-CHAPTER 6-

MISHA: CATCHING UP

It is now 5 minutes before 12nn. Time has wasted because of the traffic due to the congested parts of the Quiapo road. As Mang Henry drives the narrow road of Quiapo, Paolo approached Mang Henry to ask about our destination. "Mang Henry, where are we going exactly?" Paolo asked. "We're going to leave via Quezon Bridge before the police will set a defensive perimeter." Mang Henry said. "A perimeter? What do you mean?" Paolo said. "It means that Quezon Bridge will be barricaded. I heard the news in the radio about this "zombies" swarming all over the city. Marikina has already withdrawn their police force even though they set up their most powerful defense line. Heck! It turns out that their "finest" police force is useless against those fuckers." Mang Henry said.

I look at my classmates inside the bus one by one. I have to make sure none of them are bitten so that they won't end up becoming one of "THEM". Nina is taking a nap beside my seat. Paolo is standing beside Mang Henry, observing the situation outside. The Quiapo road get tighter due to traffic. The jeepneys are vacant but bumped at off road. Mang Henry now drives on the straight road going to Quezon Bridge. I could not believe at what I saw: dead people anywhere, cars piled up at the opposite road, and those "zombies" eating what's left of the corpses.

"Mang Henry, how did you manage to get out of the school quickly?" Paolo asked.

"Actually, I didn't enter the school before this happened. The principal gave me a text message to repair the horn of the bus with Igno. Just when I go inside, I hear screams and those zombies are swarming everywhere. I fought back to defend myself." Mang Henry replied.

"And…that's how you end up on top of the bus?" Paolo added.

"I can't help it. I already used my "Mang Henry Punch" against those…things and they always keep on rising and rising. I had no choice but to save my ass." Mang Henry continues to drive to Quiapo.

"By the way, are there any announcements from the Malacañan regarding the outbreak?" I interrupt asked Mang Henry.

"THAT'S the problem of our shitty government! Read the flyer at the seat behind me and see for yourself." Mang Henry points a flyer behind him.

Paolo saw the flyer and read it aloud. "Okay, listen up! It says here: MALACAÑAN HAS ANNOUNCED AN OUTBREAK OF A MYSTERIOUS DEADLY DISEASE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO KNOWN CURE FOR THE DISEASE ACCORDING TO DOH. IN ORDER NOT TO BE INFECTED, PLEASE FOLLOW THESE PRECAUTIONS: STAY AWAY FROM INFECTED PERSONS, STAY INSIDE THE BUILDING OR YOUR HOUSES, REPORT ANY UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR, AND WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. CURFEW IS CHANGED FROM 10:00PM TO 4:00AM INTO 7:00PM TO 4:00AM STARTING TODAY. PLEASE COMPLY IN THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR SAFETY."

"It seems the curfew is in effect today. But, why now?" I asked.

"Wait for further instructions? Heh! Wait, my ass! I don't want to sit around and be butchered." Mang Henry said.

"I agree. This is bullshit! They released this a little too late. I mean REAL late!" Paolo agrees at Mang Henry.

"That's the problem of our government today! They'll only start to help people when the election is just around the corner. God, they're so irritating!" Mang Henry feels frustrated.

"Calm down, the two of you! Blaming the government won't change anything. For now, let us do what we have to do to survive." I manage to calm them down.

I noticed a wide road free of traffic. "Mang Henry, could you take that road? I think you can drive faster with that path." I told him. "Hmm. Okay." Mang Henry takes the wide road. The scene is like a ghost town but not different from the one I saw earlier. Nina wakes up and saw the road. Cars piled up and those monsters roam around. Nina stands up and approached me.

"Ate Misha. Where are we going now?" She asked me like a little child.

"We're going to pass Quezon Bridge." I said.

"Quezon Bridge, desu ka?" Nina started to speak Japanese.

We arrive at a checkpoint. Mang Henry rams through the checkpoint instead of stopping. All of us were startled at the noise. "Why didn't you stop at the checkpoint?" I asked him.

"Used to be a checkpoint. Didn't you see the police at the checkpoint? Those buwayas are now become one of those monsters." Mang Henry pointed it out.

We almost arrive at Quezon Bridge but I noticed that the police cars are barricading the bridge. "Mang Henry, the bridge is blocked. What should we do now?" I asked him.

"Hmmm, that is a real checkpoint. Hold on." Mang Henry stops the bus and opens the window.

A policeman approaches the bus and talked to Mang Henry. "Hey, can we pass? I've got students with me. Please, you've got to let us pass." Mang Henry said.

"We're sorry but, leave your bus here." The policeman said.

"Oh, come on! We're heading to Pasay. We can't leave the bus." Mang Henry said.

"Sir, we will send you all to the city hall. The place will be the safehouse for the civilians within the perimeter so there is no need to worry." The policeman said.

"Really? Great! We can go there." Mang Henry said.

Paolo starts to call the students. "All right! Gather up! We're going to the City Hall. Form a straight line and don't push!"

"Mang Henry, please open the door." I told him.

Mang Henry opened the door and the students went down in a single line. Some of them are so scared they push quickly. "I SAID don't push. Calm down. There are no zombies in this area so it's safe now." Paolo said. I gathered the remaining firebombs and go down the bus with Paolo and Nina. "*sigh* At last! Safehouse is just ahead." Nina said. "You said it. Man, I'm beat!" Paolo replied. I was feeling the same way but, why am I feel so uneasy? As if, I still can't wake up from this nightmare. Sure, my classmates are safe but why I'm not sure that all of them are not contracted to the disease nor did I miss one student who was really bitten? This hunch of mine turns into a paranoia as I look closely to my classmates. "Hey is that bus heading also to the checkpoint?" Paolo notices the bus going straight at bus. "They're also survivors just like us. Good thing they made it. But, why is the bus driven so fast?" Nina said. "Yeah, come to think of….OH SHIT!" Paolo noticed inside the bus that the passengers are being eaten by the zombies inside. The driver can't control it much longer. "MISHA! NINA! GET DOWN!" Paolo puts us down as the bus slams in to our bus. The fuel tank leaks with gas. The sparks came from our bus and caused an explosion. Paolo managed to save us but it seems he is enjoying using Nina and mine's breasts as pillows.

"KYAAN!" Nina gave a soft moan.

"Love! This is no time for you to harass us!" I said.

"GAAH! SORRY!" Paolo suddenly rise up for us to get back to our feet. We managed to be safe but Paolo is still embarrassed for what he has done.

"Ummm, sorry…i-i-it was an accident." Paolo started to apologize.

"Love, you saved us. Considered that as your…reward." I teased him.

"S-S-Stop that! I'm not that kind of a pervert." Paolo blushingly replies.

"ATE MISHA! LOOK!" Nina was shocked as she saw the exploded bus blocked the checkpoint and zombies appeared from the bus.

"DAMN! Just our rotten luck!" Paolo said.

"HEEEY! Are you okay?" Mang Henry asked.

"WE'RE FINE! GO ON AHEAD WITHOUT US! WE'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU ALL!" I replied.

"WHAT TIME!" Mang Henry asked for the time.

"SAME TIME TOMORROW! IF NOT, ANY DAY BUT SAME TIME!" I said to him.

"OKAY, WE'LL BE WAITING!" Mang Henry went on ahead with the remaining students.

We escaped the scene by taking the route to the residential area on our left side. The zombies are advancing to the exploded area due to the noise. We were lucky not to be detected by the zombies but, for how long? We walked into the residential area for 2 minutes until I saw someone at one of the houses. "Hey! Isn't that a survivor?" I pointed at the person. "Yes, it is! But, wait a minute! I think I saw that person before." Paolo looked also at the person. "AAHH! It's Raymond! One of my teammates in basket ball!" Paolo was surprised as he remembered the familiar face. "RAYMOND? H-H-H-H-H-He's here!" Nina started to blush as red as a tomato. "Yep, he's here! We're saved now!" Paolo said. "Okay, let's ask for their help!" I said. We went at the house and called Raymond's attention. "Please! Help us!" I shouted. He went inside the house instead. Is he avoiding us or is he going to help us? There is only one way to find out. The gate door opens and Raymond lets us in. "Thank you for saving us…Huh?" I thanked Raymond when suddenly; "DON'T MOVE." one teenager points a gun to the three of us behind Raymond. My Kali may be effective but at this scenario, we may have entered the wrong house.

This is the end of Misha's scenario. Next chapter: Jake's scenario and the real action starts here. Thank you for all the positive feedbacks and to those who put this fanfic as one of your favorites. Godspeed to you all! ;-)