I woke up with the weird guy sitting across from me while writing in a small journal. The journal has a sunflower engraved on it with the initial of 'S.S' on the cover of the journal. And yes, he really did come back. Using a guy to try to control me is a wrong move freak hospital. I saw his jacket rested on the chair. He might have the phone in his jacket. I need to get that to contact Dad.
"What are you doing?" I asked him to get his attention.
He stood up and caressed my head. He showed his journal while brightly smiling. He's like a little kid who scored five stars in his test; happily and innocently smiling.
"It's a surprise," he sweetly smiled, "nagdala ako ng paborito mo."
I looked at the Tupperware on the table. Is that another kaldereta? I don't like it though. Kaldereta is the first dish he brought to me and it's weirdly sweet.
"No, I want something new. Can you buy me a different dish? One that is not sweet."
His browed furrowed but he complied with my request and went out. I hurriedly stood up and checked his jacket. Bingo! I found his phone. I immediately dialed Luke's number. I kept looking at the door nervously, come on Luke. Pick up the phone. Paano kung dumating ang psycho na 'yon? This is bad. I dialed Dad's number but he didn't pick up either. I dialed our house number instead.
"Perez residence—" Finally!
"Where's Dad? I need to talk to him," nagmamadali kong sambit.
"Sino po sila? Baka wrong number po kayo."
This voice. It's Izzy. I didn't know this girl ask a lot of questions when answering calls.
"Izzy! It's me, Elena! Now let me talk to Dad," I impatiently ordered.
I heard a noise from the background. Someone was talking with Dad... with my voice?
"Andito lang po si Ma'am Elena sa harap ko kausap si sir Elandro. May kailangan po ba kayo sa kanila?" Izzy continued asking.
Wala sa sarili kong nabitawan ang phone. Why is my voice? Who is that person with my voice? What is happening?
"May?"
I raised my head and saw the weird guy carrying a new food worriedly looking at me. Is it true? Am I really just claiming to be someone else? If there is already Elena Perez in our residence and she's talking to dad that means, I am the fake because dad will be the first person to know if the person at our, their home is an impostor. I was the one who tried to steal someone else's identity.
He walked towards me and worriedly put down his takeouts don't he table, "Ilang minuto ka na tulala at kanina pa kita tinatawag."
"I don't know who I really am, anymore," I weakly answered and felt tears fell in my eyes.
Is the doctor telling the truth? Am I just really confused? That despicable guy, the amnesia, the supposed to be an accident... did I just make it up for my own convenience? Is this real reality? Am I really May Gonzales? I felt someone gave me a tight warm hug.
"Ikaw ang babaeng mahal ko. Take your time, huwag mong pilitin ang sarili mong maalala lahat. Andito lang ako, simula ngayon magsisimula tayo ulit."
If this guy was my lover, why does my heart not ache when he's in pain like how it pained me seeing Luke in pain? A mind can forget but not the heart, right?
"What if I am not the May Gonzales you once loved, paano kung I am now a completely different person?" I asked in all sincerity.
Why don't I feel anything from you? I can't even remember your name; I don't know anything about you. And I don't feel any love for him.
"You will always be the kind, simple, and selfless girl Sebastian Santillian fell in love with. I will make you love me again. Liligawan kita ulit,"
I looked at him as he dried my tears away. It was not the hospital's fault; it was me all along but I closed my ears and believed in what I wanted to believe. We were interrupted when someone suddenly barged into the room. Sebastian immediately stood up and covered me.
"Aba, ineng! Nagkita tayo ulit ha!" it's the goon I met from few weeks ago! "Akala naman naming di ka na naming mahahanap."
That voice. I recognize that despicable voice! Why are they here? Sinundan ba nila ako? What do they need? Tsk, they just came at the wrong time. I'm in no condition to fight.
"What are you doing here?! No pets are allowed in here. And just to inform you, I remember every single bad thing that you did to me!" I hysterically asked.
"Alam mo bang ilang lingo din kaming nasa kulungan dahil sa lalaking kasama mo." He replied looking at Sebastian "Hindi to iyon. Asan yung lalaking kasama mo noon?"
He pointed his shotgun to Sebastian. I need to assess the situation and think of a plan. What we need to do is stay calm and be vigilant. I looked at his shotgun, it's a .357 Magnum revolver.
"Anong kailangan mo kay May?!"
I grabbed Sebastian's arm when he attempted to fight with the thug. He may have a chance with fistfights but this thug has a shotgun with him. We don't want any casualties.
"Let me handle this Sebastian. Let's just follow their command," I whispered.
A loud gunshot suddenly echoed outside my room and I heard screams and cries. Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko, that surprised me. This is getting dangerous. I need action as soon as possible but during this kind of hostage situation.
"Lumabas kayo," he ordered still pointing his shotgun at us.
Sebastian held my hand and assisted me out of my bed. In a hostage situation, we need to remain calm, be polite, and cooperate with the captors. If I can negotiate, wait. I tried doing that before but there's no talking to these thugs. As soon as I stepped out of my room the scene I saw was like straight from a horror movie. All patients were kneeling on the floor and crying.
"What do you need? You don't need to hurt these patients. Pag-usapan natin 'to," I tried to talk it out.
Itinulak niya si Sebastian which made him fall to the floor. The nurse nearby assisted Sebastian immediately. I instructed Sebastian to stop standing up.
"I can handle myself. Don't try to act like a hero, Sebastian," I emphasized every word looking at him.
The thug grabbed my arm and I took that opportunity to observe the situation. I saw a male nurse bleeding in his abdomen he needs to get treated, few more doctors also have a slight injury. If my body is just not this weak, I could've handled this easily.
"Huminahon po kayo. Maawa po kayo sa mga pasyente," a middle-aged male doctor was negotiating with the goons but failed, tanging suntok lamang ang nakuha niyang sagot.
I slowly inhaled and exhaled, now what should I do about this? There are about eight of them inside this hospital. All of them are holding guns, two have AR-15 and the other three carry an AK-47 Rifle. I did a lot of research about fire guns when I was in my 20s, it really helped me with one of my clients. So, how can I use this knowledge now? The other two were rampaging around searching for something.
"Ilabas niyo 'yong mayabang na 'yon!" The leader of the goon shouted, of course I recognized him.
Mayabang? Who are they searching for? Is this the reason why they hostaged a whole hospital? I'm estimating that the police will take a while to get here, after all this is an isolated place. I need to
"Bossing, hindi namin mahanap 'yong mayabang pero nahanap ko naman 'tong panget."
He pushed me towards their boss. I flinched when he pointed his handgun at my forehead.
"Hindi ba't ikaw 'yong kasama nung mayabang na 'yon? Ilabas mo siya," he instructed.
Paano ko siya mapapalabas if I don't even know who they are talking about. I raised both my hand in the air. I need to pacify them first.
"Let's talk it out first—"
My eyes caught a glimpse of Sebastian holding a wood behind the boss thug. What is he doing?! It's not safe! I specifically told him to not act like a hero! A plank of wood is nothing against an armed captor! A sly smile formed the lips of the goon. He released the cylinder and rotate it to the side, a sign that he'd be pulling the trigger.
"Don't do it!" I raised my voice in nervousness, "it's not worth it. It's not safe."
Please. Don't do it, Sebastian, I can find a way. The scorpion tattooed thug was about to look behind him when I screamed. You can't look back.
"I'm talking to you, Sebastian! Stay away!" I shouted.
It was too late for he run forward and the scorpion tattooed thug caught the wood Sebastian was holding and shoot him. I run towards Sebastian and held him in my arms. No! This can't be. Tears continuously fell when Sebastian gave me a warm smile.
"Sinabihan kita but why did you not listen?! How stupid can you be?!"
He cupped my face lovingly as if memorizing every inch of my face. No, this is not the last time we are going to see each other Sebastian. Don't you dare! I still don't know anything about you! You're the one who knows May Gonzales, who I really am. I can't lose you.
"No! No! Don't close your eyes! " I started crying.
I tried to put pressure on his wound and he wiped away my tears. I knew it. From the first time I met him, I knew he would be this stupid.
"Hanggang sa kamatayan kong pagsisisihan na binitawan kita. Huwag kang umiyak, please. Gusto kong ang huling alaala ko sayo ay nakangiti."
No. Why is he being dramatic?! We are not in a movie for Pete's sake! I don't even know anything about him so why is he being like this?! Someone grabbed my arms and pulled me away from Sebastian. My conscience won't let me sleep if Sebastian dies today. I saw him mouthed the words 'mahal kita' before the thugs completely pulled me away.
"Let them save him please," I pleaded to the thugs but they ignored me instead.
I bit the hands of the thug who was pulling me and run towards the nurse station. I saw a child crying with an old woman trying to calm him down beneath the nurse's table. I saw him holding a phone and I grabbed his arms in panic. I noticed in their screen display that they were talking already talking to the emergency team.
"How many more minutes until they arrive?" I asked the nurse
"Ten minutes pa daw. Malapit na sila," she managed to answer me stuttering.
"Search a police siren for me on the internet. Connect it to the speaker and I'll handle the rest," I instructed the old woman.
I stood up and faced the thugs in front of the nurse station.
"Are you looking for him? Let everyone go and I'll call him for you," seryoso kong sambit habang nakataas ang kamay ko, "if you kill me, you'll never find him. Ako lang ang makakapagturo sa inyo kung nasaan siya."
I slowly walked towards them. My heart pounding loud with every step. I don't know if my plan will work but there are too many casualties. I need to minimize the damage and take control. Even though I don't know who they are looking for. A sound of a siren echoed in the building.
I let out a heavy sigh and looked straight to their eyes, this plan better work, "Andito na ang police. If you still want to meet him, this is your only chance to run away from the police."
I wrote down a made-up address on a piece of paper at inabot sa kanila. Hinablot nila ang papel and run away while cursing. My knees went weak and I fell to the ground. I didn't think that would work. I looked around and saw the medical staffs rush the heavily injured to the operating room and Sebastian was one of them. I put my hands together and once in my life, I prayed. Please save him, save Sebastian.