Alexandria Montecillo: The Defender

Arianne Arabella

There are always a lot of different sides in every story.

This is a short special chapter written in Arianne Arabella's Point of View. Enjoy!~

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Three Months Ago

       A house and a home are two different things.

        Kapag sinabing house, ibig sabihin it's built of walls and bricks. Pero kapag home... it means it's where you feel safest the most.

       My family... they're my home.

        But they're gone now. They're not part of this world anymore, kaya saan na ako lulugar? Saan na ang home ko?

       "Ang daya daya niyo naman, you left me so early." It's been days now, I don't exactly know how many days has passed since I lost track of time... but I believe it's been days now since I buried my whole family. Ilang araw na siguro ang lumipas, pero hindi ko sigurado. For when I came back from the cemetery, I can't do anything. Andito lang ako sa living room. kinakausap ang family portrait naming nakasabit.

        "I miss you so much Mom, Dad and baby Anthony." I tried speaking but my voice came out hoarse and exhausted. At mas nauna pang nagsilabasan ang mga luha ko na hindi maubos-ubos kaya napahiga na lang ako sa carpeted na sahig, yakap yakap ang mga damit ng pamilya ko.

       The family I lost. The home I lost.

       "What do I do now, Mom?"

       "Where do I go, Dad?"

       "What should Ate feel, baby?"

       "Ang daya daya niyo kasi, hindi niyo ako isinama. Akala ko ba wherever you go, dapat kasama ako? Akala ko ba we will always be complete? Yet you left me."

        "Y-you left me here... a-alone."

       I've experienced a lot of body pains, got a lot of cuts and bruises from training until my body breaks. But all those trainings didn't prepare me for something as agonising as this. Para niyo na rin akong pinatay ng paulit-ulit, only that in each death, it only gets worse and more painful.

       "I feel so lost..." Hindi ko maiwasang maamin sa sarili ko. I don't have any idea who to trust, who to run to and what to do. I don't know how to stand up again and fight back.

       I buried my face in the pile of clothes I have in front of me. This is my way of trying to stop my tears from coming out, kaso mas lalo siyang dumadami at nagpupumilit na kumawala. Mas naninikip ang dibdib ko at mas sumasakit ang ulo ko sa libo-libong memories na pumapasok sa utak ko.

       "Come back to me, please. Come home to me." If only my endless plea can be heard, I vow to beg for their life back until it's granted. If only someone is listening, I wish to have my family here again.

       "You're the best ate ever!"

       "Remember, we love you so much."

       "Only the best for my daughter."

       Mas lalo akong naiyak nang marinig ang faint na boses ng tatlong taong love ko. Wala na akong pakialam kung nababaliw na ako, dahil willing na akong ibigay ang katinuan ko para lang muling marinig ang mga boses nila.

       If it will cost me my sanity, I'd be willing to throw them up in flames just to see them again... to hug them again... to tell them how much I love them.