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Chapter 19

      After the shootout between Miguel and me, I fall down the cliff and die. At that moment I felt that it was already my time, the fact that I felt a slow-mo in my life for the first time until I drown myself in the darkness of the ocean. But today, I wake up again, I sit down panicking and I tried to catch my breath. I felt that it was really my time but it wasn't. I look around the place and think I am sleeping in a Nipa hut; it is a small house that is made from wood. So, I think that I am still in the Philippines but who save me? Whoever it is has seen me die, or found my body inshore. 

      I look at my heart and again found another scar, so Miguel really did shoot me in the heart. I tried to stand but, my feet are still not healed because of the torture I get. So, I fall down and crawl to the door, I stop crawling when I saw a foot standing in front of me. I look up and found an old lady, "Kamusta iha, nakapagpahinga kana ba? (Oh dear, how are you? Have you rested yet?)" The old lady said while smiling. So, I ask, "Uhm, ma'am ilang araw na po ba ako natutulog? (Uhm, ma'am how many have I been sleeping?)" The old lady thinks and said, "Mga isang linggo na iha, ano ba ang nangyari sa iyo? Puno ka ng sugat at dugo. (Around one week, dear. But what happened to you? You have many wounds and a lot of  blood was lost in you.)" 

      I look at the old lady and turn around on the floor to lie down, "Wala po ito, ma'am, nadisgrasya lang po ako. (it's nothing ma'am, I had just an accident)" I said, then she smiled and said, "Ganon ba? O sige sabi mo eh, pero gusto mo bang humiga ulit? Malamig ang sahig para higaan mo, teka tatawagin ko lang ang apo ko. (Is that so? Alright if you say so, but would you like to lie down again? The floor is cold for you to lie down, wait I'm gonna called my grandchild.)" While waiting for the old lady to come back, I have been thinking about what happened to me, normally when I die, I just wake up the next day, but now it has been a week and my wounds are still not okay.

     After the young man carry me onto the bed, he sits beside me and said, "How do you know our language? Have you been here before?" I smiled at him and cover my hands in my face and said, "Right, about the language. I stayed here for a very long time, at least 10 years. Then, I visit here once in a while when I have the time." "Wow, that is amazing I guess, but can I ask, what really happened to you? If that is alright?" I then remove my hand from my face and look at him, "Well I... encounter some bad guy, who tried to kill me." "What bad guys?" "They are somehow an enemy because of my job from before and they are still angry about it." 

     Then, the man looked at me and said, "Are you saying you are a cop?" "Yes I am, I mean I was, and those men, they tried to kill me but I escaped and was about to jump on the cliff but before I jump, they shot me, and here I am lying down in your house." I breathe out and he said, "Well, that sucks, but by the way what's your name? We can call it to the police, and they might help you?" "No, no police, and about my stay, I should probably leave now, I might put you in danger so..." I sit down and try to stand, when I was about to walk, I fall down again. I don't understand, why this is happening when the young man said, "Look, I don't know whether you are good or not, but I am sure you are a victim, so stay here until you fully recover and we will figure it out, okay?" As he said that he sits beside me and help me to sit in the bed again, I bow down as a surrender and said, "Alright, maybe another week. After that I will leave, I don't want your family to get involved, and thank you for the help." The young man smiles and said, "You're welcome, and by the way the name is John, I am John." He gives me his hand and I shake it, "Theresa."

      I have been staying at John's house for at least one and a half weeks, my legs are now alright and fully recovered. I manage to help them by going fishing, farming, and doing my laundry. Then, while I was exercising in the morning, I hear fishermen talking about a criminal name Miguel, "Narinig mo ba yung nangyari doon sa kabilang baryo? (Have you heard what happened to the other side of the neighborhood?)" "Oo, narinig ko. Nahuli na daw yung malaking sindikato dito. May mga polisya na nagpapatrolyo sa lugar kung saan sila may pinatay. (Yes, I heard. The biggest syndicate in here has been captured. There are some police officers who walk around and patrol when they suddenly saw those people killing someone.)" "Narinig mo ba kung sino? (Did you hear who it might be?)" "Hindi, classified daw, pero sabi ng karamihan, foreigner daw, babae. (No, they said it was classified, but the gossip said that it was a foreigner, a woman)" Then, the fishermen left after the gossip. 

      After hearing their conversation, I sit down on the sand and think it through, I don't know how the police go there when it is not a tourist spot or attractive place. It is a forest on the island to be exact, then out of nowhere, they arrest them. I need to look at who might have helped me, and why. I run back to John's house and find him reading, "John!" I shouted then he looked at me and hide the newspaper. It doesn't feel right so, I ask, "What are you hiding?" "Nothing." He immediately replied, but his face is not telling the truth. He is nervous, so I ask again, "John, what is it? Is it about me?" 

      Then, he already knows that I will ask him again so he sighed and said, "Alright, I don't want to lie to you but you lie to me first, your name is not Theresa, it's Melissa Stock, you are a cop, not just a cop, but a high official cop. And, those men, they are your enemy because you killed his drug syndicate father." I sighed at his statement about me and said, "Yes, that is right, I lied, but not because I don't trust you, but because, I need to hide my identity. I am someone far more from what you think, and I am sorry about it." John then bows down and scratch his head, then he said, "no, I am sorry, I overreacted, I should not look for your identity, it's just that..." he stops and walk towards me, "I... I like you, Theresa, I do but I know you don't notice it because you think I am young and it seems you like someone else, so I am sorry I am like this." I don't know what to say, but I just said, "No, it's fine, but about what you think about me, I am sorry I cannot give it to you." Then, he put the hair in my ear, wipe the sweat on my face, and said, "It is alright, I understand." then he hugs me and I hug him back.