This Town

I stared at the ceiling as several different thoughts crossed my mind.

Why did it have to happen?

Why her?

It should have been me.

I closed my eyes for the nth time, only to get transported back to the time of the incident. The time that everything was changed. The time I had to change.

—

February 10th 2016

"Leo, come back here!" It was as though she was meant to be scolding me, and yet her voice seemed to become music to my ears.

I carried on with my adventure, to climb the biggest oak tree in the centre of town. It was a good 12-metre high tree with large branches and sturdy trunk. The tree has been in this town way longer than I have been.

Would the tree want to leave this town, as much as I do? –I wondered.

"Leo, I swear to God, if you fall down from that tree and break some bones! I will tear off some of your limbs just for you to get the perfect look!" She yelled from the base of the tree. I pretended not to hear her still and went on my way.

"Le-" she started but ended midway as I hear her phone starts to ring, the good old Calimba remix. Soon enough I was able to see our spot; among the branches where the leaves are so thick, there was a spot  there where the leaves and branches are clear and there you could view the epitome of perfect town, or at least from afar. I could see the cheapskate Mrs Echalas down by the bakery, I sniffed and could smell the fresh aroma of baked bread all the way from my spot. Over to the right a little was the grumpy old Mr Labanda sweeping the pavement on the front of the town's little library where kids like us only go to for hookups. My mind starts to wander what it was like beyond this town. What it would be like beyond the tree-line just over where the sun rises.

Could there really be more to this provincial life? Would it be like the movies? I wonder if my dad would be there waiting for me like how he told mum in his letters. Those letters. Letters that were handwritten by my father—

"Leo." It was Maria again. I looked down at her. And I could see the glistening of tears lining her cheeks. She didn't say anything else— she didn't need to. By the tone of her voice as she said my name, I could tell that something was wrong.

I didn't know how I did it. But the next thing I remember was her running into my arms as soon as I got down from the oak tree. How I was able to get down without scraping my knee was beyond me.

I engulfed her in a hug as she cried onto my shoulder, while slowly caressing her hair. I didn't know how long we stood there. Maria eventually calmed down and slowly pulled away from the hug and slowly looked me in the eye.

"It's your mum, Leo." Worry etched into her tear-stained face. I knew mum hasn't been to good these past few days, yet she always tell me not to worry because she gets regular check-ups with Dr De Ocampo, her general practitioner.

I was unable to think straight after that. My mind starts to panic as I thought of all the possible diseases mum could have caught or developed. I never knew my grandparents, so I don't know what kind of hereditary diseases they may have passed on to mum— to us.

The next thing I knew was standing in front of the emergency ward in the hospital, with Maria by my side caressing my arm letting her presence known. I gripped her hand. She looked into my eyes, I was sure emotion dripped from my dark orbs as I looked into her emerald green ones. Looking into her eyes made me feel safe; she made me feel secure. I knew that she wouldn't leave me for the world. She is my home, my safe haven.