How Do We Live?

Chapter 25: Cancer

Everything was aching. Everything felt like pitch black. When I slowly open my eyes, I felt like my body has been hit by a lighting by the sudden urges of pain all through out my body.

"Oh my god!" I couldn't even comprehend the noises around me. A screeching sound passed through my ears as the white light tries to penetrate my eyes. Everything is aching, still. Pakiramdam ko ay parang sasabog ang ulo ko dahil sa biglaang sakit na naramdaman ng ulo ko.

"Anak! Monique, how do you feel? Aryanna please call the doctor!" Nang unti-unti kong makita ng tuluyan ang nasa harapan ko, my mother's exhausted face was there. Her bloostain eyes and flushed cheeks where all over my view. Muli kong ipinikit ulit ang mata ng maramdaman ang nakakabalisang sakit sa ulo at katawan. The pain is becoming unbearable every seconds that past.

I want to speak and asked what happened but the dryness in my throat kept my mouth shut until a man in a white coat enter the room. Doon ko lamang napansin si Annica na nakatayo sa gilid, she also looks sleep-deprived like everyone else in the room. My father is holding my mother. Kasunod namang pumasok si Aryanna ng doctor at isang nurse.

All of them look so lost while staring at me laying in this bed. The doctor conducted some routational checkings on me. Naramdaman kong hinaplos niya ang banda ng aking tiyan kung saan nanggaling ang halo-halong sakit na nararamdaman. I want to vomit because of the nauseous pain but the dehydration in my throat stop everything else. I couldn't even speak nor make a sound.

"Monique is in a better condition now compared to how everything went two weeks ago. I'll just prescribe some antibiotics for her wounds and a couple of days for monitoring in this hospital." Iyon lamang ang naintindihan ko sa sinabi noong doktor.

Suddenly everything came flashing back at me. Our ride in his motorcycle, our conversation outside the bar, his hands protecting me from something and then his body laying on the cold hard ground. Para akong tinakasan ng dugo ng maalala ang lahat ng nangyari ng gabing iyon. I help myself to sit but my body wont move. The excruciating pain escalated through my veins, making me paralyse on this bed. Nagpakawala ako ng isang daing dahil sa naramdamang sakit. Agad naman akong dinaluhan ng ina at tinulungan na makabalik sa pagkakahiga.

Ang mukha ni Rahim na galit, ang mukha niya na puno ng dugo. Ang wasak na kotse. Ang dugo sa kalsada.

Vico being put in a death bag.

"W-Where.....R-Rahim?" I couldn't even properly say his name. Parang may libo-libong patalim ang tumatarak sa dibdib ko dahil sa sakit na naramdaman noon nang banggitin ko ang pangalan niya. All of them look mad and frustrated just by his name. Inilibot ko pa ang paningin ko sa buong kwarto para hanapin ang bulto niya ngunit kahit yata anino niya ay hindi ko maaninag. Is he okay? Did something bad happened to him?

I don't know what happened after I passed out. Everything is blurred in my mind right after the accident. I just remember the cold feeling of being afraid of death and knowing that Vico died. Please, tell me that isn't true!!! 

"Anak, you need to rest first, okay?"

"Tita..." I sweep my eyes towards Aryanna pero agad siyang natigil ng makita akong nakatitig sa kanya. Aryanna's face is painted with disappointment and hatred. I can see how she sighed heavily just so she could control her emotions. My mother suddenly started crying. Agad siyang inalo ng ama as she continue to sobbed louder each second. My mother kept murmuring something habang ang ama ay pilit na pinapakalma siya. When I met my father's gaze, I sense that they are trying to stop themselves to tell me something. Anong nangyari?! Asan si Rahim!?

"A-Arya... w-where's... R-Rahim?" pag-uulit ko ng tanong ngunit iniiwas lang ni Aryanna ang tingin niya sa akin. The sudden tightening of my chest pushes my guts to feel that there is something wrong. That they are hiding something to me. Nang ilipat ko ang tingin kay Annica ay mas lalong nagdilim ang kanyang mukha. She's obviously mad, she might just go berserk any moment because of how dark her aura is. Nakaramdam man ako ng takot sa kanya ay tinawag ko pa rin ang pangalan niya. I need someone to tell me where Rahim is!