IT'S DARK ... It's very dark... I can only see darkness. As I roamed my eyes to the familiar place. Soon I heard footsteps and a weak voice.
"Nonna?" she said over and over again while walking not knowing which direction to go.
Not far away is someone coming from behind the girl. I wanted to shout at her to run. But, no voice seemed to come out of me.
I tried to move my body. But, I was stuck in my position. I could do nothing but watch how the man suddenly lifted the little girl without paying attention to the girl's screams and kicks.
The incident moved quickly, and all that could be heard was shouting and begging.
The laughter of the men was heard as an old woman was suffering while trying to protect the little girl. I just covered my mouth as they mercilessly took the old woman's life.
And draw a mark on the little girl's chest. Not minding her screams of pain. I could do nothing but cry when I heard the old woman's last words.
"An-drà tu-tto b-be-ne dol-cezza."
I woke up panting and dripping with sweat as the images I had been trying to forget came back to my mind. I just held my head as I tried to calm myself.
"Nauulit na naman..." I whispered to myself.
I wandered my eyes in an unfamiliar room. And I realized this was the room I was going to stay in while I was here in the Philippines. I decided to go out of the room to drink water and dispel the bad dream in my mind.
I thought they would come here sooner than I did.
The next day I woke up to the noise coming from outside. I took a quick shower before exiting my room towards the living room.
"Ingay." Tinignan ko ang dalawang babae na nakatayo at mukhang nag-aaway.
"Pasensya na, Nagising ka dahil sa ingay nila." Malumalay na sabi ng babaeng naka-upo sa couch. Tinanguan ko na lamang sya.
"Bakit ba kasi kailangan ko pa kayong kasama dito?!" Maarteng sabi nung isang babae
"Sa tingin mo gusto rin namin? Ayaw ka rin naman namin kasama!" Sabi naman nung kaharap nito. Hindi ba sila pwedeng mag-usap ng hindi nagsisigawan?
"Kung ayaw nyo bakit hindi kayo umalis?"
"Bakit hindi ikaw ang umalis?!"
"Kasi wala akong choice!"
"Kung wala kang choice sa tingin mo kami meron?!"
"Kung meron lang sana akong choice, sana umalis na ko kanina pa!"
"You do have a choice, Miss." Tinignan nya ako mula ulo hanggang paa bago pinagtaasan ng kilay.
"What is it? Who are you? Hindi ka ba tinuruan ng parents mo na huwag makielam sa usapan ng iba?"
"Stay or get killed. Hindi ka rin ba tinuruan ng parents mo na makipag-usap ng maayos?" Hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot nya at nagtungo sa kitchen. "Hey! Don't turn your back on me, when I'm still talking to you!"
Hindi ko na lamang pinansin ang sigaw nito at naghanap na ng makakain. Napahinto ako ng maalalang kakalipat pa lang namin kaya naupo na lamang ako at hinintay sila.
"Are you sure this is the first time we've met? Because I already hate you! I mean I hate y'all!" Sigaw ulit nya."The feeling is mutual."
"Why would they kill us? I'm Calliope Anderson by the way, Calli or lio for short." Pakilala nung babaeng naka-upo sa couch kanina.
"Alora Allen." Wika nung kasagutan nung maarteng babae.
"Liana Takashi, y'all will call me Lia and no one will call me Lian." Umirap pa ito sa amin.
"Zerachiel Hayden. Just call me Zera"
"So back to my question again, why would they kill us?" Calliope.
"They want us dead."
"Hindi ba mabilis tayong mahahanap kung sama-sama tayo dito?" Alora.
"Masyado silang nagpakampante na hindi tayo babalik ng Pilipinas."
"Bakit pa ba natin kailangan magtago?" Liana.
"Nakikinig ka ba? Kasasabi lang diba? They want us dead!" Alora.
"I'm not talking to you! Shut the fuck up!" Liana.
"Bakit sa lahat ng bansa, bakit dito pa?" Calliope.
"Alam nilang isa ang Pilipinas sa kinasusuklaman nating bansa."
"Paano ka nakakasigurado na hindi sila pupunta dito? Para hanapin tayo?," said Liana. Tinignan ko sya ng diretso sa mata bago nagsalita.
"Bakit ka pupunta sa bansang kinasusuklaman mo kung dito pinatay ang kapatid mo?" Nawalan ng kulay ang mukha n'ya habang nakatingin sa akin. "H-how di-d yo-"
Nilipat ko ang tingin ko kay Alora. "Bakit ka pa bumalik kung nangako ka sa kanya?" Medyo nanlaki ang mga mata nito.
"Bakit ka pa bumalik sa bansang wala ng ibang ibinigay na ala-ala sayo kundi sakit at paghihirap?" Tanong ko kay Calliope. Natahimik silang tatlo kaya tumayo na ko.
"Mababa ang chance na magpunta sila dito dahil alam nilang may masama tayong alaala sa bansang ito kaya umalis tayo maraming taon na ang nakalipas." I walked to my room to change clothes. I was not surprised when they followed me into my room.
"Bakit alam mo ang lahat ng iyon?" Tanong ni Liana na himalang mahinahon ngayon. "I just know."
"Hindi ka naman namin kilala pero bakit alam mo ang lahat?!" Sigaw nya. Hindi ko sya sinagot at tinignan lang.
"Ikaw? Ano ang rason mo?" Calliope. Nahinto ako.
"They killed my nonna here." I whispered.
As well as half of my soul....
_________________________________________
A/N: Nonna means Grandmother.
BINABASA MO ANG
Downfall: Zerachiel Hayden
Action"He is my greatest downfall but, he is the only one that makes me whole again." -Zera Zerachiel Hayden was forced to go back to the Philippines. It's not like she can't do anything about it. She just doesn't have any choice because her life and all...
