Writing Camp A little politeness

My goal is to be officially pursuing what I should have pursued before which is to write happily ever after. I also plan to continuously strive to be part of the writing community and to finally have a platform for my writings. I plan to continue writing and only stop when I ran out of ideas. I promise to comply with all rules and regulations. I plan to comply with what is required of me to complete the course. From here on this will be my first attempt to contribute to writing. Scene 1: Arbezo residence             Solaris was still grieving when her Aunt Eugenia gave her a pain staking news. Her mother ran off with the very men that caused the final blow to her father's heart. Solaris anticipated her mother’s selfish acts but she already was exhausted with every ounce of emotion she had when she walked each step that her father had to take towards his funeral rites, this left her numb. Who could blame this only child of her blank responses to her Aunt Eugenia. Her Aunt was already a senior and she could not hope for her to make that drive to the funeral home and collect her father or follow through with the necessary formalities of death; of reporting it to the City Hall, arranging for a priest and selecting the burial clothing. Half way through the formalities of her father’s death, Solaris collapsed on the entrance stairs towards her car and she wept all the way to mausoleum where she had to stare at the ground dug and primed for tomorrows burial.  By night she already knew her mother fled she saw the man she will go to waiting at the terminals with 3 sets of luggage. After the burial, she was not spared of any pleasantries nor false grieving of her father’s incumbent’s representation. “Your father left many projects needed to be presided. I hope, dear girl, you can understand. The bank will already follow up with computations of all the shared equity left by your father. His partners will no longer be able to provide any returns. Your father caused losses with his sudden disappearance. However, they promise never to touch the property. You and your Aunt can live here still. My deepest condolences dear girl.” At this the legal representation who did not even left a name for queries road off their residence and left one more woe left unsown to the ground. After the conversation, Solaris felt her head moving with her body but feeling like her face or her sense of view is not there. In her mind she is still sitting beside her father’s coffin forced to accept the greetings, the condolences, and the words of console, and during this time she always thought she should have spoken more with her father about her mother, and his relationship with her. Solaris walked towards the living room towards the very same sofa she sat on and stared where the coffin was. She was not given enough time to speak to her father with only just them during the wake. Now more than ever she felt compelled to say a few words. “Pa, this is so unfair. Is it punishment? (burst into tears). It never occurred to me you loved her so much Pa. I am sorry for telling you those words.” Solaris recalled the last conversation they had. Her father called her while she was off town working in the city. Her father called to tell her of her mother’s worsening behavior. Her father found out that her mother is planning to leave any time now. Her mother took out simultaneous loans of inconspicuous amount. The bank decided to do some credit evaluation and notified his father. His father verified she will fly to province P as well and she secured herself a working visa in country F. Solaris was facing unimaginable mind drains back then from her job as a nurse and physical therapist. The hospital she was working for decided to have a sudden career evaluation including a psychological evaluation due to a series of mental strain some of the employees are experiencing right now with a break out of a new discovered respiratory disease within the province. Some of the hospitals located within the provinces are already accommodated some of the cases, but the disease is highly contagious so it already reached the city with just a few days of the first cases surfacing. With this in mind Solaris hardly gave the much needed attention that her father wanted from her. She even spoke out of the stress she had been feeling those days. “Pa, you already know, why not cancel the loan, cancel the tickets. I have a very important case we are working on now. The hospital will not allow me leave. Pa, please, you already know this will happen. She only wants the title. She refused to love us more Pa. Maybe, her leaving is the best thing that happened to us.” She did not know that her father welled up inside with those words. She even hung up thinking she already said what she said. Her father on the other line, however, was experiencing a heart attack already. It is the truth that ached more for the man. He knows of his daughter’s love for him. The man only had the memories of his wife refusing to love him as his final thoughts. Solaris, rushed towards his father’s room after he was rushed to the hospital, but her father did not last more for the eight hours she needed to arrive at the hospital. Solaris was already feeling a choking feeling in her throat just looking back on those memories. Had she known that her father living with her mother despite the fact that she has no love for both of them and her mother’s willingness to give her away to her father, and despite these truths her father forcing the relationship still, already meant that her father cannot let go of the love he had for her mother. “Pa, I really feel somehow, some way, I may someday learn to feel how you felt. I really want to so much, so I can understand, why?” She finally pulled out the bottle hidden under the table drawers. She and her father shared a love for same alcoholic drink. The rum shared so many memories with them. She can only hope that her father is still within the house corners or sitting on the opposite sofa to where she sits.  She is to go back to her job as she is only given five days’ bereavement leave. She was almost at the entrance door when she heard a knock. When she opened the door, she was filled with queries on her head as to the identity of the three men that greeted her. They were suited but they wore their suits in an informal way. One of them even had a scar by his ear and another reeks of alcohol and the other one looked like his sarcastic glares has to go with his purpose of being there. “Is this the residence of Sonia Arbezo?” “She is my mother, but she is not here. Who are you?” “We are here as a representation of one of her business partners. When will she be back?” At this Solaris just flared to the thought of her mother running away. She burst out the words with a touch of anger. “I don’t know, she might never, I wish she had decided on that sooner, but now, she can go to hell with that men for all I care.” The men glared at her and smirked with so my much crestfallen. At this the one with the sarcastic glares now advanced himself so much so to make Solaris feel a need to step back. “I really don’t know where she is right now.” She retorted with hopes that the statement will satisfy these men. “As her daughter you must know her number. Can you call her now?” One would think a daughter will keep close ties with her mother, but Solaris never put efforts in trying to contact her mother and it is clearly evident that the only one who wanted to keep contacts with her is already buried six feet deep. “For the last time, I don’t know where she is. I don’t have her number. I don’t know how to contact her.” At this, the man with the sarcastic glares dared advance himself now slightly revealing a gun latched by a hidden vest underneath the men’s suite. “This conversation does not have to go this far Madame. You can just tell me the details I needed and we will be going off. “ “I know I am her daughter (rushing for words), but my mother left us, I don’t know where she went.” Solaris is filled with further self-blaming after recalling her father was to tell her the exact information she needed now. “Madame, your mother owes us money, we need to collect that amount from her or we simply have to be able to collect.” The man's tone already carried forth, that he is used to informal conversation or rather an abusive type of conversation. And by the way he talked it already shunned an understanding for Solaris. She is facing men not averse to violence. The trembling feeling Solaris had was further heightened due to the man now pulling out the gun and clutching it by his hand, no fingers yet on the trigger, but she knows she can’t make the mistake of antagonizing them further. “I will try to contact my mother. Leave me a number and I will tell you where she is after I have contacted her.” “So you can request assistance from the Police? I think we need to come in. I am sure you can pull up any information you need if you search it within your house (gesturing to go inside with the hand gripping the gun).” Solaris was left with no choice but to let them in. She scampered looking for her aunt. She ran towards her aunt’s room and half way there she saw her aunt disposed cooking at the kitchen. Solaris rushed to the questioning her aunt with her heart speeding up being released from her calm.   “Nay, I need Ma’s number, do you have it?” Though confused, the bewildered aunt was still eager to reply. “I don’t know, huh! .....(pausing to covey dismay) You know we don’t want anything to do with her. She probably is far from us now escaping this family. The nerve of that woman to even think about staying. We are happy without her dear.” Her aunt continued on seemingly trying to imply that Solaris may have a sudden need for emotional reassurance. “Nay, I need it (voice raised in a rude tone)” “Nak, I don’t have it (already feeling a little frustration towards the sudden rudeness Solaris is displaying ). Why would you think I know it?” The poor lady now continuous on with her bitter remarks about Solaris’s mother. Unknown to this poor lady, there were three men seated at the living room just pass the ten feet tall kitchen cabinet placed as a divider. “You should not try to get close to that woman. She never wanted any good for you.” Her aunt suddenly felt an urge to move towards the living room, having a sense of wanting to prepare for breakfast and wanting to set the dining table, which is at the living room. At this Solaris jumped to thoughts of trying to divert her aunt’s attention and inducing her to go outside. “Nay, I can prepare breakfast on my own. Do we have salad?” “No, I have tomatoes here I can just prepare them for you.” “That’s wonderful (peeking through the divider, checking on those three men)” Her aunt noticed she is trying to spot something at the living room so she tried to have a look herself. “Nay, Nay, the tomatoes, I have invited some friends, I will go tell them (already clustered), breakfast will come shortly.” “If they will eat here, I will make more breakfast.” Solaris was already frantic and nerve wrecked to think of further excuses. “I think they will not need breakfast, please, please Nay, wait here, and don’t come out” Her aunt thought her niece might be experiencing an emotional breakdown with so much peculiar behavior she displayed. Solaris went back to the men. Feeling a sense of envy with the calm they have within themselves. “Do you have what we need Madame?” “I don’t have it but just ….” The man with the sarcastic glares advanced to her and grabbed her by her left arm. Solaris felt she might collapse and tear up any moment now. “Madame, I need three million. As you well know, you cannot pick it by luck.” The man pushed her to a sit on the sofa and erected his hands towards Eugenia as she tries to rush towards them in panic after seeing what he did, once secured of her attention and able to compel her stop he guided her with his erected hand towards one of the chair by pointing her to that direction, staring her down and compelling her further to take a sit. “Madame, in this line of… profession….. we are not granted leniency (voice raised), you can understand I hope, we cannot simply go back to our boss and say ..we cannot”. With this, he pulled the recliner close to the sofa where Solaris is and sat on it. Solaris felt a tear formed by the sides of her eye lids. Her confusion already is overwhelming her and she cannot bring herself to come up with a way to untangle her this situation within her mind to guide it in some way to that point where she can manifest a certain order she can live with. Her one formed tear started to slip off as it continuously bloats due to that apprehension within her mind that she is already blank of the possible results of this fiasco. “Madame, is there anything you want to say?” asked by the man with the sarcastic gaze. She never realized it before that this man maintained his scowls hidden all this time and how menacing this scowl seemed each time she tries to respond. With little moment she was given to decide on the matter, she finally came upon the decision. She can live without the house and the land. She finally felt an overwhelming hate for her mother that she seems to lack of ever since she came back home. Her mother riled up many emotions within her dismay, anger, frustration, indifference, catty, but only now did she feel so much hate, how can her mother put her through this situation. Her mother might not have predicted the actions of others but with all that she did she could have spared her and her father of any further disturbances. “I own the house and the land now. “ This lightened up the unmoved scowl of the man with the sarcastic glare.  He leans at the back rest further on the recliner armchair he sat on. He lifted his hand and moved it circularly clockwise to gesture “keep going”. “It can pay for the debt, I just need to process the papers, I will rush things now… and” The man raised his hand erecting his index finger to imply “stop”. “That is not a bad idea. Since you decided to make that payment let us help you. There is no need for you to bother with these paper works.” The man finally smiled and stood up. Just when Solaris is about to stand, the man erected his whole hand towards her to make her “stay” where she is. He took out his phone and made a call. He walked towards the main entrance door and continued with his call. They were left with the other two-man which oddly were less intimidating compared to the man with the sarcastic glare. The man with the scar on his ear is now showing a very warm smile on him seemingly portraying a grasp of humanity still within him. Solaris searched for the other one and found herself astonished to see the other man just dozed off as he sat on one of the armchairs. Solaris thought to herself "after causing us with so much stress, you just decided to get comfortable".  “This is so sudden. I hope we did not scare you that much. Just go with Eddie. He definitely can still help you both (gesturing to Solaris and Eugenia). This actually is very …….hey Norman.” Contrary to his appearance, the man with a scar seemed lost with the company he has now. “oh…hm..(coming to), yes (looking with so much confusion at Solaris and Eugenia).”This so-called Norman would not even grant a conversation and with droopy eyes would just decide to sleep again. “Intellectual of you.. that is the right one…By the looks of you, your someone we will not .. you know...(closing both fist and putting it forward with force and grit) Can I have some of that breakfast you have?” He continued. Eugenia nodded and stood up and headed towards the kitchen while focusing on them and still peeking towards them. This man had shown force but this only put her mind under confusion. She only focused on keeping her calm and her niece. This man, to her, are still conversable. “What is your name? “Asked by the man with the scar. “Solaris” The man leaned forward from the chair and calmingly said these words. “You know it’s the only way?(glaring and greening) The man's expression reminded Solaris of a patient they have, who is on withdrawal from party drugs. She remembered the scar of this man, making sure she does not stare at the scar she looked away from the man. She is frightened still, but she can only hope to not push them to any violent means if she goes with whatever they offer, even a conversation. " I am not sure what happened with your mother, but if you agree with us, you don’t have to see us in the future. Eddie is talking with …our paper man. We may have to wait so that is why I wanted to have food at least. You have to be here for the whole day. Oh.. yes! My name is Richard.” “Why?” Solaris asked. “You are probably asking why I am …. Friendly? Right? Well I know Eddie will call our man with the Police.” Solaris felt a discomfort out of that statement but it's only a jolt compared to the suffocating feeling the so-called Eddie can inflict, at least with so-called Richard, she can learn to appreciate some parts of these troubles. “We have many man you see. And the names I gave is not our real name.....he.. he Just so to let you know..(scoffs then giggles, and then finally laughs)” Whatever this Richard is doing to Solaris left her with the thought that at least they are trying to be human. Eugenia came back with a platter of sandwich and juice. So-called Richard went ahead and grabbed the first sandwich like he is to take the whole platter. Half way to him going back to a sit he glared at them and smiled and awkwardly opens his hand.  So-called Eddie came back showing content in his face like he heard a news worthy of victory’s claim. With this Solaris felt she can sit at ease at least. “Madame” “Solaris” So-called Eddie paused and stared towards the man who claimed to be Richard. Then sits side-by-side with Solaris on the sofa. So-called Eddie suddenly felt too acquainted or rather behaved in such way: He raised his arm like he is about to rest it on Solaris’s shoulder, which he went forward with and grabbed Solaris by her shoulders. He leaned closer which made Solaris think he is about to be pervasive, which made so-called Eddie suspicious of what she may be thinking, and from the way his eyes glided sideways and focused on her, it is evident that he thought so. He continued to lean close enough to whisper in her ear. “That man (eyes leaning to so called Richard’s direction) is a man…… how should I say it. Well... I am good, that’s why they put me in charge, but him, stay away from him..." He then sits upright and calls the attention of both so-called Richard and so-called Norman. Showing a slight discontent of so-called Norman’s yawning. I am sure we can agree on that (blurting out loud). Madame we only have to wait and by the end of the day we will complete our business. Let’s wait for a while.” With this so called Eddie, noticing the platter, he stood up to grab a sandwich and so did so called Norman. “Eh.. Madame! (feeling some kind of relief like he is about to say Solaris’ name) feel free to be yourself, go on sleep, just don’t go off our view.” “Make some more (pointing at the sandwich), they are delicious.” So called Richard said. Eugenia and Solaris just nodded and went back to the kitchen. Going there, Solaris noticed her aunt is in tears, shocked of the sight, she goes to the refrigerator and quickly takes out the pitcher of water. After seeing assurance on her aunt’s face that she is feeling a little relief. She sat her down on one of the dining chairs. Her aunt turned to drop her whole weight and embrace the marble top. While her aunt rests, she quickly pulls out the ingredients for a sandwich and just after she came back with the bread loaves, her aunt uttered softly. “Should we not try to ask for help? Or run from here?” “You heard those man Nay. They have Police at their backing and if my hunch is correct that paper guy they told us of is someone who knows land titles, might be an attorney.” “We look pitiful here not even trying to fight our way.” Her aunt said with her lips quivering and on a slightly loud voice. This called the attention of so called Eddie and from just peeking to see what is happening in the kitchen, he stood up and went to the kitchen. “Is there something wrong here?” “Nothing, my aunt is just… you know...” “You hooligans(shouting), to hell with you.” Her aunt said feeling dizzy after such emotional outburst. “Madame, we are almost through (pulling out a handkerchief). We know... Madame... you don’t welcome us here” “That’s right!" Shouted Eugenia. “But, we are already cooperating, aren’t we? (looking at Solaris)” “Yes we are, she is emotional, just emotional. Nay (embracing her aunt) we will be alright.” “No we will not, your house, our house.” Her aunt collapsed from her sit and barely got hold of the marble top and luckily her right arm responded with aid to her body. Her aunt burst into continuous whimpering. “Let me take her to her room please!” “Of course you can, but..” So called Eddie pulls out his gun and waves it using his index finger east to west. “I hope…you don’t forget we have to have the money…Alright?” Solaris felt weak nodding and knowing she will not make that attempt fearing she might lose her only family now, at least, the only one who cares.  She gently moved her aunt from the kitchen to her room which was south of the kitchen and just a few feet away. Her aunt already has rigid bones which is why she chose the only room on the first floor of the house. Her aunt was barely conscious and mumbling while she carries her towards her room and on to her bed. Before leaving her she spoke a few words to give calm to her aunt. “Nay! I promise we can get through with this and I promise you will always have me here.” With little consciousness, Eugenia has let out a smile just for Solaris. Tears may have fallen as she does so, but she wants to give her comfort as much as her niece is willing to give to her. Solaris strove off quickly. After returning, she noticed that the men are locked within a discussion. Not so long after she returned to these men she heard the doorbell and a knock on the front door. Before she can attend to the call, so-called Eddie quickly stood and rushed to grab her hand lightly and pull her back from going to the front door. Solaris backed off and waited together with so-called Norman and so-called Richard. So-called Eddie opened the door lightly enough to let half of his body out and so he can fit his head as well to talk to the person at the door, while intentionally covering that person's appearance.  So-called Eddie, speed-walked back to them after getting an envelope from whoever was at the door. He lightly placed his hand by Solaris’ waist and led her to sit on the sofa. He laid the envelope on the glass surfaced rattan-table and pulled out the document it was a notarized deed of transfer. All the details were left blank even the name of the transferor, but it had a dry seal and all the notarization details were there. He swiftly placed the document in front of Solaris Solaris felt a sudden depth within her breathing while lifting the deed, thinking back to what happened that day and finally deducing that if she signs regardless if she was forced, it will seem as if she willingly consented to everything as stipulated within the document. She dropped it, but it was quickly fixed by so-called Eddie back on the table while simultaneously reaching her right hand. He pulled out a pen with his left and placed his right hand at the backhand of Solaris. He leaned in forcing Solaris down dragging her right hand towards the signature line. He spoke these words so charmingly. “This is it, sign (staring her directly in the eye), some things are not worth fighting for (delivering the words with such an honest expression).” Solaris felt numb of her mental scrutiny and signed while blurring her own view. She felt dull and mentally unconscious as she allowed so called Eddie talk her through giving them the title’s whereabouts. She felt a sense of great abuse as she bitterly watched each of them leave.    The rest of the afternoon just passed by Solaris being in disarray just sitting at the sofa and blankly staring outside the windows. She was fully conscious when she saw the front door swung open and letting in this most antagonizing image. Her mother did show a mildly stricken expression on her, but she just continued to go through the house, to her room, and back carrying the jewelry box her father gave. Solaris went to an outburst her mind just present to see her try to intercept her mother from reaching the door, physically tackling her mother and brutally hitting and scratching her. She let out all the rage she had. She felt a pair of hands locking her torso from her armpit and throwing her off. It was the lover. She heard her mother screaming while making advances and hitting her. She fought back, but the lover fended her off by punching her by the face and throwing her off so hard as to cause her hip and her lower body to bump so hard towards the floor. She finally was able to make up her mother’s yelling. “You should’ve never been born. You wretched girl. Do you think I value you? I gave you life, you ingrate.” She sought out something and finally fixing her gaze at a vase. She went for the three-foot vase and lifted it and moving it towards Solaris fixed on dropping it on her. The lover grabbed her and just pulled her off towards the door. Solaris was at a loss with everything that happened, but she knows she cannot remain standing to bear anymore. She dragged herself to her room and laid herself on the bed thinking “a little kindness, is just too muchto give me.”