Sigaw ko sa lalaki. "Sino ka ba?"

Humangin ng malakas at tinangay ang kanyang suot na hoodie. I opened the flashlight of my phone at itinutok ko iyon sa kanyang mukha and stared at his face.

Napakurap-kurap sya't iniharang ang braso sa mukha.

"Damn it, get that s**t out of my face"

Napaatras ako. He has an accent, I don't know if it's British pero sigurado akong hindi sya pilipino.

He suddenly smirked. "Scared, huh!"

Napaatras pa ako saka mabilis syang tinalikuran pero ganon na lang ang gulat ko ng biglang nasa harap ko ulit sya.

Fear and shocked is evident in my face.

I scratched my eyes.

"Just a minute" nakangising sabi nya at kinuha sa bulsa ng suot na pantalon ang nag-iingay na cellphone. "I really love this generation, you know, technology and all of that kind of stuff"

He looks like a kid while swiping and looking at his phone. It looks like he's mesmerized by it.

"Anyway, how did you do that?"

Napakurap-kurap ako. "Huh? What?"

"That thing, the light in the back of your cellphone."

Is he serious?

Tumunog ulit ang cellphone nya.

Napapitlag ako ng may tumamang palaso sa kanyang dibdib. Lumagpas iyon at napatitig ako sa duguang dulo non.

"s**t"

Napunit ang kanyang damit at unti-unting dumugo ang kanyang sugat.

"Lumayo ka sa apo ko."

Napatingin ako sa mansyon, biglang lumiwanag ang paligid. Ang mga kalalakihan ay nasa balkonahe at may hawak-hawak na pana at baril. Sa pinto naman ay nakatayo si lolo at ilang kalalakihan din at may hawak-hawak silang pana.

The guy sigh at nagulat ako sa kanyang sunod na ginawa. Hinila nya ang palaso at ni hindi ko sya nakitaan ng kahit na anong sakit.

"This is actually my favorite hoodie," he sadly whispered and throw the arrow then raised his hand.

Ang mga hawak na sandata nila lolo ay biglang lumipad, sa pagkumpas ng daliri ng lalaki ay tumilapon sa aking likuran ang mga sandata.

Napalunok ako't nakatitig lang sa kanya. How the hell did you do that?

He put his hands on his hips then face the mansion.

"Who the f*****g hell shot me?" Saka nakangising nilingon ako. "I really love that word... So f*****g f*****g beautiful"

I tilted my head and rubbed my forehead.

Hindi ko alam kung matatakot o matatawa ako sa kanya.

Nagsiatrasan ang mga tauhan ni lolo.

"I'm not going to hurt anyone... I just need to take this girl and everything will be okay"

Umigting ang panga ni lolo. "Over my dead body... I'm not going to let you take my granddaughter"

Lumingon na naman sakin ang lalaki. "He's your grandpa? So does that mean he's also a Beltran?"

I raised a brow. "How did you know our surname?"

He shrugged then faced lolo again.

"Look, I really need to take her with me coz she's not safe here... Every nightwalker in the world want her and they will never stop until they get her. I know that guy and he just copied your mom and there's more to come," tumatangong sabi nya.

Bumagsak ang balikat nya at marahas na bumuntong hininga ng walang makuhang salita kay lolo.

He ran his hand through his hair and scratched his nose.

"Well, whether you like it or not. I will still take her. With or without your f*****g permission"

"No," lolo yelled.

Umatras ako at sunod-sunod na umiling ng magsimula syang lumapit sakin.

"Please no,"

"Oh! Honey, it's a f*****g yes"

Napatili ako ng buhatin nya ako na parang isang sako ng bigas, wala nang nagawa ang pagpupumiglas ko. I even tried to run but it's still useless.

His smell filled my nostril, he's cold I can feel it even if his wearing clothes.

Aktong hahabulin ako nila lolo pero ang mga sandata ay biglang tumutok sa kanila kahit wala namang humahawak sa mga ito.

Napapikit ako dahil alam ko kung sino ang gumawa non.

"Please, don't hurt them" I whispered to him, begging.

I don't know him but I'm sure as hell that he's powerful and he can do everything.

I know it's impossible but I'm still hoping that there's a light waiting for us after this darkness.