VIII. True identity.
᯾✵𖣘⍟۞✫᯽᯾
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Serissa's point of view
tw: profanity, violence. Read it at your own risk.
Note: This chapter is might be alarming, I understand if gusto niyo siya I-skip. Because this talks about abuse po talaga.
In anyway, let's remember that child abuse in anyway in their child will never be okay. I'm against to abuse, violence and any kind of child abuse in family. Whether it's verbal or physical. Abuse is still abuse.
Let's this chapter be a lesson and let speak to kids not using any violence. Family should be the their comfort not the cause of heartbreak.
....
Ano bang meron sa lalaking yon?
He acts like him..
That kid.
Hindi ko na maalala kung sino siya but he keeps approaching on my dreams! Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko ba nakikita si Rebel doon sa batang yon. Eh magkaiba sila ng ugali.
Halos isang oras na din ako sa CR and I held my arms. He's warm. Tall for his age, but well muscled, with and I could already tell why he's everyone's standard. His reflexes were unsurpassable, but it was his leadership that stood out. As if he's ruling you.
Gaga ka Serissa, sabi mo hindi ka rurupok e! Ano ba!
"Wala to, wala to. Kagagahan lang." I took out my cream and then I put it on my face. I always take care of my skin as part of my daily routine.
Paglabas ko ng kwarto, agad may tumawag sa'kin. I don't know who this is. But it looks like it was from a police station. Bigla ako nakaramdam ng kaba but I decided to answer it.
"Yes, Serissa here. Is there anything I can help you with?" Tanong ko
[Your father. He's on rampage. He's been calling your name and beating all the prisoners he meets! He's a monster!]
Halos manginig na lang ako at bumuhos ang luha ko. Napaluhod na lang ako ng di oras and I remembered what happened on that day. Tumatakbo ako noon, may kasamang lalaki. I couldn't even see his appearance but I can tell how beautiful he looks.
Moreno ito, matangkad at ramdam ko na may kakaiba sa kanya. Nanakit na yung paa ko and I was just running with him.
"Tangina, seryoso!? Tatay mo ba talaga yon?" Tanong niya.
"He's a dirty police officer, that's what I know." Sabi ko
"Miss, tama na. Tagalog naman oh! Yung isa iniinglish na ako non tas sama ng tingin sa'kin, pati ba naman ikaw?" He grunted.
"Nakapagsasalita ka pa talaga ng ganyan in our situation!? Oh gosh." Napahawak na lang ako sa ulo ko.
Alam ko na mangyayari. He's going on a rampage again. Mananakit na naman siya! And I am sick and tired of living together with a monster. Palaging ganito naman ang nangyayari, e. Kapag umiinit ang ulo ni Dad, doon niya naipapakita yung dahas niya sa'kin.
Swerte ko at nakakatakbo ako noon dahil malapit lang sina Yara, but I couldn't call her now... lalalong-lalo mas delikado si Dad ngayon. Hindi ko kilala kung sino tong lalaking to pero kung hindi niya binato si Dad baka kung napaano na ako.
"Teka, nasaan tayo? Kanina pa masakit yung paa ko." Sabi ko at halos ang dungis na nung night dress ko at ang dami ko ng putik sa paa at sugat-sugat pa yung paa ko.
"Ewan. Saan ba to?"
"Batukan kaya kita! Ikaw yung humila sa'kin kuya tapos di mo pala alam kung nasaan tayo?" I asked him at inirapan ko siya.
"Sabi mo kasi as far away from that monster," Ginaya pa niya yung gestures ko at inirapan ko siya, "Kaya ewan ko kung saan mo gusto pumunta. Dinala kita kung saan malayo. Yon lang!"
"Di ako ganyan kaarte!" Sigaw ko
"Pero miss, kung ako sa'yo tumawag ka ng pulis—"
"No! Are you listening to yourself? I told you that he's a dirty policeman. Kaya ko na mag-isa dito, I guess this is far away from him, maraming salamat." Sabi ko na lang
I will not back down.
For fuck's sake, I'm Idiyanale's, daughter. Hindi ako umuurong sa kahit anong laban.
"And hey! What's your name?" Tawag ko dun sa lalaki
"Luh bakit? Stalk mo'ko?" Tanong niya at inirapan ko siya.
"Siraulo! Ganda kong to, I-stalk kita? Ew, please. I'm not that kind of person. I just want to express my gratitude to the person who saved me." I admitted.
"Sige na! Vion San Pedro. Wag mo'ko I-stalk ha!"
"Hindi nga! May iba akong crush at di ikaw yon." Irap ko
"It's a guy with beautiful eyes and blonde hair. Okay na ba? Assured ka na di kita I-stalk?"
"Buti naman. Sige, sibat na ako. Nadamay lang ako dito e." Sabi niya at umirap ako. Duh, he appeared out of nowhere, how would I know!?
☽︎☼︎☾︎☼︎☾︎
Ang sakit pa din talaga ng paa ko but I decided to walk. Gusto ko lang talagang makaalis. I just want to get out of this place!
"Akala mo ba matatakasan mo'ko ng ganun lang ha, Serissa!?"
"Ahhhhh!!!"Sigaw ko na lang at napahawak na lang ako sa buhok ko and I feel so scared of my dad. Hawak-hawak niya ang tiyan niya at duguan siya. Someone hit him. He coughed some blood at lumapit ito sa'kin and he gripped my face.
"You should have stayed in the house with me. Dapat good girl ka, but look what you did. You're a bad girl. I need to punish you."Inangat ni Dad yung kamay niya and he was about to slap me and someone got closer to us at tinulak niya si Dad.
He looked pretty. Lalo na yung mga mata niya. Those crystal blue eyes that are way too captivating.
"Y–you're hurting her. Enough!"
Sinenyasan ako nung lalaki kaya nagtago ako sa likod niya. But that made my dad get mad even more.
"Salbahe ka talaga Serissa!"
"She's abused! Bakit siya pa din po sinisisi niyo? And by the looks of it sir, you don't look so fine. You have bad spirits with you. I can see them. Kaya ba sinasaktan niyo siya!?"
Spirit?
Kinusot ko pa yung mata ko and I was surprised to see his eyes. Lumiliwanag ito. What's going on here?
"I don't like that kid! Dahil sa kanya nagkamalas-malas ang buhay ko!"
Alam ko naman na talaga kung paano niya ako tratuhin but still hearing how he hates me, still hurts so bad. Anak niya ako, pero hindi ko yon maramdaman! Simula nung nakita ni Dad ang pagbabago ko, because of how I was close to Lolo Antonio and his grandson, nagbago na siya.
He wasn't even like this before.
He used to take care of me. Noong bata pa ako lagi-laging may bitbit yan na barbie dolls for me. He was kind to me before. Is being a Demigod a curse? Kaya ko ba nararanasan ang lahat ng ito? Bakit ako? Ano ba nagawa ko?
"Serissa!"
His form is starting to change. He sounded chilling, terrifying, creepy and eerie. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyayari sa kanya. I just need to show him na hindi niya ako dapat na saktan! Umilaw yung buong katawan ko and I shoot him with my thunder at halos mag-init si Dad doon.
"Lumalaban ka na ha..."
He smirked at me, "As if unang beses tong nangyari. Yong kaibigan mo, nandito siya.. that bastard beat the hell out of me! Kaya ka nagbago dahil sa lalaking yon..."
He reached my foot but the guy grabbed me away, "Tara na beh, hindi kapani-paniwala yung lalaking yan e."
"Wait."
Lumapit ako kay Dad at sinipa ko siya ng malakas at halos humampas siya sa pader sa lakas ko. I know Idiyanale won't like it, but it's the time to teach this damn mortal kung sino ang kinakalaban niya.
"Remember this, Dad. I'm a Demigod. Subukan mo ulit na gamitan ako ng dahas, alam mo na kung ano ang kahinatnan mo. He's not the only one who can beat the hell you up, me too." Diretsong sinabi ko
"Wag ka nang babalik—"
"Gusto mo ng kabayaran, edi yan!"Sinampal ko sa kanya yung 8,000pesos sa bulsa ko.
"So don't ever show your face to me again."I glared at him.
"T–tara na," Sabi nung lalaking kasama ko at inalalayan niya ako. Kanina pa ako nakikipaghabulan kay Dad because of his rage, ni hindi ko nga alam kung ano na ang mangyayari sa'kin kung hindi dumating yung lalaking blonde kanina.
And then out of nowhere, there's Vion. And then this guy found me. Bago kami tuluyang makaalis, agad ko pinigilan yung lalaking kasama ko.
"My dad said that he's here.. puntahan natin siya. Please! I want to see him! Gusto ko malaman kung totoong tinanggap nila Lolo Antonio yung pera. Wala naman si Dad dito so–"Sabi ko don sa lalaki at halos matumba na ako but the grabbed me para alalayan niya ako.
"May nakita na tayong masamang espirito kanina, what if patibong na naman ito? At kung wala ako sa tabi mo baka kung ano na ang nangyari sa'yo miss." Banggit niya sa'kin.
"I want to see him.."
"Ugh, fine! Ayokong magmukhang kinawawa pa kita riyan. Ikaw nagdesisyon nito beh, di ako." Sabi nung lalaki at pumayag siya.
"Really?"My eyes lit up and na-excite naman ako.
"Oo, tara na baka magbago pa isip ko."
Nagmadali na kami naglakad and then I found them. Looks like pinapagalitan ni Lolo Antonio yung apo niya.
So I got closer to them and he gripped on his shoulder, "What do you think you're doing, Rebel?"
"I have to save her! That pig... dapat lang yon sa kanya! He should just rot where he should belong! We both knew that how dirty the justice system here, Lolo. I just want to save her. Yun lang naman ang gusto ko. "Sagot nito sa Lolo niya
"And so? You're playing a vigilante to avenge anyone you please? Hindi ito ang unang beses na ginamit mo ang kapangyarihan mo. It happened two, three and even four times! You should be aware kung sino ka! It's on your blood!"Sigaw ni Lolo Antonio sa apo niya
"I don't care about the old man. Daddy's suck anyways." He hissed.
"Hey!"
"Lolo Antonio?"
Nagulat naman sila pareho nung nakita nila ako. Huminga si Lolo Antonio at lumapit siya sa'kin at may pinaamoy siyang isang pabango sa isang bote at halos matumba ako. What's going on?
"Pasensya na Serissa. Hindi pa ito ang tamang panahon. Maiintindihan mo din ang lahat kapag kaya mo na gampanan maging protector ni Rebel."
Later, I found myself in a couch at kanina pa ako ginigising nung lalaki. He's the one who saved me from my dad. Sinubukan kong tumayo so he got closer to me at tinulungan niya ako agad. Ang sakit ng ulo ko. I can't recall anything.
Ano bang nangyari? What's going on?
"Ayos ka lang ba?You should get your dad to jail. Halimaw yung tatay mo, with those eyes... sigurado akong makakapatay yon!"
"He will. Tinawagan ko na si Lola. Mamaya uuwi din ako kapag natagpuan niya si Dad. For now, let me stay here.. I'm scared." Sabi ko sa kanya at napaiyak na lang ako.
"Takot na takot ako.."
"Oo naman beh! Feel free to stay."He smiled.
That was the last thing I remembered.
Because of my Dad's rage, doon ko nalaman ang totoong kapangyarihan ko. That I'm a Demigod. I can communicate with nature as I please. And I'm strong. Idiyanale called me to forest para sabihin ang totoong misyon ko matapos ng lahat ng ito.
I was sure...
Saturino is the one who I met that night. It's him. At nakakasiguro akong isa rin siyang Demigod. Hindi ako basta nangingialam but I want to remember what happened at that day.
I called him in messenger and luckily he answered.
[Hi? Uh, Serissa?]
"We need to talk. Gusto ko mismo sa'yo mangaling ang lahat. I want to know who you are."
Perhaps Rebel is right, we're not the only Demigod who exists here. Nandito rin sila. At unang tingin ko pa lang kay Saturino alam kong may kakaiba sa kanya. Even that guy he's with.
Ewan ko! Litong-lito na ako.
There's one way to find out. Kailangan kami magkita ni Saturino ngayon.