Comeback

Chapter 6

EPHRAIM

THE OCEAN swishes as the gigantic water vehicle we're in moves in it. It can be heard despite the mumbling and murmurs from the people inside the boat. Varying expressions can be seen on their faces. Fear, anger, helplessness, emptiness. Hindi nagkakaiba at halos magkaparehong ekspresyon ang nakaplaster sa bawat mukhang naririto.

Marami-rami ang nakasakay sa barko. Lagpas isang daan ang bilang namin dito. The situation demands a quick escape and it seems like the people had one common thing in mind, to go to Esperaria.

Kalalayag pa lang ng barko pero pakiramdam ko, ang tagal na naming nakaupo.

"Are you okay?" I asked Naila when I noticed her face getting pale. Her hair is disheveled but it didn't put any unjust in her beautiful and peaceful face. I handed her a rubber band. "Here, tie your hair."

She took it and tied her hair. "Thanks. Kanina pa ako nangangati at naiinitan dahil sa buhok ko."

"You should've tied that earlier," Luiz said. Nakaupo ito sa tabi ni Naila sa may kanan habang nasa kaliwa naman ako. We're sitting in the middle seats, where it's far from the doors.

"Wala akong pantali."

Nagsimula na naman silang magbangayan. I'm glad Luiz was over from his sudden outburst earlier. It was not right, yes. But we couldn't also say it's wrong. Those people have their perspective and Luiz too, had his own. Anything is a matter of perspective. Whether the right in your eyes is wrong in someone's eyes, or whether your wrong is right for them.

Naila moved closer to me, acting like he wanted to move away from her cousin. "Luiz, you stink."

"Huh?"

"Ang baho mo. Naligo ka ba kagabi o kanina?"

"What are you saying? I don't smell!" Pinandilatan ni Luiz ang pinsan. Some people are looking at them, especially teens and kids. Adults won't mind if you smell like shit at this time. Sino ba naman kasi ang magpapabango sa panahon ngayon?

Hindi ko na lang sila pinansin. I wandered my eyes and observed the people inside this boat. Some are sitting, some are talking, some are sleeping, and some are eating. Ngunit may makikita ka ring mga tao na nakatingin sa kawalan, wala sa wisyo at halatang pagod ang buong pagkatao.

I didn't bother roaming around to patrol. I'm sure we're pretty safe here. May mga coast at ship guard sa paligid. With this massive amount of people, the government would surely assign guards here.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Naila. She looked pale but not as much as earlier. She must've felt calmer now.

She just smiled and shrugged. "No... Wala akong gana."

I stared at her for a minute. Hindi ko na lang siya pinilit. Baka mas sumama ang pakiramdam niya kapag pinilit ko pa siyang kumain.

"Luiz?"

"Not hungry."

"Okay," I simply said and put back the bread I took from the bag. I closed my eyes and relaxed. Hindi rin ako inaantok, gusto ko lang talaga pumikit para magpahinga naman ang aking mga mata. Pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid.

Suddenly, I heard a baby's cry.

"Shh... tahan na..."

I opened my eyes and looked at them. The mother looked like she was about to cry, but held it and tried calming her child instead of bawling her tears out. Halos gutay-gutay ang kanilang mga suot. They must've gone through hell before arriving here.

I suppose everyone here has gone through hell before arriving here. Wanting to live and wanting to survive, it's their number one priority and goal.