I am Darling

My Constant Fear

I am Darling, I was Invincible. I just faced one great scene in actual life. I was just lucky enough to endure it. Troubles kept on coming and the main event was still on process. But to face it all with flying colors would be my great test. Fellow students became foes and real friends were established. Not so long ago, I was surrounded by people with different kinds of personalities. I don’t know who were sincere and who were just riding on with the fame.

Now I had found again those I would trust. It could be Jessy and Rhea more possibly. Jessy was a bit strange lately. Since she showed up during that trouble we had with the group at school, she had been quiet. I wondered if she was being troubled by them, but knowing her personality, she wasn’t afraid of anybody. I had no idea if family concerns were keeping her perturbed. I don’t have knowledge about her family. I wondered if school pressures were hindering her to be with her usual self but I know for sure she was handling her lessons well. I was worried on what she had been reacting lately. She would just appear in the middle of nowhere and would be gone in just a couple of minutes without any word. Out of the blue there she came and would say her usual hi’s & hello’s and in just a moment she would be silent for a longer period of time.

I was with dad and mom on dad’s hometown at Gatefree City. The place was in a sub urban area so it wasn’t hard to travel even if you have no car of your own. The house was big and comfortable. The community was peace loving. Dad was recovering from his stabbed wounds and mom had to run errands so I was the one looking out for him when she was not around. We were living with my uncle, dad’s brother and his wife with their 3 children. My uncle looked exactly like my father. They would even be mistaken as twins. My cousins were 2 girls and 1 boy, they were all adults. We were very welcomed at that home. My dad was loved by all his siblings and we had no problem living in there. I became closer to my uncle and his family and never felt esteemed like that before. We were a one big happy family living in one roof.

I didn’t know where they knew our address but Jessy and Rhea came once to visit. I introduced them to my cousins. My parents and my uncle and his wife were not there when they came. They together accompanied my father for his regular check up from the wounds he suffered. “You have a one wonderful big family Darling, you should be loving your stay here.” Rhea told. “Definitely.” I answered. “May I ask how’d you found our place?” I asked. Rhea pointed to Jessy. “Never mind I have my sources.” She jokingly said. We just laughed it off and I showed them around. We talked a lot about school especially what happened lately to us with the group and my cousins just can’t believe our adventures. Time ran so fast that we didn’t notice. It was getting dark. Rhea shared, “I wish I could go back and stay for a vacation at least for a few days.” Jessy answered, “Yes, me too, I like it here, it’s so peaceful,” “You are both welcome here.” Daniel said. Daniel was the oldest among my three cousins and he was the only boy. He was definitely a good man like his father. “Come back anytime.” Isabel added. She was my other cousin. She was like me but the older version. She cared a lot for everyone. Tenderness runs in our blood and I just discovered it lately. The third one was Christina. She may be outgoing and witty but she also had a good heart. “I hope you could stay a little longer.” She encouraged the two. Rhea replied, “We surely will.. next time.. bye for now.” We had enjoyed our time together. After a while they said their goodbyes.

Dinner was over and dad was resting in the living room sitting in his favorite couch watching television with my mom, my uncle Tim and aunt Gracie. It was so comfortable sitting on that couch and you could see everything from that area of the house even through the window. You would really enjoy the view outside. Their enjoyment being with each other was being heard from upstairs where I was, in my room as well as 2 female cousins. They really missed each other as family and it was a good feeling to be one of them. My dad and uncle Tim’s laughter was heard all over the house and they certainly cuddled that moment being with their families. I was happy being a member of this family.

Nearly midnight when I went downstairs to get a glass of water when I saw uncle Tim sitting on the couch. “Hi, Uncle Tim, still awake?” I asked. “Hello Darling, yeah, you know sometimes I can’t sleep at night and I go here and I fell asleep.” He responded. I came closer to him and said “I just want to say thank you for allowing us to stay here.” I said. “Hey.. we are family and it’s good to see you here. I’m also glad you’re going so well with your cousins. Consider this house as your own now.” He told.

While we were talking a sudden loud noise was heard from the kitchen, glasses were heard as if being crushed and broken and we were both surprised. Uncle Tim immediately ran upstairs to get his gun from his closet and came running down with Aunt Gracie. We all wondered what that noise was. We all went to the kitchen and we saw someone from the inside hurriedly going out from the kitchen’s door. It was the man in a hood. I saw him. The three of us saw him. He was the man that attacked my dad. He was back and he knew where we were. He broke through our kitchen’s door and went through. He broke the door lock through breaking the door glass. Aunt Gracie was shouting “Thief.. thief.. there’s a thief in our house.” Uncle Tim calmed her down saying “He ran outside, enough..enough.. we have to call the police.” Uncle Tim ran after him pointing his gun to where the stranger was running but he was gone. Aunt Gracie called authorities. My mom and dad heard our voices and they came down hurriedly. “What happened?” Dad asked. “Someone broke through the kitchen door, I didn’t catch him, he was fast.” Uncle Tim replied. “He was wearing a hood.” Aunt Gracie added. After hearing that, dad knew he came for us. “It was him..” Dad said. He wanted us.” Maybe it’s time to go back to our own house. We don’t want you to get involved in our own troubles.” Dad explained. “No, Theodore, we are family, we should be defending each other. If you go back he’s gonna get you anyway, but here we’re many we could help each other and whether we like it or not we are already into this. No one’s backing out.” Uncle Tim said. He was really like my dad. I was very touched with what he said. I hadn’t noticed my cousins were awakened. And they heard all the conversations. Daniel added. “We are here for you, we are going take care for each other from now on.” Police arrived and interviewed us and again saying those empty promises because the truth.. nothing was new from their investigation regarding my case.

The culprit never rested that day. It was almost 3:00 am when we were all again surprised by a shout from Aunt Gracie. We all came down and to our great desolation, we saw Uncle Tim bathed with blood on the couch. He was bleeding to death. I was getting insane. I vomited from every part of the house. I just can’t take it anymore. Mom was patting my back. “Daaad.. Daad.. please don’t give up. We don’t want to lose you.” Isabel cried. “Ambulance is coming. Daad hold on please Dad please”. Daniel was begging. Aunt Gracie was screaming and shouting. “Uncle Time please fight, we’re gonna make this.” I said to Uncle Tim’s unconscious body. I was again feeling helpless. “Dad’s gonna make it, right.. right?” Christina exclaimed. “Yes, tin, he’s gonna make it like Dad.. he’s gonna make it.” I told her. “What happened Gracie?” Mom asked Aunt Gracie. “I told him not to sleep there in the couch because he was alone. I was afraid that the culprit would be back.. and there I found him in his own blood when I went downstairs to check up on him.. I don’t know how long he was like that but I am hoping.. I am hoping…” Aunt Gracie could no longer finish her story, she was completely devastated. Daniel, Christina and I were covering the stabbed wounds just to slow down the bleeding while waiting for the ambulance. I was thinking that the culprit maybe mistakenly stabbed Uncle Tim because he thought he was my dad. Dad survived the stabbing. He came after him because the culprit thought he recognized his face. I never saw Dad so helpless in my life. He was crying like a baby and I couldn’t stop him. Who could? His brother was in great danger and he didn’t know what to do. “It should have been me.. it should have been me..” Dad kept whispering those words. “Shhh… stop it. He’s a fighter like you.. Calm down.” Mom tried to ease him up. He was so distressed like everyone else. Isabel was going to and fro waiting for the ambulance to come. Then I saw her waving .. “Over here.. over here. faster..” The ambulance and the police car almost arrived at the same time. “They’re here.” Daniel told. He shouted. “Over here, please come over here.” The ambulance was quick enough to attend to Uncle Tim and they brought him to the ambulance vehicle as fast as they could. Aunt Gracie went with the ambulance followed by Dad in his car with all of us. Dad was crying while driving the car and we almost got an accident while following the ambulance. Daniel decided to take the driver’s seat and drove. I just cannot ingest anymore why this all has been happening. We were all crying in the car and while traveling I thought I saw someone from the car staring at us while we were being caught on traffic. I instantly turned my back and I saw that man in the hood and I shouted “Stop.” “I think I saw him.” I exclaimed. “Who was it Darling?” Daniel asked. “I saw that man, that culprit.. I had to catch him..” I was about to get out of the car when Mom stopped me. “Stay where you are Darling .. what will you do if you catch him.. you’ll be in danger.. you’re alone. Do not get out from the car.” “Mom we have to stop him.” I insisted. “This is not the right time Darling.. We have to go to the hospital.” Mom cried. I turned again and he was gone. So I let Daniel drove away and at the same time disappointed because it was my time to get to know the culprit face to face. I could have get him and made him pay for all the mess he brought to my life. But I couldn’t help but wonder why when I almost caught him, suddenly he disappeared. What was it that he wanted from me? Why was he hurting my family? My loved ones? Was the death of Shawwie and Gwen not enough? Was the disappearance of Gab related to all of this? I noticed everytime I was feeling so peaceful it was then that he attacked. Was he a joy –killer. When would he stop from doing all of this? Til he saw me clothed with my own blood? But I was prepared. I wouldn’t die without a fight. Especially now I had actually practiced what Coach Jim had taught me, I would be very glad to use it against him. I would be waiting for the perfect time.

We were approaching the hospital and my heart kept beating like a tambourine. My legs were so heavy and I could hardly move. They came running to the emergency room and I was left in the car numbed. I waited there for few minutes just waiting for information. I couldn’t accept another dreadful information but I had to face my constant fear.