A Salvage Story: Survival

Part 1: Mistaken Identity

I was too weary and drained from strength and energy that I can no longer get my feet to a single step. I can feel the pain all over my body which was caused by which I thought was an endless torture earlier.

I can feel my body sore all over from my knees to my ribs, my head was pounding so bad I wished it should have blown and end it all, my lips that seemed to fall off my face which was elbow-hit by one of them. Even my b*lls seemed to have bursted out from being beaten with the armalite butt before they put me inside the sack. It had caused me to have swaddle-like gait in a very slow motion.

Dawn was slowly breaking. My eyes could see a little of my surroundings. However, it hurts my eyes when a streak of light struck my face. I can sense my sight was not normal, I hardly can see. It was only my left eye which can see. Why? What happened with the right one?

My face was drenched with sweat, it was even dripping due to my nonstop intention of escaping by running. I was so much tensed by the unexpected change of fate that may have added to the nonstop aqueous thing dripping from my head to my face. It was even blocking my view thus, I wiped it out with one of my hands.

But then I realized my face felt sticky. I stretched my hands to where I could see it a little. To verify what I was thinking then it was confirmed. It was not sweat dripping in my face but blood oozing out my head!?! It was only then that I smelled the metallic, pungent and sickening smell of blood that may have previously oozed out and drying up.

Then all of a sudden... all turned black.. I lost consciousness.

I woke up in a place with dazzling white light it blinded my sight. I blinked my eyes to adopt it to this strange surroundings I am in.

"Am I already dead?" I asked myself. Whatever happened after I died, I didn't know.

Then I tried to spread my eyes to where I was and got a glimpse of an angel at the end of my feet. Clad in white with her veiled head bowed.

"Diiit....diiiit...diiit...diiiiit..." The sound coming from the machine which the wires were connected to that were attached at my chest and temples. It went on repeatedly.

The angel at my foot woke up with astonishment in her eyes. So much joy registered to her face.

"Nurse!!! Nurse!!!" She called out.

Women in white rushed to the room where I was before the one at my foot, who could not contain her emotions was able to get near me. All of them were a picture of joy and happiness which I don't understand.

"Yeeeheeey.."

"Good morning, sir. Congrats."

They greeted me cheerfully. I was confused, I dont know what they were saying. "Were they insane," I thought. "What's there to be so happy about?"

"What was this place, really?"

"Why was everyone in white? For sure I am dead and they're rejoicing that I was able to make it to heaven."

I begun to feel some pain over my body. There was something inserted at my nose which I think was an oxygen. There was something inserted at my throat to my chest it hurts that it obviated my action to swallow. I was intubated. There was a hose connected to my pen**.

I can see there were numerous objects attached to my chest, some were even at my temples.

"So, I was not dead, afterall?" I thought. "But what happened, really?"

"Whats your name, brotha?" The person at the foot of the bed inquired as she came close to me.

"What is a name?" I asked back.

"From where are you?" She asked again in a very pleasant manner.

"What is from where are you?" I answered.

She called the man in white and the others who were all in white also. They were discussing about me, I can tell.

While they were conversing to themselves, I've felt my right eye hurts. It was binded but why? And my legs, why can't I feel them?

They gave me time to rest but how could I rest when I was so full of confusion of the things around me. When I've felt a little stronger for days after the day I woke up they explained to me I lost my memory, totally. I don't even know what name is. They told me I was in a hospital. The man who daily checked on me was a doctor and the others were nurses. While the ladies dressed in white who were interchanging to look after me were called nuns. These nuns were patiently taking care of me and explaining to me why I was in that place.

I was lying in that hospital bed for more than two months already. They found me almost dead on the road and with blood all over me. They asked me if I can remember the plate number of the vehicle that had hit me. But I really don't know. I don't know what a vehicle was. Was it a person?

"Whoever that vehicle was, may the Lord forgive you why you did this to me." I said to myself.

I was gradually regaining my strength and energy after a week from the time I woke up from coma. I can already lift myself to sit and can hold a spoon when I eat.

However, I was wondering why my feet seemed uneven. And my face, why does it had to be wrapped in bandages?

"Tomorrow, they will remove the bandages on your head and who knows we will be able to go home." One of the older nun said after I ate my breakfast.

Again, like the previous days I dont know what were those new words mean. So I asked myself, what is home?

"Congrats, sir," The doctor said as he extended his right hand to shake mine. "You were able to cheat death and stole your life back," he added happily. It was the day the nun told me they were gonna remove the dressing on my face. Everyone around was happy.

The doctor removed the blanket that had been concealing my lower extremities.

"😭😭😭 Why is my leg missing?" I asked. I feel devastated. I only had one.

The nurse slowly removed the bandage from my face. Then they handed me a mirror to look into. My right eyeball was gone..

It felt aweful. I pitied myself, I was devastated. So heartbroken.

"Why did I have to breath back if this was what have became of me?"

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

I cried and cried.

The nuns around me tried to calm me down by gently patting and rubbing my back.

"One day you will understand why your fate turned this way. You will get back your memories at the right time. Have faith, trust in Him. Pray to have peace of mind," one sister said reassuringly.

I kept asking myself who I am as the days go by. I kept thinking why I was hit by a truck or any vehicle. Where is my family, my parents?

I was sent to a church to where I have fully recovered. I served as a sexton in the same church in La Union where I have learned church chores. I became totally a person with disabilities but it didn't hinder me to perform my duties. I used crutches to help me in walking. A hearing aid for my hearing because one of my ears was damaged. I never married and didn't bother about it 'cause who would like a person for a husband with multiple disabilities.

Never in my days at the church did I not try to remember who I was. I got to forget it sometime when I was busy with my chores, though.

One day, there was a balik-bayan from Canada who was a member of the church. He learned about me and extended his sympathy. He bought me a prosthetic leg in Canada to permanently replace my crutch. I've felt a relief when I once again able to walk normally. Not only can I walk, I could even run and kick like any normal person can. I was very grateful to the person with such kind heart.

The person saw how happy I am with my new leg that he was also filled with overflowing joy that he once again sponsored a swimming escapade at the beach. He invited his family and including Father. He said it was to celebrate my second chance to walk again normally.

I used a swimming ring while swimming because I don't know how to swim. A friend of mine was also in another ring and we had fun raising going to a deeper part of the water. I tried to kick my feet and push myself with it at the water in an attempt to learn how to swim. Because my friend was much faster than I was that he was able to reach the part where we agreed to be the finish line. Then he would return back to the starting while I was yet to reached the finish line. That's why we were meeting at the middle.

Then all of a sudden the wave grew big at my back. It carried my swimming ring and sent me to the side. I saw my friend dived in and left his ring so that the wave won't hit him. When he came to the surface, we hit each others head accidentally as the wave brought me down. It was intense. I felt like there was a strong earthquake that shook me.

I look at my friend but it seemed nothing happened. He was even laughing as he went to rest at the sand.

But to me? I felt like there was a door at my head shut for a very long time that flew open.

I spread my eyes and look at my surroundings. It was a beach, nothing more nothing less. I then recognized this place. I knew where was this because we came here once. Yes, once for a swim. But I can vividly remember and if I am not mistaken it was San Fabian Beach. I even engraved my name at a coconut trunk.

I tried to locate where that particular coconut was. I ran to it as my memory provided the details. Lemme see if it was still there.

It was. Yes! It was an overwhelming feeling.

"Father! Father! Father!" I shouted as I ran towards where father and the others were..

Cuuuuut...

07-08-21

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