The South Luzon Expressway. The deadly highway connecting the bustling city of manila to the rest of the southern provinces. As a testament to the lethal curse set upon this freeway, one death is recorded everyday due to irrational drivers speeding through it’s treacherous spine. This Thursday was no exception. A giant pile of scrap cars has occluded the traffic for nearly 2 hours. The collective emotion on this highway is that of anger, pity for the victims, and frustration with the slow progress the traffic. Michael steps out of his car and survey the accident. Apparently, a truck lost control and meets the side rails causing 4 cars behind it to pile up making an enormous wreckage big enough to convert this 5 car free way to become a 1 car alley. Michael has no choice but to accept that his only choice is to wait this one out. “Dammit” exclaimed Michael. No one in the planet can grasp the urgency that he’s in right now. No one knows how much he has sacrificed to get where he is right now only to be hampered by a roadside accident. Michael enters the car and retrieves his cell phone. He redial Eunice’s no. after 3 rings the voice mail kicks in. “hello, please Eunice get out of the hospital. Just trust me on this one ok”.
“Meeting Eunice was a story worth of a movie” Thought Michael. It was two weeks ago. He was busy reading an article at a local Starbucks when suddenly, a girl in a nurse’s uniform trips at the adjacent table. Acting on his reflexes, Michael immediately catches the dazed Eunice before she hits the ground. Eunice was amazed by how fast this guy could move but this thought was gone from her mind after she saw Michael’s features. Tall, fair skinned, incredible body, with long black hair falling over his face, Michael has somehow captivated this young girl.
“um,, miss?” inquired Michael as he looks at Eunice who is still dazzled by this young man. “ok ka lng ba?” asked Michael as he resettles to the chair that he was occupying moments ago. “Ok lng, thanks” replied Eunice as she turns to hide her blushing face. She slowly walks back to the laughing group of nurses at the other side of the room. Her so called “friends”. As she waves a signatory fist towards her friends it occurred to her again how hot that guy was. The whole 1 hour of her break was spent looking at the mysterious guy, who’s obviously engrossed at whatever he’s reading. This caused a slight upheaval at Eunice’s chest. Doctors at PGH would kill each other if the Price was a date with her but here is this pompous guy, obviously not smitten by her beauty or charm. As the group decides to leave Eunice takes a last look at her night in shining armor before exiting the café. She was surprised when he suddenly drops the book that he was reading, stares momentarily at her, and suddenly stood up, stretches a bit, and walks toward the door. Eunice felt a feeling of victory. “I knew no one can resist me” though Eunice as she exits the café with her friends. Just when she thought Michael was behind her, she slowly turns, with a smile ready, only to be suspired to see that there was no one following her. Looks at the Starbucks’ direction and saw Michael, Sitting by the sidewalk, smoking a cigarette.
Since then she made it her mission to get to know this Michael. Every afternoon during her break she would make it a point to return to the Starbucks at UN Avenue, and strike a conversation with Michael.
Michael drops the cigarette and steps on it. His regret for not taking a more that casual interest at Eunice slowly haunts his every thought. She was always there, at the Café, at the same time, just to yap away about her life and everything else that interest her. But he would not respond. He would still continue whatever he was doing, occasionally glancing at this young girl she barely knew. Once he was so irritated with her he caved in and gave her his Cell phone number. Now even at home he’s plagued with text messages containing random things happening with the life of this girl she barely knew and cared less to know about.
As a slow drizzle pours over the South Luzon expressway, Michael has no choice but to return to the safety of his car. The digital clock on the dashboard shows 6:37PM. He rereads his messages at his cell phone. He has found it. The message that has caused him to rush back to manila. He clutches the cell phone with both hands, his forehead touching the edge of the steering wheel. With eyes closed, he utters a silent prayer. The prayer for damned souls.
Hi mike!! Hope oki ka lng,,
kakadating ko lng xa hosp,,
pinalipat ako ngyn xa ICU
coz kulang cla ng nurses.
I knw ala ka xa manila coz
I havnt seen u 4 3 days na..
lam mo,, cute ng patient ko!!
Comatose cia pero ganda
parin niya. She’s about 9,
Amputi tska yung hair nya
ang haba hanging knees.
Sana gan2 maging anak
ko wen da time comes.
Nweiz,, mishu na!!:)
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