The Truth Berries

XLI

       The dark tunnel that penetrated through the mountaintops stretched for over a kilometer and the only source of light once you’re inside were the countless LED lights that served as road markers at the middle of the road. Miguel opened his headlights as they entered it and Helen, in turn, closed her window. She had heard all kinds of stories about that tunnel and all had the same tragic ending. From paranormal and supernatural causes to man-made ‘accidents’, the place has gained quite a reputation as the killer tunnel. The hundred-meter fall from the top to the rocky shores of the nearby sea has claimed the lives of no less than two hundred unfortunate people and the sheer thought of it sent shivers to her entire body. Miguel, on the other hand, looked to be engrossed to a completely different matter. They have not talked since the awkward moment they shared a few kilometers back, and Miguel had completely shut her out to avoid another embarrassing conversation. Helen, it seemed, didn’t mind.

       A few more minutes of travelling and they saw light at the end of the tunnel. She saw a faint smile appeared on his lips but she did not know that it meant. Miguel stepped harder on the gas and she was slightly sent backwards.

       “We’re just in time.”, he said after looking at his watch.

       “Just in time for what?”

       “You’ll see”, he answered her vaguely.

       She was irritated by his answer but she figured there was nothing she could do but wait. He constantly kept the car at its top speed until they reached the end of the tunnel, where he brought the car into a mere walk. Being kept at the dark for some time, the sudden rush of the morning light partially blinded her for a few seconds. But when blindness subsided, Helen saw a piece of heaven at the bottom of the cliff. The morning sun illuminating the town at the bottom made it look as if the whole town was made of gold and silver. The thin dissipating fog of the town added a mysterious effect on it. Miguel knew that this short-lived secret wonder of the place was always worth his time and effort and he saw that it had the same effect on her. She rolled down her windows and she poked out her head just to see clearer. Miguel, seeing the genuine awe on her face, turned off the engines to let her savor the majestic view up to the last second, when the sun grew too hot now to burn all the dew from the last evening. When the magic finally disappeared, Miguel gunned the engine again and drove the Rover at top speed.

       Ten minutes after exiting the dark tunnel, they started to take the steep descent to the town at the bottom of the mountains. Helen could already see the gasoline station he was talking about an hour ago. Finally, she could ask for help now. Eventually, she knew that the police would come to rescue her. She was still deeply absorbed in her daydream of escape when she felt a familiar jolt on her lower abdomen. Helen tried to ignore it as they were travelling towards the town. But it seemed to her that they were not running fast enough for as they continued on, the painful sting on her lower abdomen became more and more unbearable. Helen crossed her legs to further suppress the tingling sensation but it proved to be pointless to do so. She could not bear it anymore.

       “Sergeant?”

       Miguel tried to ignore her.

       “Sergeant Miguel?”

       “Yeah?”

       “Can we stop for a while?”

       “Why?” he asked without taking his eyes off the road.

       “I need to pee.” She said shyly.

       Miguel laughed so hard that it brought tears to his eyes.

       “Why are you laughing? Is there anything funny about what I said?”

       “Yeah. You really think it will still work the second time around? Your timing is impeccable, I will give you that. An escape to a nearby town is more reasonable than your attempted one at the mountaintop. But I will not fall to the same trick again. You wanna pee? Wait till we reach the gasoline station.”

       “But it is real this time! Please, I can’t hold it anymore!”

       “Can’t fool me this time, lady.”

       “I’m not fooling you this time! I really need to – “, she suddenly stopped.

       Miguel saw an indistinct look on her face before she closed her eyes and giggled after. Then, he heard a flowing sound and saw a yellowish-white liquid flow down her legs to the car’s floor. When she was done, she just looked out of her window and laughed silently. Miguel could not believe her doing it inside the car. But what surprised him even more was her boldness after the deed was done. There was no trace of shame or regret on her face.

       “My god, woman! Can’t you wait till we reach the gasoline station? We’re almost there!”

       Helen looked at her defiantly. Then she leaned forward to him, making him avoid her.

       “I told you I can’t bear it anymore, didn’t I? Did you listen to me? No! So shut up and just deal with it.”

       Miguel was speechless. And so they went to the gasoline station like that. She was wet, he was speechless and a pungent smell circulating inside the car. He paid for a full tank of diesel and the gasoline boy refilled the car while constantly looking at her. Miguel asked her if she needed to go to the women’s room but she just mockingly looked at her.

       “Don’t you think it’s a little too late for that?”

       He felt embarrassed once more and it made him scratched the back of his head. Helen felt guilty somehow so she tried to make up for her mean demeanor.

       “I need something else.”

       “Tell me, what is it?”

       “I need a fresh change of clothes. Can I go out and buy some quickly? Things are starting to get itchy now, you know.” She laughed.

       The guts of this woman, he thought. Miguel let her go out only after he took off his jacket and covered it around her. Then she made her way to a boutique across the road. He, on the other hand, went to a drugstore near the gas station and asked for sanitary bandages. He also bought a bottle of alcohol and some surgical needles. Then he went to the men’s room at the gas station with all of the things that he bought. There were three cubicles inside and he checked every one of it to see that no one was around. Satisfied he was alone, he went to the furthermost one and locked himself inside. Miguel lifted his shirt with trembling hands to reveal a sore gunshot wound, with its entry point already turning black. He rolled his shirt into a tight bun and then he bit into it. He took the bottle of alcohol in his hand and hesitated for a while. After the short delays, Miguel closed his eyes.

       “Here comes nothing” he mumbled to himself while he was biting to his shirt.

       He squeezed the bottle of alcohol directly to his wound and the intense sting of it almost sent him into fainting. He screamed at the agonizing pain but the shirt in his mouth muffled it into a mere moan. When he was sure that he had sanitized it enough, he let the bottle of alcohol drop to the ground as he himself slowly fell to the floor. Miguel felt utterly exhausted after his own operation but the job was only half-done. He summoned the last of his remaining strength and opened the bandage that he bought. He dressed his own wound quite nicely, and then he put on his shirt again. He came out of the room looking tired and pale and when he went back to his car, he could see a totally different woman sitting at the back. She has discarded her wet pajamas and had a bright floral dress to take its place. She even bought herself a wide-brimmed hat to go with it.

       “I guess summer has announced his arrival early this year”, he said

       Helen playfully ignored him. He also saw that she has bought a car deodorizer for them and that she has already cleaned the mess she made a while ago.

      “I’m sorry about your car. I didn’t mean to, you know. It’s just that I can’t hold it anymore. But don’t worry. All is taken care of.”

       “Yeah. It was my fault in the first place. If I had only let you do your thing there, this would never happen. But don’t worry it’s not my car.”

       Helen had a doubtful look on her face but he just ignored her. Then, she noticed something.

       “Are you okay, Miguel? You look mighty pale?”

       Miguel wanted to hide the truth from her as long as he could, but at his current condition, he knew they would be in greater danger if he continued driving. Not to mention the big possibility of her driving into the local police station. So he swallowed all his pride and asked the woman a favor.

       “About that one. Can you drive? I just need to rest for a bit. Besides, our way was just straight ahead.”

       Helen got off his seat without any hesitation and bounced her way to the steering wheel. He, on the other hand, made his way to the back and started taking his deserved sleep. The pain on his side has temporarily vanished but he knew he was still far from being safe.

       For the bullet was still lodged inside his body.