Sandali // FayeYoko

Chapter 13

I found her.

Across the street, there she was-Yohana. Standing under a flickering streetlight, hawak-hawak ang isang payong as if the past few days hadn't happened. Parang walang nagbago. Nakatayo lang siya doon, that familiar, lazy smile on her lips, as if she hadn't left me waiting in the garden for days, worrying endlessly.

Relief hit me like a wave, so overwhelming that it nearly knocked me off balance. Yohana. She was okay.

"Yohana!" I called, my voice cracking, half a sob, half a laugh. My feet moved on their own, pulling me toward her.

The rain drizzled lightly now, the street shimmering beneath the glow of streetlights. Every step I took felt like the weight I'd carried for days was finally lifting. She was here. She was safe. Nothing else mattered.

Yohana spotted me and her smile widened, eyes crinkling the way they always did when she was genuinely happy. She raised a hand, waving playfully as sinasabi n'ya na, "Told you I'd come back."

In that moment, everything felt right again.

But then, everything shattered.

A car. Out of nowhere.

It came too fast, its tires screeching on the slick pavement. I could hear it—the unmistakable scream of metal against wet asphalt, the panic of brakes trying to stop too late.

"YOHANA!" I screamed her name, my heart leaping to my throat. Everything around me slowed, as if the world was dragging me through every agonizing second.

Yohana turned toward the noise, her smile faltering. I watched as realization dawned on her face, the headlights illuminating her figure. She tried to move—sinubukan n'yang tumakbo—but it was too late.

The car slammed into her.

It all unfolded in slow motion-her body thrown into the air, arms flailing as if she could grab onto something to stop it. Then the dull, sickening thud of her hitting the pavement.

My legs froze, and all I could do was scream her name, my voice cracking and tearing at the edges. Parang pinipilit kong magising mula sa isang bangungot, but it was real. It was all too real.

I reached the street just as the driver scrambled out of the car, his voice panicked, "Oh my God—Miss! I–I didn't see her!"

But I didn't care. I didn't hear anything beyond the pounding of my heart, the roar of blood in my ears.

All I could see was Yohana.

"No, no, no!" I whispered as I stumbled forward, my knees buckling beneath me. When I reached her, she was sprawled out on the street—her hair in disarray, blood trailing from her head. Her eyes fluttered, struggling to stay open.

"Yohana, stay with me," I begged, cradling her face with trembling hands. "Please, wag kang pipikit... don't leave me, please..."

Her lips moved, trying to form words, "Fay..." she whispered, her voice thin, almost lost in the sound of the rain.

I leaned closer, my tears mixing with the rain as they fell onto her cheeks. "I'm here, Yohana. Please, just hold on. Help is coming."

She gave the faintest shake of her head. "Sorry... I'm... late..."

"Stop." I shook my head furiously, holding her tighter as if I could stop her from slipping away. "You're not late. You're here now. That's all that matters."

Her eyes softened, but there was something in them—a sadness that made my chest ache.

I kept talking, desperate to keep her awake. "Remember our garden? We still have so many things to do there. You promised, di ba? You said you'd read me another poem. We still have to plant more sunflowers, Yohana. Pupunta pa tayo sa beach."