Ontogenesis: Turning Point

Prologue

Dedicated to @ClarenceMangaoang

The newly released movie Tangled playing on the flat-screen television filled the void in Ingrid's room. She sat comfortably on the floor, leaning her back on the edge of the bed while watching, alone, enjoying her favorite movie. A burst of shrill laughter escaped from her petite, cherry lips and echoed on the four concrete walls surrounding her.

Her bed, covered with a baby-pink mattress, and pillows, which were in the same color, gave a peaceful ambiance in the night-shaded space. As always, Ingrid did not bother putting her stuff away before watching, so the stuffed toys, storybooks, puzzles, and color pens, were messily scattered across the bedroom's floor. Anyway, her mother does the cleaning and tidying of her room regularly.

She sniffed and dried her eyes up with the back of her palm. Those tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched the film's protagonist cry over her dying beloved. The scene reminded her of when she lost the favorite clothe doll that her mother made.

Ingrid wrinkled her nose and pouted. "Mabuti nga sa iyo! You shouldn't have stolen her in the first place."

Ingrid was pointing about Rapunzel's adopted mother, who turned into ashes after Flynn cut off Rapunzel's golden long hair.

She tucked her legs in front and then clasped arms around it. She rested her chin on top of her knee without taking her eyes off the movie. Her eyes rarely blink, too focused on the scene shown on the screen.

An audible thud outside her room made Ingrid's eyebrows crossed and wavy; something heavy rammed against the concrete wall, the house even shudders a bit. She nudged both knees on the floor, erected her hands then crawled forward to reach the remote control. As soon as she got it, she pointed it in theTV's direction to pause the movie.

"Mommy?" Ingrid spun her head towards the door as she shouted; her eyes were like pieces of ball juggled inside a bottle, peeking from the entrance to the television simultaneously.

When no one answered, she got up then placed the remote on top of the TV stand then walk to the door. She turned the doorknob open then pulled the door inwardly. The piercing sound of the door scraping the tiled floor filled the silence outside. She slid out then faced in the right direction. The lounge area was like a cemetery at night, raven and eerie.

Ingrid took one step at a time, tip-tapping towards her mother's chamber. After a while, she flinched, then her feet, like has a life of her own, halted from moving. The cracking sound of a bullet released from a muzzle popped into the silence. Like a tree stump, she remained on the same spot, darting her eyes on the room where the noise came. The door was slightly open, yet everything on the inside was vague. A faint groan broke the silence, then another gunshot aired, and another one after another.

Ingrid's young mind became clouded with undefined horror. She stayed still, her heart thumped like a wild animal trying to run off from a cage. Her slender fingers clamped on her white silk pajamas like octopus tentacles. With trembling knees, she lifted her right foot and commenced her step slowly.

"M-Mommy?" tawag niya mula sa labas ng pinto. Ang mabilis at malakas na pintig ng kaniyang puso ay parang nasa mismong tainga niya.

Nang walang sumagot, nanginginig ang kamay na hinawakan ng batang si Ingrid ang malamig na seradura ng pinto, na nagdagdag sa tensiyon na namumuo sa kaniyang kalooban. Itinulak niya ito papasok ng marahan at pumasok sa loob ng kuwarto habang malikot ang matang gumagala sa bawat sulok. Halos malagutan ng hininga si Ingrid sa nakakahindik na sitwasyon na kaniyang naabutan. Her face turned ghost as she caught her mother lying on the floor, bathed with a crimson fluid.

"Mommy!" She ran fast towards her mother. As Ingrid cupped her mother's face, a sea of tears from her eyes poured slowly. Nataranta ang inosenteng isip niya at binalot ng panlalamig at kilabot ang kaniyang isipan. Her mother was dead, and she was alone. Hindi niya alam ang dapat gawin kung hindi ang tumangis sa labis na takot at paghihinagpis.

"Mommy... mommy," she mumbled, jerking her head, grabbing her mother's clothes with tiny hands.

She blenched after the sound of a gun's hammer being cock, reached her ear. As she hoisted her face, an edge of a gun touched her forehead. Napaatras si Ingrid habang nakapinta sa mukha ang labis na pagkasindak. Naghahalo ang kaniyang luha't sipon; maga na rin ang kaniyang mga mata. Gumapang ang kakaibang lamig sa kaniyang kalamnan habang nakatunghay sa mata ng pumatay sa kaniyang ina. Wala kahit kaunting bakas ng awa ang makikita sa nag-aapoy nitong mata.

Naitukod niya ang dalawang kamay sa sahig at dahan-dahan na umatras gamit ang mga paa. Nanatiling nakapagkit ang mga mata ni Ingrid sa lalaking kaharap. Nakasumbrero ito at naka-mask ng itim. Nakasuot ito ng leather jacket at maong na pantalon na kasing kulay sa tinta ng pusit. Ang kamay nitong may hawak na baril ay nakasuot ng itim na leather gloves.

"Sino... s-sino po... k-kayo?" she asked between her sob. Her chest was pumping up and down.

He did not answer; instead, he put his index finger on the pistol's trigger. Naglakad ito palapit at muling itinutok ang baril sa kaniya. This time, he pointed it at Ingrid's chest. Muling umatras si Ingrid ngunit naabot niya na ang dingding. Wala siyang magawa kung hindi ang umiyak.

"P-parang... awa niyo na po, h-huwag niyo po akong p-papatayin," she said, with a face like a crumpled paper. Ang matinding takot na lumulukob sa pagkatao ng bata ay walang pagsidlan.

Hands clutched together, she begged for mercy. Pero hindi siya nito pinakinggan. Kinalabit nito ang gatilyo ng baril at tumama ang bala sa kanang parte ng kaniyang dibdib. Agad na inihawak ni Ingrid ang maliit na palad sa parte ng dibdib kung saan bumaon ang bala. Hindi nagtagal, umagos ang mainit at malapot na likido sa kaniyang palad. Sumuka siya ng dugo at natumba na nanlalabo ang paningin.

Naligo si Ingrid sa sariling dugo na umaagos mula sa sugat. Nanatili siyang nakamulat, hindi inalis ang paningin sa lalaki at patuloy ang pag-agos ng luha sa mga mata. Habang hinahabol niya ang sariling hininga at iniinda ang matinding kirot mula sa tama ng bala, pinilit niyang tandaan ang mata nito. Ang tanging magiging pagkakakilanlan niya rito.

Sa kaniyang murang isipan, nandoon ang kagustuhan na lumaban. Pinipilit niya ang sarili na manatiling gising at nakikita ang paligid. Napadako ang mga mata niya sa inang nakahandusay. Itinaas niya ang isang kamay at pilit na inaabot ang ina. Pero wala na halos lakas ang murang katawan niya para umusad sa kinaroroonan ng ina.

Tumalungko ang estranghero sa harapan niya at kinuha ang itim na bracelet na gawa sa tela sa kanyang bisig. Binigay ito ng kaniyang ina noong ika-walong kaarawan niya kamakailan lang. Her mother made it herself. It has a little, flat squared bronze plate at the center with the letter 'I' engraved on top.

Pilit na inangat ni Ingrid ang kamay para hawakan ang kamay nito. Nang mahagip ni Ingrid ang pulso nito, hinila niya ang kamay ng lalaki. Agad naman itong nahatak ng lalaki mula sa kaniya. Dahan-dahan, nagsimulang sumara ang mga mata niya.

"Apple," that was the last word she uttered before passing out.

Umalis na ang lalaki nang mawalan ng malay ang batang si Ingrid. Dumaan siya sa pintuan sa likod ng kusina at malayang natakasan ang krimen na ginawa.

*****