"Guys, overtime daw tayo sabi ni boss. Bibisita daw yung pamilya niya. Mari, pakilinis naman ng table 3, thanks."
"Son of bitch," I cursed under my breath. Magpapa-overtime na nga, wala pang bayad.
As soon as I clocked out, I immediately went out of the restaurant. A sudden strong breeze of December winds made me shiver. May mga bata na nangangaroling sa mga kalapit na shops and the carols that they sang complimented the warm atmosphere of the street.
"One order of Hawaiian pizza, please."
It's 7 pm on the clock and here's another song for people in their 20s to stay motivated. Again, this is ---"
What a bunch of bullshit. How can anyone stay motivated with a song when your life's completely messed up. And having the famous Hawaiian pizza is not so bad for my last meal. Although I am incredibly allergic to pineapples, it doesn't matter because as I said, I will walk to my death later.
"Here's your order. Happy to serve you from Heinsou Pizza House."
The bells of the shop clink and the tall man who looks like a celebrity walks in. "Hey boss, welcome. Same order ba?" the employee asked. The guy nodded and looked at me. Well, maybe not me because I don't know where he is looking as he wears sunglasses even inside the shop. I decided to busy myself with what I ordered.
Mukhang masarap sa unang tingin at amoy, but as I take my first bite of pizza with pineapple, it does not make me wonder why many people do not like Hawaiian pizzas. Putting it down with just a bite, I sip off the shop's famous Heaven Drink.
"Merry Christmas Eve, please come again."
"Ah, tangina and lamig," I silently muttered as I put my hands in my pocket.
The child who heard me cussed scolded me. "You're going to hell. My mommy said that when you say bad words paparusahan ka ni Papa Lord."
Well, maybe the kid was right. Maybe I am going to hell because of the evil and selfish things that I had done and maybe because of the deed that I am going to do later. It does not matter. Life here on Earth was like hell so maybe in the afterlife, I would not need to adjust that much.
It seemed that I would meet Satan in a few minutes as my vision became blurry. Salamat talaga sa pineapples, mas mapapaaga pa yata ang meet and greet ko kay kamatayan. I reach the Heinsou Bridge and take I deep breath. Coincidentally, a poster of Heinsou Pizza House blocked my face. I laughed as I saw a man wearing a prince outfit marrying a giant pizza slice in the poster. Tangina, maybe I'll take this one as a souvenir. I folded the poster and put it in my pocket.
I stopped in the middle of the bridge, taking a deep breath before I jumped to my death. Just before I stepped on the railings, I felt a hot sensation on my stomach. To confirm what the hell just happened, I put my hands on my stomach and saw a gallon of blood gushing from the stab wound.
Was getting a peaceful death really that difficult? I laughed maniacally, as I was pushed into the river by the unknown stabber who decided that what I deserved was a double death.
Walang kahit anong bagay ang nasa isip ko. Walang flashbacks ng mga pangyayari sa buhay ko, walang pagsisisi. I solemnly admired the warm city lights, the distant noise from the bustling business street, and the stars that boldly watched from the sky.
All of the things that I heard and saw became very distant as my back hit the water and my body started to sink into the dark and freezing waters. Before I lost consciousness, I suddenly had the thought of something. Will my life be so different if life was not this harsh to me?
Feeling as if I woke up from a very long slumber, I mentally prepared myself to meet the famous man covered in black who has a scythe and greet me with a banner and confetti and say, "Yo girl, congrats for getting stabbed. You can now escape the shitty life you had on Earth!"
I waited for a few seconds before opening my eyes. Not believing what I saw, I closed them. No matter how many times I open and close them, I still cannot believe what I am seeing. The starry sky that I believed I saw for the last time is looking down on me. The calming waves of the sea cause me to panic. I abruptly opened my eyes and sat. Did someone find me? Did I survive the fall?
My trance of thoughts and what-ifs was disrupted as a man called my name.
"Mari, how come? Nabuhay ka. Thank you, Dios San."
The boat rocked as he hurriedly hugged me.
