Buendia [ 035 ]

The sound of the bundy-clock marks the end of my shift, my under-time shift, that is. It’s just lunch time but I’m already out of the office. The love of my life, who came from a different country, is waiting for me in her apartment near Buendia, and I’m so ready to meet her. I go down the nearest 7-11 branch to buy some of her favorite candies, I don’t really know why she likes these multi-colored sour candies, I’m just buying it as an appetizer to my planned main course -a wedding proposal.

I hate how the sun’s so striking now, it hurts my skin deep and it almost feels itchy. Bah! I guess it’s time to use this Linotar Eczema Relief Lotion she sent me a month before. I open it and apply an ample amount on my arms and I’m off to the bus.

The bus is, as usual, so full of people. I just find it so amusing to see that I’m the only one wearing red, it’s like I’m glowing inside this bus full of people wearing dark corporate clothes. No time to be a fashion critique now, I must stretch both of my arms upward and reach for the bus’ hand rails before the bus runs in full speed. Usually, whenever I’m in this situation, I think of how wonderful it might be if I have the power to defy physics, actually, just some part of it -the momentum and the inertia. Well, today is not a usual day. Today, I’m thinking of the most artistic and moving way of rephrasing the interrogative “Will you marry me?”. Bah. This is hard.

Hmm? I think I hear a noise in the front side of the bus. I lean to the right a bit to see what’s happening. A short-haired lady wearing a black razorback top and a dark denim entered the bus. Tssss. The bus driver is so greedy. We’re barely breathing in here and he’s still loading passengers. I look at the lady in dismay. She looks back. Gosh, she’s frightening. Her stare makes me feel like I’m a 6 year-old kid watching a horror movie. I look down to avoid her eyes but I can feel that she’s walking towards me, albeit the crowded walkway of the bus.

Why is she walking towards me. She’s really making some effort to squeeze herself through the other standing people just to be near me. Her eyes are still fixed to me. I don’t know what she’s planning to do, I just know that her stare is piercing and it means nothing good. She’s still walking. I close my eyes and rest my head to my right arm while it’s still fixed to the handrail, I want to pretend I’m sleeping so that she’ll think twice before bothering me, but to no avail. She’s hear and I can see that her lips are starting to move.

“Psst. Hey, guy in the red.”
“Yes?”
“I know who you are. And I think you know me as well.”
“Really? Have we met before? I’m so sorry but I can’t seem to recognize you.”
“We haven’t met. I just know you know me.”
“Internet contacts, are we?”
“No, we’re more than internet buddies.”
“I don’t get it. What do you want?”
“Don’t ask me what I want. I’m here because I need something from you.”
“From me?”
“Yes. You’re coming with me.”
“You know, if I’m not really sure about that.”
“I am.”
“Excuse me, miss, but I think you’re not making sense anymore.”
“I’m sorry. You can’t give it to her tonight.”
“What are you talking about!? How do you know about her!?”
“She’s outside, waiting at the bus stop.”
“That’s it. I’m not talking to you anymore.”

She lift her arm and reach for my neck. Just as her finger touches my skin, a very strong light crawls up from the floor of the bus. I know light travels very fast but this one seems to be moving very slow. It’s so blinding so I close my eyes. And that’s when the rest of the bus goes off.

Flames are everywhere. I know that the explosion is so powerful because I can see myself outside the already wrecked bus. My body is now drowning with blood and I now know who that girl is, she’s death.

With all of my remaining strength, I try to lay my back on the ground and reached for my pocket. I want to see the ring I bought for my love, but just as I’m about to exhale my last breath, I see something way better. My lover is in front of me, weeping. She must be thinking how hard it is to wash my clothes since it’s all bloodied. Her lips are moving fast, I bet she’s giving me her sermon, I must be late that’s why she’s here. I lift my arm and give her the box containing the diamond ring, I guess that’ll change her mood. Then everything goes black.