The Pandemic Angel

It was around late noon when Grandma Rosita has finally awakened from her long hours of sleep. She was looking for her medicines once again and went to bother the whole family just so they could find her missing pills. 

"Where are my medicines?" She asked Julia, her favorite grandchild. "Where are my pills for my eyes and bones? I need them." Grandma Rosita continued.

"I don't know where they are Grandma." Julia told Grandma Rosita. Julia was busy drawing for her upcoming zine event and so she didn't pay much attention to her Grandma.

"But I need those medicines so that I could live." Grandma Rosita insisted. At her old age, Grandma Rosita was terrified of the idea of dying. She didn't want to die. She wanted to live a long life with her daughter and grandkids. 

Irritated, Julia stood up from her spot and walked into the kitchen to find her Grandma's missing medicines. Grandma Rosita did not mind Julia's behavior. She knew that Julia was short tempered but deep down inside Grandma Rosita knew that Julia loved her. 

Julia looked high and low for those pills. She searched inside the refrigerator. On top of the refrigerator. At the sides of the refrigerator. But unfortunately, she did not find her Grandma's medicines. 

"Grandma Rosita, maybe you've hidden your medicines once again. They are not in the places where they should be." Julia explained.

"Have I hidden them? But I can't remember where they are." Grandma Rosita answered. 

"Maybe, you've hidden them inside your room. Let me check for you." Julia offered her Grandma. 

And so, Julia went charging inside of her Grandma's room and immediately found her Grandma's pills on top of her Grandma's table. The smell of pee and dirt circulated inside of the room that Julia took all her inner strength not to barf. 

"Here you are Grandma. The pills for your eyes and bones. Let me hide the medicines for you so that you won't misplace them again." Julia told her Grandma. 

"Oh no hija. I'll take care of them. Don't worry, I won't misplace them again." Grandma Rosita promised.

"But Grandma, you always say that and yet you keep on forgetting where you put your medicines." Julia said, frustrated with her Grandma's behavior. 

"Nana. Please be a good girl and follow instructions just this once?" Julia pleaded.

"No! You be a good girl and listen to your Nana. I'll take care of my medicines. I need them so that I could live a long life." Grandma Rosita insisted.

"I know Nana. I know. But if you keep forgetting, then you might double or triple your consumption of medicine and then you'll surely die." Julia tried to bring light to her Nana's way of thinking.

"No! You act as if you know better. I'll take care of my medicines. And that's final." Grandma Rosita exclaimed.

"Then fine! Nobody wants you around anyway. You're such a hard-headed freak!" Julia blurted out and then went to her drawing spot and continued on doing her business, not minding her Nana's shocked reaction.

"Julia! You don't talk to me like that. I maybe old but I still could help with the family's financial needs!" Grandma Rosita raised her voice.

"Sure. Go brag about your pension. Your pension isn't even enough to supply all of your old people needs!" Julia shouted.

Grandma Rosita slammed the door to her room and slowly walked towards her bed as she cried out to God for help. 

Later that night, Grandma Rosita slept a long good night's sleep that she never awakened the day after that.

"Julia, go wake up your Nana. It's time for her medicine." Julia's mother ordered.

"Me? Does it really has to be me?" Julia asked.

Her mother give her the look and then continued on watching her teleserye. As for Julia, she grumpily walked towards her Nana's room. 

"Nana. Wake up! It's time for your medicine." Julia reminded her Nana in a voice as sweet as she could muster. Clearly, still annoyed at her Nana's behavior from last time.

No sound eminated from her Nana's room. 

Julia tried knocking several times but no response came from her Nana's room. 

She opened her Nana's door then found Grandma Rosita laying still in her bed. Julia put a hand in front of her Nana's nose and felt no breath. Mortified, she screamed for help but everything was already too late as her Nana has already become a dead person's weight.

Several years after, the pandemic came. Millions have been affected by the virus but luckily Julia's family was safe. Everyone in the grocery panic-bought food and essential sanitary things. People were going crazy as dead people became rampant in their place. 

Julia became a doctor several years after her Nana died. She decided to help treat people's illnesses, specializing in old people's concern as she made an oath to her grandma's grave that she would save lives. 

Unfortunately, being one of the frontliners, Julia got affected with the virus. She has been quarantined along with the others. Her breathing became heavy as days went by. 

Nurses provided patients with the needed pills. Then Julia remembered her Grandma Rosita and the time when she forgot where she placed her medicines. Her regret was so great for she have never had the opportunity to say that she was sorry. 

Later that night, Julia dreamed. She was walking on thin air and that everything was pitch black. She heard her Nana's cry for help. The time wherein she shouted at her.

"Grandma Rosita...I am sorry. I never meant any of the words that I've said. I love you with all my heart and I promise to take care of you with all my life if you will just let me." Julia cried out.

"Oh dearest, I'm afraid that it's too late for that. But, I am proud for what you have become. You've become a doctor and did your best to treat sick patients. Continue saving lives, my dear. The world needs you right now." Grandma Rosita said.

Julia awoke feeling a lot better. After that dream, she was diagnosed negative with the virus and continued on treating people that she was later then called the "Pandemic angel" since the antibodies in her blood became the cure for the virus. But what people didn't know was she has been possesed by a spirit. A spirit named Rosita Asuncion.