INSANE RAINS

CHAPTER 3 - Unexpected

IT was three o'clock in the afternoon. It rained heavily. The sound of the rain rejoices. The wind whistles for life. The ambiance was stone-cold.

A stoic woman, crossed her arms, kept an eye on Billy's every breath …the frequency of his heartbeat as she glanced at the monitor nearby sounding the chances of life. She gave herself a sit and leaned forward. A candid voice conveyed a trail of familiar scent was vibrated to Billy's ears. The woman at the bedside softly whispered, "Be strong. I'm just here. Wake up."

This was too long for him suffering comatose. He had undergone seizures many times like his lying between life and death. Live to chase chances. After years, a long suffering, a day all waited, came up.

A lustrous light drowned him as he opened his eyes and a woman shouting with joy had seen by him in a blurry distance. "Doc… doc…!"

The woman stood 5 feet and 3 inches, ponytailed her blonde-colored hair, fair skinned, and was slender. Dressed with fine pink threads of cotton, gorgeous. Happiness painted in her face, a wide smile.

Fifteen minutes after the page. He distinctively heard heavy steps speedily approaching. The doctor sped through the ICU.

"Doc! He's conscious! He opened his eyes!" Her heart hammered her chest in joy, waiting for positive response.

The doctor tapped the stethoscope on his chest, checked on his eyes, on his vital signs.

"This is a good sign but we will need further tests and observations. He'll be fine," the doctor optimistically muttered with light aura.

Consoled soul of hers. "Thanks Doc." She heaved a sigh in relief.

"Grace..." Billy said hoarsely.

Billy looked at her with talking-eyes and so meaningful. Aunty Liza, he thought.

"Where's my mother…my father… and bro...?" He stuttered. Looking into Liza Block's eyes – full of hope.

Everything pause, and swallowed a marble of saliva and she was out of her mind, of the real world. She doesn't know what to utter. She was completely, totally messed up. She just let the nature of her reasoning flowed on. She decided, she did. She nervously answered him with a pretentious smile.

"They're fine… they were recovering. Just be strong and be fine… for they will not afford to see you lying in that bed." What a great reasoning she did. Her eyes cannot focus on his. Heart beat quickened. Tongue slightly twisted. There she goes. And she abruptly looked at his eyes, eagerness can only be seen.

"So please bring me to them, aunty." He was full of hope as he talked about his family. Every word was filled of love which showed his strong relationship, dependence to his family. Liza just cracked a smile and a cloud of tears wetted her eyes: of guilt.

"Wait, Billy. I need to call Grace." She muttered with tears in his eyes. She was trying to divert the topic.

"I need to talk to her, aunty." Billy winced in pain as he moved his body.

"Do not yet moved too much..."

"I need to talk to her... How about the wedding... She might be upset." Billy talked as it just happened yesterday. Not to his knowledge, it was one and a half year passed.

THE next morning. The sun shone, a fair weather again. Billy was so acetated to eat and eat a lot of greenies, and to be alright as in that time as possible to hopefully see his whole family.

"I've to be strong and healthy for my family… I want to give them a sweetest hug and warmest love, kisses…" Happiness painted on his face as Liza eyed him eating noisily like a brat.

"Yes, of course… you have to… and live happily with the people you love and loved you so much… just regain your strength and you'll know everything, Iho." Liza was seemingly uneased that led her into halt. Then, poured the hot water into the mug and continuously stirred the brunette coffee carelessly with her trembling hand. She got burnt, shook her hand.

"Why aunty?" Billy asked.

She excused herself to buy some bottles of distilled water just to get out of the topic. And to have some cool downs and whoops. "This is nothing... Excuse me Billy. I'll be back."

Billy nodded, and focused on his meal.

A minute later, Billy inclined his body and rolled his eyeballs looking at every corner of the room like he's examining every single detail.

Two police officers arrived and spoke to Billy without the knowledge of Liza. Asked at least something about the alleged accident. They kept their words of not talking about death and survivor but to limit their words on the accident and nothing more beyond. If Billy asked about his family or something like that, the polices should've to change the course of the matter – as Liza asked for, or pleaded much for when she updated about the report...

"In such situation he cannot afford to contain or even absorb things like this."

A half year ago. Actually, Liza had talked to the general about this matter. They talked privately a week after the incident. She demanded to check all the things which belongs to the Domingos that they had collected in the accident scene. After she checked it, she brought them back and left it there.

Liza had already paid the damages and fix everything to compensate with the loss of the injured party. She paid everything. As her quote, "Nothing is priceless."

…investigation took too long because no one witnessed the bumping of the vehicles, and the case was suspended even. In fact, the cops requested to interrogate the survivor as long as he regained his consciousness but Liza disallowed them from doing so because somehow she's clandestining something impactful to Billy. And beside, she warned the police officer that Billy was suffering serious mental illness started when he was 15 years old.

Initial investigation happened, but better, not to tell Billy because...

One of the vehicles violated road rules and precepts, reckless driving; four died, one critical.

Though the thing that the cops hasn't included in the report was the malfunctioning break which only Billy knew. And some things that only he noticed that would help these investigation - he insisted to the cops but they stick-on on their proud reports – or a mere sensory observation, one of sort. Billy told the cops that there was a foul-play involved. "There was a car..." He recalled. "...Hillux! ...bumped the trunk deliberately." He was mouthing since he got conscious. "I saw him coming near, he wore black suit... A Chinese! ...a dragon tattoo on his neck." He clamped his jaw and closed his eyes. "I'm sure, he's the one who cut off the break of our car." That was an allege, a notion, an instinct either.

Though, the initial investigation was there's no Chinese found dead or escaped from the mishap. If there are at least one, they even traced the CCTV footages on, within, and along the highway but there's no-one or no other vehicle covered, captured, except the two distorted cars.

"According to the investigation, the vehicle you drove was over speeding." With outrage, Billy don't trust any reports, only his – his conclusion. Billy said nothing but mum.

"It was unavoidable to happen like this to someone like Major Ben who was under the narcotic department. They are in life-death situation because they are fighting bigger persons. However, what happened to all of you is not connected or even involved to your father. It is an accident because of your negligent driving." One of the police officers spoke as he was reading a script. Monotonous. Unbelievable. The motion of his lips made it more doubtful.

The record, the case, the report was resolved – an accident. Just an accident, a mere one. An accident! Hurt his ears. Am I going to party or jump in joy for this mere s**t justice? he reckoned. "Thank God, we're alive at least."

In an unexpected and inevitable moment should be… a black, slender, tall man in a black tie suddenly came out from the door…

"Oh. You turned your back." Billy grimaced.

The black man squeezed his arms showing his bursting muscles fitted in his sleeves, and closed his fist under the armpit. Smirked. Stepped towards the window. "You're so pathetic. You're believing those liars." And he banged shut the door.

Billy was surprised.

Narrowed his eyebrows.

Questioning eyes.

Speechless.

Eyes raised.

"Do you think you will have a family to call after all… They are all dead, Billy!" The man thumped the table. Held tight his leg and about to twist but Billy counteracted.

The tall-man snatched him and knocked him down on the bed that weakened Billy. He curled in pain. Strangulated him, "Where is the 'drive' and the case?!" Billy held his veined arms, trying to release.

The tall-man threw him once again and pointed Billy. "You survived my ploy. But the next time we meet, I assure you a sweet death!" The man walked out whistling.

All of the sudden, hoarse scream had been heard from Billy's room. He tried to catch the man up despite of the pain on his torso. His leg was like broken. He was on the floor in pain.

"What are you doing?" Liza was standing at the door, shocked.

Billy frowned.

He insisted to get out of the room to catch the man.

Those glassy eyes, Liza reckoned.

Startled.

"Who's man?!" Liza scrutinized the hallway. It's clear. No men except the nurses busy on their duties. Fear sprung out on her. Hug was the only thing she could offer that time. To pacify him. She could see in his eyes the unexplainable, unanswerable questions, doubtful information, ruined spirit. His eyes were cloudy wet.

She assisted him to his bed but Billy shrugged her hands off, and limply he walked to the bed.

Unpredictable moment. Billy repeatedly talking of the man. "That man… he told me…" and sighed "…they're dead." And teared. "That man …killed!"

"That's hallucination Bil! Everything is made only by your illusion." Liza persistly told to him. She shook his shoulder, and insisted. "No, Billy! It was an accident. An accident!" She knew everything but pretended to know nothing. "And it was because of you... Your family -" She stopped, and erected, turned back, "How will I tell you everything now?" And added, "I know you can't handle all..."

"Then tell me all!" Billy held her hand, "What!?"

A time for a truth Billy deserved… "I know! I know." Liza hesitated, "They were gone… they didn't survive…" Liza knelt in front of him holding his trembling hands. Teardrops rolled on her rosy cheeks. Like she was saying sorry for fibbing, my dear.

"I didn't tell you as early as you were conscious from comatose." She said, lips quivered. "I'm just thinking of you… you've undergone a lot and I can't afford to lose you… I lost Ben. And you? I can't–''

Billy shook his head.

Believed every moment and word no more.

Deep thought.

Deep breath.

"You lied. Why?" Billy gnashed in anger, winced.

"By doing that, aunty, you already killed me!" He looked at Liza's eyes straightforward. There are somethings meant deep hid behind those words. Killed the hope he only had. Killed the chance of seeing his WHOLE family he had been living for.

"You lied…" a phrase conveyed by the air from the open window pane.

"Billy?" Liza interrupted trying to mollify the moment.

"Stop. I don't like to hear any lie from you. Get out… get out of here!"

"Billy, no–''

"Just get out… liar!" He said it out-of-mind.

It pained Liza so much when she stepped out the room listening his wails.

She thought that space can heal the pangs he felt. The time can stitch the wounds in his heart.

She leaned on the wall adjacent to the room where Billy was confined.

She was sobbing, and patted her hand on her chest. Then, she fished the phone out of her pocket, and made a call.

"He ruined my scheme... He's now messing with my brother's family. He had killed my brother. He's evilness should be put to end. Now, what's the plan? Sir Walter, how's he?" She whispered through the phone. And she wiped off her tears with her white handkerchief.

On the room, Billy couldn't resist the emotion. Heart burst. It was like his body weakens. He fell from the floor. Bent and held his knees.

"Whaaaaa!"