Through Time And Trials [Heneral Luna + Goyo]

III

warning: some cursing

• • •

"Sinabi ko na na hindi ko kailangan ng tulong binibini," hindi ako tinignan ni Goyong. Gosh, I make it sound like we're close.

I scoffed at his words. "Sige, hayaan nalang nating ma-impeksiyon ang sugat mo. I think not. Huwag ka na magmatigas para maasikaso ko na rin ang iba mong kasama."

Nanahimik nalang yung tao. Lumapit naman ako at binuksan ang dala kong kit. Hinawi ko ang buhok niya papalayo sa sugat na mukhang ikinagulat niya.

I used some alcohol on my hands then as revenge I put some on his wound as well which caused him to wince in pain.

"Mukhang di naman kailangan tahiin, lilinisan ko lang at lalagyan ng cream then I'll gauze it up," I said and did exactly that.

While I was working on cleaning the wound and the dried blood with a damp cloth, I noticed his downturned eyes.

I sighed. "Alam kong wala akong karapatan makialam pero, kung kailangan mong umiyak, mas maiging gawin mo na ngayon kung saan isang 'di mo kilalang madaldal na babae ang makakakita imbes sa mga kasamahan mo. Huwag kang mag-alala at wala akong sasabihin. Mas maiigi na ilabas mo ang emosyon mo kung hindi ay baka sumabog nalang ito at makasakit ka pa sa mga malapit na tao sa 'yo."

Nanahimik nalang si Goyong. After a few moments, I heard a sniffle. I didn't say anything and thoroughly cleaned the wound, disinfected it, then applied some anti-bacterial cream. I also covered the wound with some gauze and tape, unintentionally throughout the whole thing I was humming some nonsensical tune, which seemed to have calmed him down.

"Tapos na ako. Iiwanan na kita rito at tutulungan ko pa si nay Rosaria sa ibang mga pasyente. Bumalik ka na lang maya-maya roon kapag handa ka na."

I stood up and returned to the hut.

• • •

Once I got back, I helped nay Rosaria with cleaning up and dressing the other men's wounds.

Which then came the next problem. Sleeping space. We have two beds inside the hut which was for the two of us, and by that I meant nay Rosaria and me. Our patients tend to be people who called us to their homes for treatment so we didn't really have spare beds. Though we did have another hut that we used as storage for random stuff that was previously used as a room for patients.

Kaya ito ako ngayon, nag-aayos ng mahihigaan ng walong tao. Ang tagal pa man din na 'di nalilinis itong kubo kaya puno na ng alikabok at dumi.

Finally after many more minutes of cleaning I got everything ready. May banig sa sahig ng kubo, pati na rin mga unan at mga kumot. Bahala na sila diyan, 'di naman hotel to eh.

Pagkalabas ko ay nakita kong nagluluto si nay Rosaria. Oh yeah, they probably haven't eaten yet. Almost forgot that.

Lumapit ako sa matanda at nagtanong kung may kailangan ba siya.

"Ipakuha mo yung isa pang lamesa sa tabi ng kubo para magamit ng mga ginoo na ito para makakain narin sila."

I nodded and approached one of the men amd relayed nay Rosaria's words to which he nodded and set off to the side of the hut where the table we used earlier as a table for the instruments was leaning against.

Bumalik naman ako sa loob ng kubo kung nasaan ang pasyente. Inilipat na siya ng mga kasama niya sa kama at mukhang naitabi na rin ang mga ginamit na lamesa kanina sa operasyon. Iniligpit ko na sa likod ng partisiyon ang first aid kit at ang dissection kit.

Nilapitan ko ang pasyente at hinawakan ang noo niya. So far so good. Wala parin namang lagnat.

I turned to the other men in the hut, "Naghahain na yata si nay Rosaria, kumain na muna kayo at ako na ang magbabantay sa kasama niyo." I smiled at them.