Photograph • Benjamin Pangilinan

chapter i

Benjamin

Biglaan akong umupo, napakabilis ng tibok ng puso ko. My mind is really creative, napaka weird ng mga napapanaginipan ko.

I slowly stood up, bawal pa ako masyado gumalaw ng biglaan after waking up since I just woke up from a very long sleep. I was in coma for three months. I have retrograde amnesia, so I basically know nothing about what happened before my accident. Kilala ko lang ang family ko and friends and basic knowledge. Pero I still can't remember important events or happenings from my life, specially what happened on the day of my accident.

Biglaang bumukas yung pintuan. Pumasok ang little sister ko, si Solana. Nakangiti ito at tumakbo papunta saakin.

"Kuya Benj, you're awake!" Sabi niya at biglaan akong yinakap. I hugged her back.

"Yes baby, how are you na? Did you sleep well?" Tanong ko sakanya. Tumango naman siya.

"Yes kuya, let's go down na! Naghahanda na si mommy ng breakfast natin then after we're going to play with Kiro!" Makulit na sabi ni Solana, nginitian ko naman siya. Kiro is our dog.

"Sige Solana, susunod ako. Maghihilamos lang si kuya" sabi ko sakanya. Nag okay naman si Solana at lumabas na.

Tumayo na ako at pumasok sa cr. Naghilamos na ako, pagtingin ko sa salamin nakita ko ang sarili ko. Hinawakan ko ang scalp ko, naramdaman kong may bump dun. My scar.

Simula nung naaksidente ako andiyan na daw yan, pero how would I know. It happened almost four months ago. Since I've been awake for three weeks I'm still undergoing therapies and I have a medical appointment with my doctor weekly.

Buti na lang at mahal na mahal ako ng pamilya ko, feeling ko kasi kung ibang tao di sila mag e effort ng ganito saakin. Mahirap, pero kinakaya nila. Kaya dapat kayanin ko rin.

Pagtapos kong mag ayos eh bumaba na ako.

"Goodmorning team Pangilinan!" I cheerfully said. Halos lahat sila andito na except kuya Donny.

Hay nako I think he's still asleep sa kakausap nila ng liniligawan niya last night.

"Goodmorning Benjamin!" Sabi ni mommy.

"Beeeenj! Let's go out for a jog before eating breakfast?" Sabi ni Hannah.

"But ready na ata ang food, Hannah!" Sabi ko sakanya at umupo na sa upuan katabi ng kay Solana.

"Actually Benjamin, it's okay. We can wait for you to come back naman!" Sabi ni daddy. Tumayo ako agad. "Sure thing dad hehe bihis lang ako" sabi ko and I ran towards my room.

Naeenjoy ko kasi kapag nag jojogging kami, it's a way to become fit and it really relaxes me.

After changing I immediately went down. 6 am pa lang naman so an hour or two of jog is enough.

"Tara na Benj! You're so tagal talaga" sabi ni Hannah at tinarayan ako.

"And you're so conyo talaga" I mimicked her voice. Tinarayan ulit ako!

"Mom, Dad! We're going na!" Hannah said. I waved goodbye to them and Solana was even jumping up and down as she was waving goodbye.

"Last one to the park is a rotten egg!" Sigaw ni Hannah at agad tumakbo.

"Huy ang daya mo eh!" sabi ko at tumakbo na rin.