CHAPTER 2

"It seemed like this rain would be going on all day," Papa said.

The graduation ceremony ended, and tonight, I could sleep at peace. We were in our blue Honda Accord, heading home. The rain was relentless. The floodwaters had already inundated parts of Roxas Boulevard, leading to an increase in traffic. Papa attempted to take alternative routes to Makati to avoid E.D.S.A, but we encountered flooding on every road we tried to travel. We had no choice but to brave Manila's flooded, congested streets.

"It's a Good thing we left early," Mama exclaimed. "I don't want to end up sleeping in our car tonight."

She turned down the air conditioning, saying it was getting too cold inside. She mentioned that my aunts, uncles, and cousins awaited us at home. We always had a small gathering for family occasions like this.

"Mom, why is it like that?" I asked, frustration in my voice. "Hector's phone is off. I've been calling him for ages."

"Ara, stop worrying so much," she replied. "If Hector missed your graduation, he'd go to our home."

I felt a pang of annoyance. Hector should have texted me if he didn't want to answer.

"He's probably stuck in traffic," Papa added. "Heavy rain always means heavy traffic here."

"I couldn't stand that guy," I blurted out, unable to hide my frustration.

I gave up on what I was doing. I placed my cell phone on the seat beside me and leaned against the window. My eyebrows furrowed from lack of sleep. I was stressed because Hector had yet to show up as he had said he would this morning. I had hoped he would come, but he would need to do a lot of explaining when he arrived at our house. I stared at the rainy scene outside the car window to calm my irritation.

Dad turned on the stereo and set it to an AM station because they liked listening to the news. I thought it would be about the monsoon, but it was something else.

"Currently, traffic on NLEX is heavy, and rescuers are arriving. The extent of the damage where I am now is immense."

"What is it, Papa?" Mama asked, catching my attention.

"There was an accident on N.L.E.X," Papa answered.

I yawned as my eyes grew heavy. I took out my Hello Kitty pouch and retrieved my MP3 player. I put the earphones in and listened to music. I didn't realize I had already fallen asleep during the trip.

I suddenly felt my mother tapping me. When I opened my eyes, I realized we were already in our house's carport. I got out of the car and went inside. My uncles and aunts welcomed me warmly. I bowed to their palms and headed to the kitchen.

The dining table caught my attention. It was like a Noche Buena feast, just missing the Christmas songs. A wide beam came to my lips when I read a banner hanging a few meters from the table.

"CONGRATS ARA! We love you."

I shook my head, slightly overwhelmed, knowing this was undoubtedly another scheme by my sister Mia. I placed my crumpled black robe on a chair, and just then, my sister emerged from the dirty kitchen.

"Ate, is Hector here yet?" I asked, looking around, hoping he was hiding somewhere as he sometimes did.

"Not yet; I thought he was going to attend your graduation," she replied. We were only two siblings, with Mia being six years older than me. In June, she would marry her boyfriend for four years.

She placed a tray of mouth-watering Shanghai rolls on the dining table, their aroma filling the room.

"He didn't make it, and I hate him for that," I exclaimed, resulting in a sudden laugh at Ate Mia.

My sister often teased me and Hector when we fought, saying we acted like kids, as if she and her boyfriend weren't the same way.

"Did you call him?" she asked again.

"I talked to him early this morning, but now his phone is off," I replied, frustration evident.

My cousin, carrying a Tupperware of spaghetti sauce from the dirty kitchen, interrupted us. "He's probably stuck in traffic," she said, pointing to the TV. "There was an accident on N.L.E.X. Look."

The flat-screen television in our living room caught my attention. I slowly approached it, noticing everyone in the house was already focused on the news. Aerial footage filled the screen.

"At least seventy people have died in the accident. While a hundred were injured, twenty of them are in critical condition," said the news reporter.

My uncles and aunts exchanged opinions while staring at the TV. Mama and Papa joined their discussion.

I stood there, the dining table behind me. My older sister and my two girl cousins were preparing the food. As I stared at the television, the butterfly I had seen earlier came to mind. I placed my left hand on my chest, feeling an inexplicable dread.

"We have some breaking news related to that report. We now have a list of some of the casualties. Some of the fatalities have already been identified," the news reporter cut in.

I kept my eyes glued to the screen. "And this is the first casualty that has been identified."

Then, the following words hit me. "Hector Villanueva, a college student."

An eerie silence fell over the room. I heard the sound of a plate breaking behind me, but I didn't flinch. My heart seemed to stop beating. My knees went weak and began to wobble. My vision blurred, and the last thing I knew, I collapsed to the floor.

***

When I opened my eyes, I was surprised to find myself in a white room. Everything was white.

I sat on the white bed, staring at a white door about three meters away. Furrowing my brow, I stood and walked towards it, questions swirling in my head.

I reached for the doorknob, and as I opened it, I jumped in shock. A swarm of butterflies attacked me. I raised my arm to shield my face, panicking. Then, it all vanished, leaving me bewildered.

I stood beside the door, staring at the thick mist covering the opposite side. A tall, robust figure emerged from the sea of mist. When his hair first appeared, I burst out crying. "Hector!"

Hector stepped forward, but I sprinted towards him, initiating my firm embrace. I burst into tears, feeling the weight of his left hand on my shoulder. When my eyes dart towards it, they widen from a sudden horror. I noticed his skin slowly peeling off his arms.

I pulled him away, covering my mouth with my palms. Only then did I realize that in front of me was not Hector anymore but instead, a charred image of a man. I stepped back, but he grabbed my left arm, registering a loud shriek from my voice.

For the second time, I woke up abruptly and found myself in my bedroom. Mia and my two cousins were jolted and surprised to see me awake. One of my cousins ran out of the room while Mia stayed and sat beside me. I sat up, sweating, as Mia brushed my hair.

Even though I knew it was merely a nightmare, why did it feel so real? My uncles, aunts, and parents entered the room, their worried expressions evident.

"How are you feeling now, hija?" asked Uncle Roy, a doctor, standing close to the edge of my bed.

I couldn't answer, still haunted by the news from earlier. Covering my face with my hands, I tried to convince myself it was just a dream, but their discussions about the accident echoed in my mind.

Suddenly, I snapped out of it and burst into tears. I didn't even realize Mia was embracing me. "Ma! Let's visit the accident scene. Please! Pa."

My heart raced, and my hands couldn't stop trembling. Papa sat next to me. "We'll go to it tomorrow with your uncle, but you must rest now."

Mama sat beside Papa, her eyes swollen. The news had shaken not just me but our entire family. All of us dearly loved Hector. It was incomprehensible that what should have been a happy occasion had turned into such a tragedy.