A Journey of Two Night Goers: The Other Moment (Journey Series)

Chapter 7

"We're going to the cemetery tonight."

"What?" She asked in shock when we were in the tricycle.

We are about to go to the Ormoc Cemetery to tour the Ormoc 1991 Memorial. It was a memorial and a grave to all victims who died in the 1991 Flashflood that hit the city. I read about it in the museum and it was a pain in the gut. Today is the third day, and my mood has never been great. Just this morning, I removed my eye patch. And now, I'm back as two-eyed Michael.

"We're going to the Ormoc Cemetery." I grinned.

"Are you really sure you're not a serial killer Michael? I'm honestly in the verge of kicking you in the balls and leave." She whispered.

"Trust me, I'm not. And you're the rebellious type of girl. I thought you like these kinds of stuff."

"I'm a rebellious girl. But it doesn't mean I would go to a freaking cemetery at 9pm."

I laughed, "Okay. But I'll show you something."

She sighed. Minutes later, we arrived at the cemetery.

"Excuse me sir, can we stop by the 1991 memorial?" I asked softly, making sure Flo won't hear it. Moments later, we went out of the tricycle and saw the memorial, with a monument of like a human reaching out to an angel from above. I smiled.

"The Ormoc Museum brought me here. I went here earlier this morning."

"Why would the museum bring you here?"

"It has history. What happened here was sad."

"Obviously. We're at a cemetery Michael."

"No no no." I smiled then frowned, "It was November 5, 1991. Ormoc had a flashflood. Thousands died that time. Hence this memorial was built."

"And what do you feel about it?"

"Devastated. Imagine children being part of the memorial. Children with dreams, innocent children. Made me learn a lesson about it."

"Disaster preparedness?" She looked at me.

"That's one."

"What's the other?"

"That we're lucky." I then looked at her, "We have lived this long so we should be thankful about it. Do good things in life. Because not everyone can live as long as we did."

"Right." I mumbled. We became silent for a while, observing the monument of the memorial in front of us. I also thought that it's been days since I've been with Flo. Maybe breaking the silence this time is a good idea.

"The monument has a lot of meanings, don't you think?" I said, "What's your meaning of it?"

She then looked at me, "You said there's a lot of meanings to it. Mind giving me one?"

"Uhh... relationship with God. The angel is like God and then the man is us humans."

"Okay I'll have that." She looked at the monument, "What's yours?"

I then thought for a while and looked at the monument intently, "Love."

"That's similar to mi-"

"No. Not that way." I smiled then pointed at the man and the angel at the monument, "The man found himself an angel and he fell in love with her. He loves her like she's the best thing that happened to him ever."

She then looked at me, "You ever experienced that?"

"Yeah. But when we both realized that it's not worth it anymore, we stopped. But we're still friends." I said as she nodded, remembering my ex-girlfriend Sarah, who I broke up with few years ago. It was a mutual one, "You?"

She looked at the monument, "I think it's impossible if it's me."

She doesn't have a boyfriend yet? Is she so pissed in her life that no one dares to like her?

"I don't think so." I looked at the monument, "I clearly see that you are an angel 100%. It's just that a man hadn't seen you yet like that one." Then pointed at the man at the monument.

We became silent for a while.

"Misa de Gallo?" I looked at my phone, "Still early though."

"I'm not staying here for long Michael. If I were you, I'd find another shithole to stay."

I had the thought on where to go for a while until I felt that I was hungry and craved for donuts. I then smiled and suggested Dunkin Donuts. We then went back to the city and stayed there, eating donuts, drinking coffee, and just being silent. But that's until Flo would ask questions.

"Why do you color your hair?"

"Uh, because it's...cool."

"Why red?"

"Uh, Christmas color."

"Right."

After few moments of silence, Flo talked again, begging me to talk about myself and Ormoc. That caused me to smile and talked everything: from saving money to travel to Philippines, to going to Batanes, to staying in Ormoc. I talked to her about my love of this country and every history about Ormoc. I really tried to make it less boring and annoying for me. But I smiled even more as she was actually listening.

The conversation lasted for hours, with me doing most of the talking until it was Misa de Gallo and we went to church to attend mass and went back to the hotel.

"I actually enjoyed this night." I looked at her, surprised by what she said, "I don't know but I did."

I smiled.

"See you tonight." She mumbled.

"See you tonight." I mumbled back then went back to my room, surprised by Flo.

For the first time, she wants to see me tonight. I'm so going to find a place fun to tour.