"You can go to the Billing so you can arrange her papers and then she's cleared to be discharged." The doctor said.
"Thanks, Doctor Altamirano." Hanzo said.
"Oh Hanzo ikaw na bahala. Let her take her antibiotics para hindi na lumala." Sabi ng doktor bago ito tuluyang umalis.
Hanzo escorted him. "Asekasuhin ko lang 'yung papers. Doom," he called Doom who's now sitting beside me.
Tumango lang ito na para bang alam na ang gagawin.
Few days have passed I'm slowly feeling that I'm alive again. Last time ko nga lang din naramdaman na sumasakit pala' yung tiyan ko. Doc said my pain tolerance is high. Paano, I was built that way e.
"Asha si Kristine gusto ka daw makausap. Nasa table 5." Hanzo was busy preparing the order kaya hindi na ito humarap sa akin.
Ano naman kaya ang kailangan ng babaeng 'yon?
"One mocha latte for Miss Kristine. Can I interest you with anything else?" I sounded as polite as I can be.
Ayokong pumangit ang araw ko dahil lang sa kanya.
"Take your seat." She gave me a quick glanced and then proceeded to take her drink.
"Anong sadya mo?" I felt my brow arched at the sight of her.
"Let's talk somewhere else. Somewhere Hanzo's not." She took another sip of her latte and then got up.
Sinulyapan ko si Hanzo na busy sa counter. Oo nga no? Kanina hindi niya binati si Hanzo. Was there something I missed?
Mukha naman silang okay.
"What's the point of wasting both of our time if you can just send me a message instead?" Kumunot ang noo ko nang seryoso niya akong tinitigan.
Bakit parang ako pa ang dapat mag-adjust e siya naman itong may kailangan sa akin?
"Busy akong tao, Kristine."I told her as a matter of fact.
" It's important that I discuss it with you." There was a hint of distress in her voice.
Something is definitely up with her. My id tells me to me to go. Ang hirap talaga kapag mas matimbang ang id kaysa sa ego. At mas lalong mahirap dahil hindi ko kayang tumanggi.
" Fine. It's not like I can say no to a friend." I saw her plastered a smile na di isinawalang-bahala ko na lang dahil ang aga-aga pa, binulabog na niya ang mapayapa kong buhay.
"I'll just text you." She said and then left.
Wala man lang paalamkay Hanzo? Bago 'yun ah?
I saw Hanzo pout at her way. He's gonna ask me about her. Himala kasing bumisita iyon sa coffee shop at hindi man lang nagawang titigan o kausapin si Hanzo. Gano'n naman kasi ang madalas niyang gawin.
She was also not active in our groupchat these days. Siya lang naman at si Oscar ang nagpapaingay sa groupchat namin habang ako at ang iba ay minsan lang magreply kung importante.
"She just asked me about you. Mukhang na-miss ka kaya napabisita." I lied.
He looks unsatisfied but didn't ask again. Bothered 'yun. Di kasi kinausap ni Kristine.
And if he knew about me going out with her, he's not gonna make me go. Ayoko namang makaabala pa. Napaka-busy-ng tao ni Hanzo at ayoko nang dumagdag pa sa mga kailangan niyang intindihin. Besides, there are other things he should prioritize than accompanying me.
As usual, nine pm ang labas namin sa work. Sinadya ko talagang tapusin ng maaga ang mga trabaho ko so he will not offer me another ride. Ganoon na kasi ang nakagawian niyang gawin if Doom is not around to pick me up.
I texted Kristine about my whereabouts. She replied where we're going to meet. Malapit lang naman ang highway kaya nilakad ko na lang. Wala kasing dumadaan na jeep dito bukod sa mga pribadong sasakyan.
Kristine
Be there in twenty.
Sent 9:08 pm
Hindi ko na hinintay ang kanyang reply. As soon as I'm done sending my message, an SUV stopped right before me. The door of the van opened wide at iniluwa n'on ang mga nakaarmas at nakamaskarang mga lalaki. When I saw them walked slowly towards me, fear crept inside my system. Hindi pa agad ako nakagalaw na para bang na-estatwa sa aking kinatatayuan.
When I felt danger crawling on my skin, my feet began running big steps.
Napamura ako sa aking isip. Shit, shit, shit!
Why are they chasing me? Did someone send them to capture me?
Narinig ko ang paghabol sa akin ng mga lalaki at ang pagsigaw nila mula sa aking likod na habulin ako. I held my phone tightly in my hand.
Ngayon ko lang napagtanto kung para saan ang mga activities namin sa PE dati. Yung long jump, five meters sprint at track and field. Hindi ko naman alam na para sa mga ganitong pagkakataon ko pala iyon magagamit. I was never that one kid that's physically active or athletic. And neither was I built for this kind of situation.
Kaasar!
Sinubukan kong i-dial ang number ni Doom sa pagbabakasakaling matutulungan niya ako but the idiot can't be reached. Where the heck is he?!
I swear him in between my breath. Tangina talaga. Why do I have to be chased at this time when my energy's running low? Hindi na talaga ako magpapaniwala sa perfect timing na 'yan. Nothing' s ever been perfect for me. Lahat umexpected.
I turned my head slightly and look past my shoulder. Naroon pa rin ang mga hinayupak. They're big. Wala akong kalaban-laban kapag naabutan nila ako. Para lang akong tangkay ng malunggay kung ikukumpara sa kanilang matitipunong katawan. Plus, they're muscles look so gross.
Malapit na akong matapilok nang masagi ang aking sapatos sa nakausling semento sa daan. Shit, get up Ash! They're catching up!
I can feel my chest heave deep and fast breaths. Halos sumakit ang aking dibdib at para akong mahuhugutan ng hiningan kapag nagpatuloy ito.
Napangiwi ako nang mapagtantong ang layo ko pa. The cafe is still three blocks away. If only I could spot an open store I can ask them help. Pero lahat na nadadaanan ko'y puro sarado na.
Napapikit ako ng mariin nang maglandas ang pawis ko sa aking noo papunta sa aking mata. Namumuo na rin ang malalaking pawis sa aking noo.
In despair, I tried dialling another number. It was Hanzo's. My hope is running dry every time it just rings.
Wala na. Sumusuko na talaga 'yung mga tuhod ko. Unti-unti na ring bumabagal ang pagtakbo ko.
My eyes widened at tila nabuhayan ang aking loob nang marinig ko ang tunog ng pagsagot ni Hanzo ng tawag. But before I can even speak, I felt myself dropping on the hard ground. Naparolyo pa ang aking katawan bago tuluyang huminto sa gitna gilid ng kalsada. Tumilapon ang aking cellphone sa di kalayuan ngunit hindi ko man lang magawang maigalaw ang aking katawan.
I tripped.
I felt my knees collide with the hard concrete. I fell badly that my I felt some of my bones cracked from the fall. Napaluwa ako ng dugo and my head is spinning. My vision went black for a split second before a glimmer of light.
"H-Help..." Wika ko sa nanghihinang boses.
I tried my best to crawl. But with the state that I am in, malabong magagawa ko pang maabot ang aking cellphone. It was just meters away from me. It's light blickering. Probably malfunctioned. Still, I can here someone speaking from it.
"Ash, where are you?! Ash! ASH!!!" He was calling my name desperately waiting for a reply.
I told myself to crawl the remaining meters pero hindi na talaga kinaya ng aking katawan. Before I lost my consciousness I felt someone carry me and how their distorted voices sounded victorious before putting me inside a dark place.
BINABASA MO ANG
Hello Doom
Fantasy[ON-GOING] When Asha Buenavella turned 18, she could only wish for one-- to finally end the days of her life. She was fed up with being unlucky and what life had in store for her, sufferring. Will she finally able to achieve peace now that Doom, th...
