Two

I groaned when the sunlight hit my face, blinding my eyes for a moment. While struggling to get out of the bed, I remind myself to close the blinds of the window tonight before I go to sleep. Gusto ko kasing sariwang hangin ang pumapasok sa kwarto but suffered with the harsh rays of sunlight in the morning.

I pulled down the blinds and my room finally dimmed. I heaved a sigh and headed straight to the mini fridge pushed against the corner of the wall. When I first arrived here, I was forced to stay in lodge with dysfunctional aircon, so I'm always sweating like a pig during the afternoon.

Good thing Grand Ida transferred me to this room in exchange for my services in the cafe. This is one of the rooms specifically built for tourists but I stayed here permanently and Nilo, her nephew never failed to remind it to me everyday at work especially when he's pissed.

I grab a box of milk sitting in the shelves and checked the expiration date. It's almost freezing. 3 weeks nalang mage-expire na. I opened it and took three long gulps before I place it back into the fridge.

Even though I still wanted to go back to bed, I willed myself to take a bath and change into my uniform. The cafe is going to open in an hour and we need every help we can in preparing. Lumabas ako sa kwarto only to be greeted by the loud waves crashing along the shore. Waves are much stronger in ber months and nights seemed to be colder. I glanced at the last islet of the Philppines, just beautiful as it is. I am lucky enough to have a glimpse of it everyday when I wake up.

"You're late." Nilo grumbled, walking past me. "Get to work."

"Okay!" I chirped, smiling widely at him as I strode inside the closed cafe. I was downright happy when I spotted Grand Ida, setting the nativity set on the counter. She smiled at me.

"Why, hello. Good morning, Katherine."

"Good morning, Grand Ida." I beamed.

She paused as if to think for a while then she nodded at me in recognition. "I think you need to sit down with me. I need to talk to you."

Nilo must've heard it because he frowned in disapproval. I tilted my head. "What about?"

She went to her favorite booth located at the front porch of the cafe. She sat slowly with my assistance as her gaze traveled to the beach a couple of feet from our direction.

"I need you to go to Davao." She said.

"Oh?" I pulled a chair and sat on it.

"We're running out of supplies. The prices in Tibanban public market are getting higher because of Typhoon Vinta."

"So you like, want me to do the errands?" I clarified.

She nodded her head. "Yes, Katherine. And while you're at it, enjoy yourself."

I scowled at the old woman. Everyone seems to think that I'm having a hard time here in cape where in fact the days I've spent here are one of the best and peaceful days of my life. They all want me to send in Davao and leave this paradise. Take Mr. Sullivan as an example. He must've went home early this morning because I can't hear his annoying voice around nor I can find Ms. Elsa either.

"Catch the second trip of the bus today. We need a new microwave oven as well. I suppose you can handle it?"

"Sure." I nodded, noting to passed by NCCC Mall in Maa the moment I stepped in the city.

"Now, have your breakfast first before you go." Grand Ida pulled herself up, declining my offer of assistance in the process by waving her wrinkled hands. "I'll give you the budget and the list later on."

"Okay." We went back inside the cafe. Hinubad ko ang black apron na nakatali sa beywang ko at inilagay sa locker room tabi ng kusina. Then I went back into my room and changed my clothes. While I'm shuffling through things that I'm going to bring with me, an old picture slipped out of a journal.

I eyed it warily and picked it up. Muntik ko nang mabitawan ang picture. The picture is a constant reminder of my previous and painful life that I have escaped. After a few stunned moments I slip it back inside the journal and hid it under my bed. I heaved a sigh.

I grabbed a peanut butter sandwich, drank the rest of the milk, and brushed my teeth before I glanced at the clock. The bus is about to go in half an hour. Dali-dali akong lumabas ng kwarto at tumakbo pabalik sa cafe. Grand Ida is sitting behind the counter. She handed me a white envelope that contains the money and a long list of things I need to buy.

"Enjoy yourself, Kath. You can come back here tomorrow."

"I can go back tonight if I catch the bus." I insisted. "And Grand Ida, I'm doing errands not going for a vacation."

She waved her hands dismissively. I decided not to argue with her anymore. Nagpaalam na ako sa kanila. Jason volunteered to drive me to Brgy. Pundaguitan where the bus last stops.

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The 9 hours travel time to Davao was spent sleeping and bumping my head on the headrest of the bus every now and then. Sometimes I pulled up the window to let the fresh air come through and stared at the wide ocean blurring on the right side because of the speed of the bus.

When I finally arrived, I'm completely famished. Bumaba ako sa Ecoland bus station and headed straight to Mang Inasal for a quick lunch. Doing quick calculations inside of my head, I figured I can buy all these things and catch the last trip of bus bound to Brgy. Pundaguitan in Davao Oriental.

I headed straight to NCCC Mall in Maa. At December 23, Davao City is buzzing with lights and the spirit of Christmas. Large lanterns in color red and green hung in every post dotted neatly across the road. People are smiling and carrying Christmas gifts. Every now and then I would hear a Christmas carol from the speakers inside the jeep and even inside the mall.

Dumiretso kaagad ako sa third floor kung nasaan ang home appliances store. Grand Ida would surely appreciate if I could buy a discounted oven for her cafe. I ignored the glances I keep on getting from people passing by. It must've been because of my green-dyed hair that are tied in a messy bun and the my skin which is 30% black ink. When I first arrived her at Davao City, I found myself sitting inside a beauty parlor. I don't know what struck me that time but the gay beautician managed to convince me of dying my haid emerald green. I immediately loved the result, no matter how peculiar it is. I maintained the color this way ever since.

I sort through different ovens that Grand Ida might like when something suddenly exploded just a few feet from my direction. I immediately tensed. Then someone screamed. Black smoke escape from the air filter of the air con and people started panicking.

"What the fuck?" I muttered as I looked around, trying to figure out what's wrong. Within seconds people flooded out of the third floor, most of them screaming and are about to cry.

Nakitakbo din ako sa kanila palabas and watched in horror when I saw the black smoke thickening around the area.

"Sunog! Sunog!"

My heart hammered inside of my chest. Someone pushed me back inside the home appliances department as the smoke invaded the whole area. Napamura ako nang paulit-ulit because I can't seem to think straight. All I know is that I wanted to get out of this as soon as possible or I'll be fried alive.

The sofas started burning along with other home furniture. Nagsimula na akong makaramdam ng matinding takot. I could ever hear a cry of an old woman from the corner of the room but I can't see her.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself but it didn't worked. Nagsisimula nang uminit ang paligid. People are pushing against each other to run downstairs and escape the fire. I was about to do the same thing when someone shoved hard me to the side once more. My back landed against a wooden cabinet in a painful thud and before I knew it, the drawers in front of me collapsed and crashed my left leg.

I cursed and screamed. I tried getting rid of the drawer but it's too heavy. Tears started brimming my eyes when I found myself in a hopeless situation. Fear and panic clouded my mind. Hindi na ako makapag-isip nang maayos.

I thought I'm going to die at this moment.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms lifted the drawer and before I could look at the savior, he grabbed my hand to pull me up. I was forced to limp my way out of the home appliances department with my left leg throbbing in pain. I couldn't see his face because of the smoke, I could only make out his black Adidas jacket. Hinigpitan niya ang hawak sa akin habang tumatakbo kaming dalawa. People are screaming everywhere, all of them desperate to get out of the fire that started ravaging the mall.

We used the stairs going to the second floor seeing that the escalator is packed with people, marami pa sa kanila ang naiipit at nagtutulakan. I winced and bit my lips so hard when waves of pain hit my leg.

I wanted to complain and stop him from dragging me out of the mall but I kept my mouth shut instead. We are in a life-and-death situation and my hurt leg would kill both of us if I don't hurry.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone familiar running through the crowd. His face is pale and sweaty, may karga-karga siyang bata sa likuran niya. The little girl is crying for her mother. His expression is in pain and panic as well. I pulled back from the stranger with all my remaining force.

"Harry! Harry—" My heart exploded inside of my chest. Sa takot. Sa kaba. Sa pananabik. It all hit me once during that dreadful situation.

"Ano ba?!" Galit na asik sa akin ng lalaki. "Takbo!" He dragged me again, unwilling to leave me all alone inside the mall that caught fire with a dysfunctional left leg. Tears started streaming down my face and my heart clenched painfully inside of my chest when he disappeared in the smoke. I don't know if he heard me calling for his name. The guy continued to run as fast as he could, his hands gripping mine like a steel.

Hope flared inside of my chest when we finally reached the ground floor. We ran outside using the entrance door until we reached the highway and collapsed into the hot ground, panting.

"Harry..." My lips trembled so bad. I tried to get up but winced because of my leg. "Harry!" Tumakbo ako papasok sa nasusunog na mall but the guy pulled me back and shoved me into the ground angrily.

"What the heck are you thinking?!" Galit nitong asik sa akin.

I sobbed loudly because of the pain on my left leg and most importantly, because I saw the man I have been avoiding for the past two years. But it could've been a figment of my imagination. Paano siya makakarating dito sa Davao?

Naiinis akong tiningnan ng lalaki. After a while, we heard the sirens of the BFP coming to rescue. More and more people came out from the mall but none of them is Harry nor the little girl he was carrying on his back. Napahagulhol ako.

"Harry.."

An officer approached us and take one look at my leg then winced.

"She's hurt." Anas ng lalaki. His voice suddenly became gentle and warm. He's slowly recovering from the shock of the fire.

"Come with us." The officer said calmly. The fire reflected on his eyes as he gaze sadly at the mall a few feet from us.

Walang sabi-sabi akong kinarga ng lalaki. I sobbed again.

"Someone... someone help him please..." I cried silently, refusing to imagine the scenes inside the mall. I could still hear screams and cries of pain from people who haven't escaped yet.

Another officer from the BFP approached the tall man who's escorting us towards the patrol car. "Sir, confirmed po. May na-trapped sa CR."

The guy cursed under his breath and left us with another officer as he ran back towards the mall. Mas lalo akong napaiyak.

Please don't let it be him. Please don't let it be Harry.

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NCCC mall fire incident is real read here: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/feature/2018/01/09/timeline-nccc-mall-davao-fire-582884