WITHERING PHANTOM

UNEDITED SAMPLE LITERARY ARTICLE
By Jonah Aileen Oliva Reyes
IV-Enrico Fermi


The bell rang. It was Research class, the second subject after lunch. We headed straight to the library and saw Ms. Sabangan waiting patiently at one of the tables with a pencil in her hand. The hour was meant for consultation time of researchers and studies past due.

I am already done with that, I thought to myself. Our group’s paper made it to the defence and we are finished polishing our document. No need for extra editing’s and rephrases.

I sat with Claire, along with Charmaine who was busy reading Twilight for the second time. I joined in their conversation, talked about a book Claire was buzzing about, a book regarding murders and a witness at risk. Clutching her book while she was talking, I started to read. It was interesting, all right. I managed to read twenty pages or so.

With boredom seeping through me and drowsiness deeply penetrating, I decided to go back our room. I will just continue reading The Alchemist and have a good time doing nothing. I noticed the clouds drift as I walked by. It could not be raining, I thought. Today is a wonderful day after all.

I grasped the door’s handle and opened it up. I was surprised with what I saw inside. The boys are playing chess as usual while the other students coming from different sections stayed to get cooled by our air conditioner, one that we fortunately have.

But these people, not even the gloomy atmosphere that enveloped me captured my attention the most. But, the ghost, the ghost sitting at the corner of our dimly lit room. Everyone looked up upon my arrival but I went straight to the ghost looking warily through me. A ghost that invaded my thoughts a few months back as far as I can remember.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Nothing, just taking this test I missed in Math the last time.” He answered lazily while sitting facedown now. He avoided eye contact, noticed.

“Oh, okay.” T he chairs are a mess but I grabbed one and sat beside him.

Thoughts were running inside my head. I have a lot of things to tell him since he has been gone. He never showed up, even at the times when he is most needed. I missed you, my mind shouted. But, my strength was not enough to speak out the message. I just sat there, gazing at his phantom face while he stared back blankly, blinking repeatedly out of a habit. I was there, slack jawed and smiling while he was dead serious with getting a good score in his quiz.

History was when we last talked. An exchange of hi’s and hello’s, nothing much unforgettable or remarkable. I wished I could get back the spark in his eyes like the days we used to chat all night. I wished I could get back his love for sharing and love for confiding. A passion long lost to a wrecked soul like him.

I studied his face while he was answering; he looked tired and indifferent of his surroundings. Right at the moment, I feel like he does not want my presence and I wondered why he had been so cold lately, making himself a real ghost out of my ruined imagination.

“How are you?” I tried to break the silence.

“Fine.” A single word was his only answer. I blinked; maybe he was too busy that I interrupted his quiz in Math.

Give him space, I decided. I walked away and teased and joked around with my buddies while he, stayed immobile at his chair.

After a while, I finally gave up. I am not good at keeping my emotions and I can no longer resist talking to the apparition in front of me.

“Hey you finish that now and come with me; I’m starving.” I demanded.

He did not look back and I gave him clues here and there, numbers he has no idea at all. He said thanks and nodded when I asked again if he will come.

“Something’s---

“Something’s wrong with you.” I blurted.

Shoot. I did not get hold of myself; he might get irritated and just leave as he pleases.

“I do not want to cry here.” He choked instead.

“Then come on, pad foot, come with me.” I said again. Now holding his arms tightly, making sure he will not refuse.

No one else can see him. I knew I was the only one, and I cared little about it because he was, of course, my ghost. An image my mind has made up.

“Let us walk this way.’ I pointed the longer route to the cafeteria and he nodded again.

“So what are you going to tell me? I know very well something is bothering you.”

Hell, I was deeply concerned and I wanted to know what was wrong with my phantom. My only phantom best friend.

“I went to our family doctor yesterday. I went through tests and another series of examinations. It was painful but a bit okay,” he paused for a very long time and said at last. “They say I am getting worst Jonah. That is all they said.” He was barely whispering, we were now walking along classes and he surely does not want anyone to hear his revelation.

“Yeah right.” I replied.

“So as to prevent further harm, I am isolating myself from you from now on.” He added.

I was stuck right away at where I was standing.

Pardon? What did he just say?

“Huh? You are being so nonsensical! And selfish!” I panicked. He knows I do not want to lose a friend and that is so unfair of him.

“I know you will get mad, that is a normal reaction, of course, but surely it is the best way to lessen this mess. And I am not selfish. Soon it will be over and I can not risk your heart from hurting.”

“Hey, a few months to live and you are going to rot like hell huh? I do not agree. Well how about this; let us just make the most of it. ‘Coz phantom, you are not going to go anywhere. Nowhere.”

It was hard trying to fight my tears back and my limbs are getting wobbly. But I know I needed to be strong. I wish I will not add as a problem to him.

We argued again and again, our usual bonding moment. I am not good at this because he was so smart and he was way ahead of me. He knows things people do not usually know. He is a ghost, after all.

I bought a pack of biscuits and juice when we were at the cafeteria. My appetite has subsided and I am in no mood for eating.

I tried to ask him how he feels. He said he felt weaker and more delicate. I hooked my arms on his and I sensed he is very warm. Warmer than any other ghost I have met in my past.

We argued again when he opened the isolation set-up. That is not how a phantom must do if ever he is going to die right?

I finally cried.

“Let us be realistic you brute. If ever it is going to come, then you must live everyday as if it was your last.”

“Nonsense..”

“No, please, we have lots of things to do in the future. And I can not do them without you or with anybody else. Remember I am a cry-baby? No one’s going to comfort me again if ever another break-up comes in the future.”

“You need to get used on living without me, this is absurd Jonah. I can not last forever!”

He was right. He can not last forever. And nothing….. nothing lasts forever...

I joked, though sobbing and weeping, that St. Peter will not accept him in heaven because his mission is not yet complete.

“Who told you I will end up in heaven? For all the bad things I have done, He will be glad I can not make it up there.” He joked in reply.

“I am your angel and I know enough you are a good person.”

“Well, thank you very much for believing. And stop crying please. I told you so.”

He handed out a hanky and offered it to me.

“No thanks,” I refused. Later I know he will use it as soon as his sickness attacks his fragile body.

“Live long..” was all the words I said last.

He smiled. I realized it was a very different smile. There is gladness and bitterness at the same time. Mixed emotions were written on his face and he started to walk away and vanish in an instant.

Wind crept to my spine and I started to shiver. I imagined losing him and I cried even harder. I was left at the corridor crying all by myself. He is a very good friend and I could not afford to lose him.

my prediction has failed me, as usual. I went home with heavy rain pouring on my shivering body along with thunders that totally awaken my spirit. It is very cold now. i am freakishly shaking. I feel very cold not with the weather but with the melancholy eating me up brought about by the bad news. I feel totally hopeless but strong at the same time. I need to do something. There is no other way to help him.

He will live long, I promised. Not just to myself but to the million raindrops falling along with my tears…