Paraluman (18+)

Last Night

A/N:

 It had always been a joy to write something I'm unfamiliar with. These days, I have been challenging myself to write more. Pushing my creativity to its dangerous level. Lol. I hope you would visit Dreame and read its full story. Thanks, dear!

Support Filipino Writers! <3

* * *

They said she was lucky she was alive.

The five-vehicle collision happened ten minutes ago on the busy road of Marcos Highway. The mud, blood, and rain painted the pavement like murals of death. The scent of gas, tires, and fire oppressively hang in the air. It was by far, the police reported, the most horrendous accident they had covered.

The ambulance came with a shriek. The firefighters had scattered around the scene. The police team took turns in conducting interviews with the witnesses and managing the growing crowd. It was a chaotic battle of life and death.

But only two survived.

Charity Delos Angeles, the lucky woman, screamed hysterically at the two men restraining her. She was wet with rain from her head to toes but she possessed unusual strength burned from the adrenalin running in her system. Her clothes clung to her like a second skin that showed her slightly rounded belly. The police were trying to calm her down but it only fueled the desperation they heard in her voice. Her husband, she said. She said if he was badly injured she had to be with her husband.

The police named Cruz dauntlessly freed her. Surprisingly, she didn't immediately run to the ambulance where her husband was in. She looked tired that she maybe didn't realize they weren't restraining her anymore.

"Ma'am, listen to us." Cruz held her shoulders and slightly shook her. "There are only two survivors. That's you and--."

Charity looked at the police with her blurry vision. Hope evident in her eyes. "My husband?"

"And your unborn baby." Cruz continued and reflexively caught her when her body weakly dropped in shock. "I'm really sorry, ma'am. Sorrier than I can say."

Cruz waited for the tears any woman and a man would fall into after the news of the death of their loved one. But only drops of rain stained Mrs. Delos Angeles cheeks. She bore no expression of grief or sadness. Her face gave no clue on what she was feeling. Then Cruz felt her trembled violently and decided to take her to the hospital where she could be warm and safe.

It was before Cruz left her with the Emergency Team when he suddenly heard her whispered, "It was my fault."

* * *

Two years had passed and Charity held her baby with obvious detachment any mother shouldn't have. Trinity blew a raspberry seemingly trying to lighten her mother's bleak mood. It proved futile for Charity's face remained blank and impatient.

A suitcase rested beside her chair. Without looking, Charity touched its handle to make sure it was certainly there. A few minutes more and she could finally go. Her mother-in-law was taking too long. They were supposed to meet at the train station at eight in the morning and one look at her watch said an hour had already passed.

"Dios mio, Charity. Are you getting out of your mind?"

Charity jumped at the booming voice of her Mama Gloria, the mother of Remy. With her short stature, big chests, and wide waistline, Mama Gloria can be a woman's version of Santa Claus. Not to mention she also had white hair, spectacles, and the I-have-something-for-you smile. Charity's mother-in-law was so cuddly looking that every kid loved her.

Even Trinity loved her.

Charity stood up with her suitcase held beside her. Her baby wiggled happily in her arm. Happy to see the only person who spoils her.

Charity kissed her cheek. "Mama. I'm also happy to see you."

Gloria opened her mouth to say another piece of her mind but Trinity reached for her. She couldn't resist. "Come here, baby girl. Who's happy to see her Lola?" The baby giggled and settled gleefully in her arms. Gloria switched her attention to Charity. "I hope you'll change your mind, Charity. Time-traveling in the past wouldn't change anything."

"I'm doing this for myself, Mama."

Gloria nodded in understanding. "I just wish you know what you're doing."

Charity went silent and hugged them both instead as tight as she could. "Take care of her always, will you?"

"As long as you promise to come back, Charity. This kid still needs you."

The baby needed a great mother, Charity thought. She wasn't qualified as one.

She released them and stopped abruptly. A tiny hand held her hair in a defiant fist. Trinity's face crumpled from jolly to scared as though she knew her mother was going to leave her behind. From the crooked line of her lips, Trinity looked ready to cry. Charity sighed and kissed her forehead, the only sign of affection she could give to the daughter she couldn't bring herself to love. The angel who looked a lot like Remy with her curly hair, brown eyes, and a cute dimple beside the corner of her mouth.

Guilt and loneliness started to suffocate her indicating the urgency to leave. Now. No more excuses. There was no time to get emotional.

Charity yanked Trinity's grip away from her hair. Her baby's eyes widened in shock that Charity instinctively consoled her by kissing those tiny fingers.

She had to go now.

Turning around, Charity ignored Trinity's wail. As she called for her mother, Charity determinedly walked away from them, covering meter after meter with shakey steps her languid limbs could allow.

Don't look back, she berated herself. Don't look back. Don't look back.

But she did look back.

She looked back and found no one behind her.

It was dead silent when everything around her went in blurry motion so fast her eyes hurt. Every people looked distorted and blended together.

Realization dawned and, finally, she was starting to travel through time.

Charity closed her eyes and think of the year she wanted to go back. The year when the accident happened. The year when God took Remy from her. The year when she was left alone.

2017. 2017. 2017.

Suddenly, Charity felt as if her soul was getting squeezed out of her. Air left her lungs. Blood flowed slowly in her veins. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

Time-traveling had never been this hard before. She had learned the skill when she was only nine and was playing hide and seek with her friends. She was unintentionally going back in time to slyly win the game. Feeling powerful, Charity time-traveled every chance she got. It was as easy as riding a bike.

Then summer came and she met Remy at the mining site in Palawan, a wonderful island in the Philippines. She was a trainee. He was her trainer. It was love at first sight, he said to her. Without any hesitation, Charity and Remy flew back to Manila and married in December.

And quite suddenly, time-traveling lost its charm. The present became the best among all period.

A loud thud forced Charity back to her senses. She found herself sitting on the floor with her suitcase awkwardly open in the middle of the train station.

"Are you all right, mahal (my love)?"

Charity's eyes widened at the familiar voice. She scanned the area and looked for its owner. A pair of sneakers stepped beside her hip. She looked upward and froze.

It was Remy.