Stained

15

Stained
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"KRITIKAL ang kondisyon ng nagmaneho. Samantalang inaalam pa rin ang kalagayan ni Miss Arquette, dahil kakarating lang ng nakababahalang balita sa ating media outlet mahigit anim na minuto lang ang nakaraan. Ngunit ayon sa mga saksi, nasagip na ang dalawa upang isugod sa ospital. Wala pang lumalabas na sanhi o kadahilanan nang biglaang pagbangga nila sa poste. Iyon lang muna para sa ngayon, magbabalik ang Balitang Hapon para sa iba pang mga detalye at mga balitang dapat niyong tutukan!"

Katiyakan sa wika natin. Uncertainty sa Ingles. Sa huli, ito ang kakulangan sa ating mga buhay. Ang katiyakan.

In this world, there is a married couple somewhere who had been praying desperately for a child for years. Then in one simple and sunny afternoon, they heard about the life-changing news that the wife is carrying a fetus in her womb after taking her twenty-second pregnancy test of the year.

They didn't see when the blessing was on its way, until it appeared and their prayers were answered.

Contrastingly, a teenager who was still pursuing her education was expecting for her menstruation to arrive, yet it got delayed, delayed, and delayed. Later with her boyfriend, a single piece of that test determined what is coming... she figured that her time of the month will never come for the upcoming nine months.

She didn't see the pregnancy transpiring, until the two lines confirmed it.

Young-adults pressured by their parents to take the college course that is distant from what they intend to be. Now, they are doubtful of their career. Unsure of their tomorrow, unsure of which path to follow - the one they desire or the one others desired for them.

The individuals who are in the last stage of their lives, a few know that the epilogue is near and most do not. For those who are aware, it is still uncertain when it will happen until the date has been set to take place.

To sum my point up, the only certainty is that nothing is ever certain.

Sino ang mag-aakala na ang kasama, kasandal, at kalapit mo lang kanina ay madidisgrasya? Habang ikaw, wala kang ibang magagawa kung hindi magtaka. When the story sinks in, that is when all the formidable feelings kicks you in. Paano ito nangyari, bakit naman tumama sila roon? Paano kung wala roon 'yung poste? Ligtas pa ba sana sila, si Paris o tuloy pa rin ang aksidente sa ibang paraan?

I didn't see it coming. She never did as well, until it just happened.

Kung ibang taxi ang sinakyan niya, maiiwasan pa kaya? What if a few seconds possibly could have avoided the accident and get Paris to her roof unscathed and intact?

Paano kung ako na lang ang sumakay doon?

If it was me, Paris won't be lying on this hospital bed, unconscious. Normal ang respiration pati na rin ang heartbeat, pero hindi mo aakalaing ganoon nga dahil napapalibutan naman ang buong katawan ng mga gasgas. Ang magkabilang braso ay may natamong mga punit at hiwa na naisara na ng mga tahi. Maging ang kaliwang binti ay nabalian, nakapulupot sa semento. And that should have been me.

Swerte pa akong pinahintulutan ng isang nurse na manatili dito sa emergency room ng Lagdameo Medical Hospital upang mabantayan si Paris, matapos ang paglusob dito ng halos sampung reporters na hinarang agad ng security. Nang narinig ko ang balita, lumipad ako rito at nagpakilala ako bilang kaibigan niya. Naniwala naman sila, dala ng pagpapakita ko ng gallery ko.

Iyong gallery ko pa naman ay bukid na ang halos katangi-tanging ani at laman ay siya. For legal reasons and for clarification, she snuck into my phone and bombarded it herself.

Isang oras na rin siyang nandito.

Mabagal kong nilakaran ang lugar kung saan siya nakaratay. Nilapitan ko siya, labag sa paningin kong titigan pa nang matagal ang hitsura niya ngayon. Parang bang may sumpa na sa bawat pagharap ko sa kanya, binubuhusan ng mahapding likido ang mga mata ko. Naaawa at nagagalit lang ako. Umaalab ang pagkabanas ko sa sarili. Nababahala ako sa mga susunod pang magaganap.