Uncoventional And Disturbing (ThomAra)

UAD 2: Behind that smile

Thom.

Surely hindi makakapaniwala kung sino man ang makakakita sa akin ngayon.

"Sir hindi po talaga pwede, yung mga gamot po kase na nasa reseta niyo ay US branded at high dosages po kaya mahal talaga."

Hay. I can't believe it. 10 thousand hindi pa kasya para sa gamot?

"Okay good for one week na lang muna yung dalawang painkillers."

"Okay sir. That would be a total of 8,845.75. Thank you!" I handed her the cash. Atleast may pambili pa ako ngayon ng pagkain.

Tinawid ko muna ang kalsada para magumpisang maglakad papunta sa ospital kung saan nakaconfine ang natatanging kapamilya ko ngayon. Sayang din kase ang pamasahe. Atsaka mabuti na rin kase may nadaanan akong karinderya.

I greeted everyone pagdating ko sa ospital, isang taon na rin mahigit nakaconfine si lola dito kaya nga medyo nakaclose ko sila, ang ibang nurses naman ay naging customer ko.

Room 134.

Ang kanilang standard room at siyang pinakamura. Nakaaircon lamang ito ngunit walang TV o Ref. Sa loob ng silid nakahiga lamang ang lola ko na putlang putla at mapayat kahit may dosage ng glucose na tumatakbo sa mga ugat niya.

"Th-thom? Ikaw na ba yan apo?" her voice was so fragile.

"Opo Lola! May dala nga akong pagkain oh!"

We feasted on the Menudo that I brought na may paaman pang sabaw.

"You're still doing it, right?" Nagulat ako nung magsalita muli si Lola. She still had that perfect accent that mirrored literacy.

"Opo." nahihiya kong sabi.

"I know our body is just a shell for who we are inside. Mabait kang bata Thom alam ko yan. But you need to remember that the body is also the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Please. Please stop doing that for my sake."

I was stunned. She wanted me to give up on finding means for her hospitalization. Hindi ko hahayaang mawawala pa ang natatanging kapamilya ko, hindi ko kaya.

"Hindi lang ako ang pamilya mo, Thom. Remember that." she finally said at nahiga na siya para matulog muli.

I knew what she meant. While we're living below the standards of society, we have our own flesh and blood making name in the Business World.

I left the room and went to the Hospital's rooftop. For a long time this was my sanctuary.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ako umabot sa puntong ito, where I have had to let the lust take over. Where I had to choose immorality over what ethical beliefs my Lola taught me.

I remember though, When I was 6 or 7, nagkaroon ng isang malaking eskandalo sa pamilya namin, We are a chinese family and we strongly believe sa pagsasama ng dalawang tao, But my asshole father broke it, nainlove siya sa isang prostitute.

You read it right, Prostitute. Bayaran. Pokpok. You name it. Ano nga bang ginagawa ng lalakeng may pera? Siyempre nambababae! With all the money and utilities they have, kinailangan pa rin nilang may mapaglabasan ng sexual frustrations sa buhay.

Mostly men commit adultery for that reason. Pagod na sila sa walang sawang pagdada ng kanilang mga asawa, and his wife could no longer give the satisfaction he craves.

And that was the main reason why my family broke up. Nagkahiwalay kami ng apat kong kapatid because my father told me na kapag sumama ako sa kanya, He'll give me all the toys in the world. My other siblings choose not to believe him but As a kid, I gave in.

On the first day of being with him, It showed that he was lying. Isa pala siyang underground businessman and on the verge of going bankrupcy. Ilang hitman na rin ang humahabol sa kanya so he sold me. In exchange for his debts sa isang loan shark. I never saw him again after that.

I was beaten black and blue by Mr. Cruz. He had a psychological disorder that he would be very joyful when he beats other people. Beats them to death. I would often go to his room with a very large mirror infront and he would use different materials just to hear my screams of pain.

After a month, he was killed in an NBI encounter. So I finally got away from his beating.Pero kung alam ko lang pala that this would be the real world, I would endure his beating any time of the day.

Walang pulis na tumulong sakin. After their encounter, sobrang nasiyahan sila to the point na wala na silang pakealam sa aming mga bata na biktima ni Mr. Cruz.

I could only remember one of them, her name was Ara.

From what she told me, she was promised all the teddy bears and theme parks in the world. And look where it got her. Paborito siya kung kaya't kaunti lamang ang nakukuha niyang pasa mula sa loan shark na iyon, ngunit dahil na rin sa inggit ng iba naming kasama ay napapagdiskitahan siya.

I was her only friend in that prison. But on the day of the raid, Nauna siyang lumabas kesa sa karamihan sa'min. When I went out, mas malaki palang pasakit ang totoong buhay, I had to find food and shelter. Protect myself from the wild dogs and other people.

Buti na lang naawa ang isang balong matanda sakin. She raised me until she succombed to cancer.

Atleast in that hellhole I had Ara, but now I have only myself to survive with Lola.

I'll take care of her, whatever it takes
Whoever it takes.