The Great Escape

Simula

Simula

At first, everyday was a sticky cotton-candy type of day. The smiling sun, ticked and teased by wispy white clouds. Bright yellow butterflies danced a flowery waltz with buzzing bees, while the gentle breeze of summer touches every plant with each sway.

At first, I thought nothing would go wrong. I was perfectly fine and there were no signs that I'm unhealthy. Though most of the time I sleep at dawn and wake up early in the morning, I never felt as if I was sick.

And everything was still vivid in mind. Even that very first day we found out that I was ill.

No one saw this coming. And when it finally did, I felt like my world stopped revolving. I stopped living my life and seeing my friends. My colorful days became dull and I fell inside a huge pit of routine I couldn't get out from.

Because at first, I thought I can have all my time and live the way I want my life to be. But everything changed since I was diagnosed with ALS more than a year ago.

"Isa pa!" Mariette exclaimed when we were done practicing the last song for our presentation this weekend. "Nakakabitin."

Mariette is my cousin slash bandmate slash barkada. Para siyang kape na three in one talaga. She's a petite girl with a pretty face. With her fair skin tone, narrow nose, almond-shaped eyes, plump lips, boys around our age really admires her beauty. Kahit pa iyong mga kalalakihan na mas matanda o bata sa kanya, nahuhumaling din. 

And she's the vocalist of our band, AUGUSTUS: composed of two gals and four guys. Kung isasama ang manager namin, bale lima na silang mga lalaki.

"Hindi ka ba mamalatin niyan?" Si Kiel, ang manager namin habang kumakain ng chichirya sa itim na couch.

"Ako pa ba? Pangmalakasan kaya 'tong boses ko. Wala kang tiwala?" Sarkastiko pa siyang humalakhak. "Feeling ko kailangan na natin magpalit ng manager. Walang bilib sa skills—"

"At sinong may sabi na may karapatan kang magdesisyon kung magpapalit ng manager o hindi?!"

At nagsimula na ang bangayan sa pagitan ng bokalista at manager ng banda. Pinanonood lang namin silang magbatuhan ng maaahang na salita, paminsan-minsa'y tumatawa kapag bumibenta ang mga sinasabi nila.

This is one of our usual days whenever we gather around in our practice hall. Though hindi pa kami ganoon kasikat, masasabi kong may ibubuga ang banda namin. Dalawang taon na kaming tumutugtog at nagkaroon na rin ng malalaking gig. At isa sa mga pangarap namin ang magkaroon ng major concert.

Nasobrahan na yata kami sa practice kaya medyo namamanhid na ang kamay ko. Madalas naman itong mangyari lalo na kapag ilang oras kong tinitipa ang mga key ng piano. Maybe after a long sleep tonight, everything will get better.

* * *

"Hindi ka pa ba tapos diyan?" It was Mariette and her countless questions about when will I finish what I'm doing.

Humalakhak ako. "Malapit na."

I was folding a paper crane. You know the legend about when you folded a thousand of it, you can wish and it will be granted? Though Mariette finds it childish, for me, I believe that such legend is true and I also think that there's no harm in trying.

Nang matapos kong maitupi ang pang-isang daan na papel, isinilid ko na ang mga iyon sa isang clear jar. She was just watching me clean my things and when I was done putting the jar inside my bag, she clung her right arm on my left. Napailing na lang ako.