Her Dying Wish

start

Namia Faith Cosico is at the top of her game. A caring daughter, sister, and friend, with a blooming career as a chemical engineer. All was going well until a blast from the past suddenly comes barging in... and eventually gets stabbed with a knife. Nice.

---

"Hey."

May pumasok sa kwarto ko. Di ko pa nakikita, alam ko na agad kung sino 'yon. Ako lang naman kasi dapat yung nandito, e. May batang napilitan lang umepal sa katahimikan ko kaya binigyan ko siya ng susi ng apartment.

"Hey, kid." Binaba ko ang cellphone ko para tingnan si Mira. Tumangkad siya ng konti. Pumayat din ng konti. I wasn't really surprised. Huling kita ko sa kaniya, graduation ko pa.

That was three years ago. Before she left to go to Dubai with her mom.

Nakita kong kumunot ang noo niya. "Stop calling me a kid," she said.

"Fine." She looks stressed out. "Aren't you busy?"

Mira's an animator for a big company in Dubai. Pinapunta lang sa Pinas for business. Tapos pinilit pa ni Alex na alagaan ako.

She sighed. "I am but it's fine. It's my last day here, after all." May nilagay siyang lalagyanan na may sopas sa harap ko, pati na rin tubig. "Eat. Ako gumawa niyan."

"What if I don't?"

"Eat it." She poked my face.

"What is it?"

She poked me again. "Just eat." And again.

I stared at her.

She poked me again.

And again.

And then she stopped. Tinitigan lang niya ako.

Until I finally took a bite. This is actually good. Sa aming tatlo, si Mira lang nakakapag-luto ng matitinong pagkain e. Not that I'm saying that I can't cook. Prito prito lang.

'Wag n'yo 'kong i-judge, mas maayos na 'yon kaysa sa mga luto ni Alex na palaging sunog.

"Stop staring at me." Sinabi ko sa kaniya. Ang weird ng may nakatitig sayo habang kumakain ka.

"I just feel like I forgot something." Tumayo si Mira. "Anyway, eat up. I still need to pack my things."

"Hey, Mira," I called her, umupo na rin ako nang maayos.

She stopped, of course. "Yeah?"

"Thank you."

She smiled at me. "It's fine. Least I can do since you're always the ones taking care of me."

"Alis ka na ba?"

"Uhh.. oo. I have a flight in an hour." Kinamot n'ya yung ulo n'ya.

Nabuhayan ako ng dugo bigla. Kapag umalis na si Mira, walang magbabantay sa 'kin. Kapag walang magbabantay, makakalabas na 'ko sa apartment nang walang sagabal! Ikaw ba naman kasi yung halos i-house arrest ng dalawa mong kaibigan.

Umalis na si Mira sa kwarto ko. Hindi n'ya 'ko pinayagang ihatid manlang siya. Baka raw mahimatay na naman ako.

I passed out from fatigue a week ago. Naging busy ako masyado sa isang project namin e. It paid a lot of money that I needed. Last year na ng kapatid ko sa college tapos ako na gagastos para sa maintenance ni Mama.

May apartment pa kong binabayaran. Wi-fi. Groceries. Hinuhulugan kong kotse. Gas.

Na-stress ako habang iniisip yung mga gastusin namin. Dami dami kasi! Alam kong pwede ko namang sabihin na di ko kaya pero... wala lang! Gusto ko lang!