Ang Multo sa Manhole 3 (completed)

Yogurt says 49

Eleison's POV

Tulad nang napagplanuhan bumiyahe nga kami Friday night. Gusto kasi namin - okay fine, gusto ko, gusto ko masulit ang araw morning till the sun goes down.

Inokupa namin ang second to the last na two seaters ng bus. Kami sa kanan si Jolina sa kabila, katabi ang isang ginang. Mabuti na rin sa kanya 'yon nang di siya mag-ingay at di kami putaktihin ng kung anu-ano.

Usually 10 pm ang pag-inom ko ng gamot as this proves to be the most convenient time for me. But not for the other passengers though.

I couldn't control myself from making random noises then and there. The effect was that bad.

Mark, however, was trying his best to give me the most comfortable position para ako ay makatulog. We tried many. Parang walang nagwo-work.

Pikit ang mata ko no'n, dahil kapag dinilat ko I will start to feel dizzy. Ginitgit ko sarili ko sa gilid ng bintana. Mark understood my gestures even if it's not favorable for him. I was trying my very best to control my emotions, the pain, the effect pero,

"Mark, may gagamba sa harapan ko." usal ko, calmly nang di maka-isturbo sa ibang pasahero.

"Sot, walang gagamba." assure niya na may kasamang haplos sa balikat. But I'm not convinced.

"Meron." Sabi ko. "Lahat ng mata na sa'kin ang tingin."

"Sot, dilat mo mga mata mo." utos niya, his hands warming my face.

"Ayoko." iling ko. "Nakakasilaw. Baka mabulag ako."

"You have to trust me. Please. "

It really hurt to see Mark doing all he could to tolerate what's happening to me. So to lessen his burden I did open my eyes. Hugging him was the first thing I did.

Madilim pa rin pala. Pinhole lights lang near the aircon ang nagbibigay liwanag. Okay na sana but when I heard people at the back chatting, na nakatingin sa'min, I pulled myself away. Iniisip siguro nila ang pabebe ko, malandi, marupok.

And as if my mind had been read,
"Son, wag mo paniwalaan nasa isip mo. Epekto lang 'yan ng gamot." In his hand was a bottled water for me to take.

Part of me wanted to believe that, but another part didn't. Until thinking such thoughts exhaust me at nakatulog na rin ako. Sa wakas.
Nagising lang ako when I heard noises of people going out the bus.

"Andito na?" angat kong ulo, trying to get back my senses.

"Oo nandito na." Ani Mark. "Hintayin muna natin silang makababa tapos-"
Naudlot si Mark nang picture-an kami ni Jolina sa ganoong posisyon.

"This is okay. Pero kung nakababa ang pants mo Mark much better." ika pa ni Jolina, examining the photo.
Of course, Mark frowned at her. Nakasubsob kasi ako sa hita niya noon. But to make him frown even more,

"Ulitin mo. Ibababa ko." pang-aasar ko.

Noong lumuwag-luwag na rin ang daanan tsaka lang kami nag-move out. Pagbaba pa lang sumalubong na agad sa'kin ang malamig na hangin. At alam kong fresh air iyon dahil galing kami sa kulob.

From there, hinayaan na namin si Jolina maglead at makipag-usap sa mga kababayan niya. Hanggang sa di katagalan, nakarating na rin kami sa kanila.

Gusto ko 'yong napapaligiran ang bahay nila ng matataas na land formation. At sa mga formation na 'yon, mayroong nakatirik na single detached bungalo. Dalawang bungalo ang maximum. Lahat ng bubungan ay may kulay green na net.

Ang bahay naman nila Jolina parang covered court sa lawak at haba. But that's before I found out malaki pala pamilya nila. Lots of room,  walang upper floor. But the thing that caught my attention was tge long table at the center, which reminded me of the dining area in Harry Potter or the Last Supper.