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Finding a hotel without making a reservation first is hard. Especially at 9 PM. It wasn't even a hotel.
As a last resort, we opened Google and went to a website to look for places we could stay the night. It didn't have to be fancy, just a place to stay with proper beds (Mia stubbornly kept reminding Philip of that requirement as he scrolled through the site) and a sense of security. In the end we rented a whole house for a little under 6,000 pesos.
Beatrice got out of the van once we got to the house and handed the money to the owner, Elize tagging along in case translations were needed. The owner had his hair hastily combed and he looked like he was speaking sluggishly, as if he had to rush out of bed for his business with us.
I twisted my torso, stretching my back. It was like I could feel every groove of my clothes dig into my skin. I had been sitting in the van for too long. Right as I was about to curl up and try to close my eyes again, the doors opened and Elize and Beatrice sat back down.
Millard pulled into the driveway, the bumps as he reversed into the sloped platform making us all sway. The house was on a dark and quiet street, tightly packed houses painted in fading colors. Every once in a while a tricycle or pedestrian would pass by and the street lamp would be just enough to light the way for it. We were in the quieter part of the town, and I was grateful for that. I needed a change of scenery.
I was on autopilot and barely thought of anything as I got my backpack from the van and dragged my feet into the house. As soon as I saw a sofa I wanted to lay down and sleep for several hours, but Beatrice dumped two duffel bags onto the dining table and told us all to sit.
"Injuries, children. Check yourselves, it'll be quick."
Elize and nimble Mia got to go upstairs first. Arden, though mostly unscathed, insisted on waiting for me. Philip talked with Millard in the empty kitchen.
Aerron, Philip, and I were the ones that needed attention. Beatrice cleaned my forehead properly and then sprinkled some weird powder on it. I felt...tingly. It was weird because right after she finished, I felt much more tired. I didn't even know I could get more exhausted than I already was. I felt myself nodding off when Beatrice told me to wash my hands before going to sleep.
