That's right, please... have mercy on us. Please have mercy on us!" I'm begging dad who is full of emotions. My voice was hoarse from exhaustion and constant crying while pleading for papa to stop hurting us. I'm broken and closed but I'm still trying to protect my sister who is only seven years old and my mom who has a weakness from the pillar of our home that is making us suffer right now. The same thing always happens at home every time dad comes home. He is always angry and pours it on everyone. Dad wasn't like that before but when he learned to gamble and get into vices that's when our complicated life started. I can't even count how many times he almost killed us because of his beatings. Times where we almost looked like dead because of the bruises and pale bodies that dad had done. I want to defend them. I want to protect them but I'm just a humble man with a small body because of our state in life, that's what they call our condition 'poor' and what about me? Maybe I can say that I'm a man who gets patted down and gets weak easily because of not being able to eat properly. Even if I wanted to run away, I couldn't. Even if we want to fight, we can't. Even if I want to rebuke dad, be brave and be a man even for one time, I can't do it, I can't. I'm disgusted with myself for thinking that even once I could be a man, a complete man who can defend my loved ones, but no, I'm just a very useless man. I could not save them from the hands of my father who was swallowed by annoyance and anger. I want to keep mom and Abi away from dad's hands so that we can be safe and live happily and peacefully but I can't do it either, I can't because mom still believes that dad will change too which I just believed because he was taking a risk I know that when we make dad feel how much we love him, he will return to the way he was before, our dad who is so sweet and caring. My dad always smiles when he comes home because he is greeted with a bag of noodles that my brother and I will run to get at the same time as greeting him, kissing him, shaking his hand and giving him a hug. I miss seeing papa being sweet to mama, the type where they are like stars in a telenovela where there is no conflict, just full of love.
Chapter 1 Our house
Chapter 1
I was surprised when the sun shone on me, it was morning.
I was about to stand up when I fell down. My body hurts especially my head. There I groped it and felt a liquid seeping into it. It's blood.
I didn't care about that anymore and immediately looked for mom and Abi. I searched every corner of our house even if it was small. I didn't see one.
I sat up in my seat suddenly realizing that there was no one in the house, only their belongings were left behind. I cried a lot, blaming myself for what happened that I should have been the protector of mom and Abi and it's not like I'm here and can't do anything but cry, always begging and not being able to do anything to help them, mom, to get out of the hands of my dad
Because of what I did last night, it even led to this scene where dad will keep Abi and mom away from me. There I only blame myself. Punching myself in the chest like it's all my fault. "Arghhhh!" a shout from my hoarse voice echoed in our house.
I immediately stood up to regain my strength, I was tired from everything but I needed to be strong.
I went out of the house with all my might. I took a bandage and put it on my head to stop the bleeding. I took wood that served as strength for my body. I used this cane and my foot started to move.
I will not give up.
I will find them.
I need to find them,
mom...
Abi...
I have to get them and get them away from dad.
"Mommy!"
"I think!"
"Yet!"
I screamed their names but no one answered.
I'm already in the middle of the road being stared at by whoever it is in whatever place it is.
People on the mountain, in the yard, in every house I asked and searched for the presence of my mother and brother but I found nothing.
I can't even do anything.
I can't help at all.
Days passed when I did just that.
Search here, search there, always like that but I still can't find what I'm looking for.
I had no food, no sleep, and no rest, I just kept searching, I didn't want to give up on my family, I would get them from dad.
I promised mom that I will find a way to get them away from dad and I will do that, I will find them no matter what.
I know my brother is with mom, I know they are in danger and they need me, I need to find them.
Because maybe this time they'll be the ones participating in papa's cruelty and that's what I don't want to happen.
It's getting late but I still don't stop walking, shouting their names and asking every person I pass if they know someone like this, like that.
I felt hungry and tired from searching but I didn't buy it. My feet are hurting and I feel my body gradually getting tired. The bruises on my face are still not going away and are still swollen but I don't care anymore because I have applied medicinal herbs.
I felt a slight pain and cold in my head, a sign that it was bleeding again but I ignored it and continued searching.
"Have you ever seen a child who is white? He is this tall? His clothes are white and he is wearing violet underwear. He has bangs, he is a beautiful child who is about seven years old."
"There is a woman with him who is beautiful, thin and white. She is wearing a beige dress and black jersey pants."
"Then there was a man with a tall, dark complexion. He was wearing jeans and then a red dress with sleeves."
That's what I always ask people I pass.
I want to give up because I've been looking for her for almost three days.
I'm tired and my body can't take it anymore.
I took a deep breath and then blew it out.
"Lord, I wish I could find them." I prayed and moved my foot again to look for mom.
I walked a few meters before my body finally fell and at the same time a car honked.
...
I woke up because of the sunlight. I could see nothing but a spacious white room with a beautiful light that I could say I would love for its design. I was lying here on a white and soft bed with a golden line that served as its design. It is surrounded by a white ceiling, floor, walls and everything else that is also white and gold. There's a lot of stuff here that looks like it's going to be loved. My eyes landed on my clothes that had changed. Maybe I was dressed by whoever brought me here.
I thought about my surroundings before finally standing up. I felt a pain in my head but when I touched it, it was bandaged. I looked in the mirror and saw myself in it. The bruise on my face seems to have healed little by little and the bandage on my head is new.
I wandered around this room feeling around for people. I looked around and wandered around the wide white room for a few more minutes before I decided to go out.
I fixed myself first and sighed. I carefully grabbed the doorknob and opened it.
"You're awake son." a woman greeted me when I opened the door. She looks a bit old but it's not obvious on her face because it's smooth and has a certain beauty and whiteness, you won't see her wrinkles and wrinkles.
"W-where am I?" I immediately asked. "Mama and Abi need me. I'm leaving. Sal----" I was cut off when he spoke. His companions entered with food and placed it on the table next to the bed earlier. The woman invited me in and talked there.
"You don't have to rush. Your condition is still bad and we need to treat your wounds first, especially the one on your head. When it's better, I'll let you go, but first, I need to know what happened to you ." its calm language. I looked at her and her companions, they seemed to be the ones who helped me, especially the girl in front of me now. In the stares they just give, you can feel the pity because maybe it's in my situation.
"It's okay if you don't want to say." the lady added, noting that I didn't say a word. "Yes." that's all I could answer.
"Eat to fill your stomach, you look very tired." a fat woman offered me. Even though I was embarrassed at first, I didn't refuse because I was hungry because I hadn't had anything to eat for a few days.
Suddenly I thought of those I was looking for, Abi and Mama. Even though the food in my mouth was not finished yet, I immediately swallowed it and spoke.
"Ma'am, where are my brother and mother? I need to see them. They need me." I spoke and it straightened up to listen to me. I just called her ma'am because I don't know her and just by her clothes and face I can tell if she is rich.
"You were alone when we saw you lying on the road. I thought you were hit by Mang Kanor. But the doctor said that you might have been bruised based on his observations because of the bruises on your face and also your head. I know it's very confidential but what's your name and where do you from? What really happened? I know you don't want to say what happened but it's okay, but, may I know your name?" asked the woman.
"Alex. Alex Casapao. I'm from Banaue, Banaue Ifugao." I answer here.
"Are you an igorot?" he asked and I just shook my head. The truth is that we are from Manila, we just moved to Banaue because dad lost his job in Manila. We ended up in Banaue because papa knew someone there who lived when we didn't have a home of our own- a home that changed when papa started to get into bad habits.
I just bowed down because of what I remembered. I teared up a little and tried to hold it back but I think the people around me noticed it, especially the girl.
"Hushh. Don't cry." I felt the sincerity in what he said. It hugged me and later separated. I just felt the touch of his soft palm that I turned to. It wiped away the tears that have flowed and will flow from my eyes. He smiled at me before asking. "What happened to you Alex? Alex, is it right?" he asked and I nodded.
"It's a long story." my answer. "But if you want to know, I'll tell you, maybe you can help me." I added and smiled which made her smile especially the girl.
"You're more beautiful when you smile." praise from the woman who shamed me.
"And he will look even more handsome, ma'am, when the bruise on his face heals." thanks to the woman earlier who gave me food with fatness. I just scratched the back of my neck like I used to when I was embarrassed.
"Ma'am looks like a woman." said a thin woman. I just smiled here because I'm used to it but there's a part of me that might judge me based on what he sees. Maybe the bullying of people in the past had an effect on me.
"Manang, I'm a boy." I said shyly and he laughed.
We even had more conversations and laughter because of that. Our conversation turned again about what happened to me.
"What happened to you Alex? Did you end up here in Baguio? Because you walked so far." asked the elderly woman. It seems to be the oldest one here.
"Yes. I would like to find Mama and Abi to take them to Papa. The night before the three of them were lost, there was an argument in our family. Papa is always like that when he comes home. of the house. It came to the point where he almost killed us but it was good and he suddenly fell down because of the alcohol" I said. I bowed and faked a laugh.
"Didn't you report it to the police or your neighbors?" asked the thin woman. I looked up and answered it.
"I was planning to file a complaint, but I didn't do it anymore. Mom believed that dad would change and I believed her. Dad wasn't like that before, he really cared. He's still the best dad. " I praise my dad. I smiled as I said that I was so happy that he became my dad, I couldn't stop being emotional so I bent down to hide the tears that were falling.
I miss dad.
The girl next to me tapped me. After recovering from the sadness, I continued to talk about what happened and why I was here in Baguio.
"That night, it must have been around Wednesday, Papa came home, we were about to meet him, but suddenly he punched me and Mama stopped him while my brother was clinging to Mama crying while Papa stopped what he was doing him to me."
"He continued punching me until I was having a hard time. Maybe he was annoyed with mom, so he was punching mom. Even though it was hard, I stood up, I stopped dad. I don't want to see that. mom, especially dad because I know he's not like that. He loves us very much. Then yes, I tried to take dad's fist away from mom because I couldn't handle it."
"Dad's attention turned to me again because of my constant pulling and restraining him. There he punched me and poked me and said hurtful things. Mana stopped him but he couldn't either. The case when dad got fed up with me and it was mom that he was hurting again. I really don't want to hurt my mom, especially since my brother is crying in front of me. That's why I got angry because even though mom is hurt, it's not dad was stopping so I punched him. He fell even though I was so tall. To be honest, I've been wanting to do that for a long time, but I'm telling myself that he's my dad too. But that night, it seemed like I was full ."
"I just continued punching dad. Then when I realized what I had done, I stopped because I knew I wasn't like that. Mom was really afraid of me that night, especially my brother. I was able to hurt My father and my son were very bad for what I did. I regretted what I did but soon I felt a beating on my head. I got dizzy because of that and my father was punching me. It seems that I lost consciousness. then when I woke up they were not at home." my whole story
To Be Continued...
Chapter 1 Our house
23/11/2023
Chapter 2 the mother and daughter
23/11/2023
Chapter 3 the family
23/11/2023
Chapter 4 the famous rich
23/11/2023
Chapter 5 Mansion
23/11/2023
Chapter 6 9 Years Ago
23/11/2023
Chapter 7 the Montero's mansion
24/11/2023
Chapter 8 cooking breakfast
24/11/2023
Chapter 9 My best friend
24/11/2023
Chapter 10 I still have a crush
24/11/2023
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