Colided

Chapter 2

A ten-year-old Barawan boy lies on a bamboo bed. His silent tears strolling down his cheeks as his whole body ached, with fatigue showing in his dark brown eyes, which were red by now. His skin rash seemed to be getting worse by the hour.

"Mama, am I going to die like the rest of them?"

"My boy, you will not die as long as you have me. You shall live."

"Is the doctor still coming to save me?"

"Yes, he will be here soon." She cupped his face and held back her sobs. She needed to be strong for her child. "How are you feeling? Does it hurt more?" She continued as she sat down quietly by his side, filled with concern. Every time she looked in his direction, her heart shattered into pieces. Wishing her husband was here to comfort her in her pain and misery, she started to weep. She didn't realize how much she had missed him until now. He was a devoted and doted man to her.

"Every part of my body hurts. It hurts so much, mama." A lot of frightening thoughts cross his mind. He looks at his mother intently, who just seemed to be lost in thoughts of her own.

She only hoped for her son not to leave this earth as his father did. He was the exact replica of his father. He took his father's hardworking nature and made sure to keep her company. He was a lively child, but this illness had made him otherwise, now only making him look like a shadow of himself.

"I'm too young to die, mama. Is this how we are all going to die?"

"No. You will survive this."

He didn't seem to believe her words anymore. He wanted to believe her, but it's all too late now. He knew she was just feeding him false hope.

"Mama, what will you do after I die?" The poor boy asked with a forced but depressive smile. He looked away from her.

The mother breathed heavily before answering. The thought of him dying made her face turn white. Her husband was gone. And now, her son's fate is hanging on a silver lining.

"Stop. Stop thinking of death. You're still alive. As long as there is life, there is hope," Mama answered with new tears forming in her eyes, then continued, "Let's wait for Dr. Adler. Do you want something to eat?"

"I want just to drink milk, mama."

"I will go get you your milk."

Mama stood up to leave for the kitchen. While the ten-year-old lad stared at the ceiling, smiling sadly. He wishes death to himself at that very instance. His pain seems to be growing.

"Mama, life truly is a gift. I never treasured it until this moment."

"You have always been so mature, my child."

"What is his coming here going to do for me? Will he cure me?"

"I have high hopes for his medicine."

"But. What if it's not enough?"

"I don't want to hear any more of this death talk." She feared she might run psychologically mad if they continued to dwell on that, though, but for now, all she had was hope. She kept her hope alive. Her son was a fighter like herself. He would fight and overcome this illness. She believed. No matter how unconvincing the situation looked, she wanted so badly to believe her son will live. "Let him get here first. Have faith."

"Yes, mama."

How long can I bear this? The boy thought as he impatiently waits for the doctor to arrive.

Once Dr. Adler and Alyssa arrived, they came inside. Alyssa sat down in a corner, keeping her distance as she said she would while the doctor got out the things he would need to treat the boy.

"He has been lying down for a while now," Mama asked with a shaky voice, her lips trembling and her palms already sweaty.

"Has he moved at all?" The doctor sat down next to the boy.

"No, he kept mentioning he was under a lot of pain. I wanted to let him rest." The mucus in her nose had started to trickle downmixing with her hot tears that never cease to stop. She feared she might run psychologically mad if she lost her baby boy, but for now, all she had was hope. She kept her hope alive. Her son was a fighter like herself. He would fight and overcome this illness. She believed that no matter how unconvincing the situation looked, she wanted so badly to believe her son will live.

"He will be fine. I have brought a tincture for his health."

"Thank you, doctor."

"I need to hurry and get to work now. I will start by checking his pulse."

Dr. Adler bends low against the bamboo bed. He took the fragile boy's hands in his, checking carefully for his pulse.

Dr. Adler's heart skipped for a second, and his features changed. His face flushed with deep sorrow gave him away.

"Doctor?"

"Doctor, please say something."

"Father, what is it?" Alyssa asked, curious.

"His hands," Dr. Adler lowered his head. "They are cold."

Mama remained speechless while the doctor kept trying to revive him and forcing the tincture down the boy's throat, and even injecting him with it but to no avail. Another life in his hands has been lost.

"I'm sorry." He hardly finished his statement when Mama started to behave hysterically and screamed. "NO!" She fell on the floor and grabbed her hair with force in grief.

"My boy! My only son!"

Alyssa looked at her with pity, and tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'm just going to kill myself!" She added.

She kept repeating as she went to the kitchen to look for things to end her life. Dr. Adler and his daughter held her back with force and tried to console her. Yet, she refused to be comforted. Suicidal thoughts kept running through her mind.

"My joy is gone!" The mother continued screaming her pain.

"Why didn't you get here on time! We waited for you! He would be alive if you got here sooner!"

The doctor was speechless and didn't have words to make the situation better and to comfort her.

"I want to die! I want to die. I want to die!"

"You will do no such thing, Mama. He is free from the pain and suffering he had to bear," Dr. Adler comforted her. By now, she was in too much shock to continue crying. She closed her eyes and jammed her lips tightly together. She seemed oblivious of her surrounding as Dr. Adler kept on consoling her. After hours of the mother's pain, she fell asleep next to her child, not allowing anyone to take him away.

"I need a sample of his blood for the trials."

The mother scoffed, and if looks could kill, her glare could kill the doctor with just a glimpse, but she gestured to him to do it quickly. The doctor thanked her and took the blood sample to do more testing in his lab. Not daring to look back at the mother after,  filled with guilt, he grabbed Alyssa's hand and left.