Soaked to Death

22: Switched Suitcases

MARINA

Ship...

Now...

Ship...

Now...

Sh—

Nahimasmasan ako nang maramdamang umapaw na ang tubig sa aking kamay. Puno na pala ang aking baso. Pinatay ko ang faucet saka binawasan nang kaunti ang tubig dahil ayokong tumulo ito kapag gumalaw ako.

I move my feet sideways and lean in to get my meds from the cabinet. These are my maintenances. I stare at the box full of different colors and sizes of capsules. The color of a rainbow indeed.

These are my maintenances. Isang araw lang na wala ang mga ito sa sistema ng aking katawan ay parang nababaliw ulit ako. And I'm not even kidding. I could feel how my veins in my temple are compulsively trembling whenever I forget to take my meds on the exact time. My stomach would hurt then, too.

Dumukot ako ng dalawang pula at isang kulay puting kapsula. I'm going to drink them in one gulp because I really don't like how they taste. Para isahang pandidiri na lang.

I put water in my mouth first before placing the capsules at the back of my throat. Mariin akong lumunok nang sabay-sabay silang bumaba. “Agh!” I utter in frustration when I still had a taste of the red one. Kadiri, tang ina.

I sigh and stare at myself in the mirror. Dark circles around my eyes, dry lips, and an ugly hair. I fucking look worse than Lydia Corpuz. I started with a ponytail, and then I rinse my face to refresh my dysfunctional brain.

Habang tina-tap ko ang towel sa aking basang mukha ay hindi ko maiwasang maalala ang mga katagang binanggit ni Lydia Corpuz noong nakaraang gabi. She has muttered a new word.

“Now,” pag-uulit ko sa sinabi niya. “What could that mean?”

A ring on the phone almost made me jump out of my room. I curse in the air before taking a look at who's calling.

It's mom.

I pick it up. “Hey. Sup.”

“'Wag mo 'kong ma-sup sup, Marina,” naiiritang bungad niya kaya inilayo ko nang bahagya ang speaker sa aking tenga.

“Oh, hi, mom. Not sup.”

“Aba, pilosopo—”

“Why did you call in a sudden?”