Sunlight

The Sun by Ada Mina

A person gets a torch from his closet and goes out to get his son. He keeps on walking until he encounters stray cats that run away from his sight to one direction and stray dogs running away from him to another. He keeps on looking for him until he spots something. He gets it and discovers that he found a yellow rubber shoe. Then he looks further to find another one but once he got one, he notices that there are cockroaches in that shoe and smacks the shoe to get the insects out of there.

He heads back up with the yellow pair of shoes and washes them in the bathroom, then he puts them upstairs just outside of the attic room. He goes downstairs and turns out the television with his wife.

Marie: Where did Ricky go? Have you found him?

Simon: No Marie. Not yet, I only found his shoes.

Marie: Where has he been to Simon?

Simon: I don't remember, Marie.

Marie: I remember him telling me that he's going to someone's house. [Grabs Simon's hand.] But it's been several hours since he left and we have to find him soon enough.

Simon: I did my best.

Marie: I don't know where he's been to, Simon.

Simon: Maybe we should go ask our neighbours.

Marie: They might be too busy, Simon.

While Simon gets his torch back, Marie gets some clothes from her wardrobe and then she heads to the bathroom. After going there, she gets some photographs and school books of her missing son in hopes of finding him. She puts them in her bag and she goes out with her husband.

They walk around looking for more clues to where Ricky left. They flashed lights at animals that only run away from them and Marie finds a cap but she tries to get it out from the white dog's mouth. She kicks it until it threatens to bite her so she walks away from it.

Simon [to Marie]: Don't go near that dog.

Marie: I was trying to get that hat from it.

Simon: It might bite you.

Marie: We still have to look for him no matter what!

They keep on looking for his belongings scattered elsewhere as the sky lightens. Marie washes her hands and then she finds a book lying on a metallic table. She opens it and sees his signature and address. She knocks on someone's door and waits for a response. Then somebody arrives.

Marie: Hello madam. [Shakes her hand] This is Marie, I'm Ricky's mum.

The woman: Hi there, I'm his teacher in science class. Would you like to come inside?

Marie: Yes. [Shows the book] I found his book.

Teacher: He used to read it to keep himself pre-occupied while I had to take care of the guests.

Marie gets and the book then she places it in her bag. Later she comes to her room and faces his teacher while sitting together on a couch.

Marie: Madam, I've been looking for my son. He's gone.

The woman: He told me that he's going to a friend's house.

Marie: That's the same thing he said to me. Me and my husband found his belongings today but we have to keep on looking for more of them.

Teacher: He has a habit of losing things but he got lost himself so I can see why you're looking for clues to where he went.

The two women go outside of the house to find him. The teacher points Marie to that direction.

The woman: Marie, I think I last saw him here.

Marie: I don't remember it. But he said that he went somewhere.

Teacher: I remember accompanying him here where he kept on dropping his stuff because he was in a rush to go out. I had to keep on picking up his stuff but I lost track.

Marie: I tried to pick them up.

Teacher: Good thing that you're picking them up. Otherwise they'd get thrown in the rubbish.

The two women see a man running to them.

Simon: Marie! Marie! Look at what I got! [Shows them his missing jacket.] It's the jacket that he's been looking for!

Marie: Simon, it looks a little dirty.

Simon: I found it on a tree branch.

Marie: We have to get it washed. [Gets it from him and she goes to the laundromat with the teacher.]

The man has to continue looking for Ricky. He keeps on finding clues to where he's been to. Then he looks at the hanging shirt and gets it. He also goes on to find what Ricky had left on the bench. Then he uses the shirt to get a book off of it before somebody sits on it and he covers it while he's going to the laundromat to find his wife.

While he's on his way to find his wife and Ricky's teacher, he stumbles into a strange looking man in green clothing. The strange man gets the shirt and book from him and shakes his hand.

Ricky: Thanks Dad for finding them.

Simon: Ricky, you're alright but where have you been?

Ricky: I was hanging out at a friend's house.

Simon: But you keep on losing things. It's a good thing that they're not gone and not stolen by other people.

Ricky: I had to go his house as soon as possible.

Simon: We've been looking for you all morning. How long have you stayed at his house?

Ricky: Almost a day or two.

Simon: Don't leave us for long! You've been kidnapped or murdered!

The two women finally arrive and run to see the two men.

Marie: Simon! Simon! You finally found him! [Hugs Ricky with Teacher] Oh Ricky, you're safe and sound.

Ricky [gets his teacher's hand and places it on his forehead]: Mano po Teacher. Magandang umaga po and magandang uma din Nanay.

Teacher: Ricky! It's good that you're back!

Ricky: Teacher, so what happened to my other shirt?

Teacher: It's getting dried but we're going to get it soon enough once it's been dried.

Marie: We picked up your belongings and I have something for you. [Gives a book to him.] It's your book Ricky.

Ricky: Why thank you Mum.

All four of them head to the laundromat where Ricky gets his other shirt back and then he places both shirts in a bag while Simon sends the jacket to a washing machine. After it's washed and then dried they go to the teacher's house where she gives him something.

Teacher [shows him something]: Do you remember bringing me this? [Shows him a box of VHS tapes and trading cards in good condition]

Ricky: I used to be into Ghost Fighter when I was small.

Teacher: And I remember you wanting to be Vincent.

Ricky: Astig siya pero hindi ko alam kung ibabalik ito sa bahay ko o hindi. Pero hinahanap ko yan sa 2004. When I couldn't find those, I just turned to other stuff to keep myself preoccupied. [Gets the box from her] But thank you.

Teacher: You're welcome.

As three of them go home, she waves her hand at them when she said goodbye and then she closes the door.