Chapter Twenty-Six: A Displeasing Reunion

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Just another heads up. 'Ate' (read as 'ah-teh') in Filipino literally means 'big sister'. And ‘Anak’ is either son, daughter or child.

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(Chapter Twenty-Six: A Displeasing Reunion)

It took us two or three more turns and two or three more soldiers for him to dispatch. I couldn't do it anymore so I let him. Luckily, Sin got kind-hearted enough to let him do so. She said she'd spare me so I wouldn't be very weak by the time we meet each other again.

Through the last turn, we find a door at the end of the hallway. There's no knob or any kind of handle that could open the door. There are also no scanners that could reveal what's in the other side of it. Although, there are possibilities that it could be the entrance to finding my family. But if we get unlucky enough, it might be a trap that could easily put an unlikely end to everything I've been through.

To our surprises, the door slides open and the room is horribly very dim. I look over my shoulder to Steve and nod my head to tell him 'let's go'. My foot takes a step forward but he puts a hand on my shoulder, making me stop. "Maybe this is a bad idea."

"No," I interject. "I might be just a step further away from them."

As I step over the threshold, the room's lights start to get a bit brighter. Whirring sounds start emitting from somewhere and the room turns dimmer again. Suddenly, a huge lit glass tank rises from the floor a few feet away from me. My heart sinks to its lowest and I can't breathe anymore as tears start clawing my throat. Inside of the tank is my family. My brothers are still in their school uniforms but they're slightly torn and dirty; Jonah is missing his glasses. And my mom. Oh, my dear mother! She's still in her office uniform but it looks like she's been through hell. In fact, it looks like they all have been through hell. Gosh, Sin! What have you been doing to them?

Absentmindedly, my feet drag me to them and my fists start hitting the glass. Tears have escaped my eyes as soon as I reached my family.

"Mommy!" I cry out as I hit the glass with all my strength.

"Ate Ronnie!" my brothers bawl at the same time.

"Ronnie!" mom cries. "It's no use! The glass is too thick!" but I just keep on hitting the glass.

I take HAFT from my holster and quickly press the green button that brings me to hitting the tank with its end. Grunts and moans escape my lips every time I hit it, simultaneous with my mom's scolding that it won't work. My brothers are just crying as they watch their helpless sister break the think glass that's separating us. I hope that after I rescue them out of this hellhole and into safety, they'll give me the proper respect I've always wanted.

I didn't realize that I was getting out of control to break the glass until I felt arms wrap around my waist to pull me away from it. "Ronica, stop it," Steve chides softly. But I still keep on hitting the glass.

Though, I find it useless to hit it with just a fighting stick and just give up. I abruptly stop and he releases me. I feel week hence, I fall to the floor. I feel goosebumps embrace me and I soon realize that those goosebumps are the embrace of regret and I don't think it will ever go away if something worse happens to my family. "I'm sorry," I mutter, letting more tears flood my cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Mommy. I'm sorry, James. I'm sorry, Jonah."

Steve takes hold of my upper arms and begins to comfort me. I could hear him say that everything's gonna be okay, that my family will be okay, that everyone's going to be okay but I know they won't. As far as I can see, they won't. I can't even save my family from that stupid glass tank. What the hell does she think of my family putting them there into that glass tank? For entertainment? Animals that can be watched from a zoo? Some stupid display? Fishes in an aquarium?

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