ACIEL DIEN

Prologue

Staring on empty space in the dim light from the post outside while listening to the beat of rushing blood that keeps me breathing.

Like hell it’s already 1 in the morning and my supposed class is on exact 8 later on. I keep staring on moving tall grasses outside of my almost hunted house like, inviting me to come outside.

I hope 7/eleven is really a 24 hours convenient store, the last time I saw manong Lodi, a casher, he went out exactly 12 dahil wala naman daw customer.

With jacket on to protect me from cold wind of morning I went out alam ko naming hindi ako makatulog nito.
A can of beer would help.

Walking on empty dark streets is greater than in the morning with the stares of every mother in the neighborhood who done nothing but talk about people they interest’s life.

Seeing the light opened on the convenient store makes my stomach growl thinking of my favorite burger.

Not until I hear a groan. Like someone in pain.

Tiningnan ko ang paligid ko pero wala naming tao. Like hell, I don’t believe in ghosts besides the moon is fckin’ bright aside from the post meters away.

“Tu-tulong!” I almost shouted when someone grabbed my right leg. “Tulongang mo ak-ako.”

“What the hell!” a guy at my age bathing on his blood. “Fckin cow. I need to call a police,’ I searched from my pockets but I left it at home.

“Hu-huwag. Tu-tulong, kailangan ku-kung tumago-“ he runs out of breathe.
The moon helps to light up his face full of blood. Unlike other girls, I don’t scare blood it’s just disgusting sticky and so on.
“fine. Can you walk?” I held his left arm and I was surprise. He was too light.
He only answered me with a nod.

On the way home, I was cursing behind my head. I only wanted to go out for a beer and didn’t plan this operation sagip tulong. I make him sat on my couch worried that his blood will stain my favorite spot but it didn’t matter seeing how battered he was.

“You need a doctor dude not just a kit.”

He can’t even open his one eye. With a dry blood on his face probably from a wound on head. I winched imagining how painful it is.

“ Okay lang ako. Ka-kainlan lang isarado ang mga bintana.”
I roled my eyes walking to the old designed American windows and lock those as well as the door. “Are you involve on drug syndicate? Why are hiding and those wounds?”

It’s fine to have boring life I had than adventurously running from laws.

“Hi-hindi. Hindi ako masamang tao. Tulungan mo ako, maawa ka. I ne-need to live,” it stung a bit.

I choose to set aside my doubts and get a pair of my pjs and a boxer shorts from my room.

“Hey stranger! You need a shower dude, to clean your wounds and disinfected later. I recommend a warm one.” I tossed what I brought and pointed a way to the bathroom.
If this guy a serial killer, I would be a headline tomorrow in the morning news. Hoping my-helping this poor looking guy instinct would help a little today though.
I prepared a two mugs of tea, and left over pizza from my fridge and it’s almost frozen. It would help though.
While waiting, I got my phone and pinned some details of what happen on my notes in case what will happen it can be served as evidence. As long as he’s not a robber. What the heck I’m thinking though. I almost jump when the door clicked to open. It was him on my black pair pajamas with swelling face without red stain.
“Salamat,” he utters in low tone.
“Thanks me later dude after I will trust you to not murder me tonight. You see, I’m defenseless.”
Mas lalo pa itong yumuko. Well, he seems harmless so far. Masyado lang talaga akong ma-trust issue dahil sa mga laman ng balita lately.
“Have this first to warm your stomach while waiting for pizza to be heated,” he thanked me again and seated on the opposite chair in front of me.

“You seems so young, ilang taon kana?” I ask to broke the silence.
“19 na ako.” I was bit shocked though. He was a year older than me. Masyado lang siyang payat sa edad niya kahit na matangkad talaga siya.
“What’s your name?” without breaking an eyes from him I asked secondly.
“A-Aciel.”
“Okay, I’ll ask you details tomorrow.

We need to aid that wound in your head and that disgusting bruises. I don’t want to be investigated when a body will root inside my house.”

I get the kit I prepared and went nearer to him. He winched and move a little farer. “Come on. I’ll be adding your wound man.”
He was setting and standing beside him makes me towers.

He looks hesitant but no choice, I grabbed his shoulder. I’m not also comfortable when someone smells the same as my mint shampoo and body wash.

His wound seems there for days’ base how bad it looks. Putting betadine makes him winch in pain but not bad as when he got all this battered treatment.

“You really need to narrate me a story Aciel. I’m not stupid to believe that you stripped yourself or nauntog ka lang.” I stopped a bit and stare at him spaced out. I just realized he has gray icy eyes.
What the hell I sounded like the bitch lead character on the teen fiction I’m reading. Well, I’m a bitch though.
“I’m Zaki anyway,” there I got his attention and looked at my direction.

“Thank you Zaki. If it’s not too much, can I stay he-here?”
It is fcking too much. I almost replied. But I ended staring on his eyes like stupid.