(Mom’s/Maria’s Point of View)
“Hey, wake up. Bo, wake up.” My son is having a nightmare at noon!! Is everything okay with him? Is there something bothering him lately? I can see it from him before we leave the house, but I don’t ask any more questions about it.
My son’s eyes open widely. I can see from his eyes that he is terrified about something.
“You are having a bad dream.” I said to him as he sits up straight on his chair. He hugs me quickly as he does it. I am struck because he is crying and trembling. There is something wrong.
“Wait son, you are sweating a lot. What a bad dream you had.”
"Mom, I was so scared. All I can see is darkness. I can't see you and Dad. It is horrifying." He is crying terribly as he said it.
"You are not alone. We are here for you. I promise. Now, please stop crying . It worries me alot when you cry."
He stops crying with the assuring statement of mine, and reach for a cotton sando at the back of the van to change his wet T-shirts. I return beside my husband, still worrying about him.
"What's the problem?" My husband asks worriedly.
"It is nothing to worry about. Just a bad dream, honey."
Darkness.....The dream I have once before.
You are not alone. I am here for you . I promise.....The line my father said to me when I was still a little girl. The time when I was so afraid.
My mind is drifting back to the past....To the most terrible night of my life.
It was a very dark night, everything was silent. My mom and dad were quarreling about something I do not understand. My mom was crying heavily that night...
"Pakiusap huwag kang umalis....Pakiusap." My mom begged to my father as he reached for his satchel hanging at the backdoor.
"Alam mong kailangan ko itong gawin. Pananagutan ko ito." My father replied with his back at my mother.
What was that important duty of my father...
"Pananagutan???Wala ka bang pananagutan dito. Meron kang pamilya. Meron kang anak." My mother hysterically shouted at my father.
"Ginagawa ko ito para sa atin. Pinoprotektahan ko lang kayo at lalong lalo na aking nag-iisang anak." My father said as he went out of the wooden door of our house, ignoring my mother's cries.
Protecting from what....I don't understand.
I went to my mom and hugged her on her back. I never saw my mother cried like these. I didn't understand the situation, but I knew my mom was hurt and worried about something. My mom looked at me with her tearful eyes.
"Halika nga dito Maria." My mom said. I felt her trembling. She was afraid --- very afraid. After half an hour of crying, we went up stairs. I followed my mom to their bedroom. I watched her changed her clothes. I saw her trembling as she removed her clothes and changed into her night dress.
"Nay, saan po pupunta si tatay?" She glanced at me and returned from she was doing.
"May kailangan syang gawin, anak. Isang importanteng bagay."
"Mas importante pa sa atin?" My mom's eyes were producing tears again. I didn't know why.
"Sige na Maria pumunta ka na sa kwarto mo at matulog ka na."
Bakit kaya ganun? Bakit kaya umlis si tatay? Bakit kaya si nanay umiiyak?
"Opo nay." I started walking toward my room even I knew that my mother needed me beside her. I didn't know what to do. I was just a little girl. As I walked away from their room, I heard my mom crying again about the things that had happened. I reached my room, thinking if I should return to my mother and comfort her. I touched the doorknob and finally entered my room, feeling hopeless. I wanted to sleep now. I wanted to forget everything. I closed my eyes.
Then silence......
"Aaaaaahhhhh......" The silence was broken by my mother's terrified voice. She was screaming. I jumped from my bed and quickly run to their room. I saw the scene I will never forget.
A man was standing behind my mother's nude body. He was kissing my mother on her neck with her eyes closed. My mother's body was unconcious and held by the man's big hands on her both arms. I didn't know what was happening. I was dumbfounded by what I saw. It took me a few moments before I realized what was really happening.
I heard my mother's helpless moans. Lines of blood dripped from my mother's neck. The man was sucking her blood out of her body. I screamed until he looked at me with his crimsom eyes and threw my mother's lifeless body on the bed.
Adrenaline jolted through my veins. I run for my life, but he was just too fast -- far too fast for a little girl like me. I didn't know who and what he is. I didn't know why is he doing it to my mother. He started walking slowly towards me, only prolonging my suffering. I didn't know what to do but cried and begged for my life.
Until the front door of our house opened, my father entered running towards us. He was runnin too fast for man could do. I didn't understand how. But it too late, he was gone. The man with crimson and devil eyes was gone. I cannot stop from crying even I was saved from the demonic monster who killed my mother.
My father quickly grabbed me in his sinewy eyes and looked around to make sure the man was gone.
"Princess, okay ka lang ba? Nasaktan ka ba? Hindi na ulit ito magyayari. You will not be alone. I am here for you. I promise." My father told me as his tears flew on his cheeks.
"Pero si nanay...." I wasn't able to finish my statement when my father replied.
"Patawarin mo, my princess." My father brought me to my room
"Dito ka lang. May kailangan pa akong gawin." My father siad as he turned his back away from me and went to their room where my mother's corpse lie. I didn't follow my father that night, instead I secretly went to their room. The door was slightly ajar so I peeked. I saw the most horrible scene of my life.
My father hit my mother's lifeless body with his bludgeon....
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My thoughts are drifted back by husband's voice.
"Honey, are you alright? You are string into nothing kanina pa. ha." My husband said lovingly.
"It's nothing, honey. I just remember something. Just continue driving."
"Ano? You didn't notice na we are already here!" My husband said, wondering.
"Ha? Nandito na tayo?" I said, very surprised.
"Oo, honey nandito na tayo."
