Whisper of the Heart

Chapter 16

The day had started so light, so full of laughter. Chloe and Noah were at the mall, browsing through gifts for Noah's younger brother's graduation. They spent a good amount of time picking out the perfect watch, a symbol of new beginnings and achievements. Afterward, they played a few rounds in the arcade, laughing like kids as they competed in games. They even caught a movie, sharing popcorn and enjoying the simple joy of being together. It was one of those rare, carefree days that felt like it could go on forever.

As the afternoon wore on, they decided to grab a quick snack at a nearby fast food place. Chloe was mid-sip from her drink when her phone buzzed. At first, she ignored it, thinking it was just another message, but it kept ringing. With a smile, she picked it up, still half-laughing about something Noah had said. But her expression shifted as soon as she answered.

"Hello? Yes, si Chloe po ito... ano pong nangyari?" Her voice wavered, her heart beginning to pound, a strange sense of dread settling in. Her face drained of color, her hands started trembling, and before she could respond, she dropped the phone onto the table, her gaze distant, almost frozen.

Noah, sensing something was terribly wrong, quickly picked up her phone. "Hello? Ano pong nangyari?" he asked urgently, his face growing serious as he listened to the nurse on the other end. "Yes, pupunta kami ngayon. Salamat po."

Turning to Chloe, his voice gentle yet firm, he said, "Chloe... we need to go to the hospital. Come on." But she seemed paralyzed, her mind not yet comprehending the gravity of the situation. Noah wrapped an arm around her, steadying her as they rushed out, his heart beating as if he could will her pain away just by holding her close.

The drive to the hospital was a blur of heavy silence, each second feeling like an eternity. Chloe sat numb, clutching her hands tightly, her body rigid with fear. Hindi to pwedeng totoo, she kept thinking, clinging to hope, desperate for reassurance that this was some cruel mistake. They arrived, and she barely noticed her surroundings as she stumbled out of the car, her vision blurred with panic.

A nurse met them at the entrance, her expression solemn, her voice soft as she led them down the sterile, white corridors. Chloe's mind raced, her stomach twisted into tight knots. Her pulse pounded in her ears, and a cold, suffocating dread wrapped around her. Hindi totoo, hindi totoo, she whispered to herself as they stopped in front of a door marked "Morgue."

"No, no, no, no..." The words slipped from her lips like a mantra, as if saying them could make the nightmare dissolve. This wasn't happening. She had just seen her parents last night. They were fine. Her mom was laughing, her dad telling one of his stories at the dinner table. How could they be gone?

The doctor approached, his face a mixture of sympathy and sorrow. "Miss Marquez, I'm so sorry. There was a car accident. The brakes failed..." But Chloe couldn't hear him anymore. The world around her felt like it was spinning, her vision narrowing until she could barely see. The grief hit her like a tidal wave, a hollow, crushing weight pressing down on her chest. She clutched at her stomach, feeling the ache of a loss so deep she could barely breathe.

"No..." she whimpered, her voice breaking as she sank to her knees. Noah knelt beside her, pulling her into his arms as she sobbed. He murmured soothing words, but his voice was a faint hum in the background, swallowed by the enormity of her pain.

Bakit? she thought, clutching onto him as though he were her lifeline. Ano bang nagawa ko para parusahan nang ganito? First Wyatt had been ripped away, and now this. Her parents, her rock, her constant—gone. She felt the weight of her world collapsing, a hollow void swallowing everything she held dear.

Her vision blurred, her body weak, and everything began to fade. The grief was too much, too suffocating. Her mind and heart couldn't hold it. She slipped into unconsciousness, surrendering to the darkness, the only place where the pain, for a brief moment, could not reach her.