“Amira, are you fine? Kanina ka pang namumutla simula noong makita kita.” I offered Cara a small smile and laid my back to the bed. I’m so selfish right now, and I can’t even have the nerves to tell them what I just did.

Parker and the others had been monitoring me for hours. They stopped blending with others just to watch me because when Cara saw me, I’ve been looking so helpless.

Marahan kong pinikit ang mga mata ko at pinangtaklob ang kumot sa aking buong katawan, “Maayos lang ako. Pumunta na lang kayo sa museum dahil baka hinahanap na nila kayo—”

“Alex and Peter already arranged it. Just rest for now,” Parker said. I frustratingly bit my lip, sa totoo lang ay kating-kati na akong sabihin sa kanila ang ginawa ko pero alam kong pipigilan nila ako sa pagpunta ko sa tatay ko.

Kailangan kong kausapin si Daddy at pigilan s’ya sa mga binabalak n’ya pa. Ayokong may kitilin pa siyang buhay tao man o hindi, ayokong may matulad pa kay Senator Revileza o kaya’y kay Chi.

“Cara… What do you think is Eden?” I asked.

I heard her heaving a sigh, and then I felt a weight on the mattress, “Based on my researches, it is a Paradise that everyone is earning. That’s why some apostles wanted to go to Alpheus City and survive— no work and such, only freedom after their survival.”

I bitterly smiled behind the blanket covering my face. Paradise? What a shady scam. That place is no paradise for Apostles, and it’s a place worse than being killed in Alpheus City, a place for life-long torture—Hell.

“Mommy,” Spencer called. Puwersahan n’yang tinanggal ang kumot sa ‘king mukha at ang nakaaasar niyang ngiti ang bumungad sa akin kasabay nito ang pag-aabot niya sa akin ng isang Snickers.

“Anong gagawin ko r’yan?”

“When you’re hungry, grab a snickers?” I tried hard not to facepalm and appreciate his effort, and I ate the chocolate he gave me.

I’ve never been a fan of sweets like this. That’s why whenever he eats chocolates, I’m always hysterical. It is so sweet; how can they enjoy such an overkill?

“Okay ka na ba?”

Nilingon ko si Parker saka tumango, “Okay naman talaga ako.”

All of a sudden, the door burst open. Revealing a sweaty brother of mine, he was worried while holding his headgear in the arm.

“Is she awake?” He asked. But before anyone could reply, his eyes laid to mine. “You all need to go back. I bumped into Tyler kanina maging sa ibang security personnel. Hinahanap nila ang ibang apostles, may mahalaga raw na announcement.”

“Akala ko ba’y nagawan mo ng paraan—”

“That’s why I’m here. A group of guards is supposed to went to Katalina and the others’ room. Magtatakha na lang siguro sila kung wala sila hindi ba?” Alex argued, making Cara shut up.

I heaved a sigh and went to the bathroom to change clothes. After putting on the facemask, I exited the room. And together with Cara, we went to Nate and Niko’s place while Parker went to Tyler, especially that they belong in the same group.

The humongous hall was holding a capacity of few people. As the deafening murmurs conquered my ears, I felt something was wrong. Not all the apostles are present. Aside from that, I can see that our group is the only apostles who came from Besodiah. Tyler and Parker aren’t also here.

Then… It means…

“Good day, Apostles,” Mr. Samuel greeted. I frustratingly bit my lower lip, especially that I know where this is going— the announcement of the apostles who will go to Alpheus City. “The people called here are significant for my upcoming announcement…”

“Is someone in our group on the list?” Niko asked.

Nate squinted his eyes as if doesn’t believe it, “This is my first time coming in this hall… kahit araw-araw nilang ginaganap ‘to.”

“Anastasia. Subject 287.”

“Gray. Subject 265.”

“Smith. Subject 254.”

“Stacy. Subject 234.”

“Katalina. Subject 43.”

Cara’s eyes widened and tightly grasped my wrist, but before she could speak anything, one of the guards suddenly pulled me away from them.

The five people listed were immediately transferred in front of the entrance to Alpheus City. Mr. Samuel captured my eyes as he was watching amusedly behind the guards.

“Ija, hindi ko alam kung bakit binago ni Mr. Augustus ang listahan.” Sumenyas siya na iabot sa kanya ang tila isang relo na bagay. Kulay itim ito na may kulay lutian na pangalan ko na nakalagay ro’n, maging ang lugar kung nasaan kami ay naroon.

Dahan-dahan iyon na nilagay sa akin ni Ginoong Samuel, “Naging pansamantala kitang kaibigan. Ngunit kailangan mong magbayad sa kung ano man ang kasalanan mong nagawa,” nakangiting sambit nito.

Nang sabay-sabay kaming tinutukan ng mga guwardya sa likod ng baril ay agad kaming naalerto dahilan upang maglakad kami papasok sa Alpheus City. Kabado ang mga kasama ko at halatang kahit isa sa kanila ay walang may gusto na mapasa sa ekspedisyon na ito.

At sa tuluyan namin na paglalakad, nawala ang mga guwardya sa aming likuran at maging ang napakalaking gate na nagbubuklod sa dalawang siyudad na nakasara na.

“Kailangan daw natin pumunta muna sa LIVE Corporation,” sambit ng isa sa mga kasama ko. Sinilip ko ang pangalan nito sa bandang dibdib saka siya nakilala bilang Gray. “Isa-isa tayong papasok… at pag-babasihan ang pagkakatawag sa pangalan natin.”

I roamed my sight around and felt how foreign I am to the city where I grew. As the silent treatment of the city registered in our mind, every step we took, feels like we’re marching towards our end. As if we are waiting for someone to execute us, to end our life. I frustratingly clenched my fist and tried to calm myself down.

Each building feels gigantic, and whenever I looked, it feels like someone is watching us. I know it is too late for me to feel it, but I’m scared. It was careless for me to fucking put that name on the list, but I can’t blame myself. I already know the cure to alter this mess my family made, but knowing it doesn’t change something unless I put an end to the source.

Project Genesis will always evolve. Even with the cure, nothing will change. It will only be prevented, but it will never end. So, I wanted to put everything to an end… even if it causes me.

“I always wanted to go this city…” Stacy mumbled. For someone, we all halted and watched her. Tears began to stream down her beautiful eyes as she removed her mask and wiped her tears, “Pero kahit minsan hindi ko hiniling na mamatay sa lugar na ito.”

Maging ang iba kong mga kasama ay nagpipigil na ng kanilang mga luha, samantalang ako ay naiwan na nakatingin lamang sa kanila. Napakaimposible na matakas sa Alpheus City lalo na’t sinarado nila ang tanging lagusan patungo sa Besodiah at kung nais naman namin na tumakas gamit ang mga pader ay mabilis lamang kaming mamamatay lalo na’t puro mga bozo ang lugar na iyon.

Bumaba ang mga mata ko sa tila wrist watch na nilagay nila sa amin bago kami pumunta sa lugar na ito, “They are tracking us…” this is their only eyes in us. They don’t have any surveillance in this city, and if we deceived them, we might actually live. “I have an idea. Will you cooperate with me?” I asked.

They are teens just like me. So, I think they still have the will to live in the back of their minds. Pare-parehas silang tumunghay sa ‘kin nang sumenyas ako na tumago kami sa likod ng isang alley. Nang makapagtago kami ay dahan-dahan kong tinanggal ang facemask ko, gulat ang rumehistro sa mga mukha nila dahilan upang ngisian ko lamang sila.

“You’re Amira! The cheer captain of Laodicea High—”

“Anastasia, shut your mouth. She’s being targeted by her own father. But who in the right will dig on her grave?” Smith spouted. I grimaced at him and avoided his gaze.

And when I cleared my throat, they all looked at me as if they are waiting for my plan, “I will go to LIVE Corporation,” I stated and removed the radar attached to my wrist, “Along with the radars attached to us. Lalo na’t gusto lamang nila malaman kung makararating tao sa lugar na iyon.”

“How about us?” Gray asked.

“I want you to endure living in this place for a while,”

“What do you mean by that?” Stacy asked.

Dahan-dahan kong tinuro ang subdivision na malapit sa kinaroroonan namin dahilan upang isa-isa silang mapangiwi sa ‘kin, “This is our only option in order for us to stay alive. They already blocked the exit to Besodiah and we can’t travel to the wall because it is full of bozos—”

“What about Eden? We can still—”

“Eden does not exist, Smith. If you know what is inside the thirteenth facility, it is your so-called Eden.” Pare-parehas na bumagsak ang mga balikat nila, ang mga mata nila puno ng lungkot at takot.

Nang magtama ang mga mata namin ni Anastasia, ang kanyang labi ay nanginginig dahil sa takot, “H—how can we trust you? You are Amira Paige Fernandez! You are the notorious, heartless bitch of Laodicea High…”

“Is that how people know me?” I bitterly asked. I heaved a sigh and focused my sight on the horizon, “Augustus Fernandez is a monster. I wanted to stop him before he becomes a devil.”

“I will go with your plan,” Gray bluntly said. The others looked at him and let out a sigh. As they slowly removed the radar in their wrist, they all gave me a worried look, “Are you going to search for us after you went to LIVE Corporation?”

I smiled at him and reached for their radars, “Not yet. I need still need to get something in my house.”

“Please be safe, Amira… And thank you.” I watched their back slowly disappeared from my sight. I hid my trembling hands in my back and set my eyes to a bicycle shop.

Kumuha ako ng isa sa mga bisekleta at tumungo sa LIVE Corporation, ramdam na ramdam ko ang mabibigat na kabog ng aking dibdib ngunit hindi iyon sapat upang pigilan ang nais ko.

Nang makarating ako sa tapat ng LIVE Corporation ay tila nanliit ako sa napakalaking building na ito. Ang makapal na gusali ay tila nababalot ng isang nakasusulasok na prisensya.

At sa pagmartsa patungo sa awtomatikong lagusan ng LIVE Corporation, nanatili lamang ako sa pagitan ng babasagin na pinto saka ko isa-isang tinapon sa magkakaibang direksyon ang mga radar.

“What is that smell?” I whispered.

It was the same awful smell, just like when the apocalypse happened, yet it was more concentrated and more nauseating. And the fact that I only knew was the smell was coming from the top of LIVE Corporation.

I immediately became alerted when I heard footsteps coming from above. My adrenaline rushed on its own, and before I could actually see my father. I found myself running away from LIVE Corporation while trembling and covered with fear.

“Damn… I can’t do it, after all.”

I frustratingly bit my lower lip when I felt I was already safe, yet after roaming my sight around. A familiar place welcomed me. As another round of fear began to lurk in my body, the weight of exhaustion started to be tightened within.

As I found myself standing in front of the house, the beginning of mischief in my life began to flash back.

The place where it all begins.

#