PROLOGUE
I covered my mouth as I watched from the inside of a closet how a man in a black tuxedo reload his gun and point it at my mom.
He slowly walked in my mom's bedroom as my mom walked backwards with her hands in the air as if she's surrendering.
I'm not sure who this man is. He doesn't seem familiar at all. But my mom seems to know him.
My mother was begging the man to spare her life. She got on her knees right in front of the man in a tuxedo with her palms put together, holding up her head, and sobbed as she was asking and pleading for mercy.
"Please! Tama na! Pag-usapan na lang natin ito! Parang awa, huwag mong gawin ito!"
My mother cried desperately. She then hugged the knees of the man standing still right in front of her pointing a gun right at her forehead, gritting his teeth in anger. I was still inside the closet, covering my mouth and trying not to breathe hard. My tears suddenly ran down my face as I continued to watch what happened next.
"Walang kapatawaran ang ginawa mo! You don't deserve to live, Sylvia! Pinatay mo ako nang paulit-ulit!"
My mom shook her head as she was still sobbing so hard and asking the man to calm down.
As I closed my eyes, I heard a couple of loud noises. One. Two. Three. Four. These were gunshots. Four gunshots to be exact. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita ko ang mga sumunod na nangyari.
Mom suddenly dropped on the floor—dead. Unti-unting namantsahan ng dugo ang suot niyang white na night gown. Nakita kong nagdali-daling lumabas ang lalaking naka-tuxedo na bumaril sa mama ko. I would never forget that look on his face as he quickly stormed out of the room as if nothing happened. He looked satisfied. There were no signs of any remorse on his face.
When he already left, I quickly got out of the closet kung saan ako itinago ni mama. Pinatago niya ako at sinabing wag lalabas at gagawa ng ingay kahit na anong mangyari. Alam niyang may trahedyang magaganap nang makita niyang pumasok ang lalaki sa bahay namin. Dali-dali kong nilapitan ang ngayo'y bangkay ni mama na nakalapag sa sahig. Blood instantly covered my hands as I hugged mom. I looked at my hands with widened eyes and screamed in horror.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! MOMMY!!!! MOMMY, WAG MO KO IWAN!!!"
Then later on, naramdaman kong may tumatapik sa braso ko nang malakas.
"Oari! Oari! Oari, gising! Nananaginip ka na naman!"
It was my aunt who was also my adoptive parent, Olivia.
Ginising ako ni tita Via. Tama siya. Panaginip lang pala ang lahat. Nananaginip lang ulit pala ako.
