A Love so Red

PROLOGUE

The heavy storm stops, and a ray of rainbow appears on a bright sky when she is born, right after he is born. 

"Atlas, I think we should name him Atlas" his father whispers with a firm tone and a cold face. Looking down at his wife who is now dying, gripping tightly on the blood sheet after she endured the pain of giving birth. 

As his mother closed her eyes, her last breath was for the little boy who was now silent. "Atlas... He will be...a very, very strong boy" the machine beeps, telling everyone that her heartbeat and pulse stop. 

Sari-saring emosyon ang naramdaman ng ama habang hawak-hawak si Atlas sa bisig niya. Hawak niya nang mahigpit ang kamay ng asawa habang ang kabila ay buhat ang sanggol. Pasan ang bata, at pasan ang mundo. 

Sa kabilang kwartong, isang ama ang nakangiti habang hawak ang sanggol niyang anak pilit itong pinapatawa. Katatapos lamang nito patulugin ang asawa mula sa sakit at bigat ng panganganak, ngayon ay inaalagaan niya ang batang babae ginagawa ang lahat upang hindi ito gumawa ng ingay. 

"Catalina.. anak, tignan mo ang mommy mo oh, ang ganda-ganda niya, hindi ba?" malambing na nag tanong ang ama sa walang kaalam-alam na bata. "huh?! oo malamang, siya ang asawa ko, ang mommy mo.." sagot nito sa sarili, nilalamon ng sarili niyang delusyon. 

"at ikaw, ikaw ang pinaka magandang regalo na natanggap ko, at ni mommy mo." hindi mapakali ang mga dila nito, maging ang mga kamay. 

"hindi ako makapag hintay na lumaki ka, pangako namin ng mommy mo, hinding-hindi namin ipaparamdam sa'yo yung mga...pangit na bagay na makikita mo kapag lumaki ka na. mahal na mahal ka namin." tumutulo ang luha niya habang dahan-dahang nilalaro ang kamay ng anak niya.

"ang ganda-ganda niyo..." 

tumingin siya sa natutulog na asawa, pakiramdam niya, siya ang pinaka maswerteng lalake na nabuhay sa mundo, isang siyentipikong natuklasan ang kabuoan ng sansinukob, mekanikong nakagawa ng lumilipad na sasakyan, estudyanteng may espesyal na parangal, natuklasan niya ang pinaka malalim na dagat sa daigdig sa pamamagitan lamang ng pag tanaw sa asawa, at sa munti nilang pinsesa. 

Lumipas ang mga taon, at isang dekada, ganap na dalaga at binata na sila. Lumaking masigla, puno ng pag mamahal, ay buhay si Catallina, hindi niya hinanap ang kahulugan ng pag ibig sa ibang tao, dahil kusa itong pinararamdama at ibinibigay ng mga magulang niya. Lumaki sa bahay na may maliwanay na ilaw ng tahanan, ay may matibay na haligi. 

Nakuha nito ang katalinuhan ng ina at kyuryosidad ng ama sa maraming bagay. Walang araw na hindi siya nag pasalamat sa lahat ng natatanggap, nakita ni Catallina ang magandang bahagi ng daigdig sa isang bahay na may apat na sulok. 

"malalaking kumpanya ang nakasalalay sa firm na 'to Atlas, hindi pambihirang pishbolan lang!"  maririnig ang sigaw ng ama ni Atlas hanggang sa ground floor ng kumpanya, normal na araw para sa mga impleyado. 

"kaya nga! that's why I fucking tell them to release a disclaimer of opinion!" Atlas shouted, adding fuel to the fire, and more tension to the atmosphere.

"that could raise a red flag for their creditors!" his father raise his voice more, making Atlas step back. "pati sa mga stakeholders, what's happening with that little brain of yours?!" his father added.

"what's wrong with alerting people about their financial-" Atlas words made his father furious, he had enough of Atlas' dumb reasons.

"kung hindi lang sinabi ng mommy mo na piliin kita over her, you couldn't have made it, utang mo sa akin at sa mommy mo lahat ng meron ka. what part of that you don't understand Atlas so I could shove it all inside your throat or ear!" He didn't even let Atlas finish his words, he directly cut him off shutting him- while looking directly in his sons' eyes.

"All you gotta do is to follow me, serve me, wala ka talang utang na loob. Hindi mo inisip yung hirap ng mommy mo, at yung sakripisyo ko to raise you." His father keeps on going with his words, without hesitation. 

Atlas is quietly listen, gripping on the folder he was holding. His father just keep on talking, spitting his daily words towards Atlas. His heart is already shattered into tiny pieces before his father even say a word. 

Atlas, has no room for pain, his soul has already died ever since he discovered his mothers' death. He felt nothing inside, but numbness, he is his own universe, full of nothing but darkness.

He grab his phone, turn his back and was about to leave the office when his father talk. "I  should have chose Wilma over you. I can just make another baby, if only I knew you'll turn into such person." his father whispered, but made himself as loud and clear enough for atlas to hear him.

His hands gripped tightly on his phone,  the phone screen slowly shattered as he turn his dark gaze on his father. "and I am sorry because it didn't turn out just like how you want it, but know, I am thankful because mom choose to die instead of spending another seconds to a man who could possibly objectify her!" Atlas's voice cracks, a blood is dripping down the carpet as the broken phone screen cut open his skin. 

"wala ka talagang utang na loob, hijo de puta." galit na bumalik sa upuan ang ama, nanginginig ang kamay nito sa galit, ngunit ang tanging magagawa na lang ay punasan ang pawis. 

Atlas swallows everything he wanted to say, and bottle up his emotions again, he leave all the anger off the room, and yet take every painful words his father have told him. 

While he's inside the elevator holding back his anger he throw his broken phone at the trash can near him along with his white blood soaked handkerchief. "I didn't even asked to be born. I don't understand his obsession with reminding me every second that I am the reason why mom died." he mumbled while pulling out each glass off his hands, without even flinching. 

"you hate me? then I will be mocking you at your own funeral. You're old anyway, you'll die soon." he added, smiling in front of a small mirror. 

both of them was born on a same day, same hospital, but grow up in different world.