The Antiquity of Us (La Fortuna Series #2)

Kabanata 23

Trigger Warning: Domestic Violence 

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Kabanata 23

Crown

I'd like to believe that I had a quite decent life despite all the bad lucks that I had encountered. Ganoon naman dapat 'yon, 'di ba? Hindi palaging masaya. Minsan madilim, minsan maliwanag. Minsan nakukuha natin ang gusto natin, minsan hindi. That's just how life goes. 

At some point, I had actually given up hope. Kaya siguro pinadala sa 'kin ng langit si Atlas dahil alam nitong konting-konti nalang, susuko na ako. Like an oasis in a desert, he became my salvation. He was all the good things I had been deprived of. 

Pero minsan, gaano man kamapagpursigi ang liwanag, may mga araw na natutupok pa rin ito ng kadiliman.

"Huwag na huwag mo akong hahawakan, Olivia! Putangina, nakakadiri ka!" Daddy screamed at the top of his lungs. Nahahapo niyang dinuro-duro si Mom. "Hipokrita!"

"Do not act like a saint, Lucian! Parang ang linis-linis mong tao kung makapagsalita ka, ah? You are a fucking devil incarnate! Sana ay hindi ka na bumalik sa pamamahay kong ito!"

"So now, you are not allowing me to go here? Kasi pamamahay mo 'to? I didn't know that we're talking about possessions now, honey." He cackled in both disgust and ridicule. "Sana rin pala ay binawi ko sa 'yo 'yang singsing mo at nang 'di mo suot-suot habang nakikipagkita ka kay Roberto!"

"How dare you!"

Mula sa second floor ng bahay ay napapikit ako nang umugong sa ere ang nakakapanindig-balahibong tunog ng pagkabasag. Another one of my Lola Hana's antique vases had been broken, its sharp fragmented pieces scattering on our dining room's floor. 

Abot-abot ang tahip ng puso ko habang pinagmamasdan sina Mommy at Daddy na nag-aaway. It was like being in hell itself. Walang-awat ang paghikbi ko at mas lumakas lamang 'yon nang lumapit si Dad kay Mommy at sinakal ito sa leeg. I screamed when she hit her back at our wooden shelf.

"Daddy, stop! I'm calling the police!" sigaw kong nahaluan na ng hikbi.

Nilingon niya ako sa mga matang nanlilisik sa galit. His breathing was ragged and his eyebrows were furrowed as if what I had screamed insulted him in every way possible. Binitawan niya ang leeg ni Mommy, tuluyan akong hinarap, at inangat ang baba upang mas magtama ang tingin namin. My breathing hitched in fright.

"Do not call me Daddy you fucking bitch! Wala akong anak na tulad mo!"

Humikbi ako. "Daddy, please calm dow—"

Muling umalingawngaw ang tunog ng pagkabasag ngunit ngayon ay dahil naman iyon sa mga Victorian tea sets na nakadisplay sa shelf. Daddy shoved them away roughly. Natutop ko ang aking labi nang makitang hindi na mapapakinabangan iyon. Those were antiques!

Akmang bababa na ako at lalapit sa kanila nang tinulak ni Mom ang dibdib ni Dad. She turned to me and shook her head aggressively. Nilingon siya ni Dad at sinakal ulit kaya nahahapo na akong bumaba, hindi alintana ang pag-iling na ginawa niya.

"Don't... co...me... near... me," she muffled while being choked.

Wala akong nagawa kundi ang mahigpit na hawakan ang railings ng grand staircase namin, nahahapo at halos 'di na makahinga dahil sa paghikbi. No one could do anything. Kahit ang guard at ang mga kasambahay ay natatakot na makealam sa nangyayari. Of course. Why wouldn't they be batshit scared?

Daddy had a fucking pistol in his pocket.

Alam ng guwardiya na wala siyang laban dito kapag nagkataon. Aside from the pistol in Dad's pocket, he had a collection of guns in one of our storage rooms, too. Ang tanging magagawa lang namin ay ang manood. As fuck up as that might be.