AfterLife (countryhumans)

Chapter Five: Them (A5)

Early in the morning, around two, Philip wake up from a nightmare. Gasping and trying to catch his breath, wet yet hot sweats in his forehead and on his back, and his eyes shaking that shows no sigh of stopping.

Aside from that, he didn't notice that his whole body is shaking from the nightmare. Its been a while since he have one but they all sign as one thing, bad omen.

Head down and spacing out, he notice his hands shaking. Reminding what his nightmare in a flush, he clench his hands not wanting to believe. Clenching so bad that his nails digging his skin.

As if denying some kind of reality, his head lowering while grinning his teeth. Getting angry in his self for thinking some things he shouldn't have, his left hand hit something in frustration and anger.

Then his phone ring, the usual ringing that some people only could ring, its ringing. Its sound echoes in his apartment, somehow, it sounds something out of normal.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Its keeps going on, but he just watch it ring and vibrates, roaring loud and moving along with its sounds. Like a thunder and lighting at the same time, a sign of a storm. No, maybe a disaster.

At first he just watch it, feeling nothing, still coping with his nightmare but it turn to hesitation. From hesitation, its slowly turning to something else, something scary, very scary that he don't want to hear but... somehow, he needs to.

Grabbing the phone, hands shakes which he didn't acknowledge, he take a deep breath. His brain also didn't register the callers ID, he's too focus in his thoughts, deep thoughts.

'I- it can be, r-right?'

He pushed the green button, and with a shaking hands, he put it near his ears waiting for the other lines voice. He gulp, sweats still keeps on reproducing, nervous.

"Hello? Is this Mr. Philip?"

The other line spoke, its a man with authority and Philip can tell it by the tone alone but... he's in no right condition to do so.

"Ye- yes. I-It's me"

He welcome the voice in a crack voice and stutters which unlikely his usual self. Nevertheless, the other side pretended not to notice. As he stated his business.

Each word the guy at the other side release, Philip's world slowly keeps on shattering in smaller pieces. Like how heavy rain empty its cloud, small pieces are being drop on earth continuously until even the clouds has been consume and left nothing but the clear sky.

That morning, the sun never rose for Philip again. It never did and will be in a long time.

*

Location: National Airport of the Philippines

With the best possible treatment they could provide, people assist it from the stairs, six men carry it carefully as they descended down the plane.

Reaching the ground, a luxurious vehicle and people welcomes them. A group of people came near them, crying and sobbing uncontrollably. They put it in a prepared portable table as order from the highest position person.

Just after they moved away for the wooden coffin two meters far, they came. The mother figure of the group hugs the coffin; crying messed, sobbing so loud, and asking desperate question to a daughter who will never wake up.

Followed by the entire family that has been notify in advance and fetch them by his people to come in the airport of that day. The mother, the father, and two siblings; older brother and younger sibling in teens. With sadness, griefing, despair, and feeling of denial they cried.

On the corner of the scene, he's there. Standing, hearing her family grief for her as he looks away from that direction, the coffin to be exact.

Forcing to be okay even tho his knees wants to break down, hardly breathing that something stuck in his throat no matter he do never vanished. His mind keeps pushing his gears to work in despite the sudden stop, and his heart forcing to beat to distribute blood in his veins.

He's barely keep functioning. Physical okay. Mentally worn out. Spiritually wants to leave. And emotionally breaking down, living tiny bit of rationality for the sake of her family.

As time passed by, he order the six men carrying her coffin to transfer her to the vehicle. They oblige and carry it to where it needs to placed. The mother who's in the ground weeping, the father hugging his wife staying strong, and the siblings in the side crying while hugging each other; he stand in front them.

With a deep breath he spoke, gaining their attention. The mother lastly looked up, staring at him. There she see something... she clearly did. Every word and body language he made, she saw something different. She knows it very well, her lost compare to this man is something she knows what...

For the man who loves only one woman, who's loyal to her, who's always finding time for her, respecting her and her parents very much, and... the way he's trying to do his best right in front her. Counseling them, they need it but...

Thoughts runs her mind as she picture her daughter's every laughter and smile telling stories of the guy she fall in love with. The memories of her made her cry more, she lost a daughter while he lost a lover. Both hearts are grieving for her lost...

*

For seven crueling days, they are now at the final procedure for her eternal rest. Putting down her coffin, flowers are being drop by people who's dear to her. At the end of that line, Philip turn came.

He looks at the white flower in hand and the white coffin. Then her face in a picture in white dress inside a picture frame that her mother hold tight, for a while.

White and blue. Something he thinks of, her family gave the discussion of which color to use in the day of her funeral. He consider blue as a choice but...

Blue is her favorite color, so he is. It is coincidence that they like same color. Philip like it since his flag represents it and the meaning behind it is something he wants to hold...

But thinking it deeply, white that signifies purity. He wants to send her as that color in the other side of life, pure and innocent. With that, the color has been finalized.

He soon drop the Jasmine flower in his hand. With that cue, the earth starts to buried the coffin. Little by little, the white coffin has been dye in brown.

Once its all over, people starts leaving time after time. The family, the close friends, and relatives stay longer. They are all silent, not because they are tired crying but wanting to send her off with less sadness, something she surely wants.

In those times, some people comfort Philip with words and action. But he just stood there staring at the ground she's in, not responding to any even to her family as if his entire system finally gave out.

Many sigh in defeat leaving him few words, not knowing if he heard or even understand it, before leaving. Others just stare at him, sending pitiful glances and shaking their head before leaving.

All left, except him. Clenching his hand, he swore something in his heart, something that he swore days before but now in greater determination. Day by day, new information about her dead becoming clear that give him more strength and courage to do what he must do.

The once color he wants to hold now flip into the opposite. The color of blood they spill on her, the same color he'll now worship.

Strong wind blows, forcing to lift the dried leaves and grasses to sway. The storm is getting stronger. A red storm will make its move soon.