IDENTITY: NINE

***

Alex

My eyes were still closed but I'm already awake. It seemed like I was lying in a bed along with these familiar smell like hospitals always gave. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, I'm at the school clinic, after I collapsed and had those strange dream.

Panaginip lang ba talaga 'yon? Parang hindi eh. Hindi ko ma-explain kung ano 'yon. Wait. This smell. This familiar smell.

I slowly opened my eyes at unang nakita ng mga mata ko ang napakaputing kisame na may isang 'di kalakihang ilaw. Pansin ko rin sa peripheral view ko ang nagtataasang mga kurtina sa magkabilang gilid ko na naghihiwalay sa akin sa ibang pasyente.

Muli ko na namang naamoy ang isang pamilyar na pabango. Parang naamoy ko na siya dati, pero hindi ko malaman-laman kung kaninong amoy ito. A sound of paper caught my ears at saka ko ito sinundan ng tingin. And then I saw this man, silently reading his book about Greek Mythology, with his legs crossed. Kahit natatabunan ng libro ang mukha