Well instantly looked at Allen Mar with a confused face. “I haven’t come to that stage yet. Although yes, I have to admit that I also find people here a little skeptical, hideous, and suspicious, but apart from that, I don’t think I would come to a conclusion about leaving. I have told myself, ever since the day I realized this city is nothing but just one big messy puzzle, that if I keep myself away from people as much as possible, maybe I can survive four years living here alone,” Well explained casually, with his hands gesturing in the air. “Anyway, when is the semestral break? You know, a one or two weeks of no class after examinations,” Well inquired. But suddenly, all he ever got from his friend Allen Mar was a long and empty stare. “What’s the matter? Do you have no idea? It’s okay if you don’t know the answer, though. No pressure.” “No, Well. Of course, I definitely know the answer. I’ve talked to different students here before the class started and I asked them everything I

“We are now here, sir!” The taxi cab driver reminded the guys when they finally landed at their chosen destination, the Don Betito Private Hospital. “Lucky you, the traffic was not that heavy, we are able to arrive here ten minutes earlier than the estimated time of arrival.” The taxi cab driver jumped out of his seat, opened the door of the car on his side, and then maneuvered around to open the door of Well in the front seat and of Allen Mar in the backseat. “Thank you very much, sir,” Well said as he handed the driver his fair payment with excess cash for a tip. “Take care of yourself, sir. And thank you again for driving us all the way up to here. I really appreciate it,” Well added as he tucked his hands into his pocket and walked right next to his friend, Allen Mar. Together, they walked into the vicinity of the huge, mostly colored blue and white building of the Don Betito Hospital. “No problem, sir. Just like what I have told you before, I don’t mind giving you of service.

When the doctor told Well to just wait outside until the immediate operation was over, Well could not help but just obey with the rules. However, deep inside him, he was already anxious, nervous, and panicking. Emotions had been mixing up in his stomach that he found it very difficult to breath anymore. They had been clogging his throat, making him lose control of his breathing. Different scenarios had been playing in his head to the extent that he was lost already and could not distinguish the reality from the hallucinations. Hope had been the only chance he had. And although his abdomen churned in fear, and the back of his neck had been filled with goosebumps, Well only braved the situation and sat on one of the chairs at the waiting area, believing in his friend, Allen Mar that he would survive the operation no matter what. Prayers came out of his lips unconsciously without him knowing it. His nerves had never been feeling this tight. The flowing of blood all over his body had bee

Well went out of the hospital, and with his brand new cellphone, he contacted the taxi driver. Really, he thought, that in a world where everyone would be sketchy, untrusted, and suspicious, it was the taxi driver that he could turn up to. And so, with a few taps on his cellphone’s screen and in one swipe of the green ‘call’ button, he rang the taxi driver’s number and waited for him to answer the call. Although Well had thought that maybe he put his cellphone in silent mode because he was still probably in a drive with a customer. But contrary to his belief, the taxi driver actually answered. “Hello? Sir?” he said as soon as he picked up the phone and slid the answer button found on the screen. “What is it?” Well did not know what to say exactly. For some reason, he was running out of words to spit out. But not until after a few seconds, he finally came back to his senses. “Uhm, are you free? Please tell me when you are free because I have a very, very important matter to discuss w

“Let us start with the most obvious detail I could particularly think of,” Well said as he walked two to three steps forward, just a few seconds after he left the car alongside the taxi cab driver who went out just as soon as he parked the car on a private space of the Don Betito Hospital’s private parking lot. The taxi cab driver looked at Well’s eyes and immediately asked, “most obvious detail which is?” “Most obvious detail which is the exact location of the operating room,” he instantly answered. “As far as my memory could go, I believe the operation room is the first room of the second floor just as when you set out of the stairs.” Well then looked up to the sky and saw how the stars shined bright so beautifully that it did not even occur to him that it was about to get midnight already. The time was turning ten o’clock in the evening, but Well ‘s eyes were still wide awake. He would not be able to get himself to sleep anyway. His friend was obviously in danger, and as a new fr