COLLIDE (Complete)

28-CLEARANCE

"There are two types of pain. One that hurts you and the one that changes you." - Unknown

June's POV

Kung puwede lang akong maduling kaka-roll eyes dahil tamad na tamad akong machinig sa mga sinasabi ng doctor sa clinic ay kanina pa siguro ako duling. I am so bored. Paulit-ulit lang namana ng tanong niya. Iniiba-iba lang niya ang series of questions, nire-rephrase lang para malito ako. Pero alam ko ang ganitong mga tanong. I was trained to answer these kinds of questions.

"What happened to you the past months?" Tumingin ng diretso sa mga mata ko ang psychiatrist.

Sinalubong ko ang tingin niya.

"I experienced memory loss. I was in a town I don't remember where. I don't remember the people anymore. When I got my memory back, I went home. Didn't look back. Didn't ask what happened to me." Seryoso kong sagot sa kanya.

Tumango-tango ang doctor. "Okay. So, that's what you tell people."

"That's what I tell people because that's what happened to me. You think there's something happened? I am good. I am still the agent that this agency can rely. I can do my work and can go back to my case. This is non-sense." Inis na sagot ko. Paulit-ulit na lang ang tanong ng doctor na ito.

Muli ay tumango-tango ang doctor at nagsulat ito sa hawak na papel.

"Tell me, what are your thoughts about Declan Laxamana?"

Taka akong tumingin sa kanya. "Bakit nasama ang lalaking iyon? I thought this is about my clearance? If I can pass this damn interview, I can go back to my case."

"It says in the report that you have a grudge to him for hurting your brother. It basically says here, you want to kill him. What will happen if you will face him? What are you going to do?"

Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Ano ang gagawin ko? Lulumpuhin ko ang lalaking iyon. Patong-patong ang kasalanang ginawa niya sa akin.

"Nothing." Maikling sagot ko.

Napa-hmm ang doctor. Halatang hindi kumbinsido sa sagot ko. "Are you sure?"

"Why is this a part of your questions, Dr. Baltazar? I don't fucking care about that asshole. We have different cases. This. Carmela Salazar is my case, and I can go back and do my job properly. I am fit to work I don't need this interview. Why don't you sign my clearance so I can do my job." Pigil na pigil ang nag-uumalpas na inis ko.

Napahinga ng malalim ang doctor. Alam ko naman na mahaba ang pasensiya nito. Ilang beses na rin akong dumaan sa mga de-briefing at psychogical test pagkatapos ng mga missions ko.

"June, you know this is part of your job. Hindi ko kailangang isa-isahin sa iyo ang mga red flags na nakikita sa iyo. You've been gone for months. We don't know what happened during those times. We don't know who took you in. We don't know if you told some important details regarding the agency, your mission. Please understand we need to do this." Mahinahong sabi niya.

Mahina akong napamura at napailing. Napabuga din ako ng hangin.

"What do you want to know?" Tonong talunan na ako.

"Everything. The truth."

Naisuklay ko ang mga kamay ko sa buhok at tumingin sa doctor.

"What I told was the truth, Doctor. I didn't tell anyone about the agency. That's what really happened to me. Fucking memory loss." Diretso akong nakatingin sa mata niya. Bahala na siya kung ibagsak niya ako sa interview na ito. Hindi ko pa rin sasabihin ang lahat ng nangyari sa akin nang mawalan ako ng alaala. Walang puwedeng makaalam na nang mga panahong iyon, si Declan Laxamana ang kasama ko at naglaro kami ng bahay-bahayan na kagagawan ng demonyong iyon.