From Afar

Chapter 1

I looked around to see my father's reaction. Mariin niya akong tinititigan like he was telling me that I should make him proud. Semilia niya ako and I surely won't let him down.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Flawless, right on the forehead, dead.. My father cheered, "That's my daughter!" pagmamalaki niya with a wide grin on his face. I took my gloves off and walked towards my father.

"Good job Catherine." Tinapik niya ang balikat habang patango-tango. I just nodded at him and smiled slightly.

"I have to go pa", I said.

His facial expression changed from being proud to worried-suspicious. "Saan ka pupunta?"

"Home." matipid kong sagot. his face calmed and he nodded at me, telling me that I can go.

"Don't mention this to your mom Catherine." He reminded me. I smirked. As usual. Hindi naman alam ni mama na bumalik na naman si papa sa bisyo niya. Oo, bisyo niya. Bisyo niyang pumatay ng tao, at dahil anak niya ako... damay damay na. Like I said, semilia niya ako.

I went straight to my car and turned the stereo on.

🎶 You know just what to say, things that scare me... I should just walk away, but I can't move my feet 🎵

Before I went home, pumunta na muna ako sa Starbucks. I ordered Java Chip. T'was really not my thing, but it won't kill me if I try, right?

I sang along as I drived thru Army Navy and collected some burittos. Then, I went to Tacobell and take out some taccos and nachos. This is my kind of comfort zone.

Music + Food = #MyKindOfPorn

I drove swiftly to our home. In just a few miles, I arrived safely. I parked my car on our parking lot and went inside our house. Hindi na ako nag-abalang kumatok. Ma sure knows its me anyway. Ako lang naman ang hindi marunong kumatok sa pamilyang ito. Ano pa ba ang silbi ng pagiging criminal ko kung kakatok ako? May criminal bang kumakatok? Shet. Anong tingin nila sa criminal? Pizza delivery guy?

"Eris, kumain ka na ba?" Ma asked worriedly. Kitang kita sa guhit ng mukha niya ang pagaalala.

"No." I replied. I thought she was going to serve me some food, but instead of doing so... she pinched my ears and scolded me like a little girl.

"Aray ma! Mesheket!" pagrereklamo ko.

"I don't appreciate seeing you famished. Ayokong matulad ka sa ate mo. So eat!" Pulang pula na ang mukha ni mudrakels. Highblood na this! I sighed. Till when will they grieve for my sister's death? Dinadaan ko na nga lang sa joke ang lahat para maibsan naman kahit papaano yung pagigin emo ng pamilya ko.

"Ma, stop! Joke lang po. Kumain na po ako. Also, I'll never be like her. Never! So please stop acting this way. We should be happy that she'll suffer no more from this cruel world. We should move on from her death. G mo ba ako mudrakels?" I tried calming my mother down, but her tears pour out of her eyes like water from our faucet.

"I will only stop if justice is served for your sister and your unborn nephew." I wiped her tears.

"Don't worry ma I will find justice for her, kung kinakailangan ko pang sumali sa Justice League ay gagawin ko para lang maibsan iyang damdamin niyo." I caressed mama's hair to comfort her. My sister never had the justice she deserves. She was brutally killed, strangled to death, sexually abused, and was shot 16 times during her pregnancy with her supposed to be 1st child. Brutal talaga ang pagpatay sa kanya. Swerte ng pumatay sa ate ko, matitikman nila ang batas ng isang api! Punyeta nagagalit ako!

"Crying over her again?" my brother spoke. I didn't even notice him entering the house.

"Aso lang ang peg bro? hindi marunong kumatok?" pang-aasar ko. Inirapan niya lang ako.

"Did you eat already?" Mama asked. Ganyan ba talaga palagi ang script ni mama? Palagi nalang tungkol sa pagkain? Hindi ba pwedeng, "anak, may kikiru sa kwarto. Ikaw na bahala." Tahimik akong tumatawa sa mga pinagiisip ko.

"Si ate ma o! may ginawa iyang karumaldumal." Kumento ni Clyde. Pinanlakihan ko siya ng mata. Punyeta tong budrakels ko! Isusumbong ko siya kay papa.

"Clydelus huwag mong pinagtitripan iyang ate mo para kang tipaklong. Mabuti pa't kumain nalang tayo." Mom said. Napakamot siya sa ulo. I stick my tongue out on my brother. Buti nga sa kanya, pahiya siya tuloy.

"I miss real food." Clyde says. I glanced at him. He made a face. Alam ko ibig niyang sabihin. Pinupudpod na naman niya siguro yung labi't katawan ng babae niya.

"What? You can't blame me. She satisfies my hunger." I rolled my eyes. Clyde is such a fuckboy, a loyal fuckboy to his long-time fubu.

"When are you going to marry her?"

"When she begs for marriage, I'd gladly will." He grinned imaginatively.

"What if she doesn't beg for marriage?"

"She'll surely beg for it."

"and how is that possible?"

"Mag iiwan ako ng deposito." He grinned proudly. MY BROTHER IS A FUCKBOY.