The Girl who Lived

1. The First Trace

"Please, wake up, Amity."

It was not the voice but the touch that came before it which brought me back to my senses. The contact burned my wrist until it raged and explored my body like wildfire. It felt real and painful so I started to resist. But no matter how hard I tried to move my body, I only managed to twitch my fingers in the end.

Nakaramdam naman ako pagkatapos ng paggalaw sa aking gilid. Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang mawala na ang pagkakahawak sa aking pulsuhan. The fire within me was also instantly extinguished and my body felt deathly cold again.

Narinig ko ang malakas na pagkalampag ng pintuan bago may sumigaw. "Doc! The patient is finally conscious!"

I forced to open my eyes but I was too tired to even try. Bahagya ko pa lang na nabubuksan ang aking mga mata pero unti-unti na namang bumibigat ang mga talukap nito.

I can hear the humming of a machine near me that somehow matched the rhythmic pulse of my heart. I didn't know if I was already dreaming but I can smell the sweet scent of fresh flowers that further lulled me to sleep.

I crumpled the soft sheets under my fingers when footsteps echoed all around me. They were talking but I couldn't understand what they were saying. Dinalaw na ulit ako ng antok kaya hinayaan ko na lang ang sarili kong matulog.

____

"Your father will be glad to know that you're finally awake!" rinig kong natutuwang bati ng doctor na nakatayo sa gilid ng kama kung saan ako nakahiga ngayon. He introduced himself earlier but I didn't bother listening to him.

I was currently looking at the open window where I can see the sun hiding behind the feathery clouds. Aside from my emotions, my mind was also blank. Just like the monotonous white walls of the four-cornered hospital room that I was currently occupying, it was empty. Hindi naman sumasakit ang ulo ko pero wala akong naaalala.

I don't even remember why I am here in the first place.

"Kumusta ang pakiramdam mo?" rinig kong tanong ng kasama ng doctor. She looked like a nurse based on her attire and her precise movements when she treated me earlier.

Hindi pa rin ako lumingon sa kanila nang sagutin ko ang tanong ng huli. "I feel nothing."

In my peripheral view, I saw both of them exchanged glances. At sa tingin ko ay may halong pagtataka iyon. Narinig kong may suminghap sa kanila bago may nagsalita ulit. "What do you mean, Miss?"

Huminga ako ng malalim pero hindi ako tumugon sa itinanong ng nars. Nag-usap naman ulit ang dalawa pero hindi ako nakinig sa mga sinasabi nila. They were talking about medical terminologies and some diagnosis that I couldn't comprehend. My head would crack if I try to understand the language that they could only interpret.

"Kilala mo ba kung sino ka?"

Silence was my only response. There was a thick haze surrounding my mind that's why I couldn't remember anything. I should be frightened now but instead, I remained silent and unaffected. Parang namanhid ang puso ko.

"Do you have any memories of the past?" Umiling ako bago pumikit para maitago ang aking pag-irap. I'm slightly irritated by the questions they were throwing at me. Parang gusto ko na lang ulit matulog. The comforting coldness brought by the air conditioner was really tempting my consciousness to float away.

"The CT scan showed that she had already recovered from her head injury, Doc," rinig kong wika ng babaeng nars. They were not talking to me but I can't help not to eavesdrop. The doctor was about to respond but he was interrupted.

Bigla kasing bumukas ang pintuan ng silid. Pansamantala kong narinig ang ingay na nanggagaling sa pasilyong nasa labas. I caught some flashes of camera before the door was closed by a guy. Ang babaeng may mahabang kulot na buhok ay dire-diretso lang na lumapit sa aking kama. Humingi siya ng tawad nang aksidente niyang nabangga ang nars pero pagkatapos no'n ay ibinaling na niya ulit sa akin ang kanyang paningin.