LUNA's POV
"Gusto mo na ba talagang umalis?" Tanong sakin ni Javier habang naglalakad kami paalis.
Tumango ako at ngitian sya ng pilit.
Javier is my deceased boyfriend cousin. He is my buddy too.
Agho, Iloilo is their hometown kaya naman dito naisipang pumunta kasabay na rin ng request ni Mr. Lye Frey.
Flashback (part 1)
Pagkatapos kong umamin kay Luigi ay umalis agad ako. Masyado nang magmumukhang-makapal ang mukha ko kung haharapin ko pa sya.
Isa pa ay ayoko nang makita ang mga magulang ko.
Ako lang naman ang tumuturing sa kanila ng ganon eh. Since I am 7 years old, as my mind become open on the world, I'd realize what was happening between myself and my family.
"Althea! Come here! What the hell is this? Why did you get an 88 in your grade?'' Dad was shouting right on my face.
He is very very disappointed with my grade. This grading, my grades become low. Hindi ko naman kasalanan eh. Inuna ko pa kasi ang pagsama sa Family Reunion ng mga Knight kesa ipasa ang ilan kong projects.
My hand are trembling. My eyes are teary. My body was shaking---I'm scared.
He grab my collar and smash my face with his palm.
I can't do anything but to cry and beg.
"I-It's hurt, Daddy." I said between my sobs.
"Don't you dare call me Daddy. Walang Knight na bobo!"
Pagkasabi nya noon ay tinulak nya ako sa sahig.
Mom watch me cry from the second floor. I thought she's going to stop that, but she didn't.
"Dad! What have you done? Why did you do that to her?" Kuya throw his bag at the floor and run towards me.
"Kuya!" Umiiyak akong yumakap sa kanya.
"Shh, tahan na Althea. Kuya is here, they wont hurt you now."
Levi Ayden Knight is my Redeemer ever. Hindi nila ako sinasaktan kapag nandito na si Kuya.
"Why did you do that Dad?" He ask. At the age of 16, he learn to glare deadly at Dad.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi sya sinasaktan nila Mommy at Daddy at lalong hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit wala silang magawa pag nagagalit si Kuya.
"S-She got 88 on her report card." Dad said.
Kuya continue to rub my back and hair.
"That's your reason? D*mn! You hurt my sister because of that? Bullsh*t! Ano naman kung nakakuha sya ng 88? Nakakababa ba yun ng moral nyo? Ang taas pa nga ng 88 eh."
"Son, calm down! Dinidisiplina lang ng Daddy mo ang batang yan"
Tumayo si Kuya at inalalayan din akong makatayo. Nakayakap pa din sya sakin habang nakasiksik ako sa kanya.
"Hurt my sister again and I swear. Gagawin ko ang ginawa ko kay Tito Jayvee sa inyo."
Pagkasabi nya noon ay umalis na kami at inihatid nya ako sa kwarto ko.
"K-Kuya? Ano yung sinabi mo? Ano yung tungkol kay Tito Jayvee?" Tanong ko habang pinupunasan nya ang luha ko.
"Althea you're too young to understand what was really going on on our family. Someday you maybe fell betrayed and alone. But please...please don't forget that I'm always at your side."
He smile and then kiss my forehead.
"Thank you, Kuya."
He smile again and bid his farewell.
Months had passed and Daddy didn't attempt to hurt me again. Kuya go home late, drunk, wasted and sometimes his clothes are stained by a red liquid.
"Kuya, what was that?" I ask one night when he got home.
It was my 11th birthday at ngayon lang sya nakauwi---12:37 am. I wait for him because I want to celebrate our birthday together.
Magkasunod kasi ng birthday kaya naman excited ako.
"I'm sorry, pinaghintay ata kita."
Iniangat nya ang kamay nya sa ere at ilalapat sana sa ulo ko ng mapansin kong puro dugo at may ilang hiwa iyon.
"K-Kuya?"
Bigla akong kinabahan kaya napaatras ako.
I have heard a lot of news among those teenagers na nasasangkot sa gang war at fraternity.
Mukhang nakuha ni Kuya ang nangyayari sakin kaya napatingin sya sa kamay nya.
"Oh? Ito ba? Wag mo tong intindihin, may inattendan lang akong theatre play at nag-play ako ng role ng killer." Nakangiti nyang sabi
Narinig ko ang sunod-sunod at mabibilis na yabag sa labas ng bahay, since nasa receiving area kami, dinig na dinig ko iyon.
Bigla akong hinawakan ni Kuya sa balikat.
"K-Kuya ano yun?"
"Althea, makinig ka kay Kuya, okay?"
Tumango ako at humawak sa braso nya.
"Pumunta ka sa kwarto mo, i-lock mo yun at pumasok ka sa lagi mong pinagtataguang cabinet okay?"
"K-Kuya ? Ano bang nangyayari? Goons po ba ang nasa labas? Mga bad po ba sila?"
"Yes! Yes, Althea, so please. Lock yourself at your room and don't make any noise. Wait for me to order you to came out on the cabinet okay?"
I nodded and hug my brother. He continuously kiss my head.
"Run now, Althea."
I feel scare when I saw the shadows on the smoked-glass of the wall.
"K-Kuya, I'm scared"
"Just run and hide Althea. I promise we'll be okay."
Tumango ako tumakbo sa may paanan ng hagdan pero hindi pa man ako nakaka-apak sa unang baitang ay bumukas na ang pinto kaya napilitan akong magtago sa likod ng hagdan, sa sulok.
Men in black mask and clothes enter our house. Some of them are holding guns, and the other are holding knife and bat.
Kuya was sitting on the sofa calmly.
The men started to shot and target Kuya but he is too quick. As my eyes blink, he was no longer sitting on the sofa.
He is fighting with a gun and sometime he throw some knives.
I can not believe this.
Kuya was fighting with tons of muscular and tall men.
He kill those men without sweating.
Men are lying down on the tiled floor---with no life and full of blood.
"K-Kuya!"
I began to cry. I let go the tears that I am holding from the very start.
Kuya kills those men---no mercy.
"A-Althea?" He mumble when he saw me.
I cry harder at mas lalo akong sumiksik sa likod ng hagdan.
I'm scared--not by what happen earlier but because of the truth that my brother kill those men.
Months and year had past and I'm still avoiding him. I'm still scared and traumatize by what I've witness.
Thus, at the first year of being highschool, I met Hanzel Madrigal when I am running away just to escape from Kuya.
We became friends for month and fortunately a lover that last for almost 8 years.
"Where had you been, Althea?"
The moment I enter our house, a demonic voice welcome me.
Dad was standing near at the doorstep, his arms are cross against his chest, his brows are in one line and his aura is dark.
"I-I just went f-from my classmates house."
I lied. Nagdate kasi kami ni Hanzel kaya ngayon lang ako nakauwi.
"Really?" He ask firmly.
"O-Of course!" I said in a monotone voice. The same feeling is back--- scared.
"Yes, Dad. Galing sya sa bahay ng kaklase nya. Kasama nya ako."
Halos mapapitlag ako ng marinig ko ang boses ni Kuya mula sa likod ko.
Unti-unting naging malumanay ang itsura ni Daddy bago nag-walk out.
"Althea we need to talk."
"Ah m-may gagawin pa kasi ako eh. A-Akyat na ko sa kwarto ko."
"Sige iwasan mo ako ngayon at sisiguraduhin kong malalaman nila Daddy ang kalokohan mo at hindi na kita pagtatakpan."
Napatigil ako sa sinabi nya.
"A-Alam mo?"
"There's no thing that I don't know about you, my dear. So how's your date with Hanzel Madrigal?"
Napasinghap ako.
"K-Kuya please. W-Wag mo kong isusumbong."
"I don't if---"
He stop and smirk at me.
"Kung babalik tayo sa dati. Miss ko na kasi ang iyakin kong kapatid. Miss ko na kasi syang nakayakap sakin. Miss ko na kasing may tumatabi sakin kapag kumukulog. Miss ko na kasi yung nag-iisang babaeng nangungurot ng pisngi ko."
I gasped and a tear escape on my eye.
"I miss you, Althea."
Hindi ko na kinaya. Lumapit ako sa kanya at niyakap sya ng mahigpit.
"I miss you too, Kuya."
And there it goes. I cry on his chest again.
From that night he do cover up me everytime I and Hanzel go out. Same as what my personal maid do.
But that was not last any longer.
Birthday ni Javier--my boyfriend's cousin ng sunod sunod na itim na van ang dumating sa venue ng party.
All of the guest was on shouting and bumping each other in panic.
"Kuya! Kuya!" I shout
"Althea!" He shouted back.
Nakita ko syang patakbo mula sa pwesto ko.
We we're about three meters away from each other. When I notice something.
"KUYA!"
Napasigaw ako ng may bumaril sa kanya mula sa likod.
Napaluhod sya habang inaabot ang kamay ko.
Tiningnan ko kung sino ang bumaril sa kanya.
It was a tall and muscular man who's holding two guns and behind him...
May tumatapik sa balikat nya. At basang-basa ko ang paggalaw ng labi nya.
'Good job!' He said
Nanginig ang buong katawan ko ng makilala ko ang lalaking yun.
"D-Dad?"
***
Next chapter po ang Continuation. Thanks!! 😘
Fb: Rachelle Gellica Alcantara
Ig: itsmerachellegellica
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