Every Line Crossed

ELC1

ELC1

Stay close, Kill.

That's my brother's last order to me before I went out of the car and run in the woods. It was like a broken song player that keeps on running in my mind as I continuously ran away.

It was so hard because I don't know where I am supposed to go when the only thing that I can faintly see are trees, grass, darkness, and the moon. I felt like going to the same yet different direction over and over.

Noong hindi ko na kinaya ang pagod ko ay nagpasya na lang akong umupo sa ilalim ng malaking puno. I hugged my knees while I look around. I cannot help but feel scared of almost everything.

It's already night. I should already be taking my night bath peaceful in my room and read a good book before sleep. But here I am now, inside an unknown forest with only darkness and cold winds. I have to endure the chills that I'm feeling now instead of having a warm night in my bed! And... and...

What if there are wild animals around? Ahas? Or what if I fall into something like what typically happens in movies?

I hugged my knees tighter and rest my head in the top of it.

My brothers will find me... Kuya Rion promised me. Mama and Papa won't sit down quietly if I got lost.

Right? You have to trust them, Ki－

"Aish, what a goddamn bloodsuckers!" I shouted while trying to move my body because of the mosquitos trying to bite my precious skin for blood, ruining my emotional moment!

Damn it! It's so itchy!

Kuya Rion! I swear!

I wasn't able to take a rest after my long run or even a short sleep, at least. I spent the whole night with my bloody war against insects around me! That's why when the dawn breaks and there is still no sign of help coming near me, I decided to just look for them myself.

I gather my courage up and I tried my best to trace back the way that I took before. Hindi pa naman ako tumatanda, kaya I'm confident in my recollection of memories.

I excitedly ran when I saw an opening! Finally! Sawang-sawa na akong makakita ng puro puno!

But I grimaced when I felt the pain of my feet. My lips parted when it didn't stop. Mabilis kong tinanggal ang heels ko para matignan ang paa ko.

I bit my lips to stop myself from crying ridiculously because I saw dirty fluid on the upper part of my heel. Ganon din sa isa kong paa. I think the blisters that I got from too much friction caused by my running and nonstop walk just got popped!

Ang hapdi!

Tumingin ako sa maliwanag na bukasan ng gubat at pabalik sa paa ko.

Okay, Kill. You got this. Konti na lang!

I practiced my breathing exercise before I put my high heels back on my feet because duh! I'm not gonna walk barefooted in this forest! Ni hindi nga ito sementado! My feet will just hurt more because of the dried leaves!

I stepped in the counter part of my high heels so it wouldn't touch my wound. I slowly walked towards the path that I am seeing because of my painful feet.

C'mon, someone has to be here!

"Yes!" I delightedly blurted out when I finally stood on a cemented ground!

Ngunit agad ding nawala ang aking saya noong mai-ikot ko ang tingin ko at wala akong pamilyar na nakita mula sa natatandaan kong lugar kung nasaan kami kagabi.

There's no car... and definitely no sign of a broken bridge. What... no way... did my memory just failed me?

No way!