Ellie's POV
There was a Halloween Party right now, organized by our campus. Lahat ng faculty teachers, interns at freshmen are invited to join wearing their spooky costumes. Costumes such as vampire, fairy, skeleton, clown, and ilan pang kakaibang character from the book and movies. I can't really describe mine as spooky, let's say that I'm a fan of the wizarding world. I'm wearing a Gryffindor-inspired costume, complete with a deep red and gold scarf draped around my neck, just like in the Harry Potter movie franchise. 
Ang buong gymnasium ng campus ay nabalot ng tawanan at takutan. May mga kumikislap na orange at purple lights, hanging bats sa kisame, at fog machine na nagbibigay ng eerie effect habang pumapasok ang mga estudyante sa gym. Sa paligid, maririnig ang sigawan ng mga student from Horror House, maririnig rin ang shutter ng camera from Photo Booth, at ang mahinang na tunog na nagmumula sa DJ. Meron ding mga booths sa paligid na nagtitinda ng sweets, candies and halloween theme pasties. 
Habang lumalim ang gabi, lalong naging magsimula ang mga students nang nagsimula ang Halloween Dance Battle sa gitna ng gymnasium. Kung saan bawat sections ay nakipaglaban sa isa't isa gamit ang ibat ibang choreography naman temang horror. Natapos ang Halloween party sa pagbibigay ng Costume Awards, kung saan binigyan ng recognition ang mga standout looks gaya ng “Scariest Costume”, “Funniest Outfit”, Boring “Costume”, at “Best in Creativity. 
After a long night of laughter and exhaustion, sa wakas, uwian na rin. Kasama ko ngayon si Sir Andrew, Ma’am Fee, at Ma’am Rochela pauwi. Si Sir Andrew ay naka suot ng Mr. Bean, costume, completed with tweed jacket, polo, at necktie, habang may hawak pa siyang maliit na teddy bear. Si Ma’am Fee naman naka suot ng witch costume na may pointed hat at kumikislap na cloak, habang si Ma’am Rochela ay naka angel of death outfit na sobrang elegant tingnan kahit spooky. 
“That was so fun! I can’t believe na hindi ako ang napili sa Best Costume,” pagrereklamo ni Sir Andrew habang hawak pa rin ang teddy bear niya, kunwari nagtatampo.
Tumawa si Ma’am Fee. “Baka kasi masyado kang cute para sa Mr. Bean, Sir,” biro niya sabay kindat. Si Ma’am Rochela naman napailing lang, halatang pagod pero nakikitawa pa din. Nagpatuloy ang tatlo sa pagkukulitan at pagtatawanan habang ako tahimik. Iniisip na back to normal na naman nga school sa lunes. 
Hanggang sa makaliko ulit kami sa isa pang kanto. This is where I need to say goodbye to them. “Naku, hanggang dito na lang ako, maraming salamat sa pagpapasabay, sir Andrew, ma'am Fe at ma'am Rochelle ingat kayo.”
“Ingat din Ma'am Ellie,” Ani nila habang kumakaway papalayo. Ngayon binagtas ko ang daan papunta sa apartment ko ng mag isa. Malapit lang ang inuupahan kong apartment sa campus. Halos walking distance lang. Malapit rin ito sa park. Kahit kaunti lang ang bukas na streetlight, hindi ako nakaramdam ng takot. “Hindi ako natatakot”, panggagaslight ko sa sarili ko. 
Hanggang sa matalisod ako. Hindi mapigilang sumigaw. Aksidente akong napaupo sa malamig na asplato. Mabilis akong tumayo at pinagpagan ang robe na suot ko. Nang matiyak ko na ako'y malinis pinagmasdan ko ang bagay na nakatalisod sa akin. It's a arm of human person. Nanlaki ang mata ko sa nasaksihan. I can see stitches and patched-up skin engraved on his arms like a carved wood.
Napaatras ako sa kinakatayuan ko, just to see the whole view of  what tumble with. It's a man. Laying on cold asphalt. My mind tells me to scream to run and ask for help but I stop myself. Mabilis ko s'yang nilapitan to check his pulse. He's just sleeping and drunk or caught by accident. I can't leave him like this in the middle of the road. I know a normal person would run or ignore him but I wasn't like that. I can't rest easily on my bed knowing I leave him like this. Mabagal akong yumuko at tinapik ang ulo nya. Mumulat ang mata n'ya at nagtama ang tingin namin.
“Hi,” ani ko. “Ayos ka lang?” dagdag ko pa. Tumango siya at mabagal na umupo sa kalsada. Marahan ko siyang inalalayan tumayo, saka kami naglakad papunta sa gilid ng daan.
“What happened?” tanong ko.
“I didn’t see it coming, a car hit me.”
“Ayos ka lang? May masakit ba sa’yo? Why not go to the hospital?” ani ko, halatang nag-aalala.
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. Medyo nahihilo lang.”
“Then why don’t I treat you to something cold to ease your headache? How about an ice cream?”
“That would be nice,” ani n'ya sa baba nakatingin.
“Does a monster from Frankenstein eat ice cream?” pagbibiro kong tanong habang pinagmamasdan siya.
“Monster?” takang tanong niya.
“Yes! See, I’m wearing a Harry Potter costume and you’re that monster from “Frankenstein”. That explains the fake stitches and the patched-up skin on your body,” pagpapaliwanag ko. Naglakad kami papunta sa pinakamalapit na 7-Eleven habang nakaalalay pa rin ako sa kanya.
“Ahh, yes. It’s my costume,” sagot niya.
“That’s nice! It looks realistic, may tahi pa sa leeg at mukha mo. If you were in our event kanina, mananalo ka ng ‘Best Creative Costume Award’.”
“Magkano ba ang cash prize?” tanong niya.
“Five hundred,” mahina kong bulong, sabay tawa.
“That’s cheap,” sagot niya, sabay ngiti.
“Oummm, nandito na tayo.” Inalis ko ang kamay ko sa pagkakaalalay sa kanya nang makalapit kami sa tapat ng 7-Eleven. Maayos na s'yang naglakad. It looks like he regained his balance.
Pumasok kami sa loob. Halloween night pa rin kaya acceptable pa ang mga suot naming costume sa ganitong establishment. Pagkapasok namin, sinalubong kami ng mga dekorasyong may spider webs, pumpkins, at ghosts. May mga customer din na naka-Halloween costume, halatang galing din sa party.
Pagkatapos ko siyang ilibre ng vanilla ice cream, lumabas kami at sabay kumain sa labas ng convenience store. Marami pa ring taong naglalakad kahit dis-oras na, malamang galing din sa mga party nila.
“So, you’re a teacher?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m an intern teacher.”
“That explains the calm voice. Teachers usually talk like they’re guiding the world one sentence at a time,” he said, half-smiling as if observing a subject for a story.
“I see. I used to be a journalist. Dati,  let’s say I’m retired, earlier than planned.”
“Wow, bata ka pa para mag-retire.”
“Ganun talaga. Sometimes, the headline you plan for your life gets rewritten overnight.”
“What happened?”
“My wife died.”
"I’m sorry for your loss," ani ko habang nakatingin sa ice cream na kinakain ko. I know what it feels like to lose someone you love. And sobrang sakit noon.
"Don’t worry. I’m on my way through healing. Malayo pa pero malapit na. She’s a teacher din, like you. Coincidence, right?"
"Yeah."
Marami pa kaming napag-usapan habang nakatambay sa labas ng 7-Eleven. Pero hindi na namin naungkat ang privacy ng isa’t isa. He told me a story about how he met his wife, a memory he said he’d never forget.
“Paano mo siya nakilala?” tanong ko habang pinaglalaruan ang lalagyan ng ice cream ko.
Napangiti siya, tila may inaalalang masayang alaala. “Inihatid ko noon ‘yong pamangkin ko sa public school na pinagtatrabahuhan niya. Doon ko siya unang nakita. She's wearing, orange sunflower blouse that illuminates her in that dull classroom. From that moment she caught my attention.”
“Love at first sight?” tanong ko, sabay kindat.
“Exactly,” sagot niya, natawa nang mahina. “Akala ko movie cliché lang ‘yong mga ganun, pero totoo pala. I fell for her right there.”
“Ang ganda naman no’n,” sabi ko. “movie nga.”
“Yeah,” sagot niya, pero bahagyang nag-iba ang tono. “Except hindi happy ending ang ending namin.”
Tahimik ako sandali. “You really loved her, huh?”
“More than anything,” tugon niya, tumingin sa malayo. “Pero life happens. You wake up one day and realize the person you love most is gone. Which is unfair because you plan the rest of your life to spend with her.”
Hindi ko alam kung ano ang isasagot. “I’m sorry,” sabi ko na lang, marahang tono.
He smiled faintly. “Don’t be. I’ve learned to live with it. Healing takes time. Malayo pa pero malapit na.”
“I know what you mean,” I said softly. “I’ve lost someone too.”
“Who?” tanong niya.
“My mom,” sagot ko. “Sobrang sakit, I mourned for a year. After that, narealize ko rin na hindi kami close ng daddy ko. I feel I'm alone. It feels like my dad and I have become strange. Parang nawalan ako ng dalawang magulang nung nawala ang mother ko.”
Tahimik siya sandali, bago muling nagsalita. “Losing a parent that kind of pain stays with you.”
“Yeah,” tugon ko. “Pero you learn to live with it. Some days are better than others.”
He nodded slowly. “Grief never really leaves, it just changes shape.”
“Exactly,” I said, smiling faintly. “And I guess that’s what makes it both beautiful and painful.”
Tahimik ulit kami sandali, both looking up at the dim sky.
“So,” I said after a while, “what will happen to you now after you retire?” I asked. What a strange question to ask but I do it anyway.
He shrugged, eyes fixed on his melting ice cream. ““I don’t know. Maybe we’re not supposed to know yet. Life’s like an unfinished article, you write what you can, edit what you must, and hope the ending makes sense. Until then, surviving each day is already enough.”
Napangiti ako. “You’re right.”
After that, silence but a comfortable one. Pinagmamasdan lang namin ang mga taong nagdaraan, minding their own business. The night was calm and surreal. Hanggang sa nabaling ang atensyon ko sa relo sa pulsuhan niya na walang awat na nagpapatay-sindi.
"Your watch is flickering," sabi ko sabay turo sa relo niya. Mabilis niyang napansin iyon, at nakita ko ang biglang pagbabago sa mukha niya.
"It’s not a watch. It’s a tracker. She finds me.”
“Tracker? Who's she?” Takang tanong ko.
“It's mean, it’s time for me to go. Thank you for the ice cream. I really appreciate it." Sunod-sunod niyang sabi. Mabilis na tumayo nagpaalam, at naglakad papalayo papunta sa direksyon ng park. Hanggang sa naglaho siya sa dilim na parang multo. He's really fast. Kahit na nawala na s'ya sa paningin ko. Hindi ko maalis sa isip ko ang huling mga sinabi n'ya. 
Anong ibig sabihin niya na tracker? Is he a fugitive or something? Na-curious tuloy ako. Hope we can meet again for the second time. I’m just glad that we met. He’s still a stranger or maybe a former journalist as he said. Sa susunod na pagkikita namin. I make sure to ask what his name is.