[Taglish]
It all started when a six year old Darylle Lopez finds her mom lying on her bedroom floor. Murdered by her one and only dad. She left him, alone. Her father got into jail. And she kept it a secret that only her best friend and cousin knows...
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There was a little girl, who was on the way home from school. Tuwang- tuwa siya dahil nag karoon siya ng bagong kaibigan at agad-agad gusto niya malaman ng mga magulang niya ang magandang balita.
"Bye, Darylle!" sigaw ng isang batang babae ng kasing edad niya at patungo sa kabilang dereksyon.
"Bye, Clarisse!" sigaw niya pabalik at nag lakad na pauwi. Ilang minuto din ang lumipas ng makarating siya sa bahay. Pinunasan niya muna ang kanyang pawis bago pumasok sa loob.
"Ha..kapagod naman.." she murmured quietly at umupo sa sofa.
"I'm home!" she yelled but there was no reply. Wala ba sila? she thought. Eh, may ilaw naman sa bahay. Pumunta naman siya sa kusina para hanapin ang kanyang mga magulang. Bigla na lang lumaki ang kanyang mata sa nakita niya. Bakit may mga basag na baso? nagtataka niyang tanong. Lalo siyang nag-alala.
At the same time, she heard a loud noise from upstairs. She quickly ran upstairs, muntik pa siyang masubsob sa hagdanan sa sobrang bilis ng pag-takbo niya. Chineck niya muna yung kwarto ng tatay niya, kaso wala siyang natagpuan. Sunod naman ang kwarto ng nanay niya kaso wala din. She felt nervous and afraid. Nasaan na kaya sila Mama?
Then.. napatingin siya sa tapat ng kwarto ng tatay niya. It was her room. The door was slightly open revealing the blinding light that she's not so fond of. Dahan dahan siyang lumakad papapunta doon. Every
step she took, she can feel her small body shaking. Nervously, she gulped. May nararandaman siyang masama. May masamang nanyare. She's definitely sure that there's something wrong. At hindi ito 50/50.
She slowly opened the door and froze at the spot. Nakita niyang nakabukas yung closet niya. Na sa kama yung luggage niya rin. Nakita niya rin ang tatay niya. "Dad.." akmang pupunta pa lang siya when she saw what he was holding. Hindi rin na sa kanya ang attensyon ng tatay niya. She followed his gaze and could feel the lump in her throat build up again.
Red. Ang nakita niya lang ay pula, wala ng iba. There were blood on the cozy bedroom floor. Pero hindi lang iyon. Nararandaman niya na ang init na sa sulok ng kanyang mga mata. "No..no.." she was there, lying on the floor. Ang pinaka-mahal niyang nanay, nakahiga sa sahig n may dugo sa kanyang damit. Lumapit siya kaagad dito ng hindi pinansin ang kanyang tatay na wala sa katinuan.
"Mama..wake up." sabi niya ng ginigising ang kanyang nanay. Her face was white as snow, lips paler than white. Her face looks so calm like any caring mother would have. Darylle started sobbing, knowing what happened. Her dad holding a knife with blood dripping on the edge, the blood stains on the floor, and now this. It was clear kung ano nanyare. Lalo lang siya humagulgol.
"Mama..no. Please, wake up." she didn't try giving up. She's still young at natatakot siya. Wala ng mag gigising sa kanya tuwing umaga, wala ng nag hahanda ng almusal at mag hahatid sa kanya sa school. Wala na din gagawa ng meryenda niya at mag tuturo sa assignments niya. Wala ng mag kwewento ng stories bago matulog. Wala na din siya. Everything was gone. Any six-year old would've felt 'missing' kapag nawala ang isa sa kanyang magulang.
"Janica.." her father whispered, almost inaudible. Hindi pa rin niya tinitignan ito. All she could do was cry. She was hurting, ang sakit sakit. Sobra. Parang may nawawasak sa loob ng katawan mo.
But she needs to be strong. At alam niya na ganun din ang gusto ng mama niya. She wiped her tears away and looked at her father who's head held low.
"Why did you do this?" yun ang unang lumabas sa bibig niya. Napataas ng ulo ang kanyang tatay at tumingin sa kanya.
"It was an accident." Accident? Accident din ba na nawala si mama?
"Janica..please hear me out." she was furious. Hindi gumagana ang utak niya. Gusto niya lang maiinis sa tatay niya but still kept quiet.
"Alam mo naman na palagi kami nag-aaway ng nanay mo." her father started. "She..tried to took you away from me. As a father..I-I can't give you away like that." hindi na niya kaya. Parang may gusto ng sumabog sa katawan niya.
"So I tried to s-stop her but..." He can't continue any longer. Tears welled up in his eyes. Habang nakatingin lang sa kanya si Darylle with no emotions shown on her face but something inside of her triggered.
"Kaya mo siya pinatay?" nagulat ang tatay niya sa sinabi ng anak niya. "Kaya siya nawala?"
"I-"
"Did you even think of me? Now that my mother is gone, sino na mag aalaga sa akin?" you could literally see fire in her eyes. And no one can stop her now. "Ikaw? How could someone like you take care of me?" alam ng tatay niya na mature na ang anak niya para sa isang anim na taaong gulang.
"I could atleast t-try." she just scoffed at her father's word. She was not gonna let a murderer take care of herself.
"No thanks. Ayaw ko mahawa sayo at maging murderer rin." makikita mo sa mukha ng tatay niya na na insulto siya pero kinaya pa din niya ito. Ayaw niya na pati ang anak niya ay mawala din sa kanya. Lumapit sa kanya ang tatay niya at hahawakan siya ng tumayo sa sahig si Darylle at lumayo.
"Don't you even touch me!" naiinis niyang sabi. Lumuhod na lang ang tatay niya sa harap niya at binaba ang ulo.
"Forgive me, anak." sa totoo lang, naawa na sa kanya si Darylle pero hindi pwede. Atleast, not for now. Hindi niya lang ito pinansin at nag tungo na sa may pintuan.
"Sana hindi ka maging katulad ng nanay mo na iiwanan din ako." she stood still by the door frame. "Sana mapatawad mo din ako, Darylle." she spared one last glance at tinignaan ng mabuti ang kanyang tatay na tumitingin din sa kanya before shutting the door behind her.
That were the last words she heard from her father.
Someday, dad. Someday... I could finally forgive you.
