One Last Time

Kabanata XXXIII: HEAD-ON COLLISION.

Head-On Collision.
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“THE FUCK, IRINNE! We need to get out of here!” My voice, filled with horror and panic, echoes inside Irinne's car. Sinubukan kong buksan ang pinto sa tabi ko, ganun din sila Irinne at Anja, pero pare-pareho naming hindi mabuksan ang mga pinto! “Fuck! We’re trapped!” Nahihintakutang sigaw ko, feeling the blood drain from my face. Sunod-sunod na rin ang pagtulo ang malamig na pawis sa nanginginig kong katawan!

 
God, please! Hindi ako pala-dasal, pero sa pagkakataong ‘to para akong biglang naging banal. Tinawag ko Siya at lahat ng santong kilala ko. Intense fear is creeping in my system right now, terrified of what might happen to me and my friends! This night is supposed to be one of the happiest moments of my life, as I had achieved something to be proud of. Despite being the black sheep in the eyes of others, I had finally done something right. But it seems like this might be the end for me, for us!

We freak out even more in horror as our car swerves more erratically. I quickly reacted by slamming on the brakes and gripping the steering wheel with all my might, hoping we could regain control this time, pero wala talaga! Our car swerved wildly even more at unti-unting lumampas sa double solid line! In just a few seconds, our car is already tilted, and it’s obstructing the road!

With fear gripping me tighter, I swallow hard. Shit! Shit! It’s clear that we're going to die here in two scenarios. If the car tilts more, we’ll hit the road barrier and fall off the cliff, or before we crash into the barrier, we might get hit by oncoming vehicles in either lane!

Mariin akong napapikit at nang magmulat ay nagblangko na lang ang utak ko at nabato sa kinauupuan. Tinatanggap ko na na ito na ang katapusan ko…namin nang nasilaw ako sa headlights ng paparating na truck sa right lane—towards Irinne's side at nabingi sa sobrang lakas ng busina nito, pati na ang sasakyan sa likuran namin sa left lane on Anja's side!

I recalled a scene from before when I was also blinded by the headlights of an approaching car, but it felt more like a premonition because it hadn't happened. It was a premonition that something like that will happen again, and this time, it will really happen! Pinagbigyan lang talaga ako ni Kamatayan noon!

This is my karma. That was the last thought in my mind before I heard the loud noise of crashing cars and felt a hard hit on my body. Then everything went pitch black...

            “I'M REALLY SORRY, Ms. Yturralde, pero matatagalan bago mo mailakad ulit ang isang paa mo.”

“W-What did you say, D-Doc?”

“Your left leg got crushed between the dashboard and seat, resulting in a comminuted tibia fracture. This kind of fracture takes a year or more to heal.”

“Your left leg got crushed between the dashboard and seat, resulting in a comminuted tibia fracture. This kind of fracture takes a year or more to heal.”

The sunlight coming in from the open window is so bright and blinding, pero hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko roon. It doesn't bother me. What bothers me more are the doctor's words that keep echoing in my head. Hindi ako nito nilulubayan, kaya hanggang ngayon ay nanginginig pa rin ako. Mahigpit pa rin akong nakakapit sa kumot ko.

Hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses akong lumunok sa tila bikig na ayaw umalis sa lalamunan ko. Masikip pa rin ang dibdib ko. Hindi pa rin kayang tanggapin ng sistema ko na mula sa araw na ito, hindi na magiging normal ang paglalakad ko. I can't wear high heels anymore because of what happened to my left leg.