Playing on the abandoned Toyota Tamaraw trying to outrun the water truck filled with hungry man-eating dead babies, tiyanaks. It must've been fat ones for even with the full cluck of my two chicken powered engine they could not catch us though if they did my eight-shooter stick was itching.
The arch-enemy of fun is not dullness it is amusement itself I took my time longer than I expected. After I told Dodong to buy us iced candy he came back told me with indifference pointing with his lip towards the main street.
"Mel, Tito boy" the town's nickname for Mang Taru "said your mother's coming"
He tried to hand me the frozen juice packed in a small ice plastic tube but I was already on the sidewall of their house crouching and peaking. In the middle of the road, I could see her silhouette emerging from the blinding rays of the sinking sun fury defined her stride and she's coming towards the house, towards me it was a premonition of strife yet to befall my young life "You're Leaving Santa Faustina and her Mercy. God Bless!" our town arc read just above her.
"Do you want it or not?" Dodong standing behind me handing me the iced candy with his own already half-eaten. I stared at him dazed. I held the glossy white icy snack, my last meal I thought couldn't it have been at least Strawberry flavored.
"Look!" his half-melted iced candy pointing.
With reluctance, I turned Mother was with Mang Taru his discussing something to her. He was pointing at something in some distant direction, diversion? My mother didn't flinch she looked over his shoulder straight through her pilot's glasses at me, I think. Realizing his only delaying the inevitable. if I'm going to die it's going to be at the privacy of my room not with Dodong pulling bits of plastic from his mouth.
I stood up "Do not tell her that I was here" I hissed between my teeth pushing him slightly. I can make it back before she can it's just one house between providence and kneeling on the chicken feed so I dropped the iced candy grabbed my school bag and jumped over their bamboo tied fence to the next house's backyard.
Whitie, Jen's dog was brown but when it was born it was white. They did not know the color will set in after a couple of days and so the name stuck with them. Barked twice and wagged its tail when it saw me. I was leaping at overgrown weeds and rotting wooden boards when I pointed again to Dodong still sitting on the ground enjoying the last few drops of his candy placed my finger in front of my lips reminding him to keep quiet.
One house and our wall about ten feet high separated me from absolution. if ladders are not available nature's ladder the looming tree right beside it works as well. I threw my bag hearing its thud. Waited for a voice over the wall, none. I started using the makeshift swing made from an old truck tire with thick nylon rope to grab hold of the branch where it's tethered and hauled myself up. With every branch I reach up to I shorten the stick of punishment.
Balancing on the ledge of the tan-colored wall while keeping my body as small as possible I check the compound its white gate slightly jarred our driver Lando outside. The two-story complex with its lower half garage set for our cars is still empty meaning father must have dropped mother. The second floor reserved to house our helpers. Only the creaking of branches could be heard, it's clear. The SUV is still parked near the gate just washed on its wide Black roof it still has the prints of my shoes. I lowered myself to it wiped the impressions clean. Climbed down on and checked for any loose leaves, branches or any incriminating pieces of evidence and sweep them under the car. I picked up my school bag a few paces away pulled out my creased uniform from it. Buttoning up after the adrenaline pulsed in your fingers is a feat itself, wore my gartered necktie and went to the back of the Patrol.
It is unlocked. I opened it and laid out my school reminders notebook, Mass by J. Sionil and a drawing book. The deceit is only as good as the deceiver, I control my breathing held my pencil turned to my half-finished drawing of initially how I've imagined Mars-like in Total Recall but became a convoluted picture of a slowly rising flood drowning the city.
It did not take long for I heard Mang Lando talking and my mother's heels clicked closer on the concrete. She came around and saw me. Her face flustered the black curled hair bounced with steadfast commitment, smooth light brown skin glistening with sweat ready for the one side wrestle. Years of life experience comes down to these moments of trial, I turned my stiffening body my soul remained motionless. The accused Ms. Rosy M'butt with me as the defense attorney versus the State of parenthood.
"Ma, your home early" my voice unwavering with just the right tone of surprise and stupidly naive.
She removes her glasses her face accusing yet her bright almond eyes are beautiful this must the reason my Father married her. The District attorney scrutinizes me, I always go home with my school uniform dirtied more so today. Fear is creeping up; who knew those eyes can also be so scary this must be the reason Father doesn't question her.
She took a deep breath and sighed. "Mel, when are you going to act your age?" her voice demanding but not scornful. The Jury watches M'butt's every move. Breaking out while grounded is a capital crime in this state. What defense do you play if the defendant planned it, had the intention to do it and was aware of the implications? You plea insanity!
My face played confused dislodgement even finishing it up with scratching my head.
"How long do you think-" abruptly she stopped. Looked upon the orange skies then down on the ribbed tile pavement as if asking the almighty how he could make lapses in his creations and cursing the devil for compounding those mistakes.
No, she knows nothing. I still have this
She took another deep breath her deep alluring eyes looked directly at me as if in meditation then continued "Well aren't you going to kiss your mother" her voice became melodious that it almost caught me off guard I wanted to denounce my conniving self.
She came closer and bent. I kissed her cheeks some of her powdery make-up sticks to my dry lips.
Deliverance is for those who do not wait for it and it's a plus if you know how to climb a tree.
"Good afternoon misis Tolentino" A surprise witness is called? Dodong in his worn superman sando and blue shorts strolled in shyly. His exhausted face stumped. The poor creature must have already walked beyond his daily regimen.
What are you doing here? Get out of here!
"Hi, Gerard how's your mother's back?" My mother replied. Her face completely changed she was again the angel of our town.
I'll beat every pencil biting teeth you have if tell her I was at your place. I pleasantly grinned at him in spite of myself.
"Umm... she is better..." He stuttered. I glared at him hoping he sees the queue to leave.
He looks at me and smiles his holding something. I see it
Behind his glue eating demeanor, he is truly a psychopath! And I'll be his first victim
"Mel, you dropped this." In all his candidness he hands me the Buko flavored Ice candy. Mother locks on the thawed piece of limp plastic.
Ms. Rosy M'butt you have been trial by your peers and have found you guilty of breaking your groundedness a capital crime here in the state of parenthood. You shall face the full sanctions of the state; butt whipping, seed kneeling, and random life lesson nags.
It took months before I could eat anything with Buko in it without having nauseating backlashes.
YOU ARE READING
1991 (work in progress)
Historical Fiction(As a working title and my very first attempt to write in an eventual continuity change is expected and truths seen too late will be present. To clarify I intent to solidify the characters of the people I've enjoyed writing about I will try in my a...
