BLEAUD STAINED LETTERS

SHORT STORY

4:17 mt

 

            Arrepentimiento St., Lot 17, he asked.  With a street name like that it’s understandable that the mailman has a hard time finding the right location.  Wrong house I said, I think that is on the other street. He thanked me, got on his bike and went on his way.

 

            I was just leaving the house, my mom and stepdad have been gone for almost a week now, and there’s really no point for me to stay in the house.  I was already closing the gate, but I could still hearNanang Inday telling me not to go, because my dad (stepdad!) would get angry.  I did not listen to the housekeeper on Monday, did not listen on Tuesday, nor Wednesday or Thursday, then why would I start now.  I shut the gate and left her still yapping. 

 

            I headed down street; I was headed for the kiosk on a nearby coffeeshop where I and the crew decided to meet.  I crossed the street, did not bother to look if there were cars passing by. 

 

            Suddenly, Whoosh!  A hair’s breadth, a millisecond early and I would have been a van’s roadkill. On that split second, at the side of that speeding rusty old van, a blurry image of a skull presented itself. Vision? Reflection?  I thought and contemplated for a moment but it was not the time for thinking and contemplating.  So I continued towards the coffeeshop. 

 

            When I arrived at the kiosk, I saw Zeb talking to a couple of guys.  They already had a collection of empty beer bottles on their table.  They were also smoking cigarettes, except for the other guy Zeb was talking to.  I walked towards them but before I arrived the two guys excused themselves.  Who were those guys I asked Zeb.  Prospect customers he replied, while wearing a wry smile.  I got something for you Zeb said, out of his pocket he produced a small bag and threw it my way.  I caught it in midair.  I did not bother checking what it contains.  I already knew what it was, the usual stuff.  Two hours had passed, two packets of cigar a couple of San Miguel’s, when others of our crew arrived.   So, off we were to this new bar for a night of wild partying.

 

            On the way towards Zeb’s pick-up truck, I caught a glimpse of the rusty old van.  It was parked beside the dim-lighted rat-infested plaza.  I excused myself for a minute from my crew to check out what would have been my slayer.  As I have already noticed the paintjob was blue but the rust, weather and age has colored it red.  Parts and some wiring that were not supposed to be exposed were sticking out.  I was amazed that it was still road worthy or street legal in fact.  I then went to the other side of the van were I saw the skull.  There it was a painted on the side, a white cracked skull, a dislocated jaw with some teeth missing.  Even without the eyes on its socket I had an ominous feeling that it was staring back at me. 

 

            A mirror, a reflection an old man said.  He was wearing a worn out jeans, and a torn out shirt he was in the same story state as his van was.  I paid him no attention.  I just kept on staring at the skull.  I then took notice of what was written below on bold and red letters. 

 

            ZeeeeKRRInnNNGIIINNgggIINNGiiiiiiNNGG!!!  Feedback from a microphone when held in front of the speakers, the sound disoriented me and caused some ringing in my ear.  The old man has turned on his sound system.  Test mic he said with a deep croaky voice, Test mic he repeated.  He then looked at me, his eyes talking to mine signaling me to read once more what was written below the skull. 

 

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

            I whispered.

 

“REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS NEAR!!!”

            He shouted. 

           

            The thundering of his voice momentarily pause all the activities nearby.  But when the echoes have passed, life continued.  And the shock was turned to numbness and his voice, his message, his sermon was drowned on the sounds of everyday life.  A tap on my shoulder told me that it was time to go. I did not hear much of the message because there were still some ringing in my ears. 

 

            The kingdom of heaven might be near, but this other kingdom, this darker kingdom is already here.  Boom boom boom the music played, boom boom boom the girls danced, boom boom boom the drunks fall down.  Every night the same, and every time I wake up the same questions - how did I get here, where am I, oh! I’m home.  I looked at my watch it’s already 2 minutes pass 4 quarter in the afternoon it’s time to go again.  Just have enough time to take a quick bath and change my clothes.  No time to eat I just grabbed a can of ice cold Colt.  Nanang Inday was beside me and yapping all the time, telling me about Mom and Dad (Stepdad!) and about today.  She yaps too much, I listen too little.

 

            I didn’t have enough time to gather all my thoughts when I’m already out of our front door and opening our gate.

 

            “Arrepentimiento St., Lot 17?” the mailman asked.

 

            NEXT STREET, NEXT STREET SHEESH! I said.  Deja vu, I felt like this has happened before. Then my cellphone vibrated, 1 message.  C u at Kngdom Bar – Zeb.  Placed back my cellphone in my pocket it’s not safe to have it exposed as I was walking down the street, a lot of pickpocketers andholdappers running around.  I looked at my watch.  It was still early, might as well get me some Arroz Caldo at Mang Pedro’s Arrozcaldohan.  I don’t remember the last time I had decent a meal, so the warm rice soup was a welcome nourishment to my alcohol-abused body. 

            Mang Pedro turned on the television set.  One Dead in Jail Brawl, that was the headline on the 7 o’clock news.  Mang Pedro did not care much about the news so he changed channels.   Advertisement of an ice cream, he changed the channel.  Tom and Jerry running after each other, he changed the channel. Advertisement with a girl riding a white stallion, he paused for a while finished the advertisement then changed the channel.  Man with weird make-up crashing his guitar on the drums, volume was increased and the controller for the TV was set down.  The music was loud, the voice was howling, and I was enjoying – my kind of music.  Chorus came, I joined in - Smoke, Drugs and whole lot of Vodka  - story of my life. 

 

            I looked at my watch, it was time to go.  I left my payment on the counter and I did not bother to wait for my change.  Taxi seldom passes by our area so I decided to walk downhill to the main road.   

 

            Buscar…. Perdon…. Aceptacion… I was reading the street names that I happen to pass by.  Did not know who named these streets but I know he is the mail service least liked guy.  I still have some way to go before I reach the main road, luckily there was a taxi just leaving Salvacion St.  I hailed it and it went towards my direction.  I opened the door of the back seat and said to the driver you are a life saver.  I was barely in, when I heard from a far a screeching sound.  A rusty blue van, the driver was stepping on the brakes but it was not working.  I saw the motion of his hand pulling the hand brake but the hand brake was stuck.  The van was gaining momentum, and the only obstruction on the road was us.  I never had a time to react, I was petrified, last memory I had – the kingdom is near.

 

            Inject him with some pain relievers.  Scream.  We need to amputate the legs.  Scream.  He is reacting to the medication.  More Scream.  Doctor he is slipping into a coma.  No more scream. 

 

            I do not know the science behind a coma.  I am not sure why I am still conscious.  I cannot see anything, my surrounding was dark, I cannot feel any part of my body. I was just a thought floating in a void.  I tried to open my eyes, I cannot.  I tried to move my arms and legs, I cannot.  I tried to let them know that I am still here, I cannot.  I tried to listen, there are times I can hear but other times it was just silence.  Am I dead?  Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep.  My life support system doesn’t think so.      

 

            We should not have left him…  That was my mom’s voice, it was soothing.  Place the driver of the van here…  That was the nurse telling the orderlies to put the patient on the next bed.  Son…  That was my stepdad (dad), he never finished the sentence.  The taxi driver was dead on impact.  That was the nurse again talking to another nurse.   

 

AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!! “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

            That was the delirium on the other bed.

           

            BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.  That was my heart stopping.