Always And Forever

Hike

"Sir Rafael, magandang umaga ho"

Rafa's eyes was barely opened when the infantry captain greeted him.

"Gandang umaga captain", he greeted back in a husk voice. "Di po ba ma daanan?"

The captain shook his head, "Malakas po ang ulan netong mga nakaraang araw. Di po kaya nang sasakyan"

The trail that once served as a dirt road had now turned into s stretch of mud. A single look could already tell that it was impassable.

Rafa let out a long sigh. "Okay"

The captain pointed farther ahead, "Thirty minutes on foot. Medyo pa akyat lang"

Rafa nodded before turning back to the convoy and called for his "trusted adult".

"Leni!"

She immediately rolled down the window. Rafa pointed to the trail hinting that they need to do a hike.

She turned to everyone inside the car, "Go to your teams. Hanggang dito lang tayo."

Riza had expected it that much and immediately begun mentally reorganizing the entire operation.

"So manual carry"
"Manual carry", Leni confirmed.

Within minutes, the quiet clearing transformed into organized movement. Team leaders relayed instructions and were immediately obeyed. Soldiers climbed into truck beds with the volunteers and large plastic crates were handed down one by one.

"Dahan dahan sa ultrasound jusko!"
"Yung oxygen tanks!"
"Oy yung ECG!"

The soldiers took care of the much heavier equipment and the volunteers took the essentials. Nobody cared who wore camouflage and foundation uniforms, everyone just moved and helped.

With all seriousness in Rafa's voice, "Everyone!"

Everybody turned to him.

"Kung di kaya, huwag ipilit. Ayokong may maging pasyente bago pa tayo makarating sa mga pasyente!"

A chorus of chuckle spread through the volunteers.

"Pair up! Walang mag-isa!"

They started their hike. The line of volunteers stretched to the narrow trail, each step calculated. Soldiers naturally led the way with the heavier load.

"Doc kaya ba?"

A nurse asked Riza after noticing the medical bag mounted on her back, and another on her hand.

She just adjusted the strap and smiled, "Kaya, ano bang silbi nang pag gy-gym"

Just a few meters ahead, Leni wasn't any different. A medical bag on her bag and a huge medicine box that was secured by both arms.

"Tara" she turned to Riza and quietly joined the queue of the volunteers on the trail.

The first few meters were forgiving. Just a dirt path carved by years of foot steps. But the father they got, the harder it became. The air was filled with the smell of wet soil, and every now and then they were reminded why the convoy stopped at the military detachment. Series of laughter erupted every time someone slips. Their shoes covered in mud but still kept going.

Bongbong carefully crossed a muddy patch and looked back, "Doc dito ka". He gently held Leni's arms and guided her as she stepped over the slippery ground.

"Di ba yan mabigat?", He asked after noticing the load she was carrying. She didn't had the chance to reply as he immediately unmounted the medical bag from her and swung it unto his shoulder. Now he was carrying one on each.

"Doc-"
"Hindi", he cut her off, "Mabigat to, ako na"

Rafa watched the exchange from behind while carrying two oxygen regulators. As someone who knew Leni and George, he wasn't liking it.

Win was helping a volunteer carry the generator when they came across a particular steep path. He glanced on his shoulder and saw Riza slowly positioning her steps within the slippery ground.

"Sandali lang"

He instructed the volunteer to wait for a moment as he got the medical bag from Riza's grip and placed it on the top of the generator adding weight to it. Then without making a fuzz about it, he offered his hand.

"Careful doc, baka madulas ka"

She stared at his extended hand for a moment before eventually taking it. The nurses who noticed exchanged glances and suppressed their grins.

"Pustahan" one spoke to his colleague, "Bet ni senator si Doc Riza"

"Teh. Di naman sa nang-iintriga ako" another chimed in after looking at Win deliberately matching his pace with Riza. "Pero five hundred saken"

The farther they climed, the quieter everyone became. Even Rafa who was an absolute yapper became silent.

"Teka lang...", he bent on his knees. "Di biro to ah"

After a few minutes the trees began to thin and opened into a clearing. There, a covered court greeted their eyes. Hundreds of people. Some had been waiting on the bleachers since dawn. When the first hauling team emerged from the trail, they all stood up.

"Andito na sila!"

Every face waited on that covered court became a reminder why they woke up at dawn. The venue was already prepared by rows of mono blocks by the barangay.

Leni turned to everyone, "Okay, trabaho na!"