Chapter 9: Chrysanthemum

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September 18, 2023

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September 18, 2023. It was a holiday for HIV/Aids/Aging Awareness day so we didn't have classes for us. This was also the day Paulo was going to Switzerland. I was driving to the cemetery where saan si Paulo inilibing in Novaliches, Quezon City. I borrowed Gab's car muna, it was traffic, I know, maybe it's because we live in Manila, but there was way more traffic than it was ever.

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

'Asan ang traffic enforcer!?! Wala ba silang kaayos ayos sa road management nila!?! What is the traffic for!?!?!' I kept beeping my horn out of rage. I saw Manong that was selling Toasted Siopao passing through kaya binuksan ko yung window ko,

'Kuya! Kuya! Pwede magtanong?' lumingon si Kuya sakin,

'Ano 'ho?'

'Bakit po may traffic kuya? Diba kakagaling niyo lang po doon? Ano nakita niyo kuya?'

'Ah... ano po kasi 'eh... may nasagasaan na tao.... yung kotse 'eh nakalimutang magbreak kaya 'ayon.... naipit 'ho ang motor kasama na yung tao.. 'Andoon na po ang ambulansya ma'am..... 'kaso nga ang gugulo ng mga tao.. pinipicturan pa nila... kaya natratraffic.'

My heart dropped hearing Manong. I know that my close friends and parents are at home, ako lang naman yung lumabas, but I could not just keep my thoughts thinking that it was someone I know that was riding the motor.

'Uhm... nakita niyo po ba kung sino yung nasa motor?'

'Hindi po 'eh.... dugo lang 'ho kasi ang makikita niyo doon sa unahan... halos hindi na po nakikita ang mukha ng nadisgrasya..'

'Oh..

Sige po. Salamat po Manong.'

Inatras ko yung car since yung unahan ko was so close to the bus infront of it, syempre bagong bago 'rin 'tong car ni Gab, gagasgasan ko pa? Baka kinabukasan hindi na ako mabuhay.

As I reversed... I felt that my car bumped into something.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! The car behind me beeped at me aggressively.

Did I really bump on someone's car!?

Someone kept slapping my trunk. Oo na! Lalabas na kasi ito na 'oh!

I opened the car door.

'I'm really sorry...' tiningnan ko yung i/baba ko, I felt shame and guilt. Pinikit ko nalang mata ko. Lagot na talaga ako kay Gab at doon sa driver na napaggasgasan ko ng kotse. 'Babayaran ko po kayo! Just please wag niyo akong kasuhan!' I screamed at the guy while my eyes were closed because I really don't wanna see ang pagmumukha nila.

I opened my eyes slowly...

'... Aeigh!?!?'  |  '... Kane!?!?'

The heck?!?

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