Kiss and Kill [SEASON 1 & 2]

Chapter 2

(c) Shupershimmer

"Jesus, Red, this is such a beautiful place!" sigaw ni Diana.

"I told you, sobrang peaceful talaga."

"Can you take a picture of me, please?" Diana fishes her phone at her mini-skirt's backpocket and gives it to her cousin, Red. "Here, make sure visible ang sky and the sea."

Red sighs frustratedly. "Kung alam ko lang na photographer ang role ko edi sana yung boyfriend mo na lang sinama mo rito sa boat."

"Just take a picture, okay?"

Habang suot ni Dianna ang white sarong na nakapatong sa suot nyang red two piece at skirt, ngumiti ito sa harap ng camera at nagpamewang. Sa lakas ng hangin sa gitna ng dagat, tinatangay nito ang kanyang buhok. Matapos ang ilang kuha, natigilan siya nang mapansin niyang hindi na sa cellphone nakatingin si Red.

"Hey, Red, hello?"

Hindi siya pinansin ni Red. Sa halip, binaba nito ang cellphone habang may tinatanaw sa likod ni Dianna.

"Fudge, is that a human?" bulong ni Red habang papalapit sa gilid ng bangka. "Oh my God, Dianna."

Lumingon naman si Dianna para tignan ang tinutukoy ng pinsan. Telang puti lang ang natatanaw niya.

"Stop scaring me," sagot niya. "Tela lang 'yan 'no. Maybe some tourist threw it or di sinasadyang—oh my..."

Both of them gasp and cover their mouth when they see the hands of a man floating.

Hurriedly, Red calls the man inside who monitors their boat ride. She tells him about the man, floating in the middle of the sea.

It is her first to actually see a dead man—maybe—and it's more terrifying than she thought. The old man quickly gets to the railing and checks if Red's suspicion is right. Without a word, the man gets back inside and the boat rides toward the floating body.

He is wearing white shirt and pants, his back facing them.

"Do you think he's dead?" Dianna asks, worried. "Tatawag ba akong medic?"

"Stupid, walang signal dito," sagot ni Red habang nakatingin pa rin siya sa katawang nakalutang sa tubig. 

Lumapit ang bangkero at dahan-dahang kinuha ang braso ng lalaki. The cousins even curse under their breath nang makita nilang kulay pula na ang manggas nito. Kinilabutan silang pareho at dama ni Red ang pagtindig ng kanyang balahibo.

"Oh my gosh, he's shot!" bulalas ni Red. "Manong, pakikuha naman siya!"

Dahil may katandaan na rin ang kasama nilang bangkero, tinulungan na ni Red ito upang mahila paitaas ng bangka ang lalaki. Inutusan niya naman ang pinsan na magpunta sa kabilang bahagi ng bangka bilang balanse. Nahirapan silang iakyat ang lalaki paloob at kamuntik na ngang mabitawan ni Red ang kabilang braso. Maya-maya pa ay nakahandusay na ito sa loob ng bangka, nakadapa, at walang malay.

"Patulong naman pong iharap siya," pakiusap ni Red sa matanda.

Hinawakan nito ang dalawang balikat ng lalaki at dahan-dahan itong itinihaya. Pinagmasdan sandali ni Red ang mukha nito at nabaling sa sugat na nasa kaliwang balikat. Linapit niya ang mukha niya sa dibdib ng lalaki upang malaman kung nawalan lang ba ito ng malay.

"Is he alive?" mahinang tanong ni Dianna.

"Hindi na yata, ma'am," tugon ng matanda.

Nilapat ni Red ang dalawang daliri niya sa ilalim ng panga ng lalaki at nakahinga siya nang maluwag nang maramdamang may pulso pa kahit paano.

"Thank God, he's breathing. Just... a little... rough," tells Red to them with a hint of hope. "Manong, balik na po tayo." Dali-dali rin namang sumunod ang bangkero habang namumutla si Dianna sa bigla at nerbyos.

Red positions herself beside the man's body and puts her two hands on his chest, straightening her elbows. She knows how to do this, though. At least. She pushes it twice, no response. Two more, still no response.

"I think you have to kiss him, Red," Dianna suggests, "Lifeguards do that stuff."

Red tries not to roll her eyes. "It's CPR, Dianna. Not kiss, for God's sake."

Dianna just shrugs her shoulder and let Red do her work. She slightly tilts the man's head and pinches his nose. She tries not to notice the man's pale, thin lips and his long eyelashes. She almost cursed herself for even thinking, considering this man is fighting death.

Through the opening of his mouth, she blows some oxygen and pushes her hands on his chest once again.

"How can you stay beside a half-dead man, Red?" Dianna asks with a little panic in her voice.

"He's half-alive, Dianna," Red emphasizes. "Isa pa, I went to a medical school."

"But you did not finish," her cousin quickly replies.

"Do we really have to discuss that, in the middle of the sea, in front of this man?" Red scorns just as the man spits water.

"Shucks," bulong ni Dianna.

Although nalabas tubig ang bibig ng lalaki, nanatili itong nakahiga at nakapikit. Tanging inda lamang sa sakit ang narinig ni Red mula sa boses ng lalake at hindi na ito umimik ulit.

Habang umaandar ang kanilang bangka pabalik sa pinanggalingan, pinunit ni Red ang dulo ng pink scarf na nakasabit sa mga balikat niya. Pinisil niya ang sugat ng lalaki hanggang sa nagdugo ito at agad na kinuha ang mineral water na nilapag niya kanina sa tabi. Habang hinuhugasan niya ito, narinig niya si Dianna.

"Sa tingin mo ba nasa loob ang bala?"

"I'm not sure... but hopefully not," answers Red.

She sets the empty bottle aside and gets the piece of cloth from her scarf. She then rips his bloody sleeves, carefully lifts the man's arm and wraps the cloth on his wound.

After twenty minutes, they are finally back to shore.