Cosmic Dawn (Where Monsters Rise)

CHASE RAMADA

Napamulagat ako sa tunog ng isang bagay na pumutok, parang isang pagsabog. Hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog ako sa tabi ni Gelo, dala marahil ng matinding pagod sa mga hirap ng araw. Napakabilis akong sinaklot ng antok.

I looked down at my clothes. The dried blood was still there, staining my shirt.

Gross.

I hadn't even bothered to change before lying down next to him. I stood up and peeled the blood-soaked shirt off, tossing it aside. Now, I was just in my pants as I walked over to the cracked mirror in the corner of the room.

I stared at my reflection. My skin was pale, marked with bruises, cuts, and old scars. My once muscular frame was still visible, the small biceps and faint abs lingering beneath the thin layer of skin, a reminder of what I used to be.

But my face was different.

My eyes once bright and filled with hope, were now dark and distant. The deep dimples that used to show when I smiled, the curve of my lips, they were gone. The face in the mirror wasn't the same.

I couldn't recognize the person I had become. After losing my friends, the ones who mattered most to me, everything had changed.

The Cosmic Dawn, this nightmare we were living in had consumed me. There was no room left for weakness. No room to mourn the past anymore. If I allowed myself to stay weak, then the sacrifices of those who fought beside me, those who gave their lives so I could live, would mean nothing.

My eyes flicked to the floor as I clenched my fists. I could feel the rage boiling inside, fueling me.

I couldn't afford to break. Not now. Not ever.

Every part of me that used to care about survival, about being human had been stripped away.

As I stared into the mirror, lost in my own thoughts, a deep rumbling sound cut through the silence. It was deafening, making the entire room tremble as if the earth itself was coming apart.

My head whipped toward the door at the sound of frantic knocking.

"Chase! Gelo!" It was Maximus, his voice urgent.

I glanced at Gelo, who was now awake, his tired eyes snapping to alertness. Without hesitation, I rushed to the door and flung it open.

Standing there was the rest of our group. Ate Naomi, Ellie, Talia, and Denver. They looked tense, their expressions darkened by fear and urgency.

"What's going on?" I asked, my voice tight as I scanned their faces.

"Kailangan na nating umalis, Chase." Ate Naomi said, her voice strained. Ellie was at her side, steadying her as she clutched her stomach, her breathing uneven.

"Totoo," Ellie added, her eyes wide. "What Salvino told us, it's happening. The military aircraft are here. They're going to bomb this entire area."

My stomach dropped, and for a moment, I couldn't move. My pulse thundered in my ears, the weight of her words sinking in. I turned to Gelo, who was already on his feet, his jaw tight with resolve.

"Get your weapons ready," He said, his tone firm as he began moving toward the exit. His gaze flicked to mine, sharp and commanding. "Chase, magbihis ka na. We're leaving this room now."

I nodded quickly, snapping out of my daze. I grabbed a black t-shirt from the chair and slipped it on in seconds. My axe was leaning against the bedframe, and I snatched it up, the familiar weight grounding me in the chaos.