Breathe Again [MEDICAL MYSTERY #1]

CHAPTER 08: Triggered

MY heartbeat pulsated fast as I saw a silhouette of a girl formed in the darkness; she's standing at the end of the hallway. I blinked continuously, still astonished to what I am seeing.

Amidst the fear that is raging inside me, I stepped forward. "What...What do you want? Who are you? Bakit palagi mo kong ginugulo? Are you the owner of the notebook?"

I have so many questions pero ni isa wala siyang sinasagot.

I hobbled again forward. "Answer me. Are you the owner of the notebook?"

I trailed the hallway slowly habang nagsasalita. "Lahat nang sinabi mo kanina, it was all written in the notebook. If ikaw nga ang may-ari nun, paano napunta sa'kin 'yun?"

I stopped when I was about halfway near her. I gained all my courage and asked her, "Ikaw ba si Jane?"

The moment I said her name, the lights on the hallway opened again one by one mula sa painaggalingan ko papunta sa other end ng hallway kung saan siya nakatayo.

Palapit nang palapit sa aknya ang pagbukas ng ilaw, pabilis nang pabilis ang tibok ng puso ko. As the final light turned on I prepared once it reveal who she is.

Nang bumukas na ang huling ilaw sa tapat niya ay napigil ko ang paghinga ko at nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko. The lights revealed Jane and she's running towards me habang maya't-maya lumilingon sa likuran niya na para bang may humahabol sa kanya.

I can't move. Sobra na kong binabalot ng takot. I checked on her, she's wearing our school uniform but her skirt has bloodstain on it, the top four buttons of her polo blouse is left unbuttoned and there are hickeys all over her neck, her hair is a mess.

When she was about a meter away from me ay tinitigan niya ko. "Tulungan mo ko."

Ngayong malapit na siya sa'kin, mas nakita ko ang mga pasa sa mukha niya. "Jane..."

"Save me," she said.

Nagulat ako nang biglang isang dangkal na lang ang lapit ng mukha namin sa isa't-isa at sumigaw siya, "SAVE YOURSELF!"

Sa sobrang gulat ko ay napasigaw ako at napaupo. I placed my hands on my ears and I closed my eyes tightly.

This is not happening. This is not happening. This is all hallucinations.

"Hija, anong ginagawa mo diyan?"

I opened my eyes and checked the surroundings. Wala na siya. Wala na si Jane. I stood up and I saw the janitor holding the door of the classroom behind me.

"Bakit ka nandito, hija? Ikaw ba nagbukas ng mga ilaw?" tanong niya bago tuluyang isara ang pinto.

"Uhh...w-wala po. S-Sorry po." I bowed my head and walked away. Pero bago pa ko makalayo ay nilingon ko ulit si Kuya. "Kuya, bakit po pala abandoned itong 4th floor? I mean, bakit walang nagkaklase dito and lagi pa pong patay ang ilaw? Saka bakit may nakaharang na mga upuan sa hallway?"

"Anong year mo na ba, hija?"

"Second year po."

"Hindi mo pala naabutang bukas 'to. Pinasara 'tong floor for renovation pero nagtaka ko biglang pinatigil ang pagpapagawa noong isang taon."

Yeah. I remember. Parang may ginagawa nga dito noong first year ako but I don't remember well because our section rarely occupy the room in this building, sa kabilang building kami madalas.

"Sige po. Thank you po." I smiled and tuluyan nang umalis.

HABANG nasa tabi ako ng kalsada at naghihintay nang may makasabay tumawid ay naaalala ko ang mga nangyari kanina. I'm evaluating whether I am just hallucinating or everything really happened. Isn't it too much if I'm really just imagining things? Because why would I? Ganun na ba katindi ang stress ko?