Adelaide: Today For Tomorrow

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I don't feel like leaving them here. Pero alam ko namang ligtas sila dito. It's been two days already and today is the day that we will head to Howell. We will be back pero parang ayokong umalis kahit alam ko namang uuwi rin kami.

"Ate, take care. I'll be the one to prepare your food when you get back." Ani Hebrew habang nakaakbay sa akin.

He's taller than me pero inakbayan ko rin sya. Ngumiti ako.

"Wag mo na akong paasahin." At tumawa lang sya sa sinabi ko.

Maaga kaming lahat nagising. It's already four in the morning. Kahit si Carol ay gising na rin ng ganito kaaga. Howell is almost a two-hour drive from here if the roads aren't blocked. But if the roads are blocked, we have to take a different route at tingin ko'y mas hahaba ang byahe namin.

"Hebrew, ano 'yong binilin ko sa'yo?" I asked him, acting like I forgot what I said to him.

He rolled his eyes before he showed me the radio. "Tatawag ako kung may problema. At sasabihin ko sa inyo lahat-lahat." He said, twitching his lips trying to mock me.

Inirapan ko sya bago naglakad patungo kay Simon.

He opened his arms and embraced me. Ngumiti sya at tinapik ko ang balikat nya.

"You guys stay in touch. We'll be back before you even know it."

"Mag-ingat kayo. Tutulungan mo ako sa kanya pagbalik mo." Nakangisi nyang bulong sa akin sa huli nyang sinabi.

"I told you already." I acted like I'm mad.

Kinamot nya ang ulo nya kaya natawa ako. Hinila nya ulit ako at niyakap ng mabilis.

"Be back safe, Aide." Ani Simon.

"Mag-ingat rin kayo dito. Binilin ko si Chase kay Hebrew. And please, let Carol do what she wants. Stay away from her. You know your cousin is kind of psycho." Ibinulong ko na sa kanya ang huli kong sinabi.

Natawa siya sa sinabi ko at sabay kaming napatingin kay Carol na parang naiiyak na habang nakakapit kay Phoenix. Si Phoenix naman ay masamang nakatitig sa akin.

"Mag-ingat kayo. Ako na bahala sa kanila dito." Napalingon ako kay Ella at napangiti.

Kita ko ang pag-aalala sa kanyang mga mata kaya niyakap ko rin sya.

"Thank you. Kayo rin dito. Babalik rin kami agad."

"Rules are rules, guys. Ayokong pagbalik ko ay may papalabasin ako dito." Malakas na sabi ni Selena na sigurado akong narinig nilang lahat lalo na ni Carol.

Hinatid nila kami palabas. We will be bringing two cars with us. We will leave the truck when we get to Roastrel and hide it there. It will serve as our getaway in case anything happens. We will use the SUV so that we will all fit kung makuha na namin sila.

Kumaway si Simon nang makalabas na kami ng gate. Kumaway rin ako pabalik.

Si Phoenix ang nagmamaneho ng SUV. Kami naman ni Selena ang dito sa truck. Magkasunod lang ang sasakyan namin. Tahimik naming binaybay ang daan na napapagitnaan ng kakahuyan.

Nagdadasal ako mula pa kanina. Nagdadasal ako para kina Hebrew. Wala kami doon at hindi pa namin alam kung anong oras o kailan kami makakabalik. Maybe in the afternoon or maybe tomorrow. I also prayed for our safety. We don't know what's the situation of Howell. It's an urbanized city and it has a large population kaya hindi ko alam kung gaano karaming changers ang sasalubong sa amin. Natatakot ako, oo. Pero mas nakakatakot ang isiping sina Selena lang at Phoenix ang pupunta doon. They saved me from that City. And I know that place better than anyone, so I guess, now is my time to save them and get them all to safety.