Rhythms and Skies

Thirthy-sixth Step

With my eyes close lightly and my skin felt cold as ever, I realized that it's unusually quite than the other mornings I had before but then I realized my friends aren't here, they aren't home yet. So I was about to dozed off to sleep again but I stop, I mentally checked. What's the last thing I did?

But my sense of smell kick in first, it's smells familiar, a mixed of powdery medicine and bed sheet smells sprayed alcohol in it. I realized where I am, fucking hospital.

I immediately open my eyes, a white colored light kinda blinded my eyes therefore I shut my eyes again for a milliseconds. Then, a white hanging blinds welcomed my sight, it's not morning anymore, there's no stingy sunrays hitting my face.

Same shit cliche scenery, a vase with a fake flowers that almost doesn't give a fuck because it's too lame for me. A dextrose stand on my side, a TV infront of my bed and a sofa beside it.

And ofcourse, even if I cannot see it there's a crucifix on the top of the headboard for sure, one-hundred one percent. Then Tita Francisca came through, holding her phone on her hand, she's half-running when she saw that I am already awake.

She held my face like a mother caring for her daughter. "Hija, I was so worried." She said, soft voiced and stroking my hair gently.

"I'm sorry, Tita." I noticed my voice was kinda sore, so I gulped. Tita Francisca noticed it too, she handed me a bottle of water, I took it with my left hand and tried opening it using my right hand but I'm just too weak to able to do that. It kinda sucks.

I am physically weak as of the moment, I cannot even open a plastic bottle. Kinuha 'yon ni Tita Francisca sa kamay ko at binuksan tsaka ako tinulungang inumin 'yon. I mumbled a thanks before laying down my back lazily on the hospital bed.

Same old shits, I said.

I just...I just hate hospitals. I hate it here, I don't want to be here. I hate these four corner white rooms that smells like a powdery medicine. There's no great being here in this room.

"The boys are on their way," Tita Francisca mumbled. Napatingin ako sa kanya, she nodded gesturing that she's telling the truth. I bit my lips in frustration.

Damn, I don't want them here.

We heard a three knocks on the door before an old man wearing his white coat with a stethoscope on his collar made his way inside.

Fuck it.

I would be glad if other doctor came instead of him because I might get a little hope for that. But all the hopes I had suddenly vanished when he nodded at me, Dr. Francisco.

I knew right then, I am fucking screwed.

"Want to talk privately or...?" He pointed at Tita Francisca by just using his look.

I apologetically looked at her. "Tita, Can I talk to him for a while po?" I said with my weak voice, making it sounded husky.

Tumango agad si Tita at tumayo, she pulled out and closed the door. When Tita's gone, Dr. Francisco came closer and he manage to fixed his glasses on the bride of his nose.

"It's not nice seeing you here again." He said, napatawa ako. Anong dapat kong sabihin?

"It's not nice seeing you also," I joked, kinda not. Obviously, Doctors hates encountering again with their old patients, just like how patients hates seeing their Doctors.

I don't know what kind of relationship you called this. Hate and care or something.

"You need to undergo on some lab test." When he said some, I knew it's not just some he's talking about, some from them means lot for me.