This is How We End (Published under Pop Fiction)

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Masyadong naging mabilis ang pangyayari. A cry of agony escaped from my throat when they dragged my father away while my mother cried silently. I pushed past the people and embraced my mother, while we stared helplessly at Baba who's now being attacked by the townspeople.

"O-Officer..." when my tears are dried and my hands have stopped shaking, my mother and I went to the police station, where my father is being held.

The middle-aged man in blue uniform annoyingly lifted his gaze at me. Isang beses niya lang akong tiningnan at muling ibinalik ang tingin sa computer na kaniyang kinakalikot kanina pa.

"Officer, yung tatay ko po..." naiiyak kong wika sa kaniya. He blew out an irritated sigh. Pinunasan ko ang mga luha ko. "Pwede ko ba siyang makita?"

"Hindi pa pwede. Mamaya ka nalang bumalik. Busy kami dito." Malamig niyang tugon sa akin.

I swallowed the sob that has rose to my throat. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa nasaksihan kanina. I can't believe that the police officers only took one look at my father and then cuffed him, despite his pleadings and claims that he did nothing to the little girl.

"Officer..." my hands started shaking again. We're not allowed to see him, let alone be near the station. Kanina pa kami ipinagtatabuyan ng mga pulis dito kung hindi lang naawa sa akin ang babaeng pulis kanina at ako lang ang pinapasok para kahit papaano ay makausap ko sila. "Bakit po nasa loob ang Baba ko? Wala pong ebidensiya na..." I swallowed and shut my eyes, forcing myself to be tough in front of him but failed miserably. "Wala pong ebidensiya na siya ang pumatay kay Thea."

He slammed his palm on the table, making me jump in fear. Nanlalaki ang mga mata ko siyang tinitigan. He glared at me. "Look kid, we've got so many cases to be dealt with right now. Don't strode here and tell us what to do. We know what we're doing..."

Umiling ako. "Basta niyo nalang po siyang pinosasan kanina—"

"Umalis ka na muna. Bumalik ka nalang mamaya." Wika niya sa mas mahinahon ngunit mas mapanganib na boses.

"You can't just arrest my father because he's Muslim..." I cried as agony spelled the words out of my mouth. Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko. This is what exactly what they did earlier. When the townspeople dragged my father away and the officers arrived, they'd immediately cuffed him after seeing him wearing a Taqiyah. We were bad-mouthed and trash-talked by the people earlier, and some of them tried to hit us.

"Alis na." masama na ngayon ang tingin niya sa akin. "Kung ayaw mong ako mismo ang magpaalis sa iyo."

I left the station, crying silently. When I stepped outside, I saw Zeus trying to comfort my mother. She immediately pulled herself up when she saw me and run into me.

"Anong sinabi nila? Palalabasin na ba nila ang Baba mo?"

Naiiyak akong umiling. My mother stared painfully at me, before more tears spilled from her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mama-jan..." I murmured and pulled her into a hug. Niyakap din niya ako nang mahigpit at tuluyan nang naiyak. "Ayaw po nilang makita ko si Baba..."

I hugged my mother tightly, trying to absorb the sorrow out of her but to no avail. Ramdam ko ang panginginig ng katawan niya, ang mainit na luha na nanunuot sa hijab ko, at ang nanghihina niyang yakap sa akin. She'd been just as shocked as I am.

"Ihahatid ko na po kayo sa bahay niyo..." ani Zeus nang bahagya nang kumalma si Mama-jan. He'd been with us earlier and never left our side. Some of them are trying to hit when I pleaded to let my father go and Zeus blocked his body in an attempt to protect me. He'd pull the two of us to safety from the raging townspeople and drove us to the station when they arrested my father.