19. What was once bread is turned to stone

The six o'clock news.

Traffic became heavy on both lanes of EDSA due to a multiple car crash when a trailer truck rammed into several vehicles as it tried to beat the red light along Taft Avenue. Several passengers are wounded and a few are feared dead including the passengers of an FX van and the truck driver and his helper.

After plowing through the three cars along the south bound lane of EDSA, the trailer truck dragged an FX van across the north bound lane crushing it on one of the concrete columns of LRT.

Five more vehicles were smashed on the north bound lane.

Witnesses reported that the trailer truck was moving at top speed even when the traffic light turned yellow.

Members of the MMDA Rescue unit and Makati Resuce are now on the scene to help the victims of this dreadful accident.

Three hours earlier.

Jerome Decena received a message on his mobile inviting him to a dinner in one of the fast food chains in Makati. He asked who the sender was adding that the message might be intended for someone else and was sent to him by mistake since the number did not register any name in his phone book.

Recently, text messages from unknown numbers are received by mobile phone owners. The messages usually contains an endearment and a statement that the texter has something important to say but the message cost the sender his/her last prepaid load. The last part of the message asks the recipient for some prepaid load to the "important" message can be transmitted.

But this is not one of those types of messages,

The sender replied that her name is Asuncion Sarmiento and that it is very important that she meets him.

Interested at hearing her voice to ascertain her beauty, Jerome called her.

"Hello," Jerome heard from the other line.

"Hi," he answered. "How shall I call you?"

"You can call me Siony," she replied.

"Hi Siony," he greeted. "I must say, you have such a lovely voice."

"Why thank you," Siony gaily responded. "But I do not have time to flirt. This is serious. Please promise that you will meet up with me."

"Okay," Jerome said, taken aback. "I'm sorry I acted the way I did."

"Sorry, I know you want to be like your friends," she said feeling really sorry for Jerome. "Being the only one among a group of playboys who has not seduced any women can get you down."

"What," Jerome asked in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll explain to you when we meet," she assured him. "I have to go now. Just promise to be there. It is important."

"Okay, I'll be there. Bye."

"Be careful," he heard her say before he cut off the line.

That's weird, he thought. Jerome just shrugged the conversation off and resumed his work.

Jerome is a lead financial analyst in one of the multinational banking corporations located in Ortigas Center in Pasig City. He joined the company right after graduation. In just five years, Jerome earned a reputation as a meticulous person bordering to being obsessive and compulsive. He always wanted everything done right and perfect. Dot the i's and cross the t's.

Recently, he had been dreaming of a battle in a place darkened by smoke. At first, he thought that it might be a residual imprint from watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy all in one seating.

But he kept on dreaming about this war months after the marathon viewing.

Always he sees himself standing in the middle of the battlefield not doing anything. He never attacked anyone or came under attack. He was on neither side.

He shook the thought aside and focused on what he was doing.

At five in the afternoon, Jerome punched out of the office and walked to the MRT station along EDSA.

He took the south bound train to Ayala Avenue and walked through SM Makati, Glorietta, and Landmark. He took the elevated walkway to the Burger King outlet along Dela Rosa St. in Legaspi Village.

When he got inside his phone rang.

"Hi Siony!"

"Hi," the woman said on the other line. "I'm seated to your left."

"Gotcha," he answered before he hang up.

"Hi," Jerome greeted, wiping his palms on his pants, feeling shy.

"Hi," said Siony, standing up and extending her hand.

Jerome grasped her hand and shook it lightly.

"So, what is this important message you are about to give me," he asked as they sat down facing each other.

"Don't you want to eat first," she asked in response.

"Sure," he said smiling.

They both stood up and joined the queue of other customers. They each bought a burger and some soda. Jerome offered to pay for their meal and she accepted.

After a few bites, Jerome asked her again what the message is.

"Have you noticed any change in you after you got your tattoo," she again asked in response.

"Nothing really. I think I'm fine."

"No weird things?"

"Nope."

"Feelings or anything?"

"Nothing. Why?"

Siony sighed in relief. "I was just curious," she said with a smile. "I am a reporter and I am doing a write-up about toxic chemicals in tattoo inks."

"Oh really? Then how did you get my name and number," he asked, doubtful about her story.

"I visited the shop where you got your tattoo and asked around," she explained. "I saw your number on the receipt when I asked the tattoo artist for the names of his customers. He was afraid of loosing his business so he obliged when I asked. So I thought maybe I could ask some of you to see if he was not lying."

He was not really sold on the answer but he accepted it. He continued to eat his burger still trying to patch things in his mind.

"I hope I did not offend you," Siony apologized.

"Well, I'm just a little upset," he answered. "I came all the way here when you could've jus asked me on the phone."

"I'm sorry," she pleaded.

"It's okay," he smiled. "At least I got to meet you."

They have both finished up on their meals and got ready to leave.

"Can I keep you number," Jerome asked on the way out.

"Sure."

They walked together to Landmark through Greenbelt. They parted ways near the parking lot in Park Square.

Jerome lined up for a FX ride home pondering what this whole event is all about. He also thought about Siony and planned on meeting her up again. Maybe for a real date this time. Thirty minutes later he got on board and dozed off in the middle of the mid evening EDSA traffic jam.

While dozing Jerome saw himself once more standing in the middle of a battlefield. Swordsmen were skirmishing. Spears and knives and arrows were flying all over. He saw lightning bolts striking on the ground. Fireballs crisscrossed the skies. Men, beasts, and giants fight off one another.

But something bothers him this time. Something has changed.

Explosions and screams and sounds of metal hitting metal and flesh bathe the dark, bloody field.

Suddenly, a warrior bearing tattoos on his arms holding a bloodied katana looked at him. He faced Jerome and slashed his sword, shaking away the blood of another warrior lying dead on the ground.

Jerome froze. He did not know what to do.

The warrior charged at him, both hands gripping the katana.

Jerome stepped back but lost his balance. There is no escape.

The warrior leaped, turn his sword downward wanting to impale the helpless Jerome.

Out of nowhere, a figure jumped over from behind Jerome to meet the descending warrior. Their swords clashed in midair. The momentum of Jerome's defender pushed the warrior back. Both warriors landed on the ground at the same time both assuming a defensive stance.

The two warriors lashed at each other. They swung their swords, blocked and parried attacks. Jerome thought he is watching an old Japanese movie with Samurais battling with sword and hands finding an opening for their katanas to cut the flesh of their opponents.

Alas, Jerome's savior is more skilled and overcame his opponent.

After giving death blow, the warrior walked up to Jerome who is getting up on his feet. As the warrior got close, Jerome discovered that he is not a he but a she. And not just any she, it was Siony.

Siony smiled at Jerome and handed him his attacker's katana.

"But I don't know how to use this," Jerome protested.

"You've watched enough movies to know how to use it," Siony assured him.

Then they heard screams as two warriors began to attack them. As Siony had said, Jerome was able to fight off his attacker a defeated him. He looked for Siony and saw her pulling out her sword from her adversaries dead body. He smiled in relief. She smiled back at him. Side by side, Jerome and Siony charged at their enemies.

He was about to slash his opponent when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

And he was awake.

The FX he was riding on crashed.

All he feel is the pain on his chest. He can hear the panicked shouts of those around him.

His vision is slowly fading.

He can hear his heart beat growing faint. The beat becomes louder but becoming further apart.

Then he all he saw is darkness.

And his heart stopped.