Embrace the Suck (Bad, #1)

Epilogue

"Bro, you're drunk. 'Wag na muna kayo umuwi," I heard someone say. Pinilit kong buksan ang mga mata ko. My vision was fucking fuzzy. I was sitting at the curb. I can tell because I could feel the asphalt hot and hard against my ass.

Tumingala ako at nakita sina Kuya Shiloh at Evan. Nakatayo silang pareho sa harapan ko.

"Gago hindi ako lasing," halakhak ni Kuya Shiloh. My face scrunched up because I could barely comprehend what they're saying. They sound weird. My brother grabbed my arm and forcibly pulled me up. "Stand up, Saint. Uuwi na tayo."

Ngumiwi ako pero kusa rin na sumunod ang katawan sa paghila niya sa akin. Nang makatayo ay umikot ang utak ko. The gravity was absent at my current state. Gumewang ang katawan ko pero may brasong umalalay sa akin. Sinundan 'yon ng mura.

"Lasing ka, Kuya," I slurred. I sounded like I was eating my own words.

"Hindi ako lasing. Ikaw ang lasing," sagot niya.

Napangiti ako at matapos ay humalakhak. "Fuck you. I'm not drunk."

"Minumura mo ako?" may banta sa tono ni Kuya.

Humagalakpak ako sa tawa. Pikit na ang mga mata ko at wala akong lakas na idilat 'yon. "Hindi, Kuya. Minamahal kita."

"Asshole. You're drunk," my brother cursed.

"I love you, bro." I blindly reached for him and puckered my lips to give him a kiss. Naramdaman ko ang paghawi ng isang kamay sa mukha ko. The soft push was enough to make me stumble but I was caught again by an arm.

"Alis na kami," paalam ni Kuya.

"Sige, Kuya. Ingat kayo," sagot ko sa kanya.

May narinig akong tumawa. Si Evan ata. "Tangina ang sarap i-video."

"Ingat!" sigaw ko. My head was falling but a hand pushed it to keep it straight.

"Let's go, Saint," aya ni Kuya at nag-umpisang maglakad, tangay-tangay niya ako. Mabibigat ang bawat hakbang ko. If I didn't have any support, I would fall flat to my face.

"Ako na maghatid sa inyo, Shi," pilit ni Evan.

"I'm good, bro. I'm not drunk. Swear."

The reality was slipping from me. Kung hindi nagagalaw ay baka nakatulog na ako. I heard a car door being opened. Someone said something but I couldn't decipher it anymore. Naramdaman ko na lang ang sarili ko na parang lumulutang. I think my brother made me sit on the car.

My face feels fucking numb. I couldn't open my eyes anymore but I can hear the clicking of the seat belt. The car door closed and silence wrapped me like a blanket. Hindi na ako gumagalaw kaya mas napadali ang paghila sa akin ng antok.

I was pulled out of sleep when Kuya Shiloh shouted a curse. Titingin sana ako sa kanya pero naagaw ng atensyon ko ang maliwanag na ilaw sa harapan. The sky roared.

Everything happened too fast. I heard the loud crash followed by the feeling of being slammed across the wall. My head mightily slammed at the headrest and then everything was black.

A loud siren brought me to my consciousness. I could only catch bits of events. My vision keeps on fading into black. Pinipilit ko lang na gumising. Sunod kong naramdaman ang panlalamig. Raindrops were grazing my skin.

Then I realized that I was lying straight and my body was floating. Pinilit kong buksan ang mga mata. I saw the dull night sky and a blurry vision of a man standing over my head.

What happened? What is happening? Where's Kuya Shiloh?

I slowly turned my head. The small movement was painful that I'm positive my head cracked. Natigil ang pag-inda ng sakit nang makita ang isang pigura mula sa malapit. Horror struck me when I saw a young girl covered in blood. She was being carried in a stretcher. Is she... dead?