Skip to main content

The Last Seven Days, Part 2: Confusion


Seph: Why?
Joey: I don't love you anymore...
Seph: Why?
Joey: I don't love you anymore...
Seph: Why...?


Dahan-dahang lumabas si Seph ng sasakyan. Hindi siya makapaniwalang maayos pa niyang naigagalaw ang katawan niya. He can hardly stand up, saka nya napansin na marami palang tao. He checked himself, nagulat siya nang makita niyang wala siyang sugat maliban sa hiwa sa pisngi na nakuha niya ng pinilit niyang lumabas sa bintana ng driver's seat.
Lumakad siyang iika-ika patungo sa sidewalk at naupo sandali sa gutter. Taob ang sasakyan niya, grabe ang sira nito. Pinagtitinginan na siya ng mga nasa paligid, napatingin siya sa kanyang relo -6:45 PM- labasan ng mga nag-oopisina, kaya pala maraming tao. Mula sa mga estrangherong nakatingin sa kanya ng may nag-aalalang mata, he heard a familiar voice.

Seph?!

Hindi niya alam kung nagha-hallucinate lang siya, pero kilala niya ang boses na yun.
******: Oh my God! Seph, ano nangyari sa 'yo?
Seph: Joey?

Lumabas mula sa crowd ng tao si Joey, tumakbo papunta sa kanya.

Joey: Oh my God! Car mo yun? Oh my God, sabi ko naman kasi wag ka pumunta di ba, oh my God, ayos ka lang? May sugat ka ba? Napilayan ka ba? C'mon, get up, punta tayong hospital. (To the crowd) Somebody call a taxi please...

Dahan-dahang inalalayan ni Joey si Seph, tinulungan na rin siya ng ibang lalakeng nasa scene ng accident. Sumakay sila ng taxi.

Seph: Joey, I love you...
Joey: I know honey, just relax... we're going to the hospital.
Seph: Please don't leave me...
Joey: I won't...
Seph: Please don't leave me...

Please don't leave me...

DAY 1

Seph opened his eyes. He's in a room, probably a hospital, he told himself. Tumingin siya sa kaliwa, nasa tabi niya si Joey.

Seph: Ano nangyari?
Joey: You had an accident, can't you remember?
Seph: Oo, naalala ko galing ako sa...
Joey: Lasing ka ba?
Seph: Hindi, konti lang...
Joey: Putang ina mo Seph, ano ba pumasok d'yan sa isip mo at nagda-drive ka ng lasing? And why are you drunk? Di ba kalalabas mo lang ng opisina?
Seph: Joey...
Joey: Ano bang problema mo Seph? Nagpapakamatay ka ba? May pumunta ditong mga pulis kanina, you have to pay for the lamppost you broke.

Pilit iniangat ni Seph ang katawan niya.

Joey: Are you ok? Sabi ng doktor, hindi naman daw grabe ang lagay mo, pwede ka nang lumabas. Kung nakakatayo ka na, ihahatid na kita sa inyo.
Seph: No Joey, please, stay by my side.
Joey: Ok... sige..., dun ka muna sa bahay, magpaalam na lang ako kay Tita.

Seph: Why...?
Joey: I've changed, you've changed.
Seph: Why...?
Joey: We hardly know each other anymore.
Seph: Why...?

The sun was already up when Seph awoke. Nakahiga siya sa kama ni Joey, it wasn't a dream, he thought. Tumayo siya sa kama at kinapa ang band-aid sa pisngi, he thought of the accident, kung paanong may tumawid bigla sa kalsada, kumabig siya, nawalan ng control at tumaob ang sasakyan.
He looked around, marami na palang nagbago sa kuwarto ni Joey. Wala pang bedside table ang dalaga nung huli siyang nakitulog sa kuwarto nito. On that bedside table, nakapatong ang laptop ni Joey na nagbu-boot up. Napaisip si Seph, magti-Tweet siya, "I got drunk last night, drove myself home, had an accident, and guess what? I survived!". Kinapa ang bulsa, wala yung iPhone niya, naiwan siguro sa sasakyan. Hinintay niyang mag-boot up ang laptop, pumasok na siguro sa opisina si Joey, sa isip-isip niya.
Pagkabukas ng laptop, he logged in to Twitter, saka niya napansin ang date -March 19, Saturday- something's wrong, he thought. Tiningnan niya ang alarm clock ni Joey, -March 19-, tumayo siya, sumilip sa bintana, maya-maya pa pumasok si Joey sa kuwarto, carrying a tray with food.

Seph: Hindi ka ba papasok ngayon?
Joey: Saturday ngayon, wala akong pasok, ano ka ba...
Seph: No, Tuesday kahapon...
Joey: Hah? Tumama ba ulo or something? Friday kahapon, you had an accident.
Seph: Anong date ngayon?
Joey: I don't know... 19? Yah, 19.
Seph: No, no, no, it's March 30. Hindi ako pwedeng magkamali, nag-inuman kami nila Treena.
Joey: Sila Treena? Why didn't you tell me na magkikita kayo nila Treena?
Seph: Because you broke up with me, remember?
Joey: (blank stare)
Seph: Naalala mo na?

Joey looked away, nilapag ang cup of coffee sa sidetable, kasama ng isang platito ng bread, at ang liver spread.

Joey: Ano bang pinagsasasabi mo? Hindi kita maintindihan. Lasing ka pa ba?

Nagulat ang dalawa ng mag-ring ang phone ni Joey, she looked at it, nagtaka siya sa nakita.

Seph: Sino yan?
Joey: It's you, err, your number. Nawawala yung phone mo kagabi, naiwan siguro sa sasakyan, sabi ko tawagan ako pag nahanap nila.
Seph: No, don't answer that.

Joey dropped the call.

Joey: Why?
Seph: I know this may sound weird but I think there's something wrong...
Joey: Eh?

Nag-ring ulit ang phone. Seph and Joey just looked at each other blankly, then she answered the phone.

Joey: Hello?
******: Hello, Joey, bakit hindi mo sinasagot?
Joey: Seph? Ikaw ba yan?


Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Of Buses

I awoke at the voice of the conductor. I looked through the half-tinted, fogged window of the bus, and saw that it was drizzling outside. The road was busy, deceitful and unwelcoming, as cars veered to and fro it's intersections. I stared at Rachel, sitting beside me, sleeping, her head resting on her side, with her hair brushing along the scarlet curtains. I watched as the lights from outside brightened her full cheeks. She is beautiful as ever. I noticed her pale red lips, dried by the cold temperature of the bus, move and twitch, and so I let my eyes escape her view. "Are we there yet?" she whispered, half-awake. I let out a sigh, then turned my head to her, shaking it, smiling. "What's taking us too long?" "We got stuck in traffic earlier. As always." Now its her turn to let out a sigh, an irritated one, and I saw her breath as it came out of her mouth. "Do you feel cold?" I asked. She nodded. I reached out my arm to t...
4 comments
Read more

Perfect Love Story

This is my perfect love story. We meet while I am having a summer vacation in Puerto Princesa. Or maybe Boracay. Or Pagudpud. Or Baler. You are visiting your family. Or maybe you are taking a break with your friends. Or colleagues. We are in a restaurant, a cafe, and I am ordering a drink or a meal, and you are doing the same. We catch a glimpse at each other, and at that instantaneous moment, we both know. We are meant to be. The world stops spinning. But only in our heads, because everyone around us continue moving. Yet, we don't care. Time stands still, and all I see is you. I smile, and you catch yourself smiling back. You break your stare and blush. Time starts moving again. From that moment on, I couldn't stop looking your way. Yet you keep avoiding my eyes. Of course you will. You are a proud woman, you're not cheap, you're not easy to get. You stand up and excuse yourself. You say you are not feeling well and you start walking back to your cottage. I stan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Gracenote's First Movement

Gracenote's First Movement makes a lasting movement. I am a fan of Gracenote. Their music is reminiscent of the 90's pop-rock that I grew up with, combined with punkish-rock elements. They're not too heavy, and not too pop either, they're at the middle, and that's why rockers from both spectrum can enjoy their sound. The Gracenote, from left to right Alvin Ortiz (who, sadly, already departed the band), Chen Pangan, Eunice Jorge, Jazz Jorge and EJ Pichay First Movement , I believe, is their second album. The first one, self-titled Gracenote , was released independently some time in 2009. Since then, they have come a long way and their music evolved. Three years ago you might have dared call them a Paramore knock-off, but now they are Gracenote. First Movement consists of 8 tracks, the last one being an acoustic version of their current single, Amnesia . Kicking off the album is Knock Knock , written by the band's lead vocalist herself, Eunice Jorge....
2 comments
Read more