Butterfly Effect [ATARAXIA #3]

Patient 001

MADRIX VROOKE'S

My hands are shaking. Damn! I'm scared. Can someone back the time and I will not going to accept this task. Napapikit ako ng nag humming ulit siya. Nagtataasan ang balahibo ko sa batok dahil sa kanya.

"Are you stone? Did I need to press your head for you to move?." Napalunok ako. Inipon ko lahat ng lakas ko para maglakad papalapit sa switch ng ilaw. When I was about to on the light, he spoke again. "Don't you dare to open the lights. I don't like it." Napahinto ako. I don't know why I'm following his order. But something inside me tells me to do what he wants.

Narinig ko na naman ang yabag at ang paghumming niya. Napapikit ako sa liwanag ng hawiin niya ang kurtina sa glass window ng ward. Lumiwanag ang paligid. Ang liwanag ng buwan ang nagbibigay liwanag sa buong paligid.

"Are you new here?" I came back to my senses when I heard his question. Napatingin ako sa gawi niya. Hindi ko maiwasang titigan ito. He's good looking. Maputi ito at halatang hindi nasisinagan ng araw. He's smirking. Tumutulo ang buhok nito. 'Yong mga mata niya ni walang katiting na emosyon. "Tititigan mo lang ba ako hanggang mamatay ka?" Napailing ako. I stood up properly.

"N-no, I'm new here. I'm Madrix Vrooke Fortello" He nodded. Umupo siya sa kama niya. And he grabbed something. A skeleton dummy. He hugged it and look outside the window.

"You are my new caregiver?" He asked without even looking at me.

"Y-yes."

"Dry my hair. I'm lazy to do that." He ordered. Nanginginig ang kamay kong lumapit sa kanya. Inabot ko ang towel niya at sinumulang punasan ang buhok niya. His hair is smooth. Amoy vanilla ang buhok niya. Nabalot kami ng katahimikan not until he starts humming again.

"What's your name?" He stopped humming after hearing my question.

"001. Call me that." Nangunot ang noo ko.

"N-no I mean your real—" I was cut off when he turned his gaze to me. Nawala ang ngisi niya. His dark orbs pierced my soul but it gives an erratic effect on my chest.

"Ask all of the staff and patients in this hospital. If one of them knows my name. Then I will tell my name to you." He smiled widely. Tumayo ito kaya napatras ako. His smile changed into grinned. "Why are you stepping back?" He asked as he continue walking near me. Napahinto ako nang mapasandal ako sa isa sa mga cabinet na nasa kwarto. Napapikit ako nang lumapit siya sa 'kin. He chuckled. He looks so satisfied seeing me scared like this.

"How come a fearful pathetic like you ended up here?" He laughed. Parang tuwang-tuwa ito sa epekto niya sa'akin. He's crazy. Huminto ito sa pagtawa.

"What's running in your mind?" Ramdam ko ang paglapit nito lalo. His breath stopped at my right ear.

"Do you think I am crazy? Well, you're right. I'm the craziest person here." Bulong niya sa 'kin. Ramdam ko ang paghawi niya sa buhok ko. "Get out of here before you ended up crazy like me." Nang lumayo siya agad-agad akong tumakbo palabas ng ward niya. Walang lingon-lingon. Pagdating ko sa caregivers quarter bumigay ang tuhod ko. Nando'n na ang iba.

"What happened to you bro?" Ken asked. Tinignan ko siya. Bakit parang hindi siya nahirapan. Napatingin ako kay Maven.

"M-maven" I called him.

"Bakit, Mad?" Bumuntong hininga ako at mabigat na umupo sa tabi niya.

"M-my patient. 001. H-he's lunatic." Natahimik ang buong kwarto. Rinig ko ang buntong hininga ni Maven saka tinapik ako.

"Patient 001. Siya ang pinakamailap dito sa red floor. Bear with him mad. Siya din ang laging nagpapalit ng caregiver. Walang tumatagal sa kanya. But I hope you can be his caregive for a long time. Wala na kasing gusto pang mag-apply." Napasabunot ako ng buhok. Paano ako makatatagal? Wala pang isang oras halos manginig ako sa takot. How much more if I stay for long? Baka mabaliw ako.

"What is his name?" I asked.

"We don't know. We just call him patient 001 or Bon's brother." Maven said.

"Bon's brother?" Ken asked.

"Do you see the skeleton in his bed?" I nodded to the one that he hugged. "That's Bon."Tinapik ulit nito ang balikat ko.

"Did you give him his medicines." Napamura ako. Nawala sa isip 'ko ang tungkol do'n.

"I forgot." Napailing si Maven.

"Go back there." Wala akong nagawa kundi nakayukong naglakad pabalik.

"Nakakatakot ba siya?" Kem asked.

"Scary as f*ck." I hissed.

"Kuya Ken." Napatingin ako sa tumawag kay Ken. It's a patient but he's not wearing a patient gown. But he has a pin that only the patients have. Nakasuot ito ng crop top saka ripped jeans.

"That's my patient bro. Sobrang cute tas mabait. Bagay na bagay sa kanya ang pangalan niya Ellie." Lumapit agad si Ken sa pasyente niya. I took a deep sigh. Napatingin ako sa pintuan ni Patient 0001.

"Kuya? Are you the new caregiver of 001?" Ellie asked. I nodded. He smiled at me. "He might look scary Kuya Mad, but he is nice." He said. At muli akong binigyan ng isang ngiti.

"Do you know his name?" I asked he nodded.

"But I'm not going to tell you. Because I promise him that I will not be going to tell everyone his name. He hates someone who broke a promise to him." Wala akong nagawa. I knocked on the door at pumasok. I saw him again looking from afar. Kinuha ko ang gamot niya. Saka tubig at lumapit sa kanya.

"H-here's your medicines."

"Tell me. Pag ininom ko ba yan gagaling talaga ako?" He asked pero nakatingin parin siya sa malayo.

"O-Oo the doctor prescribed it for you." A smirk appears again to his lips pero hindi manlang niya ako binigyan ng tingin.

"Liar. Do you know liars never go to hell?"

"H-huh?"

"Because even Satan hates liars." I know he's talking about nonsense but it's creeping me out. Lumingon ito sa 'kin. Nanlaki ang mata ko he's crying. He smiled at me. Gusto kong tumakbo pero hindi pwede trabaho ko 'to. And also I feel pity for him. "These medicines cannot help us. Do you know why?" He drinks the medicines without even sipping on his water. "How medicines can help us if we don't want to help ourselves?"

"Mad, Mad, Mad, I like your name." Inayos ko ang tayo ko nilagay ko na sa medical cart ang mga gamot. Handa na sana akong umalis ng magsalita sya ulit.

"Mad are you going back here?" Napalingon ako dito nakatingin ulit ito sa malayo.

"Y-yes," I stuttered.

"Promise?" Damn! I remember what they said. I shouldn't make promises to him. But why do I feel I need to...

"Y-yes,"  I replied and I left him smiling alone. And I don't know why I promise to him even though I knew I shouldn't.