MGA PAKIWARI AT PAGMUMUNI-MUNI (An AlDub Collection of Poems and Short Stories)

Overdose

Day 16 of the AMACon Drabbles: Oikos.

THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. FICTION. NOT TRUE. JUST A STORY MADE FROM IMAGINATION. PLEASE READ WITH DISCRETION.

Especially since this story actually tackles a sensitive issue. Drugs and suicide. If that is not your cup of tea - PLEASE STOP AND DO NOT READ FURTHER.

Unbeta'ed and not proofread.

I don't condone drug use. Ever. Please avoid drugs at all costs. They are not good for you.

AGAIN - IF YOU DO NOT LIKE READING ABOUT MAICHARD IN THIS KIND OF AU SITUATION, PLEASE LEAVE NOW.

//

Nicomaine Dei Mendoza, age 28, who most currently lived in Santa Maria, Bulacan passed away last September 3, 2023 in a vehicular accident as a result of a drug overdose.

She was born on March 3, 1995 to parents Teodoro and Mary Ann (Capili) Mendoza.

Nicomaine, or Maine as most friends and family call her, or Menggay - to those closest to her, was a bright ray of sunshine on a gloomy day. She loved making people laugh with her jokes and antics. She enjoyed listening to music, particularly Coldplay and loved going to the beach. She was known for her trademark "asthmatic laugh" which could make anyone around her laugh and be happy with her whenever she was around. She will always be remembered as the girl who smiled a lot despite trials and hardships.

Maine made a lot of good decisions in life including choosing to go to New York to intern for her Culinary degree, going back home and opening Café Niko, her own little cafe and pastry shop as well as saying yes to fiancé, Richard Faulkerson, Jr. - SVP for Marketing and the owner's son of Faulkerson Group of Companies. She, however, also made bad decisions including experimenting with drugs. She fought her addiction for the last three years but still to no avail until she succumbed to it recently. Maine's family truly loved her and tried to be as supportive as possible as she struggled with her drug addiction, helping her get through rehabilitation and change.

She is survived by both of her parents - Teodoro and Mary Ann, siblings - Nicolette, Nico, Nicoleen and Nicodean, brothers-in-law - John Catalan and Mike Cruz, nephew - Matti Catalan and niece - Michelle Cruz. She is also survived by fiancé, Richard, who was with her at the time of her passing as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Visitation and wake will be at Arlington Funeral Homes located at Santa Maria, Bulacan from September 5 to 9, 2023. She will be buried in the family mausoleum located at Mary The Queen Memorial Park on September 10, 2023.

//

He crumpled the sheet of paper in his hand and threw it on the ground, hard, as tears cascaded down his cheeks. He wanted to hit something so bad, his chest was hurting.

It should have been me.

He didn't remember much during the accident. All he remembered was doing a session with her before they got up and drove to who knew where. They were both high as fuck, laughing like loons as they thought that driving around in the middle of the night was a great idea.

Until he started hallucinating and thought that he saw a wolf in the middle of the road and tried to swerve around it, hitting a pole instead, blacking out afterwards.

When he came to - he was already in the hospital in bandages and they told him that she was gone. Killed instantly when they hit the pole.

He screamed at all the doctors and nurses when he found out, even going so far as threatening to kill himself if they didn't produce her, alive. Alas, despite all his cries - he had to accept the truth that she was no longer with them.

And it's all my fault. My fault. Menggay... I'm sorry. So sorry...

He looked down and felt the cold sting of metal that he was holding in his hand. He traced its shape, admiring for a moment how it looked like and how lithe and small it was. Small but deadly.

I will see you soon. Wait for me, love.

He placed the metal on his temple and pulled.