It was a peaceful day. A bright sunny day where nothing could possibly go wrong.
Or so I thought.
The five of us, my whole family is on our way to my brother's chosen school to take the entrance exam and finally enroll in college.
My mom, dad, younger brother and sister were enjoying our joyride.
We arrived at the building and Dad parked the car near the entrance to avoid traffic later when we go out. My little sister and Dad waited in the car as the three of us climbed to the 3rd floor where the registar was located.
If I haven't mentioned it yet, this school is interconnected with the hospital. My brother wants to take up medicine so we decided to send him here because it's one of the best school.
As we arrived in the examination room, we heard a cry and it was a lady hysterically crying in front of the OR as her husband was shot caused by a mistaken identity.
She was causing a scene, shouting and blaming the police, the government, the people in the administration.
Gladly the room was sound proof kaya kahit na anong lakas ng palahaw niya hindi maririnig ng kumukuha ng exam.
"Ipakukulong ko kayong lahat! Kayo ang may kasalanan kung bakit nabaril ang asawa ko! Mga walang hiya kayo!! Malalaman nyo!" sigaw niya ng paulit-ulit.
Another woman was beside her, with her husband too, telling her to calm down. Probably her friend. They looked like they just arrived judging from the clothes they are wearing.
My mom and I exchanged glances but said nothing, It was indeed a gruesome experience.
We were patiently sitting in the benches outside the room where my brother is filling up some forms and will take the entrance exam when a smoke filled up the hallway, there were people coughing their way out.
I held my Mom's hand to relax her, and stood up to fetch my brother.
As we got closer, I heard a nerve-breaking loud explosion from the window that went inside the the registrar and the OR.
Panic crept into my system and my mother was in hysterics as the room where my brother is just exploded.
There were people lying in the ground breathless, some are injured and asking for help. Most of them ran into the elevator so I took the chance to use the stairs. My mom couldn't be able to process the whole situation, I let her take the lead and began sprinting down the stairs.
We heard gunshots and loud explosions everywhere, this looks like a massacre. A wide scale massacre!
"Down!! Stay down Mom!" I shouted at her as the windows crashed by the shots fired.
Nagpapaulan sila ng bala sa buong hospital. I stopped midway and hid through a wall while Mom went straight for it.
With all our strength and will, nakarating kami sa ground floor.
"Mom! " I quietly hissed but I didn't get any reply. I can feel tears streaming down in ny face as I called her again.
"Mom! If you can hear me, just stay down okay?"
And tried again.
"Mom?" I sobbed. No response. I saw lying bodies near the stairs, they are all wearing the hospital logo.
There were blinking lights indicating that the police or someone that could help us are here!
I sighed a relief when I saw someone in a blue uniform entered the door.
"Officer Roncesvalles." I whispered quietly as I had a glimpse of his tag in his uniform.
"Naubos ba? May nakaligtas ba?" tanong niya sa mga may nakamaskarang mga lalaki na may hawak na baril.
Nanlaki ang mata ko at kinabahan ng sobra. Nagtago ako sa nakauslng semento at pinigilan ang impit kong pagiyak.
"Hindi pa namin alam Sir, pero sinusuyod na ang buong hospital." aniya.
"Ayusin niyo lang! Nakataya ang pangalan ko dito. Pag hindi niyo to nagawa ng maayos, kayo ang papatayin ko!" Sigaw niya na dumagundong sa parehong tenga ko.
I could not think clearly, the person I thought was our salvation, was also the person who brought this against us. This was all a set up!
I trembled in fear as I crept slowly to the pile of bodies near the hallway.
One thing I've learned from watching thriller movies is that if you're being hunted and you don't know where to hide. Just play dead.
My stomach throbbed as I wiped their warm blood into my clothes and face for the facade I'm going to pull through. With my tear stricken face, I pray that this will work because if it won't, I don't know what will.
I lied down beneath them and I can see their faces filled with blood. The blood of betrayal by the people whom you have given your trust.
Narinig ko ang mga yabag ng pababang mga tauhan niya. Chineck nila ang mga nakahandusay na katawan, at ang iba sa kanila ay binaril pa ng ilang ulit para makasiguro.
I mustered all the self-control I could have para pigilan ang pag-iyak at pag galaw ko. I even halted my breathing as they got close to where I was lying.
I closed my eyes and waited for my probable death.
"Uy baste! Tama na yan! Patay na yang mga yan! Kailangan na nating umalis, may mga media na raw!!" Sigaw ng isa sa kanila.
Patakbo silang umalis hanggang sa wala na akong narinig kundi ang nakabibinging katahimikan.
I carefully removed myself from the bodies who saved me. I muttered a prayer for all of them. Ngayon ko lang naramdaman ang sakit ng katawan ko sa sugat na dulot ng pagkabasag na mga bintana at pintuan. My left foot must be fractured but I managed to sit down.
Then the tears began to fall again.
My mind drifted to my brother who was left in that room, my mother who was probably hiding in the stairs like me, I wondered if survived the ambush, and my younger sister and father who got caught in this mess were left in the car.
Sinabi nila na wala silang tinirang buhay, pero buhay ako. And that means someone can also be alive. I hope and prayed and hoped and prayed that, that someone is my family.
The burning ashes and burnt gun powder filled my nose. I began to walk myself limping out of the building, but before I can open the door. As I held the handle, my strength betrayed me, m body grew numb and I started to lose all my senses.
