Chapter 1

"Billy, slow down!" Ben warned him.

A blinding light hit their eyes. Billy nervously steered the steering wheel. Tires wiggled. "Aaaaaahhhhhh!!!" Billy hastily stepped on the footbrake but it was malfunctioning. The car he had driven crossed to the left lane with a momentum that was never reduced. Screeched... A Toyota car appeared ahead at the left lane, braked to a stop in a sudden.

He couldn't control the steering wheel either the accelerator, and angrily stepped on the footbreak repeatedly. Unwantedly, a forced collision destroyed the silentness of the night of Cayapa residents. They were pulled to the front. Debris and fiber glass smashed into pieces from the front, pelted them on the faces. Then pushed them back. Cushion popped up, suffocation. Worst twists and turns, and…everything got dark. The Ford car halted upside down at the center of the chicken's intestine-road.

The violent impacts had had traced on the wrecked bumper, completely deformed. Trail of tires blackened the lane, abrasion on the road, fragments and smashed glasses scattered down. Not to mention the blood splashed behind.

The Toyota rolled down the ravine. It doesn't resist the momentum and impulse even it's threads were in a great grip. Distortion in the trunk, a traced of the bumper and worn out internal combustion engine and outer surface were the proof of impact caused by the Ford car.

Billy was sentient lying on a stretcher and just heard the siren of the Ambulances, murmurings of the people surrounding them as they were bathing in blood. His father, brother. And he peeped the white-sleeved tall man performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to his mother as his sight was snatched by the night. Everybody went busy reviving every single life, like chasing the current of death.

"What just did I do?!" Billy whined as he tried to stand but fell on his knee.

Billy felt his body weighed as lead. Though he was half-awakened and aware of what was happening and have heard everything: shouting medical staffs anxiously performing CPR; the horns of vehicles that was trafficked, the wang-wang of the cop mobiles and wails of the Ambulances, and even simple details. Then, 'twas like he felt tired and numbed by deep wounds he acquired. He wanted to move and rise up to help his parents and sibling rested-lined opposite the cop mobile, bathed in their own blood, but he couldn't… he couldn't.

The blood in his head shaped a perfect halo, and his face was a misfortunate angel fell so rough. He looked like because. He caught a glimpse of his mother wore a white dazzling cotton cloth waving as the medical staffs denned him into the ambulance.

In his torso, bones were misaligned. Limbs were crippled. Skull was cracked. His body became frail. No strength like a fragile porcelain doll. The nerves that connect to his senses were not responding, not transmitting impulses. And even his brain just wanted him to doze up again. Everything got darker as he shut his eyes…

…laughter during the Valentine's Date in the Burnhum Park channeled in his brain. The sweetest grins and smiles of his family blurry shot by his memory… "Anak, I love you so much," softly sounded by his mom, pinching his cheeks. And chuckles exuded by his dad sitting on the blanket perfectly spread playing with his 9-year old brother…

…his heart beats went faster and faster that he could not control anymore and chase. The medical staffs dashed him to the Emergency Room where he could be given immediate care…

…they lined-up and smiled under the centuries-old pine trees… the camera is about to be clicked for their family picture when a blanket of dazzling light from the camera flashes blinded his sight…

…time checked. It was 9: 00 in the evening. The doctor in his sterile white garb trembled while performing the battle of life. He always knew it to be troublesome in saving lives. Certainly. Nurses and fellow doctors were simultaneously drawing blood, monitoring vital signs, starting IVs and administering medication. Winding up the stitches. Cardiac arrest. The doctor was losing hope as he yelled a clear "CLEAR!" The nurses and other medical personnel and doctors moved away, hands off as the doctor quickly zapped the Defibrillator on patient's chest. A second or a couple. Then respite. Taking a second to reset may mean the difference between life and death. Other yell was heard and a jolt of 60 amperes use were administered to the lifeless body…

…he descended in a dark tunnel so fast and fast and faster. Air friction. Flapped and turned. Wondering why he's alone amidst darkness. Scream of surprise, of fear to fall into nothingness, he ejected. And dazzled with bright light ahead.

…medical personnel and doctors looked each other in relief and smiled in the rear of their surgical mask. Those medical dramas and actions performed inside the room were successful. "He's now stable." Thank God. He's fine now. But there are more ahead. There are more as time flees by.

As requested by a woman near to his heart, he was transferred to Intensive Care Unit. A private one. Battery of test and Brain CT Scan had been done quite …carefully but he was unconscious yet, maybe because of the medicines that was administered or just maybe there's something more else…

…from deep sleep, his eyes fluttered, Rapid Eye Movement (REM) as granule of tears slipped down his cheeks. Index finger twitched. These should be noticed but no one had.

The monitor beeped, "Billy, Billy! No! Doc..."