Chapter 3

Beneath the wilderness, Dark and vague, Alundra woke up through indistinct sounds of hummingbirds, buzzing bees and crickets. She couldn’t breathe comfortably, her neck seemed tangled and scratches were everywhere throughout her body.

She was confused, uncertain of the vagueness of the memory. She must have known why and how she was brought to this place. "What happened to me?"I cannot remember everything, Who am I? Why am I lying in this dark muddy cold wilderness? she asked. No one could answer, not even herself.

She closed her eyes again, blinked after another blink that maybe, she was just dreaming. Until she realized, it's real. She was absolutely in the middle of the wilderness.

"Oh my God!"She started to get nervous, with a shaking body, she noticed her body's getting so numb that refusing herself to move a bit. "What happened to me?"She slowly got scared,confused.

"My God, someone's here!" She heard a person next to her,maybe he's standing or sitting beside her. Her hope was relieved, at least she could be saved.

Someone is unconsciously lying in this wilderness of dipterocarp? The voice of another man awakened her senses. She could vaguely recognize the voice. She wanted to see him but it seemed not possible to open her eyes.

Miss, how are you? Alundra woke up in a cold white room smelling freshly scented pines in the forest. It soothed her consciousness and helped her feel comfort. She slowly wandered her sight at the angelic voice, she's so beautiful.

"How are you feeling right now?" the woman asked "Ah, I'm okay now but I can't move a bit," she said. The woman smiled and said, do you remember what happened to you, Miss?

"I cannot remember anything, I don't even know myself even. Do you know me?" She asked her hoping that she might know something about me. "I only know at least your name could be Alundra? It's in your necklace.

"Thank you, at least I know a bit of myself." She said, and she smiled at me. Well, I'm doctor Martina, and you are now confined in Brooke's Medical Hospital for three days now. I'm happy you survived the fire you've been through.

"Fire? I survived a fire? "I was confused with what she said.

"Yes, you luckily did. You have second degree burn in your legs while we also noticed that you might have jumped from a building to save yourself, but…she paused and stared at me,

"We also checked your body, Ms.Howell, you have some bruises and scratches in your arms and neck, matter that fire or jumping through a building will not manifest, maybe you had some fight with someone or something. Doctor Martina was confused while telling me their findings.

"I really don't have any idea what happened, but at least I'm thankful that I'm saved now. "Thank you Doctor Martina, she smiled, grateful for at least she’s alive.

"Don't thank me yet, because I was not the one who found you, it was the team of Mr.& Mrs. Gonzales. "they brought you here.

"How could I thank them? Can you tell them please that I'm awake, I must thank them personally. "She politely asked.

"Sure, I will tell them about your recovery. I gotta go now, just push that button on your left whenever you need assistance."

"Thanks doctor Martina." Alundra smiled at her as she took her footsteps towards the door .

The night went well except for the crashing sound of lightning and thunder outside the room. She was keenly watching the weather update on tv, while the newscaster was airing the warning signals on the thunderstorm in Nuevo Valley. The sound of thunder brought unexplainable shivers to her nerves.

She cried of fear in an instant. It really brought extreme uneasiness to her senses that she held herself desperately covered with blankets and pillows.

"Good morning Alundra", Morning finally came, she heard a soft voice from someone behind the headrest. She slowly opened her eyes and looked behind her and saw a beautiful woman behind Doctor Martina. She's gorgeous with long blonde hair not to mention the angelic face that deserves a second glance, she must be the one who called her.

Alundra looked at her, then the doctor she was able to talk with a day before. Doctor Martina came closer and said,"How are you Alundra?" she asked.

"I'm good, Doctor Martina"she smiled."Ah, by the way this is Mrs. Zandra Gonzales, her team of researchers found you in the midst of a dark forest in the Orient"

"Hello, Alundra, I'm Zandra Gonzales" She held her hand for a handshake. She took her woman's hand. She should thank her for saving her from whatever circumstance she was involved in. She thought she surely had fought hard that night .

"I sincerely thank you, Ma'am Zandra, for saving me. I should say it's my second life now. Though, I can't remember anything but at least the best thing for now, is that I'm still alive." With a teary eye, her utterance was sincere and thankful . "I owe you my second life"! She couldn't hold tears anymore, she cried of both happiness and sadness.

Though vague and unknown of herself, still hopes flowed into her senses that somehow everything's going to be alright.

"Don't cry, Alundra. Actually it's my researchers who have found you and they got you out from the forest and rushed you here." Her comforting words gave her bit of satisfaction.

"Well, I know you're getting better each day Alundra," said Doctor Martina, ``soon you'll be discharged from here and just get more rest outside." Alundra was stunned by her words. “Home? I don't even know where it is or do I have one?” She whispered silently when ma'am Zandra interrupted.

"Don't worry Alundra, I still have a vacant room in our house, you can stay there as long as you want." Zandra tossed her hair back, and smiled. "I'm sure you'll love my place,I have so many flowers like roses,dahlias and more.

"It's really so much of a help ma'am Zandra" Thinking of roses soothes her. "Thank you so much."

Zandra naughtily rolled her eyes."I think you can just call me tita Zandra or tita Zands, Ma'am doesn't suit me anyway."Oh, I’m sorry, but Thank you tita Zands.” Alundra heaved a sigh of relief.

Finally at home! said Zandra, she raised her arms and smelled the fresh breezes of air in the midst of forest and seas where her townhome was built with its unique rustic theme.

It was a blessing in disguise that their research team conducted an investigative study at the forest where she was found,unconscious. They thought her dead. Alundra’s life was strangely forgotten ,even splits of memories of her past never appeared upon her consciousness. Dr.Martina said that it could be an effect of unbearable pain that her brain chose to forget but she assured it's short-term and can still be cured.Yet, unknown until when it would last.

"Come on, let's eat" Zandra’s words woke her back to reverie.

"Ah, yes ma'am." She smiled at her. I mean, tita."she smiled back.

They ate dinner silently. She cannot say anything about herself… She thought she’s nothing, nobody.

While they were about to finish their meal, someone knocked her door and two men came in, one was in mid-forty but still looking vigorously astounding with his delivished hair and darker beard which added gorgeousness to his aura while the other one was maybe of her age or a bit older. He's tall,lean with a pointed nose and smells so fresh like pine and lovely roses His stubble beards made him hunky ,dominant and intimidating. His blue eyes caught her, his stares made her blush and her heart beat fast.

"Hey,honey, how's the flight?" Zandra called the man. "She's here" That made Alundra assume that the man knew her being …adopted.

"Come on, join us, we just have started our dinner" she said. The man smiled after kissing Zandra. He also has bluish eyes that resemble the one behind him.

"Good evening sir",Alundra bowed in respect and gratitude. "Don't bow,Alundra."his immediate response caught me off-guard.

"I'm sorry sir,I am just grateful for letting me stay safe in your place, you do not know me, but I had this feeling that you are good people and I'm safe with you here"

"I'm sorry, but it is our pleasure to help you Alundra, and please call me tito Xander" She was flattered but nervous with his words but so shy to look at them, instead She looked down her feet and held her necklace unconsciously. She could feel safer and comfortable while holding it.

"Uhm, by the way Alundra, he is Tito Xander, my husband, and the hunk behind him is Rafael, his gorgeous nephew, one of the Orient’s most eligible bachelors." Zandra laughed for her ‘naughty’ introduction.

"It's tiring but fine, good thing I was with Rafael, he's more than capable of fixing grudges"Sir Xander answered.

"Good job Raf!"she smiled at Raf, but Alundra didn't bother looking at them since she’s not even part of their topic. She continued staring at her feet until she heard them clearing their throats in chorus.

She awfully looked at them and slightly smiled.