Everything Went Black

It was already dark, four more hours and they will finally be on their destination. Nine hours on the road is not a joke. The ISUZU elf truck and its driver must be exhausted yet they still had to go through their journey.A number of 20 people including the drivers immediate family of seven were at the trucks back..The truck has railings on its side and a tent for it's roofing.. Improvised seats of wood were made for the back riders.

It was the month of September,13 years ago, a rainy season in this time of year when the weather is not pleasant for travel. It had been raining cats and dogs but thanks it was pleasant that day. A good day for a long travel of approximately 10 hours.

They had hit the road at around 9am and should be at the city of pines at 3pm. Upon reaching a certain area, there was a big landslide on the road which was not passable. They were instructed to go back and look for the detour to pass through. It was a hard drive as the road was muddy and slippery going up to the top of the mountains. Due to no other route than this, big buses also took it to transport passenger from the city and back, and vice versa.As a result, the farmers road path to their vegetable gardens up at the top of the mountain became too muddy and slippery,and the occasional drizzle had added to its pathetic condition.

The truck's driver needs to hit the brake real hard when going down a slope and change gear to a point where it can climb a slippery steep one.

Some parts of the road really were like a quicksand where riders need to get out of the jeepney or buses and push it to get it pass through the pool of sticky mud. The vast vegetable gardens were really ravishing with verdant potato plantations. While others were already gathered and rejects on the side of the garden beds.

Fogs were rushing through and frozen dews can be seen when in fact it was already late in the afternoon1, these explains the very cold weather of the "Kada."

It was a beautiful scenery worth clicking if only models of mobile phones of today is available..They also don't have any digital camera but it was already the in those days.. It was like the sitio La Presa in "Forevermore" movie series, if you have watched it's only a different location..

Four hours of inching their way up they finally exited to the highway. The distance however from the area where the detour's entrance to its exit was a short 45-minutes drive in the main road.

The driver who made a quick check-up of his truck at a stop-over joined his riders who were having a hot coffee with their evening meal at the side of the road to regain vigor himself.

After a quick rest,they journeyed on.

They now reached the city which was supposed to be 5 hours only without long stop-overs. The city's night lights seem to fascinate a 16 year old girl so she climbed carefully at the railings and fixed herself comfortably at the metal rails to get a good view. She stayed that way until they are now traversing the road down zigzag Kennon Road.

The truck is going way too fast which is not normal when going down. The girl was enjoying the ride though, with her shoulder-level hair being blown by the cold evening breeze. Unbeknownst to her,some of the passengers are already panicking but they only managed to tell the driver to go slower and that they will soon reach their destination..

The driver remained calm though he himself is panicking and did not show or say it,instead he focused on his driving. He tried to steadily maneuver the truck on the road while looking for a safe spot to bumped the truck to cause a friction and finally would stop the car from going too fast.

"Kaablaaaaggg... " And the sound of metal rubbing intensely on the pavement can be heard.

Everything went black to the girl who was sitted at the top of the rails. She was managed to be pulled by her cousin next to her before she will be blown.

The truck fell to its side when they reached a sharp bend.It is due to lost of brakes that it had gone too fast..Few meters and it will be flying off the deep cliff if it did not fell on its side.

The girl regained consciousness. For how long she went out,she didn't know. She felt she was being carried on a wide flat wood and the wood she was on was pushed carefully through a jeep's floor. It was all a blur to her. It was dark.Her father came to her side, she could barely see his face but recognized his voice when he spoke. Her thoughts and senses were coming back when she can finally hear some cries not far and somehow see light coming from other cars head lights. She asked her father what happened because she did not feel the terrible fall. Her father assured her everything's fine. She tried to sit but can't and pain was slowly enveloping her. She felt pity to her father but not of herself. She asked about her siblings and mother and everyone with them yet her father explained they are well.

They were driven to the nearest hospital by concered citizens who happened to be from where they are but residing just above the road the accident took place. At the hospital, everyone was given appropriate treatment including her. She acquired a pelvis fracture on her right,the reason why she's not able to sit up.A deep abrasion on the right part of her face. And a more deeper abrasion on her left hip down to her thigh which now left a very bad scar.

Aside from her, her cousin who pulled her acquired fractured toes and another one also has serious injury on his footh,others are all in good condition except some scratches.

The news spread like wildfire that on that very moment their concerned "kailiyan" who are residents of the city flock outside the emergency area. Some brought foods,water and blankets while others handed financial assistance.

The girl's sister's wedding which they were suppose to attend took place the following day no matter what because everything's been prepared.

In the case of accidents, calamities and other tragedy, lend a hand whatever you can. That's the spirit of "BAYANIHAN," we Igorots still posses up to this modern world. A tradition we are proud in our very own village because one extends his hand without expecting anything in return.

ps. all photos from pixabay

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