Dormisteryo

17

The rain was really haunting if you're far alone by yourself.

Just like the Arcana's middle-aged nurse who is silently navigating through her stack of paperworks inside the school clinic. Her name as it was written on her badge is Rebecca, but few students who frequently go to the clinic calls her Miss Becca.

Rebecca was humming her favorite children song, Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars, as it reminds her of how her mother sang her a lullaby. She was wondering, kailan kaya siya magkakaroon ng sariling anak? When will be the man of his dreams come into play, to serenade her and make her smile wider whenever she sees the one she loves?

Time will tell but Rebecca was getting restless.

Ilang beses na siyang napaikot-ikot ng mga lalaking na-meet niya sa nakaraan. Until one day, someone comes into her life, hindi sa manliligaw, kung di isang katrabaho. She was lovestruck the first time she laid an eyes on him. He was the epitome of the word 'finally'.

And so she wondered. "Nasaan na kaya yung lalaking 'yon?"

She found the file she was looking for and went back to her seat. Alam niyang malakas ang buhos ng ulan sa labas at minabuti niyang sulitin ang araw na wala masyadong estudyanteng pumupunta sa clinic. At last, a time for peace and tranquility.

As she was looking at the file in front of her, her mind wondered again about her colleague. Ilang araw na kasi itong hindi pumapasok at nabalitaan niyang no-call-no-show ito mula noong magsimula ang second semester.

Inilabas niya ang kaniyang cellphone at nagpunta sa kaniyang social media. She searched for her colleague's profile online and found nothing but a locked profile. Hindi pa nito ina-accept ang friend request na matagal niya nang sinend.

Napasimangot si Rebecca. She normally don't think about this before, pero iba ang tama ng lalaking ito sa kaniya. She wants to see him, and she's craving to start small talks with that guy again.

And speaking of small talk, someone knocks at the door, which immediately grabs her attention. "Sino naman kaya ito," bulong niya sa sarili.

She closed the folder sitting on top of her table as she stood up and went to the door to open it. "Wait lang ho," aniya.

As she opened the door, she saw someone she's been anticipating to see again.

"O Brian ba't ngayon ka lang—"

The guy he was looking forward to make small talks, the colleague she started to love seeing with, has come inside the clinic to hug her and silently injected a syringe into her neck.

Rebecca felt the liquid coming inside of her body as it mixed itself with her blood. Slowly she became dizzy and the whole world faded into black.

Isinara ni Brian ang pintuan ng clinic at ni-lock ito. He even managed to put a 'do not disturb' sign at the door before carrying Rebecca on his right shoulder.

Dinala ni Brian si Rebecca sa loob ng clinic at inihiga ito sa isang malambot na kama. Brian stared on her face for a moment but his eyes was far empty of emotion, he was not able to recognize the woman in front of her.

A smile slowly waved on his face as he pulled something out of his pocket, there's a pillbox he was holding and pulled out one white colored tablet out of it.

"Patient zero," bulong nito.

Isinubo niya ang gamot sa bibig ni Rebecca at tinulungan niya itong malunok ang tableta. When he finally saw the medicine going down her neck, his smile became a mischievous grin and started laughing like a madman.

His laugh was camouflaged by the sound of the rain as he was able to begin the start of their phase two.

It has begun.