Part 3: Nothing But Monsters

I woke up in a strange place, heavenly, everything white. Was I dead?

I felt a soft touch on my forehead and a figure walking away.

I wanted to utter a word but I couldn't.

I tried to move my body but I was in pain. I realized I wasn't dead yet. I was in a hospital.

"You were in a coma for a few weeks," a woman's voice said. "You have no one here, so someone asked me to stay until you woke up. We have a lot of questions for you when you are ready," the voice added.

I think I passed out again. The next time I woke up, I felt so hungry. I tried to move my feet and sit, but my whole body was shaking.

"Wa... wa... teerrr..." I tried my best to ask for water. A glass of water indeed. That same hand that touched me, with a familiar perfume.

"Who are you?" I asked.

But I heard no response. Again, that figure left the room the moment I tried to look up.

After a few days, I gained my strength slowly, but a flash of memories shattered me.

Something terrible must have happened to me. Then I collapsed again. This kept happening for many days.

I felt comfort when I smelled that perfume, which always woke me even in my worst nightmares.

The day came when I was ready to walk again. Little by little, with help from a nurse. I started to remember my mother, then my siblings, and my father.

I burst into tears having those memories again.

I promised myself to get strong and face these monsters.

I was released from that hospital but hadn't seen any of my family. I got it—either they were all dead or I was in a different world this time.

As I got out of that place, I saw the outside—tall buildings, a strange place. I saw a lot of cars and people too. It smelled different. "Is this the city?" I spoke to myself.

Someone guided me and said, "We put your things in that car. All your bills were paid. You're good to go."

"Bills? What bills? Which car?" I asked in innocence and confusion.

"Oh, no worries. Just go to that car, someone is waiting for you," the nurse said.

I slowly walked toward that Mercedes Benz, which was very familiar to me, but I was still confused. Was this another trap?

As I got near it, someone opened the door. I smelled that perfume again.

"Get in, Tasya. Don't be afraid, you're safe here," a gentle voice said from the car.

The moment I saw that car, I bowed my head down and never said a word.

I believed they were the Monte Carlos. Was he Don Rafael? Words from my mind.

I got in that car but was almost triggered by my trauma when the noise of the engine started.

"Slowly..." that voice again.

I sat down with my head still lowered, holding my hands, tightly pressing them together. That's what I do when I feel nervous.

"I'm Don Rafael. We met before." The voice I feared from the beginning was gentle and calming. It was never the Don Rafael they always mentioned. They said he was scary, but instead, he was healing me, comforting me as he spoke—like he was a father to me.

It was a long ride. He tried to speak to me, but I only listened without understanding anything. I had no intention to speak a word anyway.

We reached a villa. It was extremely huge and beautiful. It stood above the seashore where I could see the sunset that very afternoon, in the plain direction of the house. The house was above the cliff where you could even touch the clouds.

"Calm yourself here. Just tell the yayas if you need anything. Anyway, when you feel better, you can work here. For now, just stay until you get your strength back," said Don Rafael.

I was guided by one of the yaya until we reached a house near the villa. I stayed there for a few days. They had prepared food on the table for me, but I didn't eat until I felt I was alone. So they used to just leave it there so I could steal it and go back to my room. 

But on the 5th day, I sneaked out of that house. I decided to leave and find a way to get home. If this was the city, I just had to walk 2 hours to get to the house. It was already 5 pm and everyone was busy preparing for dinner.

I started walking back, trying to recognize the place, searching for clues where I was, but it was unfamiliar.

After about fifteen minutes of walking beneath the tall trees, I began to hear the noise of the nearby road. Soon, buses and trucks loaded with sugarcane came into view. At the end of the road, a familiar truck carrying carabaos for delivery was parked, perhaps while the driver was taking a break. I carefully made my way closer, looking for a chance to ride. Once I managed to climb in, I hid quietly for several minutes until I finally felt the engine come to life beneath me.

That truck smelled like home. I lay down on the pile of grass meant for the carabaos and drifted to sleep. After about an hour of travel, the truck stopped again.

Through the opening, I began to see sugarcane fields and familiar landmarks—I was getting close to home. I carefully crawled down, but just then, the driver noticed me.

"Theft!" the driver shouted.

I tried to jump down and run, but they caught me. Soon, I was taken to a nearby police station. Inside, I saw monsters everywhere—monsters in uniform, monsters locked inside the cells.

They sat me down for interrogation, but I kept silent.

"Are you pretending to be crazy just to escape jail? That won't work on us," one of the police said.

They dragged me toward a cell, closer to those monsters.

They laughed at me as I stood there, the smell of dirt, cigarettes, and carabao dung clinging to my dress.

It felt just like the place where I had first seen a monster—only now there were more of them.

But this time, I wasn't afraid. I stayed quiet, unmoving.