Hideous

"WE'RE here in front of St. Ignacio hospital where the former beauty queen turned actress Riza Andalio was brought after her housekeeper found her unconscious and almost lifeless inside her bathroom. According to some sources, this is the hospital where her rumored husband is currently working as a cardio-thoracic surgeon..."

"Doc, Dr. Zamora said that he'll perform the operation."

From the large TV screen hanging on his office's wall, Pablo turned to the resident anesthesiologist, who informed him about the sudden surgery assignment changes. "No," he refused in a stern voice. "I will perform the operation-"

"No, you will not do anything under my watch Pablo," a familiar voice told him in an authoritative tone. "Do you think the hospital will just allow you to do a major surgery in that condition?"

Pablo clenched his fist and looked at his colleague, "I should do it, right?" he asked in a surprisingly steady voice. "Of all the doctors here, I, as the cardio surgeon, should perform that operation!"

"No, Pablo. We've talked about this, and I will do the operation for Riza," Rico told him with finality in his voice. "And, please do not intervene in our operation-"

He grabbed Rico's collar and lifted him on his feet. "Riza is my wife, and I should save her! I will do the operation! I will do anything to save her life!"

Timmy, the anesthesiologist, pulled him away from Rico. "Dr. Alcaraz, calm down, please."

"How will I calm down if my wife is in the emergency room with an open chest cavity, but none of the doctors here could save her?!" Pablo pushed Rico away and swept everything inside his office. "Even I, a heart doctor, couldn't do anything for her because all of you are stopping me!"

"Pablo, you have to understand that it's in our protocol," Rico told him, but it didn't help him to calm down. "With your current state now, you can't handle an operation. Your emotion will just affect your performance. And, I know that you're aware of that, Pablo."

Pablo raked his fingers through his hair. Tears flowed from his eyes endlessly, and the pain inside his chest is almost unbearable. How could he be so useless? What's the use of his license if he couldn't even save the life of his wife?

"Tell me, Rico..." he said in a calmer tone. "What's the findings?" He went on his knees and lowered his head as if begging him to tell all the truth to him. "Tell me!"

"Your wife has..." Rico hesitated. When he looked up at him, the struggle that he saw in his face just added a burden to his chest. Still, he wanted to know everything. "Riza has a severe case of stable angina, Pablo."

Pablo felt as if he was hit in the chest with a large rock with what he heard. He can't breathe, and everything around him darkened. "S-stable angina...?"

Rico nodded. "It can be done through bypass surgery, but her coronary arteries have already developed atherosclerosis," he said and shook his head. "And, because plaques were all over the elastic linings of her heart's right and left ventricle, her case reached chronic total occlusion."

Pablo's brows furrowed. "H-how come that she developed such heart disease?" he asked him questioningly. "Riza doesn't smoke nor drink alcohol-"

"Maybe she's just hiding it from you, Pablo," Rico told him apologetically. "Dr. Zamora found out that her arteries have been completely obstructed for more than five months-"

"Five months?" he cut off in disbelief. "And, Riza is not telling me anything about it..." he plopped down on the carpeted floor of his clinic. "He hid her illness from me!"

"Pablo, let's hope for a miracle, Dr. Zamora, and I will do our best to save your wife," Rico assured him, but Pablo knew it better.

He knew that his wife's case is hopeless, and they will just watch her lose her heart rate. "Miracle?" he scoffed. "That's absurd!" He got up and went out of his clinic. Rico and Timmy tried to stop him, but he swept them away.

As soon as he went into the emergency room, thousands of reporters held their cameras at his face and asked him questions that even triggered the pain inside his chest.

"Dr. Alcaraz, is it true that you can't save your wife even if you're a prominent cardiothoracic doctor?" one reporter asked him shamelessly and insensitively. "Could you give us some updates on Riza Andalio's operation?"

Pablo doesn't know what to do or say. This is his wife's life: Always exposed in front of the cameras that did nothing but to humiliate them and worsen their already miserable lives.

"This is one of the reasons why we're not allowing you to come out of your office," Rico told him and helped him got out of the reporters' spotlight. "But what did you do? You just exposed yourself to them."

Pablo's knees weakened. He sat on the floor of the empty ward and broke down in tears. "I'm useless..."

"Don't say that to yourself, Pablo. You're a great doctor; you saved a hundred lives of patients with heart disease-"

"But I can't save my wife's life," he cut off and punched the tiled flooring. Blood from his knuckles stained the floor. The stinging pain that he felt on his hand is nothing compared to the pain that's slowly killing him inside his chest. "I'm useless!"

Rico stopped his hand before he could hit the floor again and broke his fingers. "Don't hurt your hand, Dr. Alcaraz. This is not the end of your life and journey as a doctor. Other lives need you."

"No..." he clenched his jaw. "If I couldn't save my wife, I shouldn't be a doctor."

BRANDY'S loud barks awakened Pablo from a nightmare. He sat up from his bed and wiped the trickle of sweats on his temple. He sighed. He dreamed about it again...

"What are you barking at, Brandy?" he asked his five-year-old Labrador guard dog. "Did you catch a chicken again?"

Brandy barked again and ran outside his room, telling him to follow. Pablo's brows furrowed, and he looked at the luminous digital clock in his living room: 11:00 PM.

He was about to go in the kitchen to drink when he heard a scream coming from a nearby woods, followed by his dog's continuous barking. "A woman?"

***

"WHY do I have to this documentary?!" Gwen shouted frustratingly after Chico gave the papers where their assignments were written. "Create a documentary video that will shock the viewers? Where the hell will I get a shocking topic for the documentary?"

Chico, the assigned cameraman, sat in front of her and scratched the back of his head. "You're the reporter; you should know how to do that."

"I am a reporter, but I am not an investigator!" she said, slamming the papers on the table. Because of her loud voice, the customers at a nearby table looked in their direction. Gwen sighed. "Why don't they just tell me to stalk the artists with scandalous secrets? That's easy as one, two, three for me."

"You wanted to get that seven 'o'clock spot, right?" Chico asked. When she nodded, he continued. "Then you should learn how to be a flexible reporter."

Gwen covered her face frustratingly. "Does six years of being a showbiz reporter not enough for me to get a promotion?" she asked in a helpless tone. "After I got my degree in college, I started working here. I was just twenty back then..." She looked at Chico and narrowed her eyes. "All my batch mates had experienced a promotion after just two years, while me?" She shook her head. "Six years and still the junior."

"You and your batch mates worked in a different TV network," Chico said. "And, maybe they're doing a great job that's why their seniors recommended them to a higher position."

"How could you say that hurtful words to me, Chico?" Gwen glared at him. "Are you saying that I am not deserving to get a promotion?"

The man didn't answer. He just focused on sipping on his coffee, which only made Gwen annoyed.

She grabbed the papers again and looked at them. "Is this the final test before Chief Nostra gave me that seven 'o'clock spot?"

"I think so," Chico said, not looking at her. It seemed that he was also tired of convincing her to do this so they could both move on with their duties. "By the way, I have a topic suggestion."

Gwen looked up at her. "Spill it."

"My coffee?" he asked sarcastically, but when she glared, she continued. "I have an Aunt in Bulacan. She lives in Norzagaray, just on the foot of Mt. Balagbag."

Gwen raised an eyebrow. "So? What makes her special and worth to be our subject?"

"Not my Aunt," he said. "I just remembered she told me about a healer in the mountains."

"Healer?" Gwen repeated. But after a few seconds, she burst out laughing. "Healer is so outdated that nobody will take an interest in our topic."

"Listen first, Gwen," he said and leaned on the table. "According to my aunt, that healer is mysterious because he lives in Mt. Balagbag, and nobody knew him or where he lives."

"Then how does your aunt knew about him?" Gwen asked, brows still furrowed.

"Hearsay," Chico said that made Gwen scoffed. "But, hearsays and gossips were all based on facts, right? When there's smoke, there's fire."

"But I don't see anything different from that healer to be our documentary subject," she said in a bored tone. "Unless, he's doing wizardry and witchcraft in the mountain."

"Well, I think he is," Chico said. "According to my aunt, the healer was seen in the Maranat River by a mountaineer. And, that mountaineer got into an accident. The healer suddenly showed up from nowhere and treated his wounds." He leaned on the table towards her. "Do you know what medical practice he used to treat the mountaineer's injury?"

Gwen knotted her forehead. "He lives in the mountains, right? Then, I'm sure he used naturopathy."

"Nah." Chico said. "That mysterious healer used modern medicine."

_______________________

GWEN turned to the side and hit her head on the windshield of the car. She groaned and caught her forehead. "The fuck!" she cursed and looked on her side. She found Chico sleeping on his steering wheel. "Chico!"

The man looked up and turned to her in half-lidded eyes. "What?" he asked in a groggy tone. "I wanted to sleep-"

"I told you to don't sleep while driving!" she said and pulled his earlobes. "How are we going to reach our destination if we're both sleeping on the trip?"

Chico brushed his hands on his face. "Where are we?"

"I should be the one to ask you that, idiot!" Gwen said and took out her phone. "It's already six in the morning! We have to be at Mt. Balagbag before the sun rises!"

"Where am I?" Chico asked the navigator. A few seconds after, the navigator announced that they're in Igay, SJDM Bulacan. "How many kilometers more before we reach Mt. Balagbag?"

"From your location, you're one kilometer away from Mt. Balagbag..."

Gwen's eyes widened in excitement. "I think we should park our car here," she said. "I read in a travel article last night that only 4x4 vehicles can go to the mountain slopes."

Chico nodded and started the engine again. "Then, let's find a parking lot."

"We can start interviewing some of the residents here if they heard about the mysterious healer in Mt. Balagbag." Gwen suggested as Chico stopped the car in front of signage that says 'paid parking'. She brought her camera and tripod with her.

"Aren't you going to fix your hair first?" Chico asked with a frown. "And, you have dried saliva on your left cheek," he added disgustingly. "What kind of woman are you?"

Gwen glared at her colleague as she wiped her cheek with her towel. She and Chico have been working together since she's an intern at LNN or Light News Network. The man was like an older brother to her, and she's comfortable whenever he's working with him.

She looked around the place. But because it was still early, the street was deserted, except with stray dogs barking at them. "Should I talk to them?"

Chico laughed. "Give it a try," he said supportively. "Animals have witnessed a lot of crimes but weren't able to speak up."

"Agree," Gwen said while staring at the dogs. "But dogs are scary."

"I agree too," Chico said. "I love pussies."

Gwen looked up at him in an arched brow. "But they don't like you," she said and focused her eyes on the old man pulling out a chair from his house. "I think I found a prospect source."

Gwen quickly went to the old man and greeted him. The man smiled at her warmly. "What can I do for you, Miss?" he asked with a rural accent.

"I just want to ask you some questions, sir," she chirped. "Are you familiar with the mysterious healer in Mt. Balagbag?"

The old man's brows furrowed. "Ah, I've seen him before. I think, two years ago," he said and narrowed his eyes as if recalling the memory. "He's mysterious because he only showed up whenever there are accidents in the mountain. Curiosity about him raised when the mountaineer revealed the kind of treatment that he gave them."

Gwen listened carefully to the man. "Is it modern medicine?"

"Not just modern medicine," the old man said. Based on his light expression, he seemed to be enjoying telling her about the healer. "He's using a modern medical practice on the spot."

***

"WE'VE been walking around for almost eight hours, Gwen. Are you sure that we can see the mysterious healer here?" Chico sounded cynical. He looked at his wristwatch. "It's already past one p.m."

Gwen wiped her sweats on her temple. "I'm sure that he's just nearby," she said and looked around the woods. "But I don't know where."

"According to the old man, he only appears whenever there's an accident," he said, then looked at her sharply. "Why don't you jumped on that cliff?"

"It's your idea, so why don't you try it first?" she asked back sarcastically. When the man just laughed at her, she plopped down on the grass. "I'm tired," she said and threw the long stick she used as a cane while walking. "Let's eat first before we continue the search."

Chico frowned at her. "If we eat now, there will be no more dinner for later," he said and sat beside her. "It's your call."

"I wanted to sleep first," she said and took the picnic blanket on her backpack. "I will take a nap. Wake me up after an hour," she told Chico and spread the thick blanket under the tree. "Also, watch out for insects."

Gwen lie down and closed her eyes without waiting for Chico's response. The calm wind felt good in her face as if sending her to a beautiful dream. Gwen fell asleep faster, but after a few moments, she lifted her eyes open when she felt something warm on her neck. Gwen thought it to be a snake, she sat up with a jolt and found out that it was Chico's arm.

"`My gosh!" she cursed and looked at her wristwatch. Gwen's eyes widened when she saw that they've been sleeping for three hours! "Chico! Chico, wake up! It's three p.m already!"

Chico rolled over and groaned. "I don't care-"

Gwen pulled his hair that made him opened his eyes. "We have to continue walking now!"

The man sat up with a scowl on his face. "I told you to jump off the cliff so we could see that mysterious healer quickly-"

She hit his head. "Do you want me to push you on that cliff?" she said and took out her camera. "I need a B-roll on Maranat River, where he was last seen. Let's go!"

"Where can we find the Maranat River?" Chico asked.

Gwen pressed her lips together. Now that they don't know where they're going, she regretted refusing to get a tour guide. "Maybe it was over there."

"We came from that area, right? And, there's no river along the way," Chico said, making Gwen more annoyed. "I told you we need a tour guide. But you kept on insisting that this is just a small mountain and we can find the mysterious healer in no time."

She caught her head. "Then, let's go this way!"

After walking for another two hours, Gwen's knees gave up. She plopped down on the ground and looked at the scarlet sky. It's starting to get dark, but they haven't find the healer.

"I think this is where we're gonna set up the tent," Chico said, dropping all his things on the ground. "Gwen, don't just sit there. I need a hand here."

Gwen rolled her eyes heavenwards but still complied with Chico's request. "I can't believe I'm doing this just to get that seven o'clock news!"

"If you really wanted to get that spot, you should work for it," Chico said as he prepared the tent. "Nothing in this world came out with just one click. Even the internet speed sucks."

Gwen frowned. "I'm really rooting for that mysterious healer. I have this strong feeling that he is the man that I need to have that biggest break in my career."

Chico chuckled. "But where is he?" he asked. "He can't be seen. We're not even sure if he really existed."

"Hey, let me remind you, Chico. This subject was your suggestion," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "It was your idea to find and interview the healer because your Aunt said that he's quite different from other healers in this province."

"Yes, I suggested this topic, but I didn't force you to take it," Chico said. "But we're here now. We have to find him, or else we'll go home with nothing, and you will lose your chance to get a promotion."

"No way!" Gwen said. "I'm so tired of being a junior reporter. I deserved a promotion!"

After they set up the tent, Chico made a bonfire and took out his outdoor stove. Chico might be annoying sometimes, but she can count on him when it comes to sudden hiking like this. She watched him cooked spicy ramyun. As the aroma reached her nostrils, Gwen swallowed hard.

"Wait for the noodles to cook," he said when she sat beside him and looked at the small casserole. It was already dark, and the wind began to get cold.

"I'm starving."

"Then, wait for it," Chico told her as he stirred the noodles. "Gwen, why do you want to get the seven 'o'clock spot as anchor reporter?"

Gwen's brows furrowed at Chico's question. "Of course, because it's the most viewed time on the television."

"I know, but I also knew that you have other reasons," he said knowingly. "You're living alone and your salary as a junior broadcaster is more than enough for you. Still, you desperately wanted a promotion that doesn't have big differences on salary rate."

Gwen heaved a sigh. "Because I want my father to watch me speaking articulately in front of the camera," she said. "My father doesn't believe in my capabilities. He said that I will never reach my dreams because I am dumb and weak."

"He really told you that?" Chico asked in disbelief. "That's too discouraging."

Gwen nodded. "That's why I want to prove to him that I can do it too. That I am like my achiever sister..." she trailed off. "But still, here I am. Junior."

After they had their dinner, Chico went to sleep early. He complained about muscle pain, so Gwen let him rest first while she enjoyed the cold night on top of the Mt. Balagbag. The quietness of the forest helped Gwen cleared her thoughts.

"Where are you, mysterious healer?" she asked while staring at the bonfire. She was about to go inside the tent when she heard dog barks coming from nearby. "Wait for a second, is that a wolf? How come there's a wolf here in the Philippines?"

Out of curiosity, Gwen followed where the noises are coming from. After walking for almost thirty minutes, her feet brought her to the woods, and because it's dark, Gwen doesn't know how to go back to the tent.

"The fuck, where is our tent?" She opened her belt bag and took out the flashlight. She opened it and waved it in front of her, but then she paused. "Oh, my gosh..."

A giant black dog appeared in front of her and snarled. Gwen screamed and ran for her life. Because it's dark around, she didn't see that there's a cliff ahead. She stumbled down and rolled over to the ground. The dog followed her to the ridge, and Gwen can feel it's nose sniffing her body.

"H-help..." she murmured. She can't move her feet, and her whole body ached. Before she lost her consciousness, Gwen saw a tall figure of a man approaching her.

***