WHAT I REMEMBER: A FICTIOAUTOBIOGRAPHY

Still a Prologue

"Slaves, male or female, you may indeed possess, provided you buy them from the neighboring nations."

- The Book of Leviticus 25:44-

Lamtang, Baguio- There are chores to be done. There are chores to be done.

She woke up to the sound of the banging of the pots upstairs. She's late again. She did not bother to make her bed but went straight to the kitchen to help her Aunt Cita. And the aunt was in a foul mood.

" Nagladaw ti riing mo!" the older woman said accusingly and Tecla stayed quiet. In times like this, you do not reason out even when there are reasons.

She wanted to say, because I stayed up until dawn making your bathroom very, very white. No, that would not be a very good excuse as the older woman would tell her, if you had made it clean the way I had wanted you to clean it the first time, then there is no reason for you to do it again anyway.

And so she kept her mouth shut.

She had come to Baguio because Auntie Cita promised she can go to high school. But after she went there, things have happened. Auntie Cita's husband suddenly died and her schooling must be suspended. Meanwhile, she helped in the house. She was at first astounded of the size and the structure and cleanliness of the house. Later on, however, she will curse at its size and structure and must be cleanliness. It would be her job for it to remain so. But she was patient. She waited. Her cousin, Auntie Cita's daughter was already graduating college as a nurse and she was promised her cousin can help her. She got so excited. One more year is not so long.

Then an inevitable thing happened. Her cousin got pregnant. And before she knew it, her cousin gave birth to a baby girl. And she was tasked to take care of it while her cousin must go back to school and finish her course.

Her time will come, her aunt told her. Just let your cousin finish her studies. Then you could go back to school. Then her cousin finished her school. Then suddenly flew away to America. Both she and her aunt was astounded. Meanwhile, her cousin's baby is growing up. Someone must take care of her.

Her dreams of finishing school is becoming farther, farther away.

"....for it is I, the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of the Egyptian and freed you from their slavery, breaking the yoke they had laid upon you and letting you walk erect."

-The book of Leviticus 26:13-

Somewhere in Pangasinan- Dalmacio made his way to the busy cluttering of construction. The skeleton of the massive building is not yet half way done and he can see there are still only few workers recruited. He approached the man who stood ordering the men around assuring himself that surely, this is the 'porman'.

" Boss, mabalin makitrabaho?" he tried his best to look sixteen, four years older than what he really is.

The man, annoyed by the sudden interference, turned to look at him.

" Apay manu tawen mun?"

" Lakay akun boss, disi-sais." , standing straight and looking at the man's eyes.

The man frowned. He knew the boy is lying. But he also knew he has a deadline to beat. And this is cheaper labor.

" Amuk lattan nga manglokloko ka!" , he grabbed the young man by the sleeve. The boy struggled and his eyes instinctively gave away the lie. He wanted to run away again.

' Aaachhh,' not again, his mind raced.

He has not yet eaten a piece of rice since yesterday. He knew he needed a job to taste meals that are not made of mangoes and corn he has stolen from field since he ran away from the flogging of his father, the endless nagging of his Aunt Marta and pinching and hair pulling of his stepmother. He's becoming hopeless.

He left Barlig thinking that he could be free. And free he was for the past few months. Freedom from the anger of the elders and caring for his adings, freedom from school and from fieldwork and tending the beasts. But he had not realized that this also means he would be hungry and tired and shelterless. He had made friends from Barlig to Bontoc and from Bontoc to Baguio. And for odd jobs, he was able to fill his stomach and earn some pesos. But he had wanted to see other exciting places and so he kept leaving. And now this.

"Ngem sige," the older man suddenly freed his shirt.

" Salapi ti suweldom ti maysa nga aldaw ken bayadam ti kanem ah." The boy opened his mouth to protest as he was paid better in Bontoc and Baguio but he shut his mouth. This is better than none at all.