Adelaide: Today For Tomorrow

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Three days later...

Days ago, I talked to guests in the front desk. Assisting them to their rooms, greeting them with all kindness, giving them all the smiles I could give, waving as they checked out, talking to my coworkers, laughing our asses out. But now, everything has changed.

Ngayon ay kasalukuyang nililinis namin ang labas ng pader. Five changers down, isa lang ang sa akin doon sa apat na balang pinalabas ko. Muntik pang di tumama sa ulo nito ang huling bala.

I'm just wasting precious bullets at buti nalang hindi nila ako pinapagalitan.

Sa bawat pagkalabit ko ng gatilyo ng baril ay napapaatras ako dahil sa pwersa nito. I even jerk the gun right before I fire dahil ineexpect kong puputok ito and it pissed Phoenix off mula pa kahapon at noong unang araw. Nanakit rin ang balikat ko kagabi dahil sa bigat, pero sabi ni Selena, masasanay rin daw ako. They made me do dry-firing noong una. Phoenix taught me to control my breathing and made me use my dominant eye in aiming. Pero sabi nya na kailangan kong masanay na bukas ang dalawang mata ko when aiming for the target. I also still need to fix my stance in firing. In short, I'm not good enough and I still need a lot of practice but at least, nakakatama na ako at madedepensahan ko na ang sarili ko.

Yesterday, I was hesitant in killing a changer. Nanginginig ang kalamnan ko tuwing naiisip kong papatay ako. Tears run down my cheeks on my first aim to a changer. Then memories of how I killed my mother and my brother flashed in my mind. Their souls are long gone.

There are a few of them na napapadpad dito. I bet they are from nearby houses and they suddenly just turned. They're not that rot. Bites and scratches are all over their bodies. Sometimes, their eyes are gone and they just rely on their senses, or they're left with one ear. On my first day, I can't help but retched all the time.

Not all of them are still in a good state. Well, they will never be good because they're dead or a changer already. I mean, others aren't that rotten yet but some are in a really bad state already. At hindi lang yun ang nakakasuka. Their smell, damn. They stink real bad.

Selena has been always busy with her radio. Hitting several frequencies. Hindi nya ito iniiwan. I heard voices from different frequencies pero hindi nakikipag usap si Selena dito. Most are news since wala ng lumalabas sa tv, the last time we heard of CNN was on my second day kasama sila. Then it shut down. Ayokong isipin kung anong posibleng nangyari sa kanila dahil nakakawala ng pag-asa.

I also heard some radioing for help and calling all associated with the armed forces to be in service immediately. Isa na si Selena dun, I know she wants to help outside but she has priorities.

Somehow, nabubuhayan ako ng pag-asa tuwing naririnig ko sa radyo ni Selena ang mga boses ng ibang sundalo. Ipinagdadasal ko ang kaligtasan nila.

The other day, we filled the gallons in the basement with water and also the tanks in the back of the house. We better be prepared dahil hindi rin magtatagal ay mawawalan na rin kami ng tubig at kuryente.

Yesterday, Phoenix went out of the gate to check the road to the city. Nagkalat daw ang mga sasakyan sa daan. Good thing that the roads are not blocked yet. Well, maybe the roads that he checked are not block. But for sure, there are other roads out there that are blocked by traffic or car crash. Especially in the national roads. May mga ibang survivors pa daw syang nakikita. Ang iba daw ay nasa kanilang mga bahay. Ang mga bintana ay natatakpan ng mga tabla ng kahoy.

"You still have to work on your aim and control your shaky hands." Sabi nya bago ako iniwan at pumasok sa truck nila.

Hindi ako sumagot. Nagkakausap na kami pero hindi masyadong madalas dahil parang may dalaw lagi si Phoenix. Parang palaging may ginagawa akong masama.