Escaping the Darkness

Panimula

Panimula

"Good morning, Doctora!"

"Good morning, Doc!"

"Good day, Doctora."

Matamis na ngiti ang iginagawad ko sa lahat ng bumabati sa akin. It's 8:47 in the morning, 9:00 am pa ang shift ko, kaya may oras pa ako para magmuni muni muna sa office ko.

I was about to wear my white coat when I heard my phone rang.

It's Scarlette!

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Doctora!" Halos ilayo ko ang cellphone ko sa aking tainga ng isigaw iyon ng bestfriend kong si Scarlette.

"What the hell, Scarlette?" I heard her laughed at my reaction.

"Chill, Katana. Ang aga-aga eh beast mode ka na. Sige ka, magkaka-wrinkles ka niyan, Doctora!"

"At sinong hindi mabi-beast mode pag umagang umaga pa lang, ikaw agad ang makakausap ko?" I said.

"What are you trying to say then? Gosh! I'm so offended, Doctora!" Pagda-drama niya pa.

Umirap ako sa kawalan. "Can you just go straight to the point already? I have work."

"Fine. Let's meet tonight. Let's have some dinner!" She giggled.

"I need to rest, Lette."

"What? Ngayon na nga lang ako mag-aaya, ayaw mo pa. Come on, Katana. Kakauwi ko lang, 'di mo malang ba iwe-welcome ang bestfriend mo?"

"Oo na lang."

"Hindi na, 'wag na. You're busy eh." Nagpapakonsensya pa ang gaga.

"Then let's not meet if you refuse."

"Just kidding, alright? I'll text you the location na lang later."

Umirap ulit ako.

"Sige na, I need to hang this up na. I'm  at work. Just text me na lang, 'kay?"

"Sure, love you!"

"Yeah. See you later!"

I ended the call because I heard a knocks on the door.

"Come in."

"Good morning, Doc. Uh, rounds na po." si nurse Ada.

"Wala bang major case ngayon? Rounds lang?"

"Wala naman po, Doctora. Depende kung may darating, pero sana wala." Then she chuckled.

I smiled.

Inayos ko na ang sarili ko at nag-rounds na din.

Lahat ng makakasalubong ko sa hallway ay binabati ako kung hindi naman, ay nginingitian lang.

Natapos ko nang i-check ang tatlong pasyente nang may marinig akong nagwawala sa isang room.

It was probably that girl, Darlene.

"I told you, I don't want to eat that one!" sigaw ni Darlene, ang pasyenteng nagwawala.

"Miss, you have to eat for you to recover." The nurse said.

"That's tasteless! You even dare to call that healthy food? No way!"

"Then what are your definitions of healthy foods? Pizza? Burger? Pasta? What?" I asked.

Tumingin siya sa akin.

"It's you, again?" Umirap siya.

Lumapit ako sa kanya at iniligay sa bulsa ng coat ang aking mga kamay.

"If you don't want these, tell me what do you want to eat then."

Natigilan siya sa sinabi ko. Hindi siya makapagsalita.

"I want Calyx to give me food!" She demanded suddenly and cross her arms.

Natigilan ako at sumeryoso ang tingin sa kaniya.

"Who's Calyx?"

"Why do you wanna know? He's my kuya's friend and he'll gonna buy me pasta."

Calm down, Katana. Hindi lang iisa ang Calyx sa bansa at hindi ganun kaliit ang mundo para maging iisa ang Calyx na tinutukoy niya sa kakilala mo.

"Then tell that C-Calyx to buy what do you want. You don't have to disrespect the nurses like that." Saad ko.

"You can't tell me what to do! I am a patient here and you're just a mere worker. You work for me! Binabayaran ko kaya dito kaya sundin niyo ang gusto ko."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya at hindi na napigilan ang magsalita.

"You think you did something? Do you think you're cool? No. You're just a typical, brat teenager who relies to your parents' money. Who can't do anything without their parents' help. At hindi mo kami binabayaran dito. These nurses you are disrespecting, are volunteer workers from abroad, so basically, hindi sila umaasa sa pera mo. At ako, hindi naman ako ang doctor mo."

Umirap siya. "Then why are you talking a lot? You're not even my doctor in the first place."

"Because I only take VIP patients who is not you. So don't brag about your money if you can't even afford doctors like me."

Umismid siya. "Bakit? Magkano ka ba?"

Napatingin ang mga nurse sa akin. Hindi ako nakapagsalita at iiling-iling na lang na tiningnan siya. If only I am not a professional doctor. Patience, Katana, patience. You love your work.

"And you can't even answer that. Bahala kayo diyan. I'm not going to eat."

Napatingin kami lahat sa pinto ng bumukas ito at iniluwa niya ang isang pamilyar na lalaki.

This is the Calyx he was talking about?

Napansin ko ang gulat sa kanya ng makita ako at ako din ay hindi maitago ang pagkagulat sa presensya niya ngayon dito.

The Calyx that Darlene reffering is also the Calyx I know from the past!

Well, not just accquaintance.

He's part of my dark past.

The man who promised to be there when I am reaching my dreams.

Who even promised not to hurt me.

But then caused me pain and made me broken into pieces.