Pages Of Life

Justice? It's Nowhere to be Found

Trigger Warning: Explicit Content

This content contains explicit and sensitive themes, including discussions about sex and violence. Reader discretion is advised. If you are uncomfortable or triggered by discussions related to explicit content, especially those involving sex and killing, it is recommended to refrain from proceeding further. Please prioritize your mental and emotional well-being, and seek support if needed.

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In a system where rich people are innocent and poor people are criminals; as we dig deeper to those who suffer from mental and emotional illnesses, do they gain justice? Or it is true, that justice is nowhere to be found.

"Papa!" My nine year old self called my father as I ran towards him, wearing my favorite sunflower dress while holding my pink unicorn that he gave on my 8th birthday. Father opened his arms while walking towards me as he smiled genuinely. He carried me in his old shaky hands as I felt the love and protection from this world.

"Is work done?" I asked as he walked me inside our house. I saw my mother at the door waiting for us both. He put me down and gave my mama a forehead kiss. I looked at them in awe as I hoped to have someone love me like how my father loves my mom.

"Yes, baby. Work is done." He replied to my question as he pat my head.

"Hi, my love." Father turned to my mom and kissed her again. My mom giggled as she felt butterflies in her stomach. They still look like teenage sweethearts.

"Come, come. Dinner is ready. Your favorite dried fish with tomatoes and vinegar as a sauce are served." Mom said as she motioned her hands towards the kitchen.

"Wow! Seems delicious, my mouth is salivating." Dad replied excitedly.

We sat in our three chair table as we got ready to eat.

"Sitti, let us hear the prayer you've learned in your school." Father asked. I sat straight and began my prayer.

"Lord, thank you for the good food that we are about to eat. This food may give us strength, knowledge and wisdom. This may also make us healthy and strong. This I pray in Jesus name. Amen."

As I looked at my Father, David. I realized that he was already getting old, he easily got tired. He's a retired policeman, yet he still wanted to help my mother earn more money for my future, our future. On the other hand my mother, Cindrell, was a manicurist but she stopped because her vision became blurry. For our business, we were selling fishes in the market of Palma. We sold fishes like milkfish, lapu-lapu, tilapia, and small fishes that was put in a ginamos. Ginamos is a sauce which you can use as a viand. It is composed of small fishes, vinegar, rock salt and lemon. It has a rough like texture with a grayish color; it has a smell of sourness and a little bit salty. We sold those too.

I looked at my parents and thought that I was already contented with this family, with our life. We may be not have been rich but the love we had for each other was overflowing in our hearts. It was a happy day everyday. It seemed like the world was a good place to live in.

Years passed and I had reached my sweet sixteen. I grew up realizing a lot of things. Little by little, my eyes opened up to the cruelty of the world. Step by step, I saw the dark side of humanity; society. The contentment and happiness I felt was now fading away. It seemed like every face I saw was a demon in disguise as a human; a demon smirking at me. It all started when I visited my Uncle's place.