Dr. Zackary tried his best to finish his meal in silence despite the incessant blabbering of the boy before him. Delfin is a 19-year-old teen who according to himself was an orphan from a town called Nirra located a few miles from the hospital.

He was an errand boy and a petty thief before one of the nurses from the same town took him in and introduced him to a job in the hospital. He was still an errand boy but with better living arrangements he deduced. Zackary despite having his attention aimed at his food managed to subtly study the young man.

He had dark brown hair, and his obsidian eyes were deep-set and have what appeared to be permanent eye bags around them. His skin was tanned and possessed quite a big built body for his age. His mouth? Well, Zackary would have rather spent his time with Damien because the boy beside him seemed to have swallowed a cat in heat with his nonstop stories.

A few minutes later, Zackary finished his meal. He asked Delfin if he could begin the tour around the hospital and the young man agreed.

"Hospisyo Estrella was founded by a Spanish monk and an Italian businessman," Delfin explained before they entered the hospital.

They began the tour in the main building, the one Zackary entered when he first arrived. If memory serves, the place baffled him. The many corridors that stretched and divided the building made no sense, Zackary couldn't help but wonder if the architect who built it was on crack or simply out of his mind, but a few seconds after his musing, Delfin clarified the perplexity of the place. According to him, the hospital was founded years ago and started as a one-story building that was meant to house children that suffered from mental ailments. But as the years progressed and with the increased donations from government and non-government organizations, the place received numerous improvements.

The former heads found it a waste to destroy or change parts of the original building, so instead of changing or fully modifying they kept adding rooms and corridors here and there which resulted in the maze-like features of the hospital's interior. Zackary threw a glance at the boy beside him. Despite his gibberish blather earlier, the boy now carried an air of confidence in his tone. Zackary couldn't help but smile at the pride exuding from the young man's eye.

Yes, the teen does deserve a pat on his shoulder. It was rare to find a lost soul and have it find its way again. The young man's circumstances might have contributed to his former profession but at the very least he took a giant leap and turned his life for the better. The Doctor couldn't help but remember his own life before his college days. A life with a drug-addicted father, a mother, and a sister who lived in their own world. Living in poverty and being fed food stamps by the government, people pitied him, amazed him, and encouraged him. At one point his high-school teacher even called him a lily. An existence that managed to stay afloat over dark murky waters. But every flower has a thorn.

What would those people think of him when they find out how he truly managed or got by? What would his sweet high-school teacher compare him to, once she finds out the face behind his mask?

Delfin guided him along the many corridors that graced the hospital. The ground level had five main corridors, each, branching into three, and each path would intertwine with one of the other corridor's branches halls. Confusing as the place seemed to be, Zackary still found it appealing. Perhaps, it was because the place had given him the first step towards his goals or maybe, he simply did not care about its architecture. The remaining three floors were normal. According to Delfin, the hospital was originally one level, therefore, it was reasonable that the remaining floors were constructed normally because there were no existing floors to modify in the first place.

They continued with their tour until Zackary felt the silence dissipating. Voices and numerous people in their hospital uniforms filled the air. One by one they appeared like ants in their ever-graceful formation. It was then that Delfin informed him about cutting their tour short, ending it with a brief explanation of how the second building was mostly used for the employees. They walked back to the cafeteria and the Doctor was left alone. He was to wait for the return of Dr. Mori.
***

Zackary has been sitting inside the cafeteria for about two hours when boredom overtook him. He then decided to walk around the hospital to further familiarize himself with the place. He went from one corridor to another, greeting the nurses that occasionally caught his attention, more like him, catching their attention.

He's a looker, he was aware of that, given the number of fan girls that stalked him throughout his high school and college days. He never perused any relationship due to his standing in life. He barely made enough to pay for a meal back then. With that in mind, he grimaced at the memory of him standing inside bars and flashing lights, the smell of smoke, liquor, and strong perfumes from women passing their prime ogling at his body. The memories were deeply rooted that he seldom found the need to indulge in any relationships, well serious ones at that, nor the need for physical contact from the opposite sex.

That drive was lost and corrupted a long time ago. He found contentment and peace within books and endless daydreams of a better life. A life that he would someday achieve if he played his cards right. He kept a slow pace and tried to make a mental draft of the maze before him. He studied one floor and the next but just as he set foot on the first step of the staircase leading to the third floor, someone called out from behind him. Turning, he came face to face with the nurse that brought him to Dr. Mori's office, still wearing the same black stockings that reminded him of a prostitute. He mentally cursed at the thought

"You're not allowed to go up there," the nurse said. Zackary found her tone patronizing. Arching an eyebrow, he asked, "why not." The nurse simply nudged her head to a sign located high above the wall that almost touched the ceiling. (Dr. Mori, Exclusively) was the only words on the signage. Zackary took a step back, curiosity getting the best of him, he asked the nurse why that was. The nurse only shrugged and walked away.

Not wanting to leave a bad impression, Zackary retreated and traced his steps back to the ground floor. He returned to the cafeteria and found the place packed with people. Looking at his watch, the time said eleven-thirty. It was lunchtime, he decided to join the crowd, happy for the way people bowed and smiled at him. It gave an air of superiority and respect that he so desired. Some even allowed him to cut through lines and it furthered the beating of his heart.

This is life, he thought to himself. Just as he found a table to settle in, a tiny voice called out for him. Damien stood near the door and waved like a lost child. Zackary waved back and the man did a come to me signal by waving his hand. Zackary did not take to heart the lack of professionalism the man displayed, by then he had deduced that Damien was slow in the intelligence department. Not wanting to be rude in front of the others, Zackary stood carrying his tray of food and walked toward the man.

"Dr. Mori wants you to join him in the gazebo," Damien said politely. Zackary made a mental smile. He and the Doctor's first meeting was not fruitful, he actually made a bad impression of himself. But never again, he thought excitedly. He smiled at Damien, confidence checked and ready for battle, Zackary stepped outside the cafeteria and followed the man.

Damien guided him a few meters left of the main hospital building. There, he saw a gazebo built below a huge Narra tree. Its trunk was wide with roots protruding from the earth and one particular branch arched intricately above the gazebo reaching the ground, almost cradling the structure. The site was an impossibility that stunned him. He had his fair share of adventures in nature, but he hadn't seen a tree as majestic as the one before him.