Moth to a Flame

Otto| Salvatore

AVIATRICE

I woke up feeling my head over the clouds. Images started to flash in my mind. Mula sa muntikan ng pagbagsak ng eroplano papunta sa putukan ng baril at mga pasaherong duguan sa sahig. Mabilis akong napabangon. Binaklas ko ang karayom ng dextrose na nakatarak sa braso ko bago lumabas ng silid ko. 

I hissed when I felt a stinging pain in my shoulder. Saka ko lang naalala na nadaplisan pala ako ng bala sa balikat. I look at the hospital tees and pants. That's when I realized I was confined in a VIP room. But that doesn't matter at this point.

Wala akong sinayang na oras at tumakbo sa corridor. I went inside the elevator and pushed the button to the lobby. Pagdating ko doon ay kaagad akong dumiretso sa nurse station. "Excuse me." Panimula ko bago mapatitig sa badge na nakalagay sa uniform ng nurse.

Mediker Hospital International. I have no idea where I am, but as far as I can remember, we were in Kazakhstan airspace when I tossed the bomb out. I guess we had an emergency landing after that.

"Is there anything you need, Mrs. Salvatore?" She asked, with a glint of Russian accent in her voice.

Napalingon ako sa likod ko sa pag-aakalang iba ang kausap niya. Kapagkuwan ay wala naman akong nakitang tao sa likod ko kaya kumunot ang noo ko.

"Mrs. Salvatore?" Bulong ko sa kawalan. The nurse smiled at me and bowed her head. Yumuko rin ang apat pang nurse na kasama niya na para bang nagbibigay ng galang sa akin.

They must've mistaken me for someone. But anyway, that's not what I came here for. "Can I ask if this is the hospital where the passengers of flight SA 909 were admitted?" She nods her head.

"Which ward are they? How many survivors? How many are in critical condition?" Sunod-sunod kong tanong.

"They are currently being taken care of in the private emergency ward. And uhh. . ." She took a clipboard and scanned it for a few seconds before continuing. 

". . . there are two critical patients currently in a surgery. The rest of the patients were given psychological medication." Para akong nabunutan ng tinik dahil sa narinig. Pero kaagdad din dinaga ng kaba ang damdamin ko nang maalala ang kapatid ko. 

"Is there a patient named Aviatrix Distaunce Coronia?" I bit my lower lip while waiting for their answer. It felt like years. 

The last thing I heard about him was when he was having a flat spin, a situation almost impossible to recover. "I believe there is no survivor with such a name on the list, ma'am." Kaagad bumagsak ang balikat ko. It can't be. 

Kinapkap ko ang bulsa ko at mas lalo akong nabalisa nang mapansing hindi ko dala ang phone ko. I need to call Nat or Greece to assess the situation and ask about my brother. "Can I borrow your phone? I need to call someone." Walang pag-aalinlangan naman nitong inabot ang kailangan ko. 

I tapped Nat's number and called him. It took a few rings before he finally answered it. "Hello? If this is another trap call asking for the price of camels, I am not a seller!" Rinig kong iritang bulyaw niya kaya muntik na ako matawa. 

For sure it was Greece's doing. For some time, Greece has been posting Nat's number in social media as a seller. Kaya maya't-maya ay may kung sino-sinong tumatawag sa kanya para magtanong magkano ang presyo ng kambing o ng baboy na binibenta niya.