[ ENTRY #06 - 09/12/22 (DAY 02) | BUILDING A ] 

[Note: Written by Piper.]

I was the first one to wake up from that terrible dream. 

No, it wasn't really that terrible pero I can still feel the wound inflicted on me by that woman, her claws a permanent reminder that we're being controlled by her while we're here—it is a permanent reminder that we're already living corpses the moment the outbreak began. 

Pero I had to keep searching. 

I have to find them, because I know we're going to get through all this. 

Mukhang hindi naman naisip nung Maddie na iyon na magigising ako sa panaginip na ginawa niya dahil nandito pa rin yung sledgehammer na ginamit kong pampatay ng mga zombies kahapon bago dumating si Kael. 

I picked that up, my hands still shivering from the effect of whatever it was na ginawa niya sa akin. Using the sledgehammer, itinulak ko yung pinto na naistuck dahil sa pagkasira nito. The door gives way to flames almost enveloping the whole building, pero may madadaanan pa naman so I went inside. 

Maddie's claw marks were scattered throughout the walls leading to the rooftop door, and I tried not to look at it much. Silence becomes my friend as I traverse the halls, the zombies barely batting an eye to me as the heat from the building attracts them. 

Maddie. 

Sinabi sa akin nila Kael na delikado daw ang babaeng iyon, and that we should have left the premises, pero gabi na din at napakadaming zombies sa may exit, as if pinipigilan kaming umalis. 

So we stayed sa rooftop, but then she destroyed the door in a flash at hindi na kami nakalaban. 

The next thing I knew was that dream, a crude and cruel representation of the memories I had from before pero I guess hindi siya ganun makapangyarihan sa paggawa ng panaginip na iyon—

Or did she do that on purpose? 

Anong balak niya? 

I shake my head to free those thoughts habang nakarating na ako sa fifth floor na wala pa ring nahahanap na kahit sino—

Gunshots. 

Si Kael lang naman ang gumagamit ng baril sa amin. 

Sinundan ko yung malakas na tunog ng baril sa fourth floor, at kita ko ang ilang mga zombie na tinatry makapasok sa kwarto sa pinakadulo ng hallway. Mabilis ko silang dinispatiya, at muntik pa akong madapa dahil sa dami pero kinaya ko naman hanggang sa maclear out namin yung mga zombie doon. 

"Kael," I called out, and I could see him shivering as he stared at me wildly, and I hope that he already snapped out from the dream that she created. "Kael, ako to—" 

"Are… Are you real?" he asks, and I nod at that as I move closer towards him and drop my sledgehammer beside him with a loud thud. 

"Totoo ako, Kael. Tulungan mo ako hanapin yung iba—" 

"Papatayin niya tayo, Piper. Hahanapin niya tayo dito at papatayin niya tayo—" 

"I'll take my chances and still try to save them, Kael. Come on, tara na!" Malakas na sigaw ko, at kahit na nanginginig pa rin ang mga kamay niya ay tumayo na siya, letting out a shaky sigh as he reloaded another full barrel's worth of bullets sa nahanap niyang mga box sa tabi niya. 

"Nacheck mo na ba yung fifth floor?" tanong ni Kael habang pansamantala muna kaming tumigil, trying to devise a plan ng mabilisan para mahanap namin yung iba—I don’t know if we can trust Maddie’s words, pero sinabi niya na nakakalat yung mga kaibigan namin sa building a and I found Kael here.

“Hindi ko nacheck thoroughly since dumiretso na ako sa’yo at narinig ko yung mga putok ng baril—we shouldn’t separate in these times, I know what you’re thinking.” I say, deliberately aiming the sledgehammer on him kahit na may baril siya.

“Pero we can find them na mas mabilis kapag naghiwalay tayo—”

“And what if Maddie finds us first, ha? Paano kapag nahanap tayo isa-isa kapag naghiwalay tayo, would you really be able to take on her alone—”

“Then I’d be the distraction para makaalis kayo, Piper.” bigla niyang sabi na walang emosyon, at kita ko sa mga mata niya na parang konti na lang ay susuko na siya.

“You have to tell me what’s in your mirage, Kael,” I said, but first I grabbed the sledgehammer and swung it across my shoulder, then held his hand tight. “But for now we must find them. We have to find them, Kael, please.” I begged, and he let out a shaky sigh as he ruffled his hair.

“F-Fine,” he says, and I nod at that pero nakita ko ang tingin niya. “As long as you tell me yours.” 

“I will,” I said, and the thought of it makes me shiver a little as we then make our way to the fifth floor kung nasaan possibly yung isa naming friend.

Wala na masyadong zombie dito, so we were able to converse about the plans after this obstacle silently habang pilit naming kinakalimutan ang ibinigay na burden ni Maddie sa aming dalawa—what more sa iba?

“We have to get out of this place faster, Piper. Nararamdaman ko, nandito pa rin si Maddie—as if she’s