The Great Escape

Kabanata 6

Kabanata 6

Man in black

"Seraiah?" I heard Calumn's voice nearby. Baka nasa labas na siya.

"C-Calumn!"

Biglang bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa nito si Calumn. He was wearing a white shirt and maong pants. Nakapatong sa balikat niya ang navy toga na gagamitin para sa graduation. Naabutan niya akong nakasalampak sa sahig at hindi makagalaw.

He ran towards where I was sitting on and that's when his toga fell on the cold floor. He kneeled infront of me as he put his right hand on my left shoulder. Mahina niya iyong ginalaw.

"Anong nangyari? Bakit nasa sahig ka? Halika, tumayo ka na riyan."

Calumn stood up and offered his hand. Humawak ako sa kamay niya at sinubukan kong buhatin ang sarili pero hindi ko magawa. My muscles were cramped and I find it hard to move.

I looked at him. "H-Hindi ko k-kaya."

Without saying a word, he scooped me from the floor. Inilabas niya ako sa practice hall at patakbong tinahak ang daan papunta sa clinic.

"Y-Yung toga mo n-nahulog—"

"I don't care about anything anymore. I'm worried!"

I pursed my lips and let him carry me on our way to the clinic. I'm worried about what's going on with my body too but I don't want to admit that something's wrong.

Even though what happened brought fear in me, I tried making myself believe that everything was normal. Sinabi rin kasi ng school nurse na baka simpleng cramps lang iyon at pahinga lang ang kailangan.

Pinanghawakan ko iyon. Hanggang sa ilang ulit nangyari. Hanggang sa wala na talaga akong magawa para maigalaw man lang ang katawan ko.

Sinubukan kong paniwalain ang sarili ko na walang mali sa akin. Na kaya ko pa rin tumugtog ng piano kahit minsan naninigas ang mga daliri ko. Na normal ang lahat sa akin kahit madalas ay nanghihina ang buo kong katawan.

I refused considering the possibility that something was wrong. Even though I was usually clumsy for the past weeks; even though my arms, shoulder and tongue started twitching; even though I usually have inappropriate crying, laughing and yawning at anytime of the day; even though some of my behaviors changed—na napansin din ni Mariette at Psalm.

Ang minsan ay naging madalas. Hanggang sa isang araw, isinugod na ako sa ospital.

One time check up became frequent. A few number of tests became countless. I had attacks until I can't even breathe on my own anymore.

Everything was a blur on our way to the nearest hospital. I passed out after crying nonstop and regained my consciousness when I heard people talking to each other.

When I opened my eyes, napansin ko ang bukas na pinto ng kwarto. Sa labas ay nandoon ang isang babaeng doktor na kausap ni Mommy. I can hear what they were talking about from where I was.

"Sarah, your daughter was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS," the doctor announced.

Amyo-what?

"What do you mean? ALS?" Si Mommy.

"It is a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control. And Sera had every symptom that the illness has. After running tests on her, we had a final diagnosis that she's one of the few who is an ALS patient."

Baka naman Alternative Learning System ang tinutukoy? Tsk. I want to slap myself for that lame excuse. Sinong niloloko ko? Sarili ko, syempre. Ayokong maniwala.