Mirror Mirror

Chapter 2: The Ghost-er

"Alex..."

Today was Monday, the first day of Martina's internship. She felt fortunate to have her best friend, Sabrina Sevilla, by her side. Together, they joined the doctors on their rounds, eager to learn.

Sabrina, who was a niece of Stella—Mikee's friend—through a cousin, shared a lot of Stella's traits. She was loud, vibrant, and absolutely adored the color pink.

"Malay mo dito dinala 'yung ghoster mo. Baka taga UST siya. GhoUSTE!" Sabrina quipped, nudging Martina playfully.

The doctor leading them glanced at Sabrina, causing her to fall silent.

"Daldal kasi," Martina muttered under her breath, suppressing a grin.

Just as they were about to enter a patient's room, an elderly woman approached them.

"Lowla! Why are you here? Naku!" Martina exclaimed, surprised to see her grandmother.

Sabrina and the doctor immediately greeted Dra. Lam with respect.

"Martina, don't tell your dada. I'm just visiting. Namimiss ko na kasi dito," Dra. Lam said, her hair now white with age, yet she still exuded strength. She occasionally did consultations from her home clinic, attending only to her most loyal patients.

"Lowla naman eh. May kasama po ba kayo?" Martina asked, gently taking her grandmother's hand.

"May driver ako. Tsaka ang lakas-lakas ko pa. Kaya ko pa ngang ideliver ang magiging apo ko sa 'yo," Dra. Lam teased with a wink.

"Hay, tigas ng ulo. Sige na po, I'm doing rounds pa. Tsaka matagal pa po ang apo from me. Mag-iingat ka lowla ha?" Martina replied with a sigh, knowing her grandmother's stubbornness all too well.

"Bilis-bilisan mo naman, Martina. Gusto ko pang makita ang apo ko sa tuhod."

Martina chuckled, shaking her head at her grandmother's words.

As they continued their rounds, Sabrina leaned in closer to Martina. Her voice was a mock whisper, "Low-luh. Apaka conyo mo naman!"

"Magtigil ka nga! Pag tayo napagalitan," Martina retorted, though a smile tugged at her lips.

The two girls shared a quiet laugh, but their conversation was cut short as the doctor began explaining the case of the next patient.

"Alright, everyone," the doctor began, his tone grave, "Our next patient is a survivor of a plane crash. She's in critical condition with severe injuries—multiple fractures, internal bleeding, and extensive burns. She was stabilized enough for surgery, but it's still touch-and-go."

Martina's heart pounded as she listened, the severity of the situation sinking in. Sabrina, usually so quick with a quip, had gone silent. Her eyes were wide with concern.

"She's undergone two surgeries already," the doctor continued, "but there are more to come. Today, we're here to check on her post-operative progress and determine if she's stable enough for the next procedure."

As they approached the room, Martina felt an inexplicable sense of dread. The knot in her stomach tightened with each step. This was the reality of her chosen field, but the intensity of the moment was overwhelming. She knew she had to stay composed, yet something about this case felt unusually heavy.

When the door opened, Martina's breath caught in her throat. There, lying amidst a sea of medical equipment, was the patient—heavily bandaged, connected to monitors, and fighting for life. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the room, the only sound amidst the tense silence.