Along With The Odds

Chapter 1- The Fall

"Samuel, mag-iingat ka ha. We'll miss you, I love you." anang ng aking ina habang buhat-buhat si Gayle. My father will again be out as one of his job's escapades.  He will be in Iloilo for 3 days to meet some people.

"Take care, Mernel. I love you, Gayle." sabay halik sa aking kapatid at sa aking ina.

"Reesha, bantayan mo ang kapatid mo huwag ninyong papagudin ang inyong ina ha!" bilin ng aking ama habang unti-unting naglalakad palabas ng pintuan. Bagama'y nagulat sa ganoong asta ng aking ama sa akin ay dahan-dahan akong tumango habang tinatanaw syang palabas ng aming bahay.

Pumasok na kaming mag-iina sa loob matapos naming magpaalam sa aking ama. Malungkot akong umupo sa aming sofa sa kadahilanang hindi man lamang ako pinagpaalaman ng aking ama tulad ng pagpapaalam niya sa aking ina at kay Gayle. Unti-unting lumandas ang luha ko sa aking pisngi dahil sa bigat ng aking loob. I tried to wipe that tear but my eyes kept on shedding tears simultaneously. And then suddenly, I felt a warm hug from behind.

"Hush, Reesha. Your dad loves you, believe me." my mom said in his angelic voice.

"But mom, I-I c-can't f-feel it!" putol-putol kong sabi sapagkat nahihirapan na akong magsalita dahil sa labis na pag-iyak.

"The day you came into this world anak, I am really glad and I can't help but cry. While you're in my arms, I feel like I'm the luckiest woman on earth for I have you, Reesha, as my daughter." kwento ng aking ina habang yakap yakap pa rin ako.

"But, I'm not the only one who is crying anak, your dad too. Your dad loves you very much, Reesha. Always remember that. Maybe yes, he is a little cold towards you but whenever he looks at you, I can see a father in him who loves his daughter very much. So, stop crying baby, pag bumalik sya, try to hug him, and if he'll hug you back, it means that he really loves you just like how he loves this family." pagpapatuloy niya.

"Really, mom? "

"Ofcourse. You know what Reesha, matulog ka na lang muna para mas lumaki ka pa when your dad arrives!" suhestiyon ng aking ina. "Look at you, you're ten but too tall for your age!  Hahaha!  Manang-mana ka sa daddy mo Reesha! How can't he love you nak? You're a spitting image of him!" dagdag pa ng aking ina. She guided me into my room and let me lie on my bed. Kinumutan niya ako saka umupo sa tabi ko.

"Sleep now, Reesha. I love you. " she kissed me and then I slowly closed my eyes. And then minutes after, I drifted into sleep.

--

Nagising ako sa ingay mula sa baba ng aming bahay. But, I maintained my position and didn't dare to make a move. Pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid,  I can feel danger from downstairs, and there are footsteps... Too many footsteps in a house with few people. There's something wrong, and I'm sure of it.

I slowly got up from bed and made sure that I didn't made a sound as I step into the marbled floor. I opened my room's door and got welcomed by a blinding darkness. I walked unto the aisle and tried to get downstairs but a forceful grasp stopped me from doing what I want.

Nagpumiglas ako mula sa pagkakahawak niya sakin. Unti-unti na ring nababasa ng luha ang aking pisngi dahil sa labis na takot.

"Shhh, it's me." when I heard that familiar voice behind me, I calmed down. My mother then guided me back into my room and  commanded me to go back to bed.

"What's going on, mom?" tanong ko sa aking ina.

"We just had surprise visitors, Reesha. Just continue to sleep, everything will be fine." she then showed me her smile to assure me that everything's fine. After making sure that I'm tucked in the bed, she walked into the door and opened it, but before going out he told me words that sent shivers into my spine.

"If I haven't go back in 5 minutes, run with your sister, as fast as you could, away from this house, without looking back, Reesha."

Pinunasan ko ang tulo ng luha na dumausos mula sa aking pisngi. It's been years pero sariwa pa rin ang araw na iyon sa akin. I'm already 24 but my ten-year old self was still hunting me from what happened before. My mother was killed by a business tycoon, that was hunted by my father for his illegal transactions. Kahit sa panaginip ay patuloy pa rin akong binabagabag ng pangyayaring iyon. On how that motherfucker aimed the gun at me and how my mother shielded me from the shot. It's still vivid on my mind on how mother slowly closed her eyes as blood trickle from her wound. I can still hear the footsteps of that asshole and his men walking fast away from our sala and my scream as I watch my sudden death of my beloved mother, who have sacrificed her own life, just for me. And now I'm here, back in my country, to witness the incoming death of my mom's killer. I can't wait to see how he strive for air as I kill him, using my bare hands, the same hands that caught my mother after being shot by that devil.

Malakas na niyugyog ng aking ama ang aking mga balikat upang pagsalitain ako.

"What the f**k happened to your mom?! Tell me!!!" but my mouth just kept on releasing sobs for my now dead mother. My hands was shaking and still covered by blood. We are now seating on one of the bleachers in the hospital where my mom was brought by our wounded guards to save her.

Patuloy na umiiyak ang aking bunsong kapatid habang pilit na pinapatahan ng aming kasambahay. Pauli-uli naman ang aking ama sa pasilyo ng hospital habang sapu-sapo ang kanyang noo.

"This is all your fault, Reesha! If only your mom listened to me to just go with me on the trip, she should be alive by now!!!" mas lalo namang lumakas ang iyak ko dahil sa sinabi ng ama ko. Mom, is it really my fault? Are you really dead because of me? Pinunasan ko ang mga luha ko saka sinalubong ang nanlilisik na mata ng ama ko.

"D-Dad I'm so-r-ry." hirap na hirap akong magsalita dahil sa patuloy kong pag-iyak.

"You're really a disgrace in this family! If only God answered my prayer and gave me a son instead, this won't happen! You killed your mother, Reesha! You killed her!"

Mom, you're wrong. My father have never loved me, and will never be.