Wrath's Sin

III

Chapter 3

Nightmare

WRATH stood there motionless as he sees the attendants rushing over the girl who fainted on the floor. The plane can’t make any emergency landing for the next few minutes and they have to perform medical treatment on board.

Napansin ni Wrath na tatlong attendant ang pumalibot sa isang babae habang yinuyugyog nila ito ngunit hindi na sumasagot ang babae.

Napansin ni Wrath na may tagaktak ng pawis ang noo nito at namumutla ang kanyang mukha.

The announcer asked if there are doctors on board to help with the emergency and Wrath saw that coming as their last resort.

“I’m a doctor,” aniya ni Wrath sabay tanggal ng kanyang coat at hinagis ito sa kanyang upuan. “Do not gather around the patient…” ma-awtoridad nitong sabi nang lumapit siya sa kanila. The attendants had a scared face as they walked away when they saw Wrath.

Wrath fished out a ballpen on his pocket with a tiny flashlight and checked on her eyes.

Wrath rested his back, and elevated his feet to observe her response but she’s not waking up. He loosened her belt and unbuttoned her blouse to ease suffocation but she hasn’t respond.

“How many more minutes before we can have emergency landing?” he asked.

“Ten minutes!” natarantang sumagot ang babaeng attendant na nasa tabi niya.

Wrath started doing CPR and plans to do that until the next few minutes. Patingin-tingin siya sa babae kung kukurap siya pero hindi pa rin.

Wrath’s diagnosis base on what he saw a while ago before she even fainted is that, the patient collapsed because of irregular heart rhythm that may have caused by panic. And in situations like this, when the patient isn’t responding after simple first aid of trying to make the blood flow to their bodies, you must try to revive them until emergency help will come.

The woman’s eyes twitched a bit which gave Wrath a bit of hope while pressing his palms on her chest. She started moving her head a bit but probably she’s still on the stage of fainting but it is good that she’s responding.

***

MARAHIL ito ang byaheng pinakamahaba para kay Wrath kahit hindi naman siya lumagpas ng bansa.

Upon arriving at the airport, Wrath was picked up by a van probably owned by the resort where the wedding’s venue is.

Sumalubong kay Wrath ang napakalawak na dagat, maputing buhangin at napakasariwang hangin. Mga bagay na kailangan niya sa kalagitnaan ng stressful niyang trabaho..

“Wrath!” yinakap kaagad siya ni Arvin—ang isa sa kanyng dating pasyente, ilang taon na ang nakaraan.

And even if Arvin was able to recover from his heart surgery, he never forgot about Wrath and they have become friends

“Bakit parang late ka yata?”

“Ah, may emergency kasi sa flight kanina. It’s a long story but nah,” napakibit-balikat na lamang si Wrath.

“Ah, I think you can enjoy the beach for today and tomorrow…”

“Bakit?” napakunot naman si Wrath.

“Iyong maid of honor ni April, na-hospital daw. Ayaw naman ni April na hindi makakasama iyon.”

“Well I plan to stay for a few more days after the wedding, that’s fine…” nakapamaywang na tumingin si Wrath sa dagat. “It’s been a tough year, you know…”

Napabuntong hininga naman si Arvin nang maisip ang balakid na pinagdaanan ng pamilya ni Wrath. Although Wrath might have always told everyone that he doesn’t care much of his family, it is still his own and it sucks real to see it fall apart.

Inimbitahan ni Arvin si Wrath sa kanilang Villa dahil ipinagluto siya ni April. Nadatnan naman ni Arvin na malapit nang masunog ang niluluto nito kaya tinakbo niya ito sa kusina. Mayroon kasing kausap si April sa telepono at parang nag-aalala ito.

“Oh, si Kara ba iyan?” tanong naman ni Arvin.

“Oo. Sabi ko kasing huwag siyang magba-byahe nang mag-isa!” inis pa nitong sabi. “Na-confine raw siya dahil na-collapse siya sa eroplano. Pero okay naman na raw siya…”

“Sabi pa niya hahabulin daw niya ‘yung kasal bukas!”

“Ah! Wrath!” bigla namang naagaw ang atensyon nito nang makita niya si Wrath na nakatayo sa sala at tumitingin-tingin lang sa mga dekorasyon.

“Pasensya ka na, ang ingay ng future misis ko,” natatawang sabi naman ni Arvin.

“Ah! Wait, kukuhanin ko pala iyong lobster kay Mang Tisoy!” natatarantang lumabas naman si Kara at naglaho nang gano’n na lang. Wrath took that opportunity to go to the kitchen and have a look at what’s Arvin is cooking.

“So, bukas ulit ang kasal?” untag ni Wrath.

“Hmm. Palagay ko hindi. Hindi papayag si April na hindi maka-recover nang maayos si Kara.”

“Kara?” ulit ni Wrath sa pangalang binanggit ni Arvin.

“Hmmmm. Kara was April’s patient when she was in New York. Alam mo naman, nag-aral si April ng psychology sa ibang bansa at doon niya nakilala ang una niyang pasyente. Let’s say, they share a friendship just like what we do.”

“I see. Is that why she was really worried?”

“Yep. Apparently Kara has a weak heart and she experiences panic attack sometimes. I think it has something to do with her anxiety that my wife is trying to help her with…”

***

AFTER two days, April finally pushed through her delayed wedding. Imbes na naghahanda na siya ngayong umaga ay nagpumilit pa siyang pumunta ng airport para sunduin ang kaibigan niyang si Kara. Makalipas lamang ng ilang minutong paghihintay ay nakita na niya itong palapit sa kanyang kinaroroonan.

“April—” hindi na naituloy ni Kara ang masaya niyang pagyakap sana sa kanya nang bigla siyang binatukan ni April.

“Sabi ko isama mo si Wayne! Sino ba naman hindi mapapagod sa tuloy-tuloy na byahe mula New York tas byahe ka ulit papuntang Cebu!?” saway ni April sa kanya.

“Gusto ko na makarating dito eh,” natatawang sabi na lamang ni Kara.

“Anyway, let’s go… kita mo ‘tong buhok ko? Ang aga ni-set, kailangan ko ituloy ito!” turo niya sa kanyang buhok na may plastic hair net dahilan upang tumawa si Kara.

It took almost an hour for them to arrive at the resort where everything is being prepared. Nasilip ni Kara ang magandang set up kung saan gaganapin ang ceremony. She thinks that the whole resort was rented for the whole day.

Saglit na napahinto si Kara at sininghap ang hangin malapit sa dagat. It’s been a long time since the last time she breathed air in her own country.

“Hoy! Bakit ka nagpakita hayup ka!” naistorbo naman nag malalim na pag-iisip ni Kara nang biglang sumigaw si April. Paglingon niya’y namataan niyang binato niya ng tsinelas si Arvin dahil bumisita ito sa venue at nagkataon namang nasa malapit silang dalawa ni Kara dahil nga ay kararating lang nila.

Napangiti si Kara nang makita niyang tumakbo kaagad si Arvin upang iwasan ang tsinela na ibinato ni April sa kanya.

“Relax, nothing will happen…” kalmadong sabi naman ni Kara.

“Pero dapat hindi pa kami magkikita e!” nagmamaktol na saad naman ni April.

“Sabihan mo nga iyan! Huwag siyang attat!” muling napasigaw si April nang siya’y bumaling sa venue kaya naman napatingin din si Kara roon.

A ringing sound had reverberated in her head, causing her to lose his attention to anything else other the man that April is talking to. He’s approaching and she’s able to see his face closer…and closer…until it became…and real nightmare.

Her heartbeat turned faster, hyperventilating her entire body.

Naramdaman niya na rin ang paghirap ng kanyang pag-hinga at panlalamig ng kanyang mga katawan.

“W-wrath…” her lips trembled and she could only utter that name in her head when he finally reached their spot.

***