Unforgotten Tale

CHAPTER 50

MY UNFORGOTTEN TALE

Nagising ako na sobrang ingay ng paligid. Nakakarinig ako ng mga boses ngunit hindi ko kilala kung saan at kanino galing ang mga ito.

Hindi ko mabuksan ang aking mata at hindi ko maigalaw ang aking katawan.

"Clear," narinig kong sabi ng isang babae. Anong ang nangyayari? Nasaan ako?

I heard a long straight beat. "Clear," I heard the girl say once again.

After that, I heard a sequence of beats. Am I in the hospital?

"Stabilized, we saved the patient," I heard the other one say but this time it's a guy.

I fall again into a deep slumber.

I woke up again but this time I managed to move my pointing finger as I slowly opened my eyes.

I'm in an empty room and it's all white. Based on the smell I am indeed in a hospital.

"Aurora," narinig kong tawag sa akin ni mama. Agad siyang lumapit at hinawakan ang aking kamay.

She's my mama Amanda but she sounds like my mommy Irene. "Are you really awake?" Bakas sa mga mata niya ang katuwaan.

"Arthur, call the doctor," sabi niya na ikinadako ng aking mga mata kay daddy na tulala at tila ba nabato balani. Wait, they are alive? She's not Mama Amanda!

Hindi ako makapag salita at walang boses na lumalabas sa aking bibig kaya hindi ko sila matanong kung paanong nangyari ito. Are they alive or am I in heaven?

Nagmadaling tumakbo si daddy upang marahil ay tawagin ang doktor. "Finally sweetheart, you're alive." Lumapit siya sa akin at niyakap ako, may luhang tumulo sa kanyang mga mata.

Makaraan ang ilang minuto ay pumasok ang doktor at ineksamin ako. Buhay ako? Pero paanong ito nangyari? I'm confused.

How are they alive? Why am I in the hospital? This can't be Asilia, I know I'm in the mortal world. Did they trick me again?

"We will run some tests to assure that the patient is fine. I can't believe this, it's a miracle," the doctor said. My brows furrowed because of it. A miracle? A what?

"Oh, I will leave you so that you can have a moment with your daughter, I'll come back later for the tests," he said and left us.

Lumapit sa akin si daddy at niyakap ako. "Sweetheart I'm sorry, we were not there for you," he said.

I pushed myself to speak. "W-where am I?" I asked them. Nagkatinginan sila dahil sa tanong ko.

"You are in the hospital, you've been in a coma for seven months, I thought we lost you," sagot ni mommy. Ano ba ang sinasabi nila? Paanong nangyari ito kung nasa Chimera ako?

"What are you saying? Where's Mama Amanda and Papa Cornelius? Are you tricking me again?" tanong ko sa kanila. Parehong may pagtataka na namayani sa mga mata nila.

But I know better, I won't fall into their traps.

"Anak, ano ang sinasabi mo?" tanong ni daddy.

"Ibalik niyo na po ako sa mga totoo kong magulang, huwag niyong gawin sa akin 'to," pagmamakaawa ko. Napa iyak na ako dahil sa ginagawa nila.

"Arthur, can you call the doctor again?" sabi ni mommy at agad naman tumalima si daddy.

"Baka naguguluhan ka lang anak, kakagising mo palang sa coma kaya baka hindi pa masyadong gumagana ang utak mo. Maybe you need to take a rest, we'll talk later," sabi niya na may takot sa mga boses.

"Mom, where's Joaquin? Harriet? Anton? and my brother Archer?"

Nangunot ang noo ni mommy sa mga pangalan na binanggit ko. "Aurora I don't know who they are. Please don't scare me," she said. Nakaramdam ako ng takot dahil pakiramdam ko nagsasabi siya ng totoo.

"Mom," I called her.

"I know I shouldn't tell you this because you just woke up but I don't know those names. Anak, 'yung bus na sinasakyan mo, nahulog sa skyway.

A-akala namin iiwan mo na kami." I felt devastated at what mom said.

Ang ibig bang sabihin nito ay hindi totoo ang Chimera? Lahat ng nangyari ay hindi totoo? 'Yung lindol na nangyari, hindi iyon totoong lindol tama? Nahuhulog ang bus kaya ganoon tapos 'yung mga sigaw ng tao ay hindi dahil sa lindol. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa aking nahinuha. Napatulala ako at tumingin sa kawalan.

"Take a rest, we'll talk to your doctor," mom said as she kissed me on my temple and left.

This is ridiculous. I don't want to believe what's happening. Parang mas mabuti pa na namatay nalang ako. Dapat magpasalamat ako na buhay ako pero bakit kailangang mangyari ito. Parang totoong totoo ang mga nangyari.

There's a huge hole in my heart thinking that what happened is only a product of me being comatose. I don't want to believe any of this but how can I not if the reality is slapping me in the face.

Everything that happened is not true. Gusto kong magwala at isigaw lahat ng frustrations ko. A lone tear escapes my eyes.

I thought we're not meant in this time of existence but the truth is, we will never be together.

Even if I will be given a million lifetime we will never end up with each other because it turns out you were just a dream.

---

It took me three months to embrace reality. It took me three months to accept that everything that happened is just an illusion.

"Anak," tawag sa akin ni dad. Nilingon ko siya at nginitian. Because of what happened we became closer. I've learned to understand them and to appreciate everything that they are doing for me. And, they've learned to give me time. It's one of the things the illusion made us realize.

"We want to give you this," dad said as he handed me a box. I took the box and opened it.

My jaw dropped because of what I saw. It's the man's diary. Nanginginig ang kamay na kinuha ko ito.

I looked at both my parents and they smiled. "The police gave us that. They saw it on your belongings. We decided to give that to you when you're fully healed, and you're finally okay, so I guess it's the right time," mom said warmly.

Na kwento ko kasi sa kanila yung mga nangyari sa panaginip ko habang naka comatose ako. They couldn't believe it too. I was emotionally attached to it that I needed to seek medication. I've been seeing a psychiatrist for the past three months while having my therapy.

I tear my gaze on them and look at the diary. I haven't read all of this but would it be a sin if I'll open and read it? I'm contemplating whether to read it or not.

I excused myself to my parents and went to my room. Pinagmasdan ko ng mabuti ang diary niya. Ngumiti ako ng tipid at napag desisyunan na itago na lamang ito. Maayos na ang lagay ko at tanggap ko na ang nangyari.

I will give the privacy that the man needs, he deserves it. Besides he's not my Joaquin, he will never be. So I'll leave it as it is.

Kung magkikita man kami ibabalik ko sa kanya. Kung hindi itatago ko nalang.

---

It's been years since that happened. The scenes are still fresh in my memory. Sometimes I still dream about him and think about what could've happened if he's real.

His memories will forever linger not just in my memory but also in my heart. I will always love him.

I will forever cherish it. It will forever be a wonderful experience and I will remember it until my last breath.

I hold on to the replica of the necklace he gave me and typed the last words of the novel that I made.

The world deserves to know and read our story. I'm sharing to the world my Joaquin. I'm sharing to the world my unforgettable tale.

So that even if I will die, our memories together will forever live in this world.