-CHAPTER 8-

JAKE: DEAD NIGHT LIGHTS

"Come on, hurry!" Clarisse pulls my arm to the gymnasium. Wait! I thought we already escaped the school. "What's the big idea?" I asked her. "Don't you know? They're announcing who will be the next Ms. Fabian High School!" she replied. Ah, now I remember! I'm in a dream. I dream about our normal lives before the outbreak. Clarisse opened the door and entered. The scene changed as Clarisse and I ended up in the classroom. The scene is about how Clarisse tell to our classmates about our "relationship". "EVERYONE! Jake Dela Fuente likes me! And I like him, too!" Clarisse declared it with a proud voice. Our classmates were starting to tease us. Clarisse approached me and her image slowly turns into one of "THEM". I was so frightened I want to get out from the classroom. As I approach the door, my classmates also become one of "THEM". I can't shout. My voice can't spit out something. I look at my hands, it's slowly decays. My ear was detached from my head. My hair is falling. What about my face? My eyes drip of blood. I'm slowly becoming one of "THEM". Shit! My sweet dream becomes a bad nightmare. Suddenly, a hear Clarisse's voice telling me to wake up. I woke up and I see Clarisse's beautiful face right in front of me.

"Hey, you okay now?" Clarisse asked.

"Uh…Ah. I'm okay. Thanks." I answered her while looking at her beautiful but worried face.

"You're sweating. Are you sick?" Clarisse asked like a worried mom.

"I'm okay, really! Anyway, is dinner ready?" I asked her.

"Actually, we ate our dinner. I save some for you. You've been sleeping for 3 hours." Clarisse replied.

I checked the time: its 8:45pm. "*sigh* Guess I overslept. Okay, I'm going to eat." I get up from the sofa.

"I'll go with you. Heehee!" Clarisse clings to my arm like a child.

I saw Paolo and Raymond continue to arrange the guns. Misha cleans the machete while Nina and Jessica watch her. Clarisse and I went to the kitchen. The food is covered in a plate. I uncover it and eat my food. Clarisse watches me as I finish the food. After I finish the food, she took my plate and put it to the sink to wash it. I still remember the nightmare I had. This is the first I have been scared in my life. I approached Clarisse and hug her from behind, holding her porcelain vaselike hips.

"Hey. I'm still washing here." Clarisse tries to resist my hug slightly.

"Just, let me hug you like this for a while." I hug her tightly and smell her fragrant hair.

"Are you having a nightmare?" She asked me while cleaning the plate.

"Yeah. A very BAD nightmare." I told her.

"Don't worry, Jake. Next time, I'll sing a lullaby for you or I'll sleep with you." Clarisse smiled.

"I'll accept the lullaby. Your father will kill me if I sleep with you. Besides, I shouldn't take advantage of your kindness." I said to her.

"Heehee! You're so kind, Jake." Clarisse passionately kissed me in the lips.

I answered back. This is a very hot kiss, I'd say. I touched her smooth hips while Clarisse caresses my face. "HEY! JAKE!" Raymond suddenly interrupted our romantic time. Clarisse and I stopped kissing.

"Uhhhh. Sorry to disturb your lovey-dovey time." Raymond starts to blush.

"Pare, you already disturbed us! What's wrong?" I told him.

"Uhhh…yeah! Ah! Never mind about that! You've got to take a look outside!" Raymond said.

Clarisse and I nod to each other and follow Raymond to the living room. We check the window with all 7 of us. I was surprised at what I saw. "THEY" are swarming all over the street like an angry mob. Gunshots were also heard from afar. "THEY" followed that direction. Some of "THEM" remained at our front gate.

"HOLY SHIT! THEY are swarming all over the place! We need to get out of here!" Paolo said.

"Ate Misha. I'm scared!" Jessica trembles in fear.

"Don't be scared, Vasquez. We'll be okay." Misha said.

"This is bad! Should we shoot THEM, Jake?" Raymond holds his M4A1 Carbine.

"No, we won't shoot THEM! It will only attract THEM even more." I said.

"Then, what's the plan?" Raymond asked.

I smell gasoline. It's coming from the bag Paolo brought with them. "Kuya Paolo, what's inside the bag?"

"The bag? Oh, those are molotovs. We use it to burn THEM." Paolo replied.

We have no choice. It's time to leave the house. "Alright. Here is what we were going to do. Pack our things and the guns. We'll load it at our vehicle at the garage. Wear the equipment jackets and belts and store the ammo magazines. We're going to get the hell out of here!" I said.

"Wait a minute! What about the curfew?" Jessica said.

"To hell with the curfew! The police can't handle hundreds or thousands of THEM. Besides, if we wait until tomorrow, we're THEIR breakfast in the early morning!" I replied.

Nina saw a familiar figure fighting against THEM using an axe: it was Mang Henry. "Guys! It's Mang Henry! He's outside! We have to help him!" Nina said.

"OH SHIT! He's in trouble, Jake!" Raymond said.

"Tch! Fine! We boys will save Mang Henry. Ate Misha, please take care of the girls and gather our things." I said to her.

"Understood." Misha said.

"All right! LET'S GET DANGEROUS!" Paolo said as the 3 of us bring our weapons and went outside the house.

We close the gate quickly and started to shoot "THEM". Using the shotgun, I shoot THEM at the head. "YEEEEEHAAAAH!" Paolo has no difficulty using the M4A1 Carbine as he shoots "THEM" also at the head accurately. Raymond, on the other hand, is having a difficulty shooting "THEM" since this is his first time using a REAL gun. We continue shooting "THEM" when someone suddenly shot one of "THEM" from behind. It was Nina using the Dragunov Sniper Rifle with a bayonet attached at the front. I thank her by waving my hand. "Nice shot, Nina!" Misha praised her. More and more of "THEM" still approaches. Paolo took out his fire bomb and light it up. "TAKE THIS! DIIIIIIIIIE!" Paolo threw the fire bomb at "THEM" and incinerated its path. "MANG HENRY! ARE YOU OKAY?" I shouted at him. "JAKE? IS THAT YOU?" Mang Henry replied. "Who else will it be? Robin Padilla? Over here, c'mon!" I told him. Mang Henry quickly approaches us as we fight "THEM" off. Empty bullet casings scattered all over the ground as we continuously shoot "THEM". "Here, use this!" Paolo gave Mang Henry a .45 pistol, a 1911 lookalike. Mang Henry joined the fight as he shoots "THEM" in the head. "THEY" are still increasing in numbers. We can't hold it much longer. "SHIT! WE HAVE TO MOVE BACKWARD!" I told them. The gate suddenly opened. "Get inside!" Clarisse said after opening the gate. "Let's GO!" We boys managed to get inside quickly and close the gate. It was tough battle indeed. We lost half of our ammo from which we brought. The good news is that Mang Henry is saved. "Whew! Thanks for saving me! I'm so touched." Mang Henry said. "Raymond, please search for bitemarks." Paolo said.

"Ehhhh! Come on! I'm no doctor!" Raymond replied.

"JUST DO IT!" Paolo and I said.

"Sheeesh! Okay! Sorry, Mang Henry." Raymond said.

"Huh? What's with this?" Mang Henry said.

"We have to make sure you're not bitten by THEM." Raymond said.

"I see. Believe me, kid. I'm all clean." Mang Henry shows his arm.

Raymond looks for bitemarks on Mang Henry. "No bitemarks! He's clean, alright." Raymond said.

"Wow! All of you look like you're starting a war. Oh, I'll give this back." Mang Henry tries to return the pistol.

"No. Use it for now." I said to him.

"Really? Thanks." Mang Henry said.

"Anyway, why are you outside? What happened to the city hall?" Misha asked.

"Heh! The city hall has turned into a slaughter house. Some of the citizens have turned into those fuckers. The police and the mayor's bodyguards can't stop them. One by one they were eaten and rise up doing the same. Some of the students we saved escaped while others ran out of luck and became those monsters. Even the mayor ditched us before this happened. It's a good thing you didn't come to the city hall. It's hell out there!" Mang Henry said.

"I see. Too bad about the citizens." Misha was disappointed.

"THAT BASTARD MAYOR! IS DITCHING HIS PEOPLE WHAT HE CALLS PUBLIC SERVICE? THIS IS…SHIT!" Paolo gets angry as he can't accept the incident at the city hall.

"I'm…sorry…for what happened to the students who didn't make it out alive from the city hall." I said to Paolo.

"No. You were right from the beginning. We can't stand against THEM if we ended up in the city hall by ourselves. Now, how can we get out from here?" Paolo said.

"We're using the route that I explained earlier. This time, we're going to Villamor Air Base." I said.

"Villamor Air Base? Why?" Paolo said.

"My brother is waiting for me in that place. He said that near the Air base is the NAIA Terminal 3, our "last hope" for our escape." I replied.

"NAIA Terminal 3? That's a great idea! My dad works at NAIA Terminal 3." Clarisse replied.

"Oh, yeah. Your dad is an airplane pilot. I'm sure he can help us." Jessica replied.

"Wait a minute! What about you, Jess? Aren't you going to find your parents?" Clarisse said.

"I can't contact my parents or my big sister, Ate Melissa." Jessica said.

"About that. My brother said in his letter that communications were cut off in this area." I told them.

"Cut off? Why would they do that?" Jessica asked.

Banging and screeching noises from the gate were heard. "THAT'S WHY." I pointed the gate.

"THOSE FUCKERS! THEY DON'T GIVE UP!" Mang Henry prepares his gun.

"I suggest we leave. NOW!" I decided.

Car screeches were heard outside. THEY followed the noise which clears our path. It looks like we are very, very lucky…for now, that is. All of us get into the vehicle after loading our stuff. Paolo and I opened the gate. We close it quickly as the vehicle sent outside the gate. We hop in quickly while "THEY" were busy. "Hey! Are you sure you know the place?" I asked Mang Henry. "I've been a driver for 10 years and you're asking me if I know Villamor Air Base? Of course I know! HANG ON KIDS BECAUSE WE ARE OUTTA HERE!" Mang Henry stepped the gas pedal and started driving the Land Cruiser away from the house. The road remained free from traffic. I just hope that this continues on our way to Villamor Air Base.

That's it for Jake's second scenario. Next chapter: Jake's big brother and more brutal kill. Hope you like it! ;-)