Til We Meet Again, Next Life

🌺Chapter Six🌺

🌺Love and It's Ways🌺
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Chris

"Ma?" Galing sa pagkakahiga ko sa couch ay napaupo ako at napasilip sa pinto nang bahagya itong pinihit mula sa labas.

Alas tres na nang madaling araw, at hindi pa nakakauwi si mama. Mag dadalawang araw na syang wala.

"Ma!" Agad akong napatayo at tumakbo nang maaninag sya na biglang bumagsak sa sahig.

She was pale, gulong gulo ang buhok, kunot ang damit at may pasa sa pisngi. Kasabay nang pag luhod nya ang pagkalat nang mga papeles na hawak hawak nya. Amoy na amoy ko ang inumin sa bibig at damit nya nang lumuhod ako at tutulungan sana syang damputin ang mga papeles sa sahig.

'Ma what the f*ck?' I thought as I held the papers in my hands. Hinawakan ko ang palapulsuan nya. Her breathes are stable, pero ang init nang katawan nya.

"Gabriel..." Kunot noo akong napatingin sa kanya. Ramdam ko ang pag hawak nya sa kamay ko. "Gabriel I'm sorry" she cried.

Kailan ko ba huling narinig ang pangalan nang walang hiyang yun? That Psycho left my mother for money. What the f*ck was she sorry for?

"Gabriel..." my mother held my face with both her hands.

F*ck, Why do I look exactly like that bastard?

"I promise to get you out, ok? Ilalabas kita sa kulungan, ha... Konting-- Konting hintay nalang, ha?"

Napatayo ako, making her lose her grip on my face.

Is she insane? Tama ba ang rinig ko? She wants to get that bastard out of jail?

"Hindi... Hindi ko hahayaang manalo sila. Ilalabas kita sa kulungan at ipapalit ko sila" she sobbed pointing her fingers nowhere "Mas deserve nilang makulong! Dapat sila ang nakulong, kasalanan ko to, kasalanan ko..." she sobbed hitting the floor with her bare hands.

Agad naman akong lumuhod at pinigilan sya. Her precious hands are now bleeding. Ganito sya kagalit?

"Gabriel, I'll get you out ok? Please trust me" She held my arm, softly brushing her hand across it, assuring me.

This gesture made a memory flash into my head.

+++

"Magmakaawa ka!" A loud manly voice screamed at my mother's face. Hinihila nang isang kamay nya ang buhok ni mama "Kung ayaw mong patayin ko kayong lahat, magmakaawa ka!"

My mother whimpered loudly as her hands grab my father's shoes. Wala na sa kanya ang pag hila nang buhok nya. She was washing his shoes with her tears. And she stepped on her fingers.

Asan ako? I was in the corner of the room beside my younger brother. I was covering his ears and hiding his face against my chest so he won't witness any of this.

Walong taong gulang lamang ako, alam ko na kung anong ibig sabihin nang mga pangyayari. Naiintindihan ko na, ngunit wala akong magawa. Dahil takot na takot ako. Pinilit kong ibaon ang mukha nang pitong taong gulang kong kapatid sa dibdib ko. He didn't need to see any of this. Hindi dapat nasisira ang inosenteng pag iisip nang mga batang tulad namin.

"Mama" my younger brother uttered. Hindi sya umiiyak. He was confused. It was the first time we both saw our parents in this situation.

"Gabriel, yung mga anak mo... Wag sa harap nila pleas-"

Napapikit ako nang marinig ang putok nang baril. The sound rang in our ears as it filled the house. Lumakas lamang ang hikbi ko. He shot the gun on the ceiling to scare my mother.