Cry Under the Moon

Blood ran cold as Moran approach his daughter who is sitting on the stairs of the porch of the house. Seeing the pitiful and terrified face of Hera, he asked, "Why are you still outside? It's already late at night, get in."

Moran's voice was cold and stern as he ordered Hera. He passes by her as he went inside the house. He sat down on a wooden short stool and took off his boots then look towards Hera once again who's still sitting on the stairs. Annoyance began to stir inside as he watches Hera.

"Get in and close the door, it's cold!"

Hera slightly jolts in alarm as she heard her father's voice. She can notice the tone in his voice which she doesn't want to press any buttons even further. She might not be doing anything, she's just standing there, meekly standing there and it seems like her very presence was enough for her father to burst out in annoyance. Without taking any further time, she turned around and meekly stepped in closed the door behind her. She stood there with her head hang low seemingly afraid to look at her father or to even steal a slightest glimpse.

"What are you still doing there? Aren't you gonna sleep?" Moran asked, his eyes narrowed at her with that usual suspicion and irritation in his gaze which pierced deep into the soul of his children. Hera opened her mouth and about to speak but her words got caught in her throat. Before she could ever blurt out the words that she might not even had a second to think about, she nodded meekly then went to her bed.

She entered the room where she and her older sister Karyll and her older brother Arias shared. Karyll was already in her deep sleep and obviously occupied by the blanket of slumber but except for Hera. She has something in her mind, something she's been meaning to tell her father but Moran just pushed her away and shutting her. She approach the makeshift bed on the floor where she and her sister shared. She lift up the blanket then settled on the bed and cover herself.

Moran was taking his time to rummage through the kitchen, preparing himself for some food and coffee. He went outside the porch and settled there as he eats. After he was done eating, he put his plate just beside him then took his coffee. He began wandering around the house and the yards with his headlight on his head. When he went to the backyard where he mostly kept the animals and meters away from the house, he notices that the cages were empty. His handmade hanged cages for his chickens, supported by a couple of sturdy woods as the base. His cages which supposed to be filled with his roosters, hens, and chicks now only seemed to be filled with silence. He can feel his heart picking up speed as he walk even further near the cages and indeed, it was all empty. He grit his teeth and his eyes widen and narrowed in anger as he stormed towards the house.

"Hera!" He shouted, his voice laced with rage. He angrily open the door and went straight to the bedroom where Hera and her siblings sleep.

Karyll who suddenly woke up in alarm already know what's going on by the tone of their father's voice. She quickly wrap her arms around Hera who's trembling in fear. "What did you do this time?", Karyll asked, whispering.

"The chickens... I... I didn't put them in their cages. Father will beat me if I'll tell him," Hera whisper back. "What? You know he loves those chickens more than us," Karyll said. She pull Hera closer to her as they hide under the blankets. Moran was inching closer towards the door before he kicks it open.

"Hera!" Moran barge into the room and grab Hera's arm and yanking her from her sister's grip. She tried to free herself but her father's grip on her was so strong and painful.

"Where are the chickens?!" Moran's eyes were furious and his tone demanding as he wait for Hera to answer.

"They... They... ran... away..." Hera's voice trembles in fear as she replies, her heart beating out of her chest as she stares at her father's raging eyes.

Without another thought, Moran began beating Hera's butt with his hand. It was like almost brutal seeing Hera under her father's mercy as he continues beating her. She screams and plea for her father to stop, tears stream down her cheeks as she beg.

The noise causes the other members in the house to wake up. Arias, her brother, get up immediately and stepped in the room where his younger sister and his father were. Funish began crying and curled up in Stacia's embrace, seeking for comfort and security. Karyll clutch her head with her arms under the covers, tears streaming down her face as well as she listens to Hera's pleas to their father.

Moran pick up a debris, a stick with sharp edges which randomly laying on the floor and starts beating it on Hera's butt and legs with no care at all about his daughter's body, about his daughter's health physically and mentally.

Arias slowly creeped inside the room and stepped closer behind their father then suddenly tackled him by locking his arm around their father's throat.

Moran was taken aback by this sudden movement of his son and he lets go of Hera as he began clutching his hands on Arias' arms and trying to break free from his grip.

Arias tighten his grip, locking his arms even more around Moran's throat which makes him gasp for air. Arias look at Hera who's sitting on the floor crying, the bruises on her legs were evident for the severe beating of their father. Arias gritted his teeth looking at the terrible sight of his sister. Anger, worry, and concern were mixing all together in his chest and his stomach swirls, and he feels like he's just about to kill their father right here right now.

"Go Hera! Leave!"