His Silent Obsession

PART 2- PROLOGUE

"Hoy Edwardo Antonio!" rinig ko'ng pagtawag ni Faye kay Anthony habang sinasamahan namin ang aming pasyente na maglakad-lakad sa hardin ng Facility. Anthony, on the other hand, lost in his thought, nearly jumped out of his skin.

I guess he was thinking about what I heard the other night. Hindi ko nalamang sila pinansin pa at pinagmasdan nalang sila sa malayo.

"Ay puki ng kabayo!" Anthony exclaimed, startled, his face betraying the fact that he had been somewhere far away in his mind.

Faye rolled her eyes, pointing towards the fountain. "Si Nanay Elizabeth, nando’n na oh."

Anthony's gaze followed her finger, and his eyes went wide. There, precariously leaning over the edge of the fountain, was Nanay Elizabeth, her frail body barely balanced. Without thinking, Anthony bolted towards her, fear flashing across his face.

"Nanay naman e! Bakit ba hindi ka nagsasabi sa'kin na gusto mo'ng magswimming!" he huffed, gently pulling her back from the edge. His tone was scolding, but his hands trembled as he gripped her arm.

"For your information, Nurse Oni, kanina pa kita kinakalabit. Ikaw diyan ang nakatulala," Nanay Elizabeth’s voice was steady, but there was a twinkle in her eye, a teasing lilt that only she could pull off in such a moment. "Siguro buntis ka ano?" She raised her eyebrows, taunting him.

"Diyos ko po, Nanay Elizabeth!" Anthony’s voice broke into a nervous laugh, trying to shake off the lingering panic. "Maghunus dili ka nga. Masyado pa akong bata para mabuntis!"

Nanay Elizabeth laughed, the sound soft but full of life. Yet, just as quickly, the moment shifted. Her expression turned serious as she motioned towards the fountain. “Nahulog ko 'yong singsing ko diyan. Iyon nalang ang natitirang ala-ala ng asawa ko.”

Her voice cracked, and Anthony’s teasing vanished in an instant. He peered into the water, searching for the small, delicate ring beneath the ripples. “Bakit ba kasi nahulog diyan, Nanay? Hinubad mo nanaman, ‘no?” His voice was gentle, but there was an edge of frustration.

Nanay Elizabeth lowered her gaze, her hands trembling. "Gusto ko nalang kasi makalimot, Nurse Oni." Her words were barely audible, but the weight of them hung in the air like a storm about to break. "Kada nakikita ko 'yong singsing sa daliri ko, naaalala ko 'yong nangyari sa asawa at mga anak ko."

Anthony stood there, silent.  He wrapped his arm around Nanay Elizabeth’s frail shoulders, resting his head on her, offering comfort in the only way he knew how.

“Nandito lang ako, Nanay. Kung kailangan mo ng kausap, andito lang ako." He smiled softly, though there was a heaviness in his voice. "Pero sa ngayon, kailangan mong maglakad-lakad. Hindi bababa ang kinain mo kung uupo lang tayo rito." He gently pulled her up, his attempt at lightening the moment. "Ipapahanap ko nalang mamaya kay Kuya Berting 'yong singsing mo. Bukas, ibibigay ko sa'yo, okay ba 'yon?"

Nanay Elizabeth nodded, a faint smile breaking through the sorrow etched on her face. Out of nowhere, I felt a tug at my side.

"Nurse Lemi!" Biglang pumuslit sa gilid ko si Archer. As usual ay puno ng sigla ang mga mata nito.

"Ano 'yon, Archer?" I asked him softly, trying not to let my initial irritation show.

He pulled something from his pajama pocket—a bracelet, made of small, white shells strung together carefully. “Gawa ko 'yan noong nakaraan. Hindi ko na binigay sa nurse trainee ko kasi… hindi ko naman siya bet."

I chuckled, shaking my head at his blunt honesty. "So, ako bet mo?" I teased, which made him blush.

"Hindi ah! Si Nurse Pogi ang assuming," he protested, clearly flustered.

I let out a soft laugh, accepting the bracelet. "Salamat. Ang ganda," I said, and he smiled shyly.

"Pag nakalabas ako dito, gusto kong pumunta sa beach. Gusto ko kasama kita, Nurse Lemi," he said dreamily, staring into the distance as if he could already see the ocean. "Alam mo ba, Nurse Lemi, sa tinagal-tagal ko nang naka-admit dito, ikaw lang ang pinaka nagustuhan kong nurse trainee?"

His words stopped me in my tracks. I stood there, watching him run his fingers over the petals of a flower we passed. There was something so innocent in his gesture, something so pure, that it almost broke me.

Almost.

Because I knew the truth. He didn’t like me. He liked the version of myself I’d constructed, the façade I wore like armor. The real me? He wouldn’t understand. He couldn’t.

I laughed bitterly to myself, though I kept the smile on my face. Right.

"Ilang taon ka na ba dito?" I asked, steering the conversation elsewhere as we continued walking.

“Ma-16 na ako ngayon,” he said, counting quietly on his fingers before looking up in surprise. “Ma-6 years na pala ako dito. 10 years old ako no’ng dinala ako dito nila daddy.”

Napakunot naman ako ng aking noo sa narinig ko. How the hell they can leave their child in this fucking cage for so long? 6 fucking years? That's bullshit.

"Pwede ba akong magtanong kung anong nangyari? Paano ka rito napunta?" I kept my tone light, though I knew what the answer would be.

Nabasa ko na ang chart ni Archer. Dinala siya rito ng papa niya dahil sa reklamo ng school niya sa kaniya. He harrased his bestfriend nang malaman niyang may ibang kaibigan iyon. He would hurt himself whenever his bestfriend didn’t do what he wanted, which ultimately led his family to admit him. But I wanted to hear his side of the story—his version.

But his smile faltered, and he looked away. I guess, he didn’t want to talk about it today.

"Ang ganda ng langit, 'no, Nurse Pogi?" he murmured, dodging my question. I followed his gaze upward. The sky was heavy with clouds now, dark in some areas, like it was holding its breath before a storm.

"Nurse Lemi," his hand found mine again, and this time, his grip was tighter. “Be my nurse trainee until your 3 weeks are over, hmm?" His voice wavered, and I saw the rawness in his eyes—the need, the loneliness.

But I remained silent. I couldn’t promise him that. I shouldn’t promise him that. I had other plans, plans that didn’t involve him. Yet, I knew the damage I could cause by saying no. If I abandoned him, he might spiral again. He might hurt himself again.

Napatingin ako sa gawi nila Aiahn and Lilith. As usual, hindi pa rin masyado nagsasalita si Lilith, hindi pa rin siya masyadong nakikipag halubilo kay Aiahn but, I can see that she's trying.  I knew I had to make my move soon, to switch to her before Archer grew too attached.

I smiled down at him, ruffling his hair. "Tara na, bumalik na tayo sa loob ng facility. Uulan na."

Ipinalibot ko ang braso ko sa balikat niya at inakay ito pabalik sa loob. Sumunod na rin ang ibang staff na nakabantay sa amin, at ang mga kagrupo ko at pasyente nila.

Kailangan ko nang makausap si Lilith ulit. I need to tell her our plan to make sure she became my patient before Archer did something reckless.

Because if I didn’t act soon, I might lose control. And I wasn’t sure if, when that happened, it would be Lilith or someone else I’d have to kill.