At the Road's Cruel End

The sun blazed over Metro Manila as Joe slid the last cooler into the van. "Who packed this?" he grunted. "It wasn't me!" Nathan called from inside the house. "It was!" Gayle shouted back. "And don't complain. You're the one who insisted on bringing two kilos of pork belly." Joe laughed, packed the last pair of beach chairs and sunshade, and shut the rear door. Months of planning had finally led to this day. Their long-awaited family trip to Batangas had officially begun. Joe moved around with his usual quick pace to make sure everything was set. He checked the engine, the battery, the brakes, the oil, made sure the gas tank was full, and verified the tire pressure. Satisfied, he slung his backpack over his shoulder. He carried that bag everywhere himself now—not after the last Mindoro trip, when the family completely forgot his luggage and he had to buy thrift shop clothes just to survive. Nathan, "Dad, you packed your own bag?" "I'm never making that Mindoro mistake again." Everyone laughs. Gayle checked her handwritten list for the third time. She didn’t ever pack light. One bag. Another bag. And another bag. Joe shook his head. "We're staying two nights." "Exactly." "Why do we have enough medicine to open a pharmacy?" "Because you're driving." Joe laughed. She always made sure she had extra of almost everything—things for every worst-case scenario you could imagine. Meds for dizziness, diarrhea, coughs, colds, pain relievers, and band-aids. Sanitary napkins, extra clothes, swimsuits, shawls, pajamas, rechargeable fans, and flashlights for when the power inevitably went out. "Seriously, Gayle... what else is in here?" "Just being ready." He had stopped questioning her years ago. More than once, her "just in case" supplies had saved the day. Meanwhile, Third ran in and out of the house, holding his ‘life’, his tablet and a pack of chips. Suddenly, he tripped, chips flying everywhere, and his face crumbled like he was about to cry. Gayle didn't even flinch. "See? That's why I packed extra snacks." "...Fair." Joe whispered. Nathan stole a moment to rest, slouched against the side of the van with his headphones in, and scrolled his phone for movies to download in case the internet signal is poor to wherever they are headed. Sliding to the far end seat, Jaden, bobbed his head to his own playlist.He’d already checked Google Maps for the distance, estimated travel time, landmarks, and potential pit stops. Charo, Joe’s younger sister, had arrived with her family the night before. She opened her cooler, and everyone reacted instantly. "Oh my gosh, that smells amazing!" Gayle said. "Hide that from Nathan if you want it to actually reach the beach." "I brought golden apple snails in coconut milk, spicy adobo, and my special buttered shrimp!" Charo said calmly while smiling proudly. “I’m drooling already.” Janjan took the two Shih Tzus from Charo and went out carrying bags as an excuse to smoke again. He’s already eyeing the cooler with beers and other booze. CJ was taking selfies all over the place. She climbed into the van beside Jaden, snapping photos while Third photobombed her with his ridiculously funny faces. They were a loud, loving, chaotic mix—but one thing was sure: this trip was going to be unforgettable. They were using Joe's van to save gas. Everything was going smoothly: food packed, dogs leashed, playlist ready. CJ had the dogs on her lap, and Janjan was already talking about cracking open a beer at sunset. “I think Third is about to puke!” Jaden exclaimed. Panic erupted. Charo offered a paper bag, Gayle held out a plastic bag, and Joe panicked about the smell ruining the van. Janjan slept through the whole thing, snoring like a foghorn. Third looked at Jaden, thoroughly annoyed and embarrassed. "I'm fine." "Are we there yet?" Third added, desperately changing the subject. "Why, are you hungry?" Gayle asked. "Who wants KFC?" Jaden chimed in, checking his phone. "Next pit stop is two minutes away." The drive was classic road-trip chaotic. Gas station stops, smelly restrooms with endless lines, convenience store runs for forgotten items, fast-food snacks, and drive-thru coffees. Noise, stories, opinions, and laughter filled the van. The kids talked about games, school drama, and mutual friends. The adults caught up on life updates, family gossip, and fond memories of relatives who had passed away. Until they entered a long stretch of mountain-side, zigzagging road through a dense forest. Janjan said, "If this were a horror movie, this is where we'd all head back." Everybody laughs. Some canopy of trees blocked out the sun. You’ll see different kinds of trees, some even fruit-bearing ones, mostly mangoes and coconuts. Gradually, the chatter inside the van faded. Less people. Fewer houses. Weaker signal. No radio. Even the conversations faded. It was nearly 4:00 PM when they suddenly heard—BANG! The steering wheel jerked violently in Joe's hands. Before anyone could react—BANG! Gayle screamed, almost hit the dashboard, thanks to the seatbelt. Third's tablet flew off his lap. His drink spilled, chips scattered across the floor, and he grabbed wildly for anything he could hold onto. CJ and Jaden yanked off their earbuds and screamed while holding on to something. Charo uttered almost all the curses while holding the dogs who barked wildly. Janjan and Nathan, startled, woke in a daze. BANG! The van screeched as three tires blew almost simultaneously. It lurched, veering off the road and narrowly missing a thick tree trunk. Then— Silence. Joe reached his arms out to Gayle, and checked if she’s okay. Then checked the people at the back right away. Everyone climbed out of the van, still shaken. They checked the surroundings and went to inspect the damage caused to their ride. When they inspected the damage, their hearts sank. Three tires were flat and destroyed. "We only have one spare," Joe said, his stomach dropping. Signal was completely gone. With no way to call for help, the kids eventually retreated back inside the van to eat snacks and play offline games, taking goofy selfies to distract themselves. Gayle stood near the driver's door with her hands on her hips, scanning the endless wall of trees surrounding them. Joe and Janjan walked back down the road, following the tire marks to see what caused the blowout. “How the hell did all three tires blow?” Janjan muttered, flicking the ash from his cigarette. Joe took a sip from his energy drink and shook his head. “No clue. Unless we ran over a bed of nails.” A few steps later, Janjan bent down and picked something up. “Well, would you look at that?!” He held up a thick, rusted four-inch nail. “That could do some damage,” he said. “A single nail doesn't cause three flats across both sides of the van,” Joe said, frowning. “It doesn’t add up.” Joe looked back down at the road. Another nail. Then another. Placed deliberately along the road. Joe stared at them. The air suddenly felt ice-cold. "...Janjan." "What?" "You seeing this?" Janjan's grin faded instantly. Joe turned toward the thick tree line. Silence. Total darkness under the canopy. Nothing moved. Even the wind seemed to be holding its breath. “Let’s go. Maybe we’ll get a signal eventually,” he said, trying to sound calm. Neither man argued.