Prologue

I just stared at the ceiling as I continued to remember what had happened and why i was lying in this cold room.

Pinikit ko ulit ang mga mata ko at itinigil ang pag-iisip nang makaramdam ng antok, my head will just keep hurting if I keep worrying about what happened.

Naalimpungatan ako nang marinig ko ang pinto na bumukas ngunit nanatili lamang akong nakapikit at pinapakiramdaman ang paligid.

Hinawakan ng babae ang kamay ko, dinampian ito ng halik bago siya magsalita.

"Love. it's me, Ysla.. please fight back. I don't want to lose you, I can't afford to lose you. I'm too tired to live, you're the only one.. you're the only concrete reason why I still cling.. to one percent to survive, just you Love. So please, i'll wait until you wake up, i will do.." Nahihirapang saad ng babaeng may suwero pa bago ulit dinampian ng halik ang kamay ko at umalis.

Dumilat ako at nakakunot noong tinignan ang pinto kung saan ito lumabas. Who is that woman? And who is she calling love? And why the fuck I'm lying here in the hospital bed and can't even move my calves!

Sumakit na naman ang ulo ko kaya itinigil ko na muna ang pag-iisip at pumikit na lamang ulit habang pinapakalma ang sarili.

"Is that woman out of her min-" Naputol ang bulong ko nang bigla na namang bumukas ang pinto at niluwa nito ang dalawang lalaking nag-uusap.

Mabilis kong ipinikit ang mga mata ko at pinapakiramdaman ulit ang sitwasyon. They seemed to be arguing so I just kept my eyes closed and listened to them.

"Man, bakit hindi ko na nakita si Ysla after may mangyari kay Eli?" Blaize asked at Chase. "Okay lang kaya siya?" Dagdag pa ni Blaize.

Who really is Ysla? Is she that woman earlier? How come that they have friend named Ysla and i don't even know?

"We really don't know what happened that night. Si Eli lang ang makakasagot sa atin kapag nagising na siya." Chase said. What night? And what do i have to answer?

Idinilat ko nalang ang mga mata ko at tinignan ang tanawin na makikita ko sa napakalaking bintana malapit dito sa hospital bed kung nasan ako.

"Napakaganda mo, parang yung nakikita ko lang sa paligid. The city lights, and your eyes that shines just like a star."

"Aww, thank you love. Yung mukha mo naman parang moon. Mahaba hahaha."

"Ouch." Napahawak ako sa ulo ko nang makaalala ng memorya. I don't know whos memory is this.

"Eli!" Napatakbo kaagad si Chase at Blaize papunta sa Hospital bed kung saan ako ngayon nakahiga at nakahawak sa ulo ko.

"Man, are you okay?" Chase asked. I just nodded in response. Tinignan ko silang dalawa saka sinubukang itanong kung sino yung pinag-usapan nila kanina.

"Blaize, Call the Doctor first." Chase said kaya hindi na ako nakapagtanong dahil lumabas na rin si Blaize sa room. Nag-alala akong tinignan ni Chase saka tinanong kung okay lang ba ako. I just gave him a thumbs up.

"Why is it strange that I have a sudden memory that isn't mine?" I asked. Napakunot noo naman akong tinignan ni Chase.

"A memory? What kind of memory?" He asked. Mag k-kwento na sana ako nang bigla pumasok si Blaize kasama ang Doctor at dalawang nurses.

"Mr. Octavius, I'm glad that you're awake now. Grabe ka naman matulog, almost two months." Doc said, i just shrugged my shoulders and looked at Blaize and Chase.

"Doc, i saw a memory that isn't mine. Is it normal?" I asked him.

Nagulat pa siya nung tinanong ko 'yun pero maya-maya ay kumalma naman siya. And he said that yes, it's just normal but it may feel strange, which is exactly how i felt earlier.

"How's your head?" Doc asked.

"I only felt pain earlier when I remembered something but when I calmed down it disappeared as well." I answered. Nakikinig lang ang dalawa sa likod ni Doc habang nagbubulongan.

"Don't stress yourself too much, kid. You can think about what's that once you are totally fine, but for now put that aside first." He said. I just nodded in response at chineck niya muna mga nakakabit sakin.

I never thought that I would stay in this hospital for two months.

Lumabas na ang Doctor at nurses kasabay naman si Chase at Blaize para kausapin daw ng Doctor, nakatitig nalang ulit ako sa ceiling habang tinitignan ang paligid.

Gabi na pala pero hindi man lang ako nakaramdam ng gutom o kahit gana man lang. Wala, kahit uhaw o tawag ng kalikasan ay wala rin. Pano ko kaya nagawa yun?

Bumukas na ang pinto at niluwa nito si Chase at Blaize. Si Blaize naman ay nakangiti akong tinignan habang si Chase ay seryoso lang.

"So, what was the memory that you said earlier?" Chase asked. Napakunot noo naman akong tinignan ni Blaize.

"Ano ka ba Chase! Hindi mo ba narinig ang sabi kanina ng Doktor? Huwag daw muna isipin ang mga ganiyan. Saka na daw kapag magaling na siya. Ang bonak mo naman." Blaize said, nagsorry lang sa kaniya si Chase.

Nilapit ni Chase at Blaize ang chairs sa hospital bed saka naman nagsalita si Blaize.

"Pero oo nga, Eli. Ano yung memory na yun? Curious rin ako hehehe." Sabi niya kaya binatukan naman siya ni Chase.

"There's a woman na katabi ko. I said her eyes were like the city lights I see now. beautiful and glowing. Tumawa lang siya. I can't see her face but her voice was like the voice I heard earlier speaking here inside the room." Pagkwento ko sa kanila.

"Earlier? What is she look like?" Blaize asked. Inalala ko naman ang nakita ko kanina.

"She has hazelnut hair color, maybe a 5'6 woman. I didn't had the chance to see her face since i opened my eyes when she turned her back on me. Nakasuot siya ng hospital patient gown at nakasuwero." I explained again.

Nagkatinginan naman si Blaize at Chase sa isa't isa nang marealize kung sino ang tinutukoy ko. Nakakunot noo ko naman silang tinignan.

"Really bro?" Chase asked. "You didn't recognize her!?" Blaize added.

"Yeah, who is she?" I asked. They were startled and gasped at the same time.

"For Pete's Sake! She is just your girlfriend. Ysabel Lauren Gossom!"