DISTRICT II: How does the bird sing? (District Series #2)

CHAPTER 9 - PARABELLUM

CHAPTER 9

PARABELLUM

"How can you not call me before hand!?" Eitan yelled when they arrived at the apartment after he rushed towards her after the call was made.

Nakaupo si Phillie sa sofa habang nakapikit ng maigi. Bukod sa mga sigaw sa loob ng kaniyang isip ay dumagdag pa ang boses ni Eitan dahilan para halos mabaliw siya sa naririnig. 

"I...I didn't know.." She murmured.

"Look at what happened!" Eitan continued yelling. "What if that person decided to kill you!?"

Phillie slowly grasped her hair as to stop all the noise from getting in her head that is making her lose her mind. She closed her eyes tightly as she tried folding herself on all fours on the couch.

"P-Please.." She murmured. "I'm sorry..."

Eitan felt the sense of reality when he heard that. Huminga siya ng malalim at lumapit ng bahagya kay Phillie ngunit hindi na makita ang mukha nito dahil sa nakatago. Doon lang din niya na-realize na nanginginig na ang buong katawan ni Phillie.

"Phillie.." She called.

"I-I'm sorry, father..." She cried in a low voice. "I-I won't do it again..please..don't hurt me."

I'm an idiot. He thought as he rushed towards her.

Eitan immediately wrapped his arms around the curled Phillie. Phillie resisted as she were attacked by her trauma again. She kept on resisting that it became too hard for Eitan to help her calm down.

"I'm sorry." Eitan whispered as he gently kissed her head. "No one's going to hurt you, Phillie. No one's going to hurt you."

"I'm sorry, father..please.." Phillie continued crying.

Eitan tightly closed his eyes as his arms started to tremble when he failed to make Phillie calm down from the uproar he made and worsen. Hanggang sa kumalma si Phillie ay hindi siya binatawan ni Eitan.

Nang makatulog ay dahan dahan siyang ibinaba sa kaniyang kama. Basa pa ang kaniyang mukha sa pawis at luha nang punasan iyon ng marahan ni Eitan. Nang matapos ay umupo siya sa gilid habang hawak lang ang kamay ni Phillie at hindi iyon binitawan.

"I'm sorry, Phillie." Eitan whispered with his head against her hand. "But don't betray me..please..don't betray me.."

When Eitan fell asleep with the heavy feeling, he remembered a fragment of his past.

A small version Eitan was sitting at the corner of the hall. He was wearing a small suit, his hair were neat and tidy, his eyes were sparkling but there was no emotion on it. He was just thirteen year old kid when he was introduced to this extended family.

"Are you Ei?" A kid walked up to him.

Eitan looked at him and nodded.

"My name is Ace. I'm your big brother." The kid said as he held Eitan's hand.

For the first time in his life he felt the overflowing happiness when he met his brother. Ace was a gentle and cool brother to his eyes that the moment he grabbed his hand, Eitan started feeling the life he's in.

"I do not accept this!" He once heard inside a private room while running and playing with Ace.

Napatigil si Eitan nang marinig ang pag sigaw ng kaniyang lola na ina ng kaniyang ama. 

"Ace is fine alone, Yama, why do you have to bring that kid all along!?" His grandmother said.

Eitan quietly listened to the conversation. Even if he does not want to listen at all, he can't help but finish their conversation. He was just looking at the floor blankly.