Missing You

Chapter 2: Catastrophe in Tondo

People are running and screaming, some are holding their things bringing the best that they can carry , Everyone have anxiety and distress on what happening. You can hear the bull dozer and trucks horning and people commotions.

Confuse Margarette going home was unaware of what happening. She saw Manang Leti, running in front of her.

Margarette: Manang Leti, What is happening? Why people running and holding their things?

Aling Leti: Margarette! Why you are alone where's your mother?

Margarette: She is in the house, I need to go home.

Aling Leti: No! It's too dangerous. Come with me, we must go now.

Margarette: No! Aling Leti, I need to go to my Mom, I need to find her.

As the crowd going, Margarette separated with Aling Leti and he rush to go back to her home to see her mother.

Along the street of Tondo, the commotions is happening between the Demolition team from Lion Developing Company , a developer of real estate who already bought the place as opposed to the residences who in not favor to occupy their land and fight for their right. As tumults on going, Margarette looks for her mother, he reach their home but so far, their house already destructed and crush in ground. Feel frightened and don't know what to do, poor Margarette kneel the ground and cry.

Suddenly, someone touch her shoulder, as Margarette staire , she saw it was her mother.

Aling Bebang: Margarette, are you Ok?

Margarette: Yes! Ma, I'm scared I thought you already left me.

Aling Bebang: No! my love, I will always be with you. That's why I stayed here because this is the only place we can find each other.

Margarette:Thanks God.

Aling Bebang: But, I have one request to you, I want you to stay for a while with Tita Leni, here she is, she will take care of you.

Margarette: Why Ma? Where you going?

Aling Bebang: You're still young, maybe you cannot understand what happening, but I need to go with Mang Imbo, he makes the lead for this fight, and I want to support him. Don't worry I will just beside him to talk and make arrangement with the officials for this demolition.

Margarette: But.. Ma...Wait..Dont Leave me.

As her mother Left, Margarette still refuse to follow her mother, he forcefully left tita Leni custody and run away to follow her mother.

Aling Bebang rush to the site and join Mang Imbo's group , in the street of Tondo you can see two sides , one side is Mang Imbo and his group holding pipe, tools and gas dynamite, where on the other side are the demolition team with all the big equipment on their way. They already started discussion in hoping for a peace and avoid major disorder. Mr. Roberto, the businessman, the one responsible for all the things happening is already sharing discussion with Mang Imbo.

Mr. Roberto: Mang Imbo, We already discuss this for a long time, we all have the papers and we have the right to do things here. You cannot able to interfere anymore. We gave you a lot of time to evacuate but you still refuse and stay. I don't have any options.

Mang Imbo: Sir, this is not the right thing to do this place is already our hometown. As we know, people are not much educated here and that's took advantage on us same as you.

Mr. Roberto: Don't make this hard for me, if you still refuse on our way, we will still proceed even though we need to forcefully kick you out, all of you here.

People screaming and didn't like what Mr. Roberto mentioned. As discussion go further Aling Bebang step forward.

Aling Bebang: Mr. Roberto, I know what you do, I been witness in the barangay hall when you bribe officials and attorney just to make favor on your needs to get our land. That's the truth and I will stand for it.

Mr. Roberto: That's not true.. You liar..

Mr. Roberto tend to grab Aling Bebang try to strangle her on neck. Margarette who run after her mother saw what happening.

Margarette: No! Let go of my Mom, what you are doing?

MR. Roberto push Aling Bebang to fell. Too much anger and frustration, Mr. Roberto screamed in loud on crowd telling them to go or all will be get hurt. But, people become only angry. Someone throw stone that hit Mr. Roberto on head cause him to fall and make his head bleed. Mr. Roberto shows more rage and pull his gun. He pointed his gun upward to make his warning shot. Then, he pointed the gun in the crowd waving it all through , then steadily pointed to Mang Imbo.

Mr. Roberto: You know Mang Imbo, Don't let me do the worse, I'm already warning you all. I'm a person with power and authority, no one can defy me, even you all, you are all rats...

All been scared on what happening, Aling Bebang is the one who took courage, she grab Mr. Roberto's gun and they clashed grabbing each other. Poor Margarette, seeing all of this on her own eyes, and suddenly a loud noise of a triggered gun as been heard, her mother that she ever love and only affection is fell on ground, which also start of the crowd for turmoil appears like a war.