Butterfly Effect [ATARAXIA #3]

Cursed Floor

MADRIX VROOKE'S

"Well done. I think ready na kayo for actual work." I gulped twice after hearing that words from the head of caregivers. We're done doing the training. Isang linggo rin kaming nagtrainning. Nagkatinginan kami ni Ken and I know we are thinking the same thing about the red floor.

"Here's you ID's and uniforms." Kinuha naman namin ang uniform. Nangunot ang noo ko dahil itim ang kulay ng uniform namin while the others its white. "If you are going to asks why you uniforms are black. It's because you are assigned in Red floor. To VIP floor." VIP?

"You will get special privileges here in the hospital because you are higher than others. But let me warn you." Sumeryoso ito. Parang gusto kong umatras. My palms are sweating.

"Lahat ng makikita at maririnig niyo sa VIP floor keep it in yourselves. Wala kayong pagsasabihan. Dahil pagnagkalat kayo ng info about sa mga pasyente sa Red floor you are automatically terminated and I'm not sure if you are going to live after that." Tinitigan kami nito isa-isa.

"Lastly, Mr. Ken, I want you to focus on patient number 014 and Mr. Mad focus on patient number 001. Take care of them and be careful." Agad kaming tumango.

"Gusto ko nang umatras, Mad. Naiimagine ko palang kung anong meron sa taas nanginginig na kalamnan ko." Humawak pa sa braso ko si Ken.

"Stop Ken. I'm nervous too." We are in the elevator heading to the VIP floor. I looked at the medical chart that I'm holding.

"What is the name of your patient?" I asked Ken. Agad naman nyang tiningnan.

"Walang pangalan number lang. PTSD patient. Sayo ba?"

"Only number and nothing else. Walang information kung anong case niya." Why? I feel strange about it. As the elevator opened. We took a deep sigh. Saka naglakad palabas ng elevator.

"Are you Mr. Madrix and Mr. Ken?"

"AAAAHH." Sigaw naming dalawa ng marinig ang nagsalita. Bigla itong tumawa kaya napalingon kami. Caregiver din ito at pareho ng uniform namin. Maven ang nakalagay sa Nameplate niya.

"Follow me. I will give you a short briefing about this floor." Sumunod naman kami. Maya-maya a scream appeared from somewhere. Rinig na rinig sa hallway ng floor.

"W-what's that?" Nagpapanic na tanong ni Ken. Namumutla na din ito.

"Don't be scared, that's from the movie room. The patients just watching a horror movie. Ganyan sila araw-araw." Huminto kami sa isang pinto. Pagbukas bumungad saamin may mga double deck na higaan. "Dito kayo mag-iistay. May locker ang bawat isa. Then you have a day off but only sunday. " Umupo ito sa isang double deck.

"Mababait ang mga patients dito wag kayong mag-alala. Some of them was not into socializing so you need to understand them." Maven added.

"Are they psychotics?" Sinamaan ko ng tingin si Ken sa tanong niya. Napatingin naman sa kanya si Maven na parang sinusuri niya ito.

"You are Doctor Ket's son right?" Ken nodded. "No, wonder why Doctor Ket wants you here." And he smirked. Ramdam ko ang tensyon ng dalawa. "Don't judge them that's the number 1 rule here. They are just dealing with something that makes them like that. Don't call them crazy or psychotic. Ikaw nga pagtinawag na baliw magagalit. Pano pa sila na may pinagdadaanan?" Minutes of silence passed. "Kanino kayong patient naka assign?" Maven broke the silence. 

"014," Ken said. Maven nodded.

"You are lucky. That patient is the nicest patient here on the red floor." Maven's gaze turned to me.

"And you?"

"001." Suddenly his expression change. But he manage to smile. Pero may kakaiba sa ngiti niya.

"That patient. Please take care. And this is friendly advice. Don't ever make a promise to him please." Nakaramdam ako ng takot pero sumang-ayon nalang ako kahit wala akong maintindihan. "And for additional information. Most of the patients here are dealing with severe depression. I need your stamina to be ready." Nagkatinginan kami ni Ken at sabay na tumango dito. 

"By the way I'm Maven—" Nagitlag kami ng bumukas nag pinto at pumasok ang mga nakauniform na caregiver akay-akay nila ang nakapang pasyenteng lalaki na puro pasa.

"AYO'N SIYA!" Sigaw ng isa. Nagulat kami ng tumawa si Maven ng napakalakas.

"I'm the caregiver. He's the patient." Turo pa dun sa lalaking napuro pasa. Mabilis na hinawakan ng dalawang caregiver si Maven. Nagpupumiglas pa ito habang natawa. Maya-maya may nilabas na syringe ang isa sa mga caregiver and he injected it to Maven.

"I-i'm n-not a p-pa—" He passed out. Nilabas na siya. Napatingin kami sa nakapatient gown. He seated to the bed and took a deep sigh. 

"I'm Maven. The original Maven. That one? He's patience 0010. His name is Ten. His suffering from delusion. Kita niyo naman. He believes that he is a caregiver even though the truth is he's patient." Paliwanag nito. Nagkatinginan kami ni Ken at parehong napalunok ulit. "But don't worry. All things he said to you are reliable." Napapangiwi pa ito.

"Did Ten hurt you? He did that?" I asked. Referring to his bruises. He looked at me and smile.

"No. I rush to the ground floor because someone having an episode of attack. He ended up hurting me. Then, Ten sinamantala niya 'yong pagkakataon na 'yon at kinuha niya uniform ko. Hindi nananakit ang mga pasyente dito. They are might the worst case that the hospital has but they're also the most discipline patients."

"Can I ask something?" Napatingin kami kay Ken nang sabihin niya 'yon.

"Sure, what is it?" Maven respond.

"Why is this floor called curse floor?" The smile from the maven's lips vanished. Huminga siya ng malalim bago sumagot.

"Because most the patients here are confined since they were young until now. They called this floor a Cursed Floor because everyone who was admitted here never got a chance to discharge. Kaya ayo'n tingin nila sinumpa ang floor na'to pagdito nagstay ang isang pasyente hindi na siya makakalabas. But don't mind it. That's just a rumor."

***

"Nakahinga ako ng maluwag." Ken said and sighed with relief. I checked the time.

"Let's do our first task bro," I said.

"Yeah, see you later. Laro tayo poker after this." I just shook my head as I heard that. I pushed the medical cart. I need to give medicines to Patient 001. Nasa pinakadulo ang ward nito.

I stopped as I reached the room. I don't know but kinakabahan ako. I open the door. Darkness welcomed me. I look for switch to on the light. Pagkabukas ng ilaw. Nangilabot ako sa nakita ko. All stuff was color black. The place looks dead. Para itong condo units. Full of creepy stuffs. May mga nakasabit na bungo. Yung mga shelves puno ng mga boteng hindi mo alam ang laman at may nakakadiring laman. Dahan-dahan ako pumasok. Narinig ko ang lagaslas ng tubig mula sa CR mukhang naliligo ito. The books are scattered in the floor. May mga nakadikit din sa pader na about sa science. Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko ng biglang namatay ang ilaw sa bulong kwarto. Kasunod nito ang pagbukas ng pinto. Rinig ko ang yabag nito na nagpalakas ng tibok ng puso ko sa takot. He's humming too a creepy song that I don't know.

Nanlalamig ang mga kamay ko. Napalunok ako ng maramdaman kong nasa likuran ko na s'ya. I flinced ng maramdaman ko ang hininga nito sa may tenga ko.

"Fear comes from the brain. When pathetic people encounter something that frightens them. The hypothalamus in the brain reacts by releasing a series of chemicals to the sympathetic nervous system and adrenal cortical system. In the sympathetic nervous system, signals are sent out to release stress hormones like adrenaline. These kick the body into a higher gear so it becomes tense and alert." His voice was lifeless. This is the first time I heard a voice like that. He chuckled but it doesn't have any emotions.

"You are scared. In what? In darkness or in lunatic like me?" And that cold voice gives me creeps down my spine.