Cosmic Dawn (Where Monsters Rise)

CHASE RAMADA

All I wanted was to close my eyes and forget everything. To hope that this cosmic dawn was nothing but a dreadful nightmare.

But it wasn't. This situation was painfully real, and it was tearing us apart, one life at a time.

Mabilis na mabilis ang tibok ng puso ko nang bigla na lang kumalampag ang pintuan. It was a wooden door kaya rinig na rinig namin kung paano ito puwersahang itinulak ng mga infected sa labas.

Napahagulhol ako nang todo. Umiyak ako para sa sarili kong buhay. Umiyak ako para sa mga taong nawala sa'kin. Gusto ko nang sumuko. Gusto ko nang tanggapin ang mapait kong kamatayan, pero may parte sa'kin na pumipigil. Isang mas malakas na bahagi ng pagkatao ko ang naniniwalang kaya ko pa ring mabuhay sa gitna ng dilim na ito.

With Gelo, with everyone who was still left.

I pressed my back against the wall, sliding down until my knees hit the cold, bloodstained floor.

My chest tightened with every ragged breath as images of Rhory, Denver, Ellie, Maximus, and Ate Naomi flashed through my mind. I could still hear their voices, their cries for help, and all I could do was watch them slip away, one by one.

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. "Kasalanan ko," I muttered under my breath. "If I'd just been stronger, smarter... They'd still be here."

"Chase." Gelo's voice was calm but firm, cutting through the storm of my thoughts.

I didn't look up. I couldn't. The weight of my guilt felt like chains, pulling me deeper.

"Chase," he repeated, this time softer, closer. I felt the warmth of his hand on my shoulder, steady and grounding. "Look at me, please?"

I hesitated, but the gentle squeeze of his fingers left me no choice. Slowly, I lifted my gaze to meet his.

Yumuko siya, ang mukha niya ay halos magkalapat sa aking mukha, and for a moment, the pounding on the door seemed to fade into the background.

"You need to stop blaming yourself," he said. "What happened to them wasn't your fault."

I shook my head, tears streaming down my face. "How can you say that? They trusted us, Gelo. I told them we'd make it to the safe zone. I promised we'd survive, and ngayon wala na silang lahat."

"And you think you're the only one who feels that loss?" he asked, his tone sharpening just enough to make me flinch. "You think you're the only one who wanted to save them? We all fought for them, Chase. Alam mo naman 'yun, di 'ba?"

"But I-"

"No," he interrupted, but not harshly. "Listen to me. You've done more than anyone could've expected. You've changed so much since this all started. Do you remember the Chase I met? The one who couldn't even hold a knife without shaking? The one who was terrified of the infecteds?"

"That Chase was useless," I whispered.

"No," he said firmly, leaning closer until his forehead almost touched mine. "That Chase was scared, but he still kept going. And now, look at you. You've fought for us, for them, for yourself. Believe me, you've done everything you can."