The New Strain

Chapter 2

Isang tila paikot na hallway ang dinaanan namin patungo sa sinasabi nilang kwarto kung saan ako mamamalagi. Siguro ay parang sa isang totally locked na kwarto kung saan ako magsisilbing bilanggo.    

Parehong tahimik sina Elle at Neo habang inalalayan ako papasok sa aking chamber. Every tapping was heard in the quiet hallway marked all the questions I had in my head. Too many how's but too few answers provided by this seemingly blank hallway. 

Ilang minuto din ang ginugol namin bago kami nakarating sa mismong chamber na may metallic ash na pintuan. Naka-engraved dito ang numerong kanina ay binabanggit ng robotic na boses "2424". Elle waved her right palm on the white wall just above her chest. A projection-type see-through holographic three-dimensional screen appeared in front of her. 

She keyed in the codes. 

Biglang bumukas ang pintuan. 

"Get inside, Nova," sambit ni Elle. Hindi pa rin napapawi ang ngiti sa maliit na mukha nito.

Neo cleared his throat. Tinapunan ako nito ng titig saka tumango bago tuluyang naglakad paalis sa harap ng chamber. His gaze reminded me of Jacob. I felt the foreign sensation brought by his intense-looking eyes. I gazed at his broad shoulders as he walked steamily away from where we stood. 

Napansin iyon ni Elle at hindi niya iyon pinalagpas. Mas lumuwang ang ngiti niya nang bumaling ako sa kaniya. "Sexy guy, isn't he?" panunudyo nito. 

Kaagad akong bumawi ng tingin at patay-malisyang pumasok sa chamber. I wondered why my observation had been this... intense! 

Naputol ang pagiging abala ng aking diwa nang tumambad saakin ang itsura ng chamber. I was expecting a jail room to welcome my sanity finally. I imagined eight by six feet, with a metal bed tray (either bolted to the wall or free-standing on metal legs), a sink, and a toilet. There may be a window allowing a view outside the prison. 

But I was wrong. 

The chamber was an actual dreamy room. It had soft bedside lamps and strategically mounted ceiling lights, a large-scale four-poster bed anchored the room with soothing colors of blue, moss green, and powdery white. Beneath the bed, there were quilted throw pillows, faux-fur throws, and comfy knits, all in neutral tones; all laid flat on a layer of shag rugs on the sides of the bed. The room had large windows fully covered with plain white curtains, then a fiddle leaf fig tree on a white clay pot stood in the middle. 

"Looking great. Or should I say homey?" Dinig kong sabi ni Elle sa aking likuran habang nakatitig ako sa kabuuan ng kwarto. "The bed  will be your sanctuary, and it was dressed with velvety linens, plenty of pillows, and a luxe duvet or sumptuous blanket." 

Hindi ako nagsalita. Muli kong inilibot ang tingin. There was a touch of wood on the ceiling, too, aside from the fiddle leaf fig tree. With those signs and everything in my room, I knew that the earth survived after 'The Flash.' There was life after the massive explosion. 

"I think I need to take a shower?" suhestiyon ko. If I was under observation, taking a shower was the most terrific excuse I had. 

Tumaas ang isang kilay ni Elle habang nakatawa na tila aliw na aliw habang pinapanood ang bawat reaksyon ko. "The bathroom is to your left, I'll be preparing your outfit for today's activity." 

Tumango ako. Umukilkil sa isipan ko ang huling sinabi nito. May kaganapan pagkatapos kong maligo at wala akong ideya kung ano iyon. 

***

I was wearing a silver shift dress —a short and typically sleeveless dress that hangs from the shoulders. It has a simple, boxy shape paired with slingback heels. I remembered this was a massive trend in the early 1960s. Pero hindi ito mismo ang nilalaman ng isip ko habang nakaharap ako sa malaking hugis parisukat na full body mirror.  

I thought I survived the earth's destruction, but looking at my face and figure in front of the mirror, more questions added up in my skull. 

I was reborn in a new body. I had a petite figure before, like most Asians. The body I carried or the body that was taking my memory had a lean, column shape. I looked like a supermodel from before the explosion.  

How did it happen? Was my body modified to look like this?

Pinutol ng muling pagbukas ng pintuan ang aking pagninilay-nilay. 

The door revealed Neo in his silver V-neck long shirt with thumbhole sleeves made from a sophisticated fabric with a bit of elastane so the material could keep its shape. The thumbhole shirt has over wrist sleeves. The garment was fitted. The way the fabric skims his body, I knew I'd lose my s**t with what's underneath. 

Ice slithered down my spine with his gray eyes pinned on mine. 

Hindi to kumibo. 

I stared at him—eyes tracing his face, light stubble, and dark hair. 

He looked at me as if unbothered by my rigid scrutiny. Beady eyes met mine. Again. 

I paused a moment for a strange feeling had washed over me. 

"You ready?" he said in a low voice. 

A surge of adrenaline jolted my gut as if pulling me back from my insanity. "Ready for what?"

"A meal and your orientation." His eyes glinted. A circle of silver and gray rimmed his cloudy irises. 

"What meal?" My throat immediately swallowed a foreign lump and had betrayed me. 

"You'll see. You need to regain your strength, Nova." A low sound came from his chest. 

I could have stopped him from calling me Nova, but my sanity made me realize not to. It was Fidela. I knew this body wasn't Fidela anymore, but the mind and the memory were me—Fidela. 

"Okay," sagot ko.

Neo's gray eyes met mine. Again. He walked towards the door and looked over his broad shoulder after a few steps. 

"Follow me," he said finally as the door automatically opened with a simple wave of his hand. 

I walked after him. I jerked my gaze on his broad shoulders down to his noticeable bump. Honestly, I should not be distracted by anything, but his presence was baiting my observant eyes. 

"Focus, Fidela... focus," I mumbled softly. 

Tumigil ito sa paglalakad at halos mabunggo ko ang likod nito. Gladly, I was quick enough and halted. 

"Spells don't work in this era, Nova. Science has ruled over witchcraft and magic. So stop mumbling."

I did not speak. I felt my cheeks burn. 

He continued with his unintentional steamy walk. Gaya ng dati, wala pa ring tao sa paikot na hallway. Bahagi pa rin iyon ng labis kong pagtataka. Nasaan ang iba? Bakit parang kami ang ang nada lugar na ito bukod kay Elle at sa babaeng may puting mata?

Kusa itong tumigil sa isang malaking pintuan. I thought it could be a hall or a banquet room. My mind suggested the latter, for I have been starving since the moment I came out of the shower. 

Muli akong sinulyapan ng lalaki nang tuluyan na kaming pagbuksan ng malaking pintuang gawa sa bakal. Her slighly jerked his head to let me in first. 

Naglakad akong nakayuko papasok. Naramdaman ko ang presensya ng lalaki sa likuran ko. 

"Keep your shoulders back, pull your stomach in,  your weight on the balls of your feet, keep your head level, let your arms hang down naturally at your sides. I don't want you to appear weak inside," sunod-sunod nitong sabi. 

Kaagad ko namang sinunod ang sinabi ng lalaki habang naglalakad papasok sa isang napakalaking bulwagan. May mga nakaharang na makapal na fiber glass kada dalawang metro pahaba patungong dulo ng hall. The dividing glasses created multiple lanes where stationed cubicles stood. 

Nakatayo sa dulo ng bulwagan ang isang hugis parisukat na box na yari sa metal. I wondered what were those for?

We stopped at a specific cubicle that had a marble desk and a single chair. Neo took the booth next to me. 

"What place is this?" I asked. 

"This is the pantry," he said. "Food will be served shortly." 

Ikinalat ko ang paningin. May mga ilang nakaupo sa kabilang lane. Pero wala ni isa sa kanila ang nakitaan kong sumusubo o ngumunguya ng pagkain. 

Ilang saglit pa ay biglang nahati ang marble desk. Mula sa ilalim ay lumabas ang isang silver box na naglalaman ng apat na maliliit na gelatin capsules: pula, asul, dilaw, berde.

"W—what are these?" I said, staring at him incredulously. 

"Food," he answered plainly. 

Neo took one capsule after the other and chewed them like candies. Then his gray eyes traveled towards me. He rose elegantly after chewing the four capsules and walked towards me. 

"The yellow capsule provides the body with energy, and the red helps the body grow and develop strong bones and muscles; the green has vitamins and minerals."

Labis man ang pagkagulat ko ay muli akong nagtanong. "Para saan ang asul?"

"That's a sparkling water from the forest of Eve."

Muli kong binalikan ang apat na capsule na nasa box. 

"Trust me. Those are safe," he said. 

Sa tono ng pananalita nito, pakiramdam ko'y nakuha niya ang tiwala ko. He already showed me how safe those were when he chewed the capsules first. 

Napalunok ako bago isa-isang pinulot ang mga ito. Hinuli ko ang asul na kapsula. Ilang saglit lang ay napagtanto kong hindi nga ito nagsisinungaling. Napalingon ako sa lalaki na kanina pa pala nakatitig saakin. 

Then he uttered, "Take some rest for a while. I can walk you to your room. The real business begins in two hours, Nova."