Bottle of Death

Chapter 13

#BoDChapter13

Erish POV

My whole body feels like numb that I couldn’t move each one of them. I found myself lying on a comfortable bed with this white blanket covering half of my body. I felt dizzy and tipsy, the same feeling when you were drunk. I don’t know what’s with my body because I feel like they wouldn’t move even for just a second.

I tried to twitch my lips but then I just couldn’t. What’s wrong with my body? Why aren’t they moving?

Inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa buong paligid. Puti. Tanging kulay puti lamang ang nakikita ko. May mga machine na walang tigil sa paggawa ng sari’t saring ingay na siyang tanging naririnig ko. Ang napakalakas na sinag ng ilaw galling sa kisame ang siyang nagbibigay liwanag sa paligid.

My eyes shifted to my body parts where only my eyes can see. Nakita ko ang mga nakakonekta sa aking latawan na nagdudugtong sa mga makinang walang tigil sa pagtunog. Sa kabilang gilid ng aking mata ay kitang kita ko ang isang kulay transparent na bagay ang nasa gilid ng aking bibig.

 Nasan ba talaga ako? Ano ang mga bagay na nasa katawan ko? Anong ginagawa ko dito? Bakit ako nandito? Anong nangyayari sa akin? Bakit walang kahit isa ang nandito?

Suddenly, the door burst open and a man wearing a white gown with a stethoscope hanging on both of his shoulders entered. A frustrated and confused look was written all over his crumpled face. I think I’ve seen him somewhere, I just can’t exactly remember where and when.

Nang tumama ang kaniyang tingin sa akin ay mabilis na umunat ang pagkakakunot ng kaniyang noo. Napasulyap siya sa machine na nasa katabing gilid ko lamang at nanlalaki ang mga matang nilapitan ako.

My eyes were clued following him and watching every move he makes.

“F*ck?” he exclaimed. I wanted to react but then I can’t move nor speak. So I just let him cuss the entire curse he knows. What’s wrong with this man?

Napasambunot siya sa kaniyang sariling buhok at wala sa sariling napahalakhak. Ngayon naman ay noo ko na ang nangunot. I look at him with worried was written all over my face. Baka siya na ang kailangang magpatingin sa mga physiatrist.

“s**t! It worked!” he suddenly exclaimed and seconds later, the door swung open again and another man with a white gown and a stethoscope also hanging on his shoulders entered with shock was plastered on his face.

 “Doc, it worked! You’re right!” manghang sambit nung lalaking naunang pumasok saka lumapit sa kapwa doctor at may galak itong niyakap.

“I-It worked….It worked!” saad naman ng doctor. “Roel, it worked, she’s cured!”

I got confused of what they were talking about. And who are they? Why are they here and who they were pertaining?

Ilang sandali pa ang tinagal sila ng dumapo ang tingin sa akin ng Roel na tinutukoy ng doctor. When his eyes laid on mine, I feel all the goosebumps took over me. He is smiling but there’s something in his smile.

Mabilis akong nagiwas ng tingin at inintay na may gawin sila sa akin. I don’t know why I suddenly feel something strange about the guy. I’m really sure that I’ve seen him before, hindi ko lang matandaan kung saan at kailan. Pero sigurado ako, siya ang nakita ko at hindi ako pwedeng magkamali.

This hunch makes me feel a little under me to dig deep to find out who he really is. And I do not know if this is right because just now that I am looking at him I feel that something bad is going to happen, ano nalang kaya kapag may nagawa na ako?

“Please tell Mr. and Mrs. Basilio that the patient is conscious.”

*

Ashlie POV

After opening my i********: account to post my new photo that I just took earlier, I then changed into my comfortable clothes and use my mom’s car to go to Monica’s house. I just got into my red tank top and skinny jeans. I won’t effort to look for a good clothes or dress to wear since kina Monica lang naman, but then I’m so excited to use my new skinny jeans so sinuot ko na.

On the way to Monica’s, I plugged my phone and play some music. Then a song ‘Everytime’ by Chen and Punch from Descendants of the sun played. I enjoy driving while hearing the song, it somewhat calms my nerve. Mabuti nalang talaga at nakalimutan ko na ang tungkol sa damukong na doctor na iyon.

When I reached the house, I immediately unbuckled my seatbelt and storm off my mom’s blue car. I took my purse with me and walked all the way to their gate and press the doorbell. Minsan talaga iniisip ko na lang na ipa-bulldozer itong bahay nila Monica dahil kailangan pang dumaan sa napakaraming security assessment.

Akala mo naman eh mananakawan.

Nang tumunog ang tila ba bell ay mabilis at inip na tumingin ako sa isang screen sa gilid ng gate. A green light welcomed my face and when it successfully trace my beautiful face ay agad namang bumukas ang gate.

Pagak akong pumasok at agad ring nahinto ng isang matinis namang tunog ang aking nadinig. Then when I look on my both side, a red laser light hugged my whole body. This one is the process of tracing a visitor if there is something harmful with her or him.

Talaga namang napakaingat ng pamilyang Rey. Well, Mayor lang naman ang haligi ng tahanan sa kanilang pamilya so I can’t blame them since nagkalat ang mga mamamatay tao sa paligid. Speaking of which, Monica informed me na tuloy parin ang paglaro nila sa nakakamatay na larong iyon. Hindi na nga ako makapaghintay na pumasok agad at muling mapasubok dun, though I’m a little bit scared.

“Ash!”

Mabilis na bumaling ako sa harapan nang mapakinggan ko ang napakatinis na boses ng kaibigan kong napakalantik ng kamay. I saw her approaching me just wearing a mini shorts and a black spaghetti strap. Nakatali ang buhok at tanging ang pitch na lipstick lang ang nasa labi.

I must say, Monica is naturally beautiful.

“Bwisit ‘tong mga security system niyo ah? Ang daming arte!” reklamo ko. Actually may dalawa pa sana akong security assessment na gagawin but then hinila na agad ako ni Monica. Lumihis kami ng daan sa kanilang pathway dahil nandoon pa ang mga security, sa may ground kami dumaan.

“I told you 8 ka pumunta not 5!” she exclaimed but I just rolled my eyes. Eh sa excited akong interogahin ang pinsan niya eh? Psh, ano ba yan, naiisip ko nanaman ang tungkol sa doctor na iyon.

Diyos ko, kailan ba ako patatahimikin ng damukong na iyon!?

“I’m bored and pasalamat ka hindi mo na ako sinundo sa bahay, di’ba? Maaabutan mo lang dun si mom.” I said.

“Ash, hindi ka pa kaya magaling. And isa pa, paano kung may nangyari sa’yo? Susme, baka ako masabunutan ng nanay mo!” sabi niya pa kaya tinabunan ko na lamang ang tainga ko at nagbingi-bingihan.

Bakit ba? I’m not here to be with you bwisit na babae ‘to. Andito ako para sa pinsan mo, my mom said the idiot doctor courted Monica’s cousin. So, I just want to get some information about that idiot doctor para naman hindi lang siya ang mangiinis bukas pagnagpatingin ulit ako.

Lintik lang ang walang ganti.

“Ah, Mon! Is ate Maurine here? Di’ba kasama natin siya sa movie marathon?” I asked her. I even made my voice sound not so interested to know na para bang may masabi lang. Kasi baka bigla siyang magtanong kung bakit biglang naging interesado ako sa pinsan niyang parang multo na minsan lang magpakita.

Inilibot ko muna ang tingin ko sa paligid. I can see lots of different kinds of orchids na malamang ay tanim ng mommy niya. Everywhere I look, orchids are all that I can see first. Ang ganda pa tingnan kasi ang gaganda ng mga kulay, magkakaiba pa.

“Ate Maurine? I think she’s in the guest room sa second floor. I saw her talking with mom, I think about sa Central na pinagtatrabahuhan niya. You knew my mom, she’s fond of ate Maurine ever since,” sabi niya at nakaramdam naman ako ng pait sa kaniyang pananalita.

I look at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. Monica, she maybe has everything that anyone wanted to have but the attention of her mom? She can’t afford to get that, it all started when she confessed that she don’t want to take up medicine in college. Her mom got very disappointed upon hearing that Monica wants to become a model and not a doctor.

Yes, Monica wanted to become a model someday but then she doesn’t know how to get that. Especially that she lost her good communication with her mom. And about her father? Nah, I shouldn’t have mention about that man, he doesn’t even care about his wife neither to his own, one and only daughter, Monica.

Pangangampanya lang naman ang mahalaga sa kaniyang ama.

That’s why I pitied Monica so much back then, but when she knew it, she started to become cold at me. Hindi niya ako pinapansin o kinakausap man lang. And when I got tired, I confronted her and asked what the hell her problem is, she just said that she hate people pitying her. Kasi apaw apaw na ang awa niya para sa sarili.

And by that time, I saw her cry hard. I got emotional too that we ended up crying all day. We even cut our afternoon classes, we took a stroll in the mall and even in the near park. We have fun. But that day, I thought she was really fine and good since I saw her smiling, but little did I know that nothing can take away the pain inside her heart every time she got deadma by her own mother and father?

She even attempted to suicide, good thing I was there with her that time t happened. Kung hindi? Baka wala na akong matalik na kaibigan ngayon. Monica, she maybe a badass girl I ever knew, but then she can be a good friend. She will treasure you like a gold she just mined.

I remembered the first time I met her. Galit na galit ako sa kaniya at inis na inis. Nabangga niya ako nun sa cafeteria but she did not even bother to at least apologize!? Simula noon ay nagsimula akong inisin siya at dumating pa sa point na nabully ko siya noon since I am one of the member of high class at nasa mababa na talaga siya. But the time I saw her storm off their car with teary eyes, I felt sad.

I was moved by what I saw. She ran so fast but I still able to followed her that time. Humahagulgol siyang pumunta sa forest ng campus at kitang kita ng dalawang mata ko kung paano siya gigil na gigil na umiyak doon.

Ang araw na iyon pa ang araw kung kailan punong puno na siya sa kaniyang mommy dahil pinipilit siya nitong magaral para makaabot sa high section. Her mother was forcing her to study hard just so she can afford to take medicine someday when she step in college. But then Monica really doesn’t want to become a doctor nor a nurse. Kaya sinagot niya ang mommy niya at doon sila nagaway.

Nilapitan ko siya noon dahil awang awa na akong nakikita siyang magwala doon habang hirap na hirap sa pagiyak. Sa una ay akala niya may gagawin akong masama kaya mabilis niya akong nilapitan at sinampal. But instead to get mad? I just hugged her tight, she was shocked by my moved but afterwards, umiyak lang siya sa balikat ko.

Sa tanan ng buhay ko, nung araw lang na iyon ako nakakita ng taong may napakabigat na pinagdadaanan. She was between depression and suicidal, but I urged her to confessed that she wanted to become a model and not a doctor. Sa una ay natatakot pa siya na baka ay palayasin siya sa kanila. But then I told her that it would be better in that way, at least she informed her parents about what she wants to become and not just force herself to do the things she really don’t like.

Three days after, nakumbinsi ko siya. Naglakas loob siyang umamin noon, I was with her that time. At kitang kita ko rin kung paano naging disspointed ang magulang niya. She even received many slaps from her mom and her dad? He did nothing but I feel that he’s disappointed upon hearing it too.

Iyon din ang araw na nagtangkang mag suicide si Monica, but thank God that I was there to stop her. Dahil kung hindi? Baka pati ako wala na dito. Because two weeks after that, my brother died because of leukemia. At hindi ko iyon kinaya lalo na at lagging kaming dalawa ang magkasama.

Indeed, life really sucks.

[End of Chapter 13 – Thank You