Let me tell you, allen

A short give away sequel to 11ways to forget your ex-boyfriend

Written by haveyouseenthisgirl
What is between life and death? I've asked this question a lot of times but only one person gave me not the exat
answer I'm looking for but the most aurate one!
I met a girl" she met me!And thus said" #$A# between life and death is where she led me!
%What is between life and death" you ask? &rom my experiene" let me tell you Allen that between life and death
is!!!hope!%
-1-
11pm!
'apakaboring! I'm resting here in the hospital" in (days kasi eh operation day ko na! Ang tahimik masyado sa
hospital lalo na pag gantong oras" hindi ako makatulog!!!
)inagmasdan ko na lang ang mga bituin mula sa bintana ko sa gilid ng aking kama!
*tok tok*
%$uh?% nadistrat ako from my star ga+ing ng bigla akong may narinig na parang kumatok sa kabilang dingding"
sa kabilang kwarto! 'ung una hindi ko pinansin kasi inisip ko na baka nauntog lang yung nasa kabilang kwarto"
baka malikot matulog!
)ero naulit uli ito!
*tok tok*
'agsimula na talaga akong magtaka kaya naman sinubukan kong tumugon sa katok ng kabilang kwarto!
*tok tok*
,alwang beses akong kumatok! -umagot din kaagad ito" this time mas malakas!
*#./ #./*
-umagot din uli ako!
*tok tok*
Inaasahan kong may sasagot na katok ulit pero wala na" hindi na sumagot ang kabilang kwarto! 0wan ko kung
bakit! $mm! 1aka wala lang din magawa yung nasa kabilang kwarto o baka hindi din sya makatulog!
%.hwell"% sine wala ng sumagot" in-assume kong ayaw ng makipaglaro ng nasa kabilang kwarto kaya naman
pinagpatuloy ko na lang ang pagmamasid sa kalangitan!

*tok tok*
2ay kumatok ulit but this time hindi na mula sa dingding ang pagkatok ngunit sa aking pinto!
Akala ko isa sa mga nurses kaya pinatuloy ko" %3ome in!%
'abigla na lang ako na imbis na nurse ang pumasok sa kwarto ko ay isang babae ang bumulaga sakin" the
moonlight refleted her from the darkness of my room!!! 2eron syang maitim at mahabang buhok na nakalugay"
she's wearing a white hospital gown na hindi lalampas sa tuhod nya! 2aputi sya at may bibilugang mata" sa
kaputian nya na-express ng mabuti ang kapulahan ng labi nyang maninipis na kasalukuyang nakangiti
pagkapasok nya!
2ula sa pinto ay kumaway sya sakin"
%$i" I'm -hekinah! /nok knok!%
4et me tell you that this girl knoked on my wounded heart!
-5-

%$i6 I'm -hekinah! /nok knok!% she lifts her hand and knoks her fist in mid air!
%7hh!!!hello?% ang awkward" err!!! $indi ko malaman irereat ko sa urrent situation!!! %Who are you?%
%I told 'ya"% she pouts as she walk towards my bed and pronounes her name by syllables" %I'm -he-ki-nah!%
%7nderstood! 1ut who is -hekinah?% she opens her mouth and is about to protest but I ontinue my phrase to
stop her" %Who are you in this hospital? Why did you enter in my room? Are you the one who was knoking from
the next room?%
%8adaa yadaa6 Why do people ask lots of questions6% she 9umps to the free spae of my bed and plae some
strands of her long hair and starts eating the tip! %If I answer all your question" will you ome out and play with
me?%
1aliw siguro 'to" nagkamali ata sya ng hospital!!! -a mental ata dapat sya! #he way she ats is kinda reepy" not
to mention her fair refletion in her white gown at ang mahaba nyang buhok! -adako? :o
Impatient for my response" she moves forward having her fae an inh away to mine then she repeats her
question" %If I answer all your question" will you ome out and play with me?%
%I guess so?% ay tae! I've run out of words at yun na lang nasagot ko!
%#hat means 'yes' right?6 8ay6% and to my surprise she suddenly grabs my hands and sways it up and down as
she smiles in enthusiasm" %Who am I in this hospital? I'm a patient as well! Why did I enter in your room?
3heking out for ompany" I'm bored! Am I the one who was knoking from the next room? 8aa" i'm the girl next
door!%
As soon as she have filled all my questions she stands up pulling my hands with her" I hesitate to get off my bed"
%4et's go6 )romise is a promise6%
%1ut"% wala naman akong pinromise eh!!! %.h well" let's go! 1ut 9ust a minute" lemme get my 9aket!%
Inalis ko pagkakahawak nya sakin at pumunta sa abinet ko na nasa gilid ng kwarto" nilabas ko ang naka-hanger
kong 9aket at sinuot ito habang pinagmamasdan ang weird na si -hekinah na kasalukayang nakaupo sa gilid ng
kama ko habang nakayuko at pinagmamasdan ang pag-sway bak and forth ng mga paa nya! 'ung malagay ko
na 9aket ko" kinuha ko naman sa ilalim ng abinet ang sapatos ko at sinuot ito!
I think she's harmless naman kaya having a ompany for tonight is not suh a bad idea!
%4et's go?% she asks exitedly!
%Wait" how 'bout you? Arent you going to get dressed? It's only -pring and it'll be old outside esp with 9ust a
hospital gown on!%
-he inspets herself" up and down" then she shakes her head" %'ah6 I dont have any 9akets with me! 'either
shoes!%
%In your room?%
%'either!%
%#hen what do you have?%
%'othing!% she smiles! Argh" then why's she wanting to go out if she has nothing to over her from the oldness of
the outside?
%Ano ba namang babae 'to oh"% I mumbled in tagalog afterall she won't understand me!
%Well" I an borrow your soks!!!% she heads to my abinet and rummages it for a pair of soks!
%And then I an get your blankie"% pagkatapos maisuot yung medyas bumalik sya sa may kama at hinigit nya
yung bed sheet ko sa kama at kinover nya sa sarili nya! 'ow" she's all white w; the sheet overed to her! #hen
she bows her head and she plaes her hair on her fae leaving only some spaes to her eyes w; is visibly blak
and white in the moonlight's refletion! -he raises her hand and I twith to her image" %Awoo!%
%3ut it out6% I freaked out! -he absolutely looks like the ring girl and it's kinda reeping me out!
%hahaha6% she raises her head abruptly and her hair fly bak to where it was! And she teases" %-ared were you?%
%Almost6 8ou're likely the dupliate of sadako6 1ah6 4et's go" stop with your sillyness!% I head to the door and she
follows!
%-sh!% I hush w; my index finger on my lip" %We need to be areful with the nurses" they go bak and forth! It'll be
trouble if we get aught!%
%Aye aye aptain6% she raises her both thumb and she giggles!
7nonsiously" I pat her head! -he looked so adorable that I've not resisted!
---
%$ere"% she points to the emergeny exit door" %We an't use the froont door 'o+ there will be guards!%
%#hen" let's head out!%
7pon exposed to the outside" old bree+e gave me the shiver and it's the same for her!
%Ang lamig!%
%What?%
%Ah" nothing! It's old" eh? #here's still the Winter's air!%
%Well" April's yet to ome! -pring's 9ust about to bloom!% explain nya habang bumaba na kami sa hagdan ng
emergeny exit!
%8eah" and there you was wanting to go out in 9ust a hospital gown that doesnt even reah your knees!% she 9ust
stiks her tongue out on my sarasm!
%'ow that we're on the ground" what're we gonna do?%
%I dunno!%
%$ow ome you don't know?% grabe lang 'tong babaeng 'to" pinakaweird sa lahat ng nakilala ko" %8ou invited me"
you should atleast have an idea of what to do!%
%I dunno!% she repeated while shaking her head!
%<ood heavens"% I plae my palm on my forehead" %3'mon" let's 9ust have a walk!%
Ayun nga" naglakad lakad na lang kami side by side! $indi ko nga alam kung saan kami pumupunta eh" basta
sinusundan ko lang kung saan ako dinadadala ng mga paa ko!
%Ah yeah" would you mind if I ask what you have? I mean why are you in the hospital?% naitanong ko bigla
habang naglalakad kami" atleast to have a little onversation!



%I'm not telling!% she smiles at me and it must be my imagination or the drowsiness that makes me see her a wee
bit transparent under the moon's light passing through her pallid skin!
(
xxx-xxx

%I'm not telling"% ngumiti sya tapos nag-hop sya until makaupo sya sa pavement" %$ow 'bout you?%
4umapit ako sa kanya at umupo sa tabi nya and mimi her" %I'm not telling!%
-he glares at me" %3opydog!%

%3at!% I orreted!
%,og!% nevertheless" she insisted!
I 9ust sigh to her almost irritating persistense" %&ine! ,og" puppy or whatever!%
%)ff! #ell me6 #ell me6%
%What?6%
%8our sikness6%
%8ou wont tell yours so why would I?%
%Argh!% she bits her lower lip" %I'm a onstant liar! I tell mix truth and lies so it will always be up to you if ya wanna
believe! -o you still want to ask me the same question?%

-o" she's a liar?
%-ure" why not!% so what if she's a liar? Atleast she warned me" so I won't have any reasons to believe hard in her
words!

%8ou said so"% pinatong nya yung braso nya sa tuhod nya at inihiga ang ulo nya as she turns to me" %I have
asthma" been staying here for a month and some weeks!%
%Asthma"% I nod" %#hat bad?%
%'ah!!!%
%#hen why that long?%
%,unno! #ime after time" bad attaks ome! 1ut nothing deadly or suffoating!%
%I see!%
%-o what about you? Ah yeah" I've not ask your name yet!%
%It's Allen! I'm atually dying!% nabigla sya sa sinabi ko kaya napaangat ang ulo nyang nakadantay sa braso nya!
%8ou're dying?6%
%-ort of!% onfusion is learly written in her fae! %I've got heart problems" ya heard about those attaks that in
one blow might kill you?%
-he nods and I ontinue" %I'm one of those luky bastards who has that! 0veryday my body worsen! I'm staying in
the hospital 'o+ in (days I'll be having my operation!%
%#hen you do have a transplant6 -o why're you saying that you're dying?6 Aint transplant a sign of living and not
dying?%
%8eah" big deal!% I laugh in sarasm" %'ot when hanes are not even the half of a hundred!%

%8ou whiner6%
%What kind of hek ausation should that be?6% medyo nainis-nagulat kong sabi!
%In life" perentage is 9ust a number6 #ransplant is always a transplant6 Why are you suh a pessimist?6%
%What sense there is in a 5=> hane of suess?6% bakit ba ako nakikipagdebate tungkol sa buhay ko dito sa
weird reepy girl na 'to? It's annoying me!

%And what sense there is to waste the heart that is about to be given to you?6 Atleast believe6 Atleast have a
1==> faith6 5= plus 1== makes 15=> surpassing the hundred6%
%,on't teah me math6 I know better6% I start solding her!
%I'm not teahing you math"% alm she begins" %I'm teahing you to believe more than beyond!%


%-hut up!% it gets depressing whenever I hear suh onversation!
%8ou don't know the feeling of being dead when you're alive!% tinakip ko kamay ko sa mukha and starting to feel
great depression!
%8ou mean being between life and death?%
%8eah6 0xatly6 #hat feeling of not knowing if it's life or death for you" that feeling of being in the middle of two
skysrapers! #hat feeling!!! #hat!!!% nanginginig na ako" hindi ko makuha yung word" hindi ko alam ang sasabihin
ko" %#hat feeling of being inbetween" that middle that I don't even know how to all it!!!%

%2iddle!!!% she mumbles to herself!

#inanggal ko yung kamay ko sa mukha ko at tinignan sya in agony" %#ell me -hekinah" what's inbetween life and
death? Where am I? If you an tell me what's inbetween them!!! #hen maybe that's where I am right now!%
-he ga+es at me but not too long she stands up and strethes her hand to me" %4et me tell you Allen that
between life and death is hope! #hat's where you are now! 4et's go?%
%W-where?% onfused and surprised" I managed to ask!

%3ome" take my hand!% and with no doubt" I take her hand and she leads me to every roads of hope!


-he never said anything wise" she never said anything helpful" she never said anything inspiring nor onvining
but!!!

-he told me something that has aptivated a part of me!!! 2y soon-to-go-away heart!
-?-With darkness prevailing and stars shining up above" it seems like we're inside a glittered bottle! 1ut we're
atually in a emetery whih I don't know why she brought me here!

%Where are we?% she does not bother to look bak at me" her head's looking forward to the sky with eyes losed!
I repeat my question" %Where are we?%

%,'you need to bother knowing the name of the plae? 3an you 9ust simply tell where we are? .r!!!% she opens
her eyes and gives me the ga+e that has run all the shivers down to my spine" %.r are you afraid to get lost?%

%4ost? 'ah" not even possible! I may not be from this ountry but hek will I be lost!%
%@eally? Where are you from then?%
%I'm from the )hilippines!%
%&ar" eh? 8ou miss it there?%
%$ella yes! 1ut I won't bother going bak!%
%Why?%
%I an't go bak!% we sit to the ground beside the gravestones! Why did she even bother to bring me here in this
reepy plae? It's 9ust as reepy as her" I swear to this gravestones!

%Why? ,on't tell me you're dying 'o+ I'm really gonna kill you if you start going pessimist again!% she shot me a
threatening look!
%Well aside from that" what's there to go bak if the girl you love is already at ease and happy? It'll only tear my
heart to see her with someone else and it will keep reminding me that this disease took her away from me!%
%What?6 8ou left a girlfriend in your ountry?%
%I $A, a girlfriend! I broke up with her a long time ago" well as soon as I knew this illness!%
%1astard6 Why did you do that?6%
%What do you even are!% I pik up a small stone on the floor and throw it bak to the ground!
%I should are!%
%$uh? 8ou have nothing to do with me! 8ou don't know me" I don't know you! -o tell me" why would a omplete
stranger are? 2aybe you're 9ust playing around with me and I gotta tell you that it's quite annoying!%


%2eanie6%
%Aray6% bakit nya ako biglang sinapok! ABBBA
%What's 'aray'?6%
%It means ouh you brat! $ow dare you hit me!% ABBA
%Aray6% she repeats in her aent" %Aray6 Aray6 haha6 -o ute! Well" I hit you 'o+ you're a meanie! 8ou speak
nothing but harshness!%
%#ss! -top saying aray with your aent" it sounds stupid! And I'm not a meanie" you're 9ust ating like a brat! And
how old are you?%
%-eventeen!%
%8ou at twelve!% ABBA
%I hate you!% she pouts!
%,on't worry" feeling's mutual!% ABBBA
%8ou're stiff and maybe that's why you left your girlfriend!% she hugs her knees!
%What?6%
%8ou are deaf!% she stiks her tongue out!
%I am not" you said I am stiff and that's why I left my girlfriend! What's that suppose to mean" kid?6%
%-ee" you heard it and you still asked me the What question! 'ow tell me" who's the kid? It's you! If 'ya heard it
already" stop asking!%
%8ou twat6 3an you 9ust answer my question and not divert it to a foolish talk?6% yes" I guess it's true that I'm a
meanie but how an you avoid it when you're talking to an abnormal person like this -hekinah girl here?6 ABBA

%&ine! 8ou're stiff"% she points at me then lower it to my left hest" %And that's a saredy at" running away from
the possibilities! @unning away from the outome! #oo sared to hurt someone" too sared to hurt himself" too
sared to fae ourage! 'ot daring and taking the risk and surely not an optimist!!! and a real masohist! -o that's
why you left your girlfriend 'o+ you're 9ust so stiff and a saredy at" very sared to hurt someone that you
atually aim to hurt her a little than hurting her more in the future!%
2y 9aw almost drop with what she 9ust said" %$ow did you know that? I don't remember telling any details like that
to you!%

-he's taken abak" %@eally? 8ou told it to me!%
%'o" I didn't!%
%8es you did" you got al+heimers Allen!%
%'o I don't! #ell me" how did you know that I left her 'o+ I don't want to hurt her a lot more by staying at her
side?% I don't remember telling her details before and it's freaking me out that suh phrases esaped from her
mouth!
%8es" you 9ust told me! ,on't lie6% I'm not the one lying" she is! -he does not even bother looking straight in my
eyes!

%8ou really are a onstant liar and a big mystery to me! #ell me" who are you? I have a hunh that you're 9ust lying
about your personality and you're pretending that you don't know me when infat" you intended to knok at my
wall in the first plae beause you want to take my attention 'o+ you atually know me! &or inexpliable
reasons" you know me!% I ome loser to her and she pushes me away!

-he looks down on the ground" hugs her knees tightly and speak with suh sadness" %,on't say suh foolishness!
Cust thank me and stop asking!%

%#hank you for what?% the more I talk to her the more I get onfused! It's like all my questions are piling up in a
big mountain and not even one's getting an answer!

%-top asking" please?% she looks at me with her pleading eyes! With those eyes" I had the urge to 9ust nod and
not say a word anymore! I've never seen suh shallow eyes that I an't even see my refletion in it!



An eerie silene oupied the whole graveyard! 'o one dare to speak after! We stay there like +ipped +ombies" it
was awkward at first but long after the silene beame omfortable enough that we 9ust lay on one of the
gravestones and wath the stars up above and!!!




I fell asleep and waking up on my hospital bed the next day! Was last night a dream? -hekinah" you mystify me!

xxx-xxx

-5-
4et me tell you" Allen!
!!!ends here!

11 Ways to forget your ex-boyfriend told us that Allen left her beloved ex-girlfriend -ena beause he an't bear
hurting her when she finds out about him dying! Allen thought that he is dying but it's 9ust his pessimism" he's not
dying!!! $e has a heart transplant but it's only a 5=> hane of suess but as what -hekinah told him"
perentage is 9ust a number and believing is the real deal!


4et me tell you that nothing is possible when you have faith and hopes with you! When you feel you're inbetween
life and death" don't feel sad 'o+ you're in the most safest existene!!! you're in the arms of hope! &eel it and
dare to believe!


xxx-xxx


/nok knok!


I suddenly beome uneasy" %3-ome in6%

%#ime for your 1=pm mediine" Allen!% it's one of the nurses" nakahinga din ng maluwag! -ine this morning"
evertime someone knoks I get paniky by the thought that it might be -hekinah!!! or if she's even existing! 7p
until now" my mind's rossed by last night's!!! whether it's a dream or not" I have no idea! I've been waiting for her
to show up again but the day's long gone and no one named -hekinah's knoking!

%$ey" would you mind if I ask something?%
%-ure"% she said as she arranges the mediine from a box on my table!
%,'you know who's at the other side of this room?%


-he stops from what she's doing and looks at me in terror" %Why'd you ask?%
%Well" If you happen to passby her room later" an you say 'hi' for me?%
%7hh" yeah sure! #ake your mediine Allen"% she said stammering and her hands are shaking as she hands me
my mediine!
%.k" thank you!%
%.-ok! I better go! #ake a rest now!% she exits rapidly! Weird!



I drink my mediine and wath something on the television and after some quite while" I turn it off and lose my
eyes to sleep! I woke up by the knoking sound on my wall" I rub my eyes and take a look at my bedside lok!!!
it's 11pm!


*/'.3/ /'.3/*


#he knoking repeats! As a response" I knok as well! -he stops knoking and after awhile" I hear a knok on my
door!

%3ome in"% this time" I'm sure it's -hekinah!

%$allooo6% she's giddier the last time I saw her whih was 9ust yesterday! -he 9umps to my bed and smile to me as
she mimis 1ugs bunny's famous line" %What's up do?%

%'othing's up you weird girl"% I throw my hand on her fae and pushes it lightly!
%0eek6 <et your big hands off me6% she squeals and pushes it away from her fae as irritation pukered her brow!
%What happened last night?%
%8a don't remember?%
%Daguely!%
%8ou sure al+heimer's not your reason of being admitted to the hospital?%
%'o! It's 9ust that" I really an't remember how I went bak to the hospital! #he last thing I remember" I fell asleep
on one of the gravestones and after that!!! I saw myself waking up in my hospital bed! ,id you bring me here? .r
being in the graveyard was 9ust a big dream? It's kinda onfusing me!!!%
%-eret6% she stands up and pulls my hand" %4et's go!%

%$uh? Where?6% don't tell me she wants to go out again at this hour!
%#o 'everland!% she winks and let go off me" %<o get your 9aket and shoes! I'll take your blanket and soks
again!%
%'everland? Who are you" peterpan?%
%'ah" I'm tinkerbell!!! 8ou are peterpan!%
%-top fooling with me" -hekinah! I'm so not gonna play with your games again! <o bak to your room and sleep!
If someone get us aught" it'll be trouble!%
%.h 'mon Allen" this is the last time I'd ask this favor to go out with you!!! Afterall" the day after tomorrow will be
your operation day right?% I try to remember if I told suh information to her but I failed" %)leaaaseeee?%

%.h gee+"% I 9ump off my bed and went ahead to my abinet" putting my 9aket" soks and shoes as she wraps my
blanket around her and puts my soks on her small feet" %#his would be the last time I'm going out with you at an
hour like this" you hear me?%

%Aye aye aptain6%


xxx-xxx


#onight is a different night! Instead of 9ust walking around somewhere" she brought me to a train station!

%Where do you think we're going?%
%-omewhere!% she walks around with her hands at her bak and orders" %<o buy a tiket!%
%Why so?6%
%Cust go and buy it6% an she be more demanding than this?
%&ine! What destination?% I don't what she has in mind but I don't think there would be any harm on playing along
with her! I might as well en9oy this 'o+ this would be one of the last nights of my life if ever I won't survive the
operation!
%7p to the final destination of this train!%
%Are you ra+y?6%
%3'mon6 Cust buy it6% then she pushes me to the tiket mahine!
%<ee+" fine!% luky I always bring my wallet with me and has atleast EF= in it! -he sits to one of the benhes as
she wait for me to buy some tikets! I take my E5= and insert it in the mahine 'o+ eah tiket up to the final
destination osts E1=!


%$ere"% I hand her tiket" %#hat's E1=!%
%I don't have money" you should have not bothered!% still she aepts it!
%If I did not" how an you ride the train? 'ow that I'm already here" I an't go alone!%
%8ou an't go alone? #hat's what you've been doing sine last night!%
%What?%
-he 9ust laughs and stands up from the benh" %4et's go" here's the train!%


We ride in" it's not quite full neither empty! As we pass every seat" some look at us and eventually fix their eyes
on me" some did not bother and ontinue reading books or typing on their laptop and others" well almost the rest"
are sleeping omfty! We found sits immediately! -he sits beside the window and I at her right!

%-o where are we going?% I manage to ask in low voie so not to disturb anyone! We atually don't have any
neighbors with us on the opposite hair!
%<ive me a number!%
%Why?%
%Ask me to give you a number!% she never answers my question! ABBBA
%&ine" give me a number!%
%G!%
%.k" then?%
%After Gstops" let's get out!%
%#hen?% I don't really know what's her plan! -he's going random" I guess!
%#hen!!! I don't know! 4et's think about it later! I want to sleep first!% she loses her eyes and lays her head on my
shoulder! I wath her sleep!


Cust to think of it" she's too pallid!!! how sik ould she be? I don't really believe that she has only asthma! -he's
even old and she seems lifeless as she sleeps!!! does she happen to have a severe sikness? .h no" I'm
thinking too muh! I should not bother with things that ain't my business!



As the train stops at the Gth stop" we head out and she tells me her next plan" %I'm hungry6 4et's go to the nearest
restaurant6%
%8ou really are out of your mind" you think there's still a restaurant open at this hour? It's almost midnight6%
%I know a plae where it's still open6% then she pulls my hand and we start running out of the station and we stop
at the nearest H;11 store!

%#his is not a restaurant!% I glare at her!
%Well" we an still buy foods in here!% she giggles!
%7h-kay!% I heave out a sigh" %Well then" let's go in!%


As we enter" the lady in the ounter who's around G= greets us with a warm welome! We head straight to hips
and other snaks to pig on! I grab some nahos and hoolates as she grab a pak of marshmallow" she hands it
to me and ask me to bring it for her! What a la+y bun! ABBBA

We went to the ounter and I ask her if she wants anything else and she told me" %Cust a hot hoomilk!%

#he ounterlady has a big question mark written on her fae as she punhes our stuff on the ode bar! What's
bothering her? .h" I don't know" weird people these days!

%Ah yeah" I would want to add 5 hot hoomilk!% well" I would like some too of those hot milks!
%-ure!% she turns to prepare hot milks and when it's done" -hekinah asks me something!

%3an you put some marshmallows on my hoomilk?%
%Why don't you do it yourself?%
%)lease?%
%.h for Whoever's sake!% I exhaust to her inredible annoying self and 9ust open the pak of marshmallow and
plae some piee of it on the hoomilk letting it to float there!

I paid all the expense and before leaving she says to the ounterlady" %<oodnight" take are of yourself!%


1ut it seems like the ounterlady did not hear her and turns to the other way" fixing some stuff!


As we go out of Heleven to eat our stuff on the pavements" I notie that she doesn't have her hoomilk with her
and she's only munhing on her marshmallows!

%What happened to your hoomilk?%
%I drank it already!%
%4iar! I did not see you drinking any!%
%Well!!! I forgot it there!%
%-ay what?6 8ou forgot it at the store?%
%8eah" I was thinking too muh that I forgot to bring my own up!%
%.h" how stupid an you be6 4et's go bak and get your up6%
%'o6 Cust leave it there!%
%And why? I spent a dollar for it6%
%Cust leave it to the ounterlady" she might need some of those hot hoomilks!!! Afterall" it's very tiring to work at
nights!%



I keep silent! 3runh and bites are the only audible ones between us! -he then speaks" %,o you want to throw
your heart away" Allen?%
%'o but I have no hoie" my parents want me to take this operation!%
%8our parents? $ow about you" don't you want it?%
%$onestly" I don't believe muh in this operation but I guess" like what you've said!!! I'm inbetween life and death
so I might as well take this hope with me and wish for the best with my soon operation!%
%If it's a suess" what's your plan?%
%I don't really know!%
%Will you ome bak to your girlfriend?%
%2aybe!!! 2aybe I'd try to hek her if she's fine!!!%
%And when she's fine" what are you gonna do next?%
%I don't know!%

%Who knows!!!% she throws a mallow in her mouth and then she buries her fae on her knees" %When operation's
done" an you tell me how it feels to have another heart inside you? I mean!!! I want to know if it feels like being
two people inside one body! I want you to tell me how it feels to have another heart beating inside you" I want you
to tell me if it still feels the same!!! I want you to tell me if you an feel through that other person's heart or if you
ould still hear the feelings of the original owner of the heart!!! I want you to tell me if having another person's
heart beating inside you" makes you feel the presene of the original heart owner!%

%Why do you want me to tell you these?%
%I want to know" Allen! )lease tell me" Allen!!! #ell me everything after the operation!%
%-ure" you an always knok at my door after the operation! Afterall" I still have to stay at the hospital after some
days even the operation's done already!%
%#hank you" Allen!%
%,on't thank me" I'm not even sure if it'll be a suess! And yeah" why are you so eager to know?%
%I'll tell you Allen but that's gotta wait until your operation's done!%
%Well!!! okay!%


After pigging out with the stuff we bought" we lay our bodies on the pavements not aring if anyone would pass
there any moment!!! And one again" we wath the glittering sky and the big moon shining upon us!!!

%Allen!!!%
%$mm?% I look at her at my side to see her looking at me too!
%3an I ask you a favor?%
%What is it?%

0ye to eye" she tells me" %)lease take are of your new heart" take are of it for me!%

#hough I did not understand it well" I 9ust said yes and we ontinue to wath the sky and not knowing how!!! I fell
into a deep slumber!



And the next day" I woke up again on my hospital bed wondering if last night's 9ust another dream again with
-hekinah!


I want to go out" I want to hek her on the room next to mine but the dotors and my parents won't allow me to
go out 'o+ they said I should rest myself for tomorrow's operation! 'o one allowed me to go outside so I did not
have the hane to meet her before my operation!

#hey prepared me at 11pm 'o+ I will be operated at midnight" yes!!! exatly midnight! #hat was the hour given to
me 'o+ they told me that my operation will run very long!



xxx-xxx


As I am laying on my operation bed" lights flashing on my fae" voies ehoing in my head" blurred faes
surrounding me!!! flashbaks of the past starts to play like those of amera films!



%$ello?%
%-ena!!!%
%Ah" Allen!!! napatawag ka!!!%
%2ay mga bagay na gusto sana akong itanong sayo" sana sagutin mo! Wag mo ng itanong kung bakit basta
sumagot ka lang!%
%-ige!! ano ba yun Allen?%
%7miiyak ka pa ba sa gabi?%
%0h?%
%-agutin mo na lang -ena" please!%
%$indi na!!!%
%2eron pa ba akong remembrane o kahit ano sayo?%
%0h?%
%1inabanggit mo pa ba palagi ang pangalan ko?%
%$indi na!%
%2ay mga pinagkakaabalahan ka na ba?%
%.o" marami!%
%1agay sayo bangs mo pati highlights mo!%
%0h?6%
%)asensya na dati ah nung dapat kablind date mo si Cames" nagkasakit kasi sya nun eh kaya ipinasa ka na lang
nya sakin" hindi ko naman alam na ikaw pala yun eh" iba kasi pangalan na ginamit mo eh!%
%#eka Allen" bakit mo sinasabi mga bagay na 'to? #saka diba sabi mo magtatanong ka lang hindi ka naman
nagtatanong eh!%
%Alam mo bagay kayo ni #rey" masaya ako at nililigawan ka nya!%
%Allen---6%
%2ahal ka ni #rey" magtiwala ka sakin! $indi ka sasaktan nun!%
%#eka lang Allen---%
%2asaya akong makitang masaya kang kasama sya! 2asaya ako para sa inyo! Wag ka na ulit iiyak -ena" ha?%
%Allen6 #eka nga lang" ano ba pinagsasabi mo? 'anggugulo ko ba or what?%
%-ena!!! mahal mo si #rey diba?%
%!!!!%
%)akiramdaman mo -ena kung mahal mo na sya! Ipikit mo mga mata mo! )akinggan mo ang puso mo" itanong
mo sa puso mo kung mahal mo si #rey!%
%!!!%
%)ag malakas ang tibok ng puso mo" mahal mo na sya!%
%!!!%


%$uling tanong" mahal mo pa ba ako?%
%Ikaw na bahala maghek sa box" sana malinaw na sayo ang nararamdaman mo! Wag kang malilito -ena at
wag ka ring kakapit sa nakaraan mo! )alayain mo ang sarili mo sa sakit!!!%
%#eka Allen6 )aano mo nalaman yung tungkol sa box6%
%-ena" dare to fall inlove again! 8an ang 11th way to forget me!%
%Allen---6%



%$and it to me!%
%,o" do you need this one?%
%8es6 8es6 $urry6%
%,o" the rate's dereasing so fast6%
%We need to give it a pump6 $and it to me"%
%'ow?%
%'ow6%
%'othing! It keeps on dereasing!%
%We an't give up now6 Another push6%
%-till nothing" do6%
%/id" listen to me! I know you hear me" don't give up now6 )7-$6%



%$i" I'm -hekinah! /nok knok!%

%8ou whiner6%
%What kind of hek ausation should that be?6%
%In life" perentage is 9ust a number6 #ransplant is always a transplant6 Why are you suh a pessimist?6%
%What sense there is in a 5=> hane of suess?6%
%And what sense there is to waste the heart that is about to be given to you?6 Atleast believe6 Atleast have a
1==> faith6 5= plus 1== makes 15=> surpassing the hundred6%
%,on't teah me math6 I know better6%
%I'm not teahing you math"I'm teahing you to believe more than beyond!%


%#ell me -hekinah" what's inbetween life and death? Where am I? If you an tell me what's inbetween them!!!
#hen maybe that's where I am right now!%
%4et me tell you Allen that between life and death is hope! #hat's where you are now! 4et's go?%



,7<! ,7<! ,7<!

%,o6 We need to hurry6%

,7<!!!! ,7<!!!!!


%,on't give up kid6 ,on't6%



%)lease take are of your new heart" take are of it for me!%



,7<,7<,7<!


I felt someone inside me" someone I know!



xxx-xxx


%Where are you going?% my dotor stops me as I was about to knok at -hekinah's door!
%Cust gonna hek out a friend" my operation's a sues so I guess she deserves to hear the good news!% when I
said that" my dotor frowns!

%#here's no one there!%
%'o one? $ow ome? Is -hekinah done with her treatment? $as she left the hospital already?% maybe
yesterday? '3o+ after the operation" I slept for a day!

%$-how did you know about -hekinah?% he's so shoked that he plaes his hands on his mouth with eyes wide
open!

%$uh? I don't get you" do!%


$e did not answer but instead he opens -hekinah's room with one of the keys he has on his poket and opens it
for me" revealing me an empty room" %-hekinah's long gone! When she was going to her shool" she got hit by a
driver who lost ontrol of his wheel!!! -he got hit so hard that she had had oma!%


%I'm a onstant liar! I tell mix truth and lies so it will always be up to you if ya wanna believe!%


%&or how long did she stay here?% I manage to ask!
%&or a month and some weeks!%


%I have asthma" been staying here for a month and some weeks!%


%.h <od!!!% reali+ations run down in my whole system!!!



#hat's why she seems so transparent everytime the moonlight strikes her skin! #hat's why she's so pallid" that's
why she's so old!



%$ere"% I hand her tiket" %#hat's E1=!%
%I don't have money" you should have not bothered!% still she aepts it!
%If I did not" how an you ride the train? 'ow that I'm already here" I an't go alone!%
%8ou an't go alone? #hat's what you've been doing sine last night!%

-ine last night? -he meant that I was always alone!!! she was never with me" or physially with me atleast! #hen
why do I always wake up on my bed? Is she a dream? .h" my mind's louded with questions that I don't where to
seek the answers!



%$ow did you know that this was -hekinah's room?% the dotor asks me" %,id your parents told you already that
she's your donor?%




,.'.@! -hekinah's my heart donor?



I run out of the hospital hearing my dotor shouting" %Allen6 -top6 ,on't run yet" it'll be bad for your 9ust operated
body6%

I don't bother listening" I 9ust keep on running and heading to that plae where she brought me first!!!



#o the graveyard! I searh and searh for the graveyard where we sat and I lay my body and when I found it!!! I
saw a woman around G= and she seems familiar!!! the woman from H;11" the ounterlady! -he's standing at that
gravestone with her head bowed down and eyes losed!



I feel butterflies inside my stomah! It's like I'm onneting the dots so fast and I an't ontrol myself to stop!!!


%0xuse me"% I told the lady as I walk near her! -he raises her head and she is surprised to see me" %$ave we
met before?%


I did not answer her question and instead I look at the name written on the gravestone!!! -hekinah 1lake!



#he first time she brought me here" I did not even notie her name on it! $ow stupid and blind an I be?



%,o you know -hekinah?% I ask the lady!
%8es" she is my daughter!%
%Aren't you from the other ity working at H;11?% she's surprised when I asked her that question!
%Were you the one who bought 5 hot hoomilks and left the other up for me?%


%'o" it wasn't me!%


%-ay what?6 8ou forgot it at the store?%
%8eah" I was thinking too muh that I forgot to bring my own up!%
%.h" how stupid an you be6 4et's go bak and get your up6%
%'o6 Cust leave it there!%
%And why? I spent a dollar for it6%
%Cust leave it to the ounterlady" she might need some of those hot hoomilks!!! Afterall" it's very tiring to work at
nights!%



%It was your daughter" -hekinah! -he left it there and told me that you might need it 'o+ she knew that it's very
tiring for you to work at nights!%
#he lady smiled bitterly" %I knew it! I felt her presene that night" I heard her say!!! goodnight to me and to take
are of myself! #hat's why I deided to go bak to this ity to pay a visit to her stone!%

%,id you not see her?%
%'o" but did you?%
I look down at -hekinah's grave" %8eah! -he kept knoking on my wall and now!!! she's knoking on my heart!%
%.h my god" d'you happen to be Allen--- that guy that was to reeive her heart?6% I nodded" %I guess so! I an feel
her inside me!%
%When operation's done" an you tell me how it feels to have another heart inside you? I mean!!! I want to know if
it feels like being two people inside one body! I want you to tell me how it feels to have another heart beating
inside you" I want you to tell me if it still feels the same!!! I want you to tell me if you an feel through that other
person's heart or if you ould still hear the feelings of the original owner of the heart!!! I want you to tell me if
having another person's heart beating inside you" makes you feel the presene of the original heart owner!%

xxx-xxx

4adies and gentlemen" we have 9ust been leared to land at the 'AIA airport! )lease make sure one last time
your seat belt is seurely fastened! #he flight attendants are urrently passing around the abin to make a final
ompliane hek and pik up any remaining ups and glasses! #hank you!I



I'm bak" )hilippines! I 9ust want to hek how my ex-girlfriend's doing! If -ena's happy now" well I should be
happy for her as well! -hekinah" you know what? $aving someone's heart beating inside you is kinda reepy!!!
reepy 9ust like you! 1ut thing is" I really feel your presene inside me! Will you be always be there to guide me?
4et's keep beating together" -hekinah!


I may be surprised" too happy" nervous and maybe!!! I might fall inlove again and get hurt in the future but don't
worry"


%)lease take are of your new heart" take are of it for me!%






I'll take are of this heart" I'll take are of you! 8ou are the hope inside me!
0',! xxx-xxx