Chapter 10: A Spring of Surrealism

A surge of emotions suddenly builds up within. I carefully held myself together even with cold feet and an unstable mind; I marched towards the endless hallways, and the familiar addicting smell of antibiotics and alcohol became my downslide; it was suffocating me as it leisurely reminds me of the words that I heard from Dr. Enriquez’s mouth.

Because just like General Fuentes, he is also a part of this wicked scheme.

Before entering Dr. Landicho’s office, I dialed an oddly familiar number.

“Asher…” I whispered as I rested my back in the door, “Can you please pick me up?”

“Where?”

“Mayven General Hospital.”

“Do you need me right now, or do you still need a minute?”

“Now… Dr. Landicho’s office, you could just ask the nurses for the directions…”

Isang buntong-hininga ang narinig ko sa kabilang linya kasabay ang pagtunog ng makina ng sasakyan, “You sounded— never mind. See you later.”

“Thank you.” Pumasok ako sa opisina ni Dr. Landicho na may mabigat na dinadala. Kung si Dr. Enriquez ay kasamahan nina General Fuentes, maaari bang kasali rin sa kanila si Dr. Landicho?

Habang nasa gitna ako nang pakikipagtalo sa aking isipan, bumukas ang pinto at binungad sa akin nito si Dr. Landicho, tila siya ay pagod na pagod sa kanyang katatapos na surgery kani-kanilang. Nang makita niya ako ay agad siyang ngumiti sa akin at naupo sa kanyang upuan.

“Nakausap mo ba si Eloisse? Why do you look so down?” Tanong n’ya. Magsasalita pa sana ulit siya nang tumunog ang cellphone niya hudyat na may natanggap siyang isang mensahe, “What happened? Is this true?”

“I don’t know…”

She immediately ran in my direction and caged me within her arms. As she slowly caresses my hair, I looked up at her, tried to read the emotions that are now plastered across her face. It was sadness. She was grieving with me.

“Are you alright, Thea? It must have been traumatizing for you to witness something like that…”

“Like that?”

“Someone is dying in front of you.” Malamlam ko lamang siyang tiningnan. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya ang nalalaman ko, ang narinig ko, ang isang bagay na nakakasira sa relasyon nila ni Dr. Enriquez.

"He... He did not di-"

Agad kong tinukom ang bibig ko nang bigla na lamang bumukas ang pinto, naroon si Dr. Enriquez na binigyan ako ng isang kakaibang tingin, hindi iyon nakakatakot ngunit sapat na iyon upang patahimikin ko at pigilan ang aking sarili na magbanggit pa ng mga salita tungkol sa narinig ko kanina.

"Hon! What happened?" Tanong ni Dr. Landicho.

Bagsak-balikat na tumingin sa kanya ang asawa niya, "Heart attack. You know the risk, right? We can't use a defibrillator on the Oblivion patients." But you told the nurse that he is no longer useful. That's the catch.

“Thea, anong sinasabi mo kanina?”

Umiling ako kay Dr. Landicho bilang tugon sa kanya dahilan upang muli akong bigyan ni Dr. Enriquez ng isang kakaibang tingin, “Wala po. Masakit lang po ang ulo.”

“Do you want me to check you? Or do you want me to take you home?”

“I’m… I’m good.” After hearing a knock on the door, Dr. Enriquez opened it and revealed Asher.

My shoulder immediately softened when our eyes met as if the wind magically whispered to me and calmed me down. And while I was trap in this suffocating vicinity, a cocky, self-centered devil descended to take my confusion and pain away. Will it be selfish if I wished for him to be mine just for a while?

“Can we help you?” Dr. Enriquez asked.

Asher nodded while still looking at me, “I’m fetching her.”

Dr. Landicho squinted her eyes to Asher, who was looking at me quizzically. Dr. Enriquez and I exchanged glances when we realized what will happen next.

“Reese, come on. Let Thea go—”

“Are you the boyfriend that I’ve heard so much about?” Dr. Landicho asked. Ang naguguluhan na mga mata ni Asher ay dahan-dahan na napuno ng galak, isang kalokohan na naman siguro ang naiisip nito. “Her date during Senator Dela Vega’s party?”

Isang plastik at pang-asar na ngiti ang humulma sa kanyang mga labi, “Yes. I’m the boyfriend.” This dumbass!

“I don’t like you.”

“It’s okay, Ma’am. Since, you are not the one I like…” Asher said. His smile grew wider, and when our eyes met, the gentle wind I felt earlier suddenly became a horrifying storm, “She’s the one I like.”

Magsasalita pa sana si Dr. Landicho nang hilahin na siya ng kanyang asawa, naiilang akong naglakad patungo kay Asher saka siya palihim na sinamaan ng tingin. At dahil napakasama ng ugali niya, inakbayan niya pa ako sa harap ni Dr. Landicho.

“My girlfriend and I will now take our leave. Thank you for taking good care of her.”

Nang makalabas kami sa opisina, agad kong siniko ang sikmura ni Asher. Mahina siyang tumaw’t inalis ang kanyang mabigat na braso sa aking balikat.

“What was that?” I hissed.

He shrugged and said, “Messing with the person who hates me?”

“Bobo.”

“So, what are you doing here?” He asked after we arrived at the parking lot. “Hindi ako ang tatawagan mo kung basta ka lamang magpapasundo.”

Muli na naman akong nakaramdam ng kakaiba sa aking paligid, tila ba’y may nanonood sa bawat kilos at galaw ko kaya’t hindi ako mapanatag. At kahit na nakapasok na kami sa sasakyan ni Asher, nanatili pa rin ang kabog sa aking dibdib.

“I… I visited a friend.” I whispered. I glanced towards the rear mirror, but nothing unusual was seen by my naked eyes. “And one of the survivors of the Oblivion 13 died...”

Asher heaved a sigh and started the engine, “I don’t know how you discovered Atty. Salvatore’s daughter. Especially that all victims were given an alias to make this case a confidential one. Pero tama si Ethan, hindi tama ang ginawa. Hindi tamang ungkatin iyon lalo na kung alam mong masasaktan—”

“Sa tingin mo ba hindi nasasaktan si Eloisse sa kanya?” I questioned. “I know that, Atty. Salvatore isn’t a bad person, but he is just a bad parent.”

“You don’t know that—”

“Eloisse Salvatore is my best friend.”

He hushed after hearing my stand. Asher tried to speak, but for some reason, he failed to utter any word. The quick ride became a long, quiet one that even the sounds of our breath can be heard.

After reaching my apartment, the two of us went inside. Still, no one is breaking the silence we built earlier.

I’m home. Yet, I still feel uneasy, as if the one watching me is following me. The wind of eeriness is beginning to storm in; it is making me feel unsafe even in my own house.

“Aalis na ako—” parehas kaming nagulat ni Asher nang pigilan ko siya. Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong hinahawakan ang kanyang hanggang sa humigput ang hawak ko sakanya.

“Can you please stay for a while?”

Saglit niya akong pinagtaasan ng kilay, nang maramdaman niyang wala na akong balak idagdag sa sasabihin ko’y naupo na lamang siya sa sofa saka pumikit.

“Do your things. I’ll stay here.”

I took a shower first and changed my clothes. The curtains of the dawn already embark the horizon, and I still feel unsafe. I don’t know why, but ever since this day started— I can feel someone watching every move I d suspiciously. Will I be safe when Asher comes back to his apartment?

I got out of the bedroom with a towel wrapped around my soaked hair, “Anong gusto mong kainin?”

“I already ordered Chinese food and a pizza.”

“

Ah…”

He looked at me and gestured for me to sit next to him, “Kung maglalabas ka ng kaartihan mo tungkol kay Herrera. Pass ako.”

“Hindi ‘yon tungkol ‘don.”

“Hmm?”

Naupo ako sa kanyang tabi at tumingin sa labas, “It feels weird. It feels unreal, but I think someone is watching me, someone is following me.”

He looked at me intently and slowly shut his eyes. I was caught off guard when he suddenly laid his head on my shoulder along with his mischievous smile.

“I’ll stay the night, then. But my service isn’t free.”

“Kinakabahan na ako…”

He let out a soft, mellow laugh, “Tell me something about Alithea Dela Vega.”

“She’s beautiful, I guess?” I joked.

“Aside from the facts that I already know.”

Saglit nanlaki ang mga mata ko't napakurap ako. Tangina, sino ‘tong kausap ko? Doppelganger ba ni Asher ‘to?

Tumikhim ako’t sinilip siya. Ganoon pa rin ang puwesto n’ya, nakapit habang nakahilig sa balikat ko. Hindi siya nagsasalita na tila ba hinihintay na magkuwento ako sa kanya.

“Years ago… Alithea met someone. That person reminds Alithea herself. They both loathed their fathers. They were both thrown off to study the profession they do not wish to take. They found comfort with each other until they became best friends.”

“Hmm?”

A tear dropped fell from the corner of my eye, “Pero lahat ng saya, ng away at maging tampuhan. Nawala ng isang iglap dahil sa isang gabi. Alithea's best friend was one of the victims of an unsolvable case. It destroyed Alithea and the reason why she was devoured by the shadows more.”

“But I think… Alithea is brave now. I know that she can already conquer the shadows that were devouring her. What do you think?”

Tila tuluyan na akong nawala nang hawakan niya ang aking pisnge’t marahan iyong hinaplos. Tiningnan niya ako mata sa mata habang dahan-dahan na nawawala ang distansya namin sa isa’t-isa.

Bago pa man tuluyan na mawala ang pagitan namin sa isa’t-isa, tumigil siya’t mayabang na ngumisi sa akin, bumaba ang kanyang kamay sa aking baba’t inangat ang aking mukha upang lalong magtama ang aming mga mata.

“You can stop the shadows. Attorney Salvatore didn’t give up the case, but after the anomaly earlier. The case is being reviewed. Detective Castillo proposed that this is no longer a stalking nor a battered wife incident. It is now connected to the Oblivion 13 case.”

I blinked my eyes, “Really?”

“This case will be another bloodbath. But who do you think we will defend this time?”

“What do you mean?”

His eyes darkened as he gently pulled me towards his chest, making his lips be closer to my ears.

“Among the five birds that we hit with a single stone, who do you think will hire the Attorney, who's looking for justice for his beloved daughter?”

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