Sincerely Yours, Fictional Character

I opened the door of my pet room and went inside. When I step my foot on the floor, the hissing becomes louder. Kinapa ko ang switch sa gilid at binuksan ang ilaw upang makita ang kabuuan ng silid. That's where I saw the elongated... legless... and mixed poisonous grey and bright-green reptiles. They are my pet snakes. Wild and free inside this room. I am their master so... they can't bite me. Or that's what I thought. Alam nating lahat na traydor ang ahas, pero hindi ko pa iyon nararanasan kaya hindi ako naniniwala sa kasabihang iyon. "How's my babies?" I whispered to them while walking towards my study table at the right corner of my room. Ang mga ulo nila ay nagsitayuan nang makita ako. They move at their sides to give way to their master, as a sign of respect too. In my peripheral vision, I saw a slimy and colorful snake moves in a wavy motion towards the chair of my study table. I smiled. So sneaky, hon. Sitting on the chair without fear that the little snake might bite my ass, I sighed. This room is my relaxation area. This is where I felt exhausted but at the same time... alive. The reason why I chose snakes as my pet is because they remind me of someone. They remind me not to become soft-hearted and justified. They remind me to become vicious and merciless. As much as I've wanted to forget my past and just live here peacefully in a foreign country, I can't... knowing that my whole family and clan died ruthlessly... and I was just here sitting and living the hell out of my life. Wala akong nagawa, hindi ko sila naipaglaban. Isa akong malaking kahihiyan sa mga kadugo ko. Ikinakahiya ko ang sarili ko. I can feel the tingling of my skin in my arm when the little snake rolled his body on it. "What do you want?" I asked my pet. He suddenly bite my skin and I groaned in pain... but at the same time pleasure. Everytime I felt pain, it gives me pleasure. It energizes me. It reminds me to live and do my part. Yes, I'm doing it already. I already planned all of it. Revenge. That's the little snake wanted, so am I. Tinignan ko ang aking mga kuko at nakitang humaba ito kumpara noon. It would be better if I'll paint it black. Hindi ko na lang iyun pinansin at kinuha ang pen na nasa gilid ng papel. This room is where I write my stories. Kung hindi ko naipaglaban ang aking pamilya sa realidad, sa pagsusulat ko ng istorya, doon ko sila ipaglalaban. Napatawa ako. This is ridiculous. But what can I do? The pen and paper lessened my pain. I want my pen to bleed until it will be out of ink. Gustong-gusto kong matapos na ang nobelang ito upang makuha ang hustisya na gusto kong makamit. "What does it say?" My father asked when I opened my newly arrival mails. Ugh! This is so disgusting and lame! Imbes na sagutin si Papa, pinunit ko ang mga letters na bagong dating kanina lang. Bakit ba pinagkakaabalahan pa namin ito? These people are just doing pranks. Ano ba ang ipinag-aalala ng Papa ko tungkol dito? "Pa! Naniniwala ka dito?" Bulyaw ko sa kanya at itinuro ang mga punit-punit nang mga papel sa harapan ng mesa. Hindi niya ako sinagot at tinignan lamang ang pinunit kong papel, ipinagdugtong-dugtong niya iyon upang mabasa ang mensahe. Mamatay ka sanang demonya ka! You ruthless journalist na walang ambag sa bansa! Sana sisantehin ka ng agency mo! Bakit kaya nakapasok ka dyan? You will be dead, one day. You will pay the price! Because of you, my mother died! Wala namang kwenta ang mga sinusulat mo, eh, mag-quit ka na nga! My father spoke. "Hindi ka ba marunong magbasa?" Napasinghap ako sa kanyang sinabi at napabuga ng hangin. "Syempre maru-" "Yun naman pala, marunong kang magbasa dahil ako ang nagturo sa'yo bata ka pa lang. Ngayon, sabihin mo sa'kin, hindi ka ba marunong umintindi sa binabasa mo?" "Pa!" Anong bang nonsensical things ang mga pinagsasabi nito? Ako yung nahihiya sa kanya sa mga maid namin. Napabuntung-hininga siya. "Sarah, these are all death threaths. Tell me, sinong ama ang hindi mapa-paranoid kapag nakatanggap ng mga ganito ang kanyang anak?" "Syempre ikaw..." I answered. "Mabuti naman at gumagana iyang utak monggo mo ngayon. Sinasabi ko na nga bang wala kang makukuhang maganda dyan sa pagsusulat mo. I should've stop you to take PolSci course in college!" "So what? Gusto ko yung pagsusulat, may magagawa ka ba?" Hamon ko sa kanya at isang mahapding sampal ang tumama sa kaliwang pisngi ko. Napahawak ako dito at hindi na nagsalita. He's really angry this time. "Tahimik!" sigaw niya sa'kin. Nakita ko ang pagtaas baba ng kanyang dibdib. Patay! High-blood pa naman si Papsh, what if aatakihin siya ngayon nang dahil sa'kin? Tapos itatakwil ako ni Mama dahil sinisisi niya ako sa pagkawala ni Papa. Tapos habang palaboy laboy ako sa kalsada may kumidnap sa'kin na mafia boss tapos magkaka-inlove-an kami? Naks, pwede na para sa bago kong story! Ano ba yan, may bago na namang plot ang sumagi sa utak ko, eh, hindi ko pa nga tapos yung isa kong sinusulat. O my freaking God, Sarah, umayos ka nga! How dare you plan a plot about your dad being dead? "Nasa'n ang ticket na ibinigay ko sa'yo papuntang Espanya?" Naputol ang pagde-daydream ko tungkol sa mafia boss dahil sa biglang tanong ni Papa. I bited my lower lip and lowered my head, "I gave it... to my friend." Inside my head, I rolled my eyes. Well, Isaiah must be having s*x with her Spanish woman now in Spain. I gave him the ticket my father gave to impress him... but in the end, wala, talo ako. Siya lang yung masaya, kasi makikita na niya yung babaeng, ano nga yung tawag niya do'n? V? Whatever, basta yung babaeng nasa panaginip niya palagi kuno. "Bumili ka ulit ng ticket papuntang Espanya." My father said and dismissed me. And I can't help but to feel excitement. Yes! Yes! Yes! Ibig sabihin ba nun magkikita na ulit kami ni Isaiah? But an idea pops in my mind, don't tell me sasama din yung lame guy? Police officer sana pero palagi namang nakabuntot sa'kin. O my freaking God, I hope hindi siya sasama! "Pa, si ano, si, alam mo na, yung mas anak pa yung turing mo kaysa sa'kin. Si-" "Anong si si si dyan? Sino bang tinutukoy mo?" galit na naman niyang tanong sa'kin. "Si Inspector Archibald." Just by whispering his name disgusts me so much. Napahinto si Papa at tila nag-isip. O my freaking God, mukhang pina-remind ko lang siya tungkol kay Inspector Cha! Ugh! Utak monggo ka talaga, Sarah! "Oo nga pala, nahihilo ka sakay sa loob ng eroplano, hindi ka marunong tumawid mag-isa, hindi ka rin marunong magluto at baka masunog pa ang tinitirhan mo-" "Pa! Alam ko na yan," I said to cut him off. Nakita kong papasok sa loob si Inspector Archibald na naka-police uniform pa rin. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Sir.” Napatingin siya sa'kin nang makita ako. I quirked my eyebrows at him. Anong tingin-tingin mo dyan? "It's okay. Ikaw nga yung pinag-uusapan namin ngayon ni Sarah." Nanlaki ang mata ko sa sinabi ni Papa, tumitig ulit si Inspector Archibald sa'kin, at ngayon, hindi ko na mapigilan ang isnaban siya. Huwag ka ngang feeling, uy! "Po? Tungkol po saan?" magalang niya pang sabi kay Papa. Yan! Mas nagmumukhang anak pa siya ni Papa kaysa sa'kin. Noon, katulong lang namin ang magulang ni Inspector Archibald bago pa siya naging Chief Inspector dito sa Cebu. Sa kasamaang palad, namatay yung magulang niya dahil sa aksidente kaya etong Papa ko naman na sobrang bait ay kinupkop niya ang nag-iisang anak ng tagapagsilbi namin. Yun nga, si Inspector Archibald hanggang sa lumaki na ngayon katulad ko at nakakuha ng disenteng trabaho. In order to repay my father's kindness to him, he did all his best to fulfill my father's wish. Even if it takes his life just to protect him and his family, he is willing to do that. Naiinis ako dahil bakit kailangan niya pang magpa-alipin sa Papa ko? He's a grown man now. He should decide for himself and life. Bakit kailangan hingin pa ang pahintulot ng Papa ko kung ano ang gagawin niya? Tch, sobrang masunurin naman ng lalaking 'to kaya ayoko sa kanya, eh, sa aming magbabarkada. "Pack your things too, Archibald." Wow. Edi sila na ang close na close! One name basis pa talaga, ah? "Why?" Inspector Archibald asked and looked at me, too. He's asking for any hint what's going on. I just gave him a tongue to tease him but he just smiled at me. What? Ugh! "You're going with her," sabay tingin sa'kin ni Papa. Napabuntung-hininga na lang ako at nagsimulang maglakad papunta sa kwarto. "Where?" I heard Inspector Archibald asked again. D to the U to the H. Like duh? Pwede namang tanungin niya isang bagsakan, hindi yung maghintay pa ng sagot sa nakakatanda. Masyadong masunurin talaga, ampota. "Spain. She's been receiving death threats lately because of her job. I'm afraid it will put her in danger." Inspector Archibald said, "Okay, I'll keep her accompany in Spain. Magfa-file po muna ako ng leave bukas sa trabaho. When do you plan us to leave?" "Next week. If the situation worsens, then, leave with her out of the country as soon as possible." "Yes, Sir. I'll protect her at all cost." Isinarado ko ang notebook na nasa harapan ko at tumitig sa kawalan. Tch, protect me at all cost, huh? You're still disgusting to me, Inspector Archibald. For the first time, you turned my family down. You didn't protect me at all cost. You let the criminals freed, leaving my family's soul injustice. You break our promise. Trapped in the country where I couldn't even live my life happily, like the protagonist in every story receiving their ...and they live happily ever after ending, I decided not to become like them. Hindi ko kailanman makukuha ang happily ever after ko. They are for protagonist in the story. And like what I've said, I'm different from them. No story runs very exciting without an antagonist. What will be the role of Fairygod Mother to Cinderella if there is no evil step-mother and her step-sisters, Anastasia and Drizella, to lock her in the attic for she will not attend the Prince's ball? What will be the role of the seven dwarfs: Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey to Snow White, if there is no evil queen who created a poisonous apple that will put whoever tasted it into the 'Sleeping Death'? What will be the role of the three good fairies: Flora, Fauna and Merryweather to Aurora, if there is no evil fairy that cursed her that she will prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die? "Maghihiganti ako..." I whispered to myself. I don't know. All I know is to get even with the people who bullied my family and put me here in this situation. Hatred. Revenge. Pain. I want those words to put in action... but I can't. I'm just a lame and inolequent writer. I can't do anything but to write stories. I grasp the pen I'm holding and continue to write. Halos mabali ko na ito because of the extreme force I've exerted on the pen. When it's done, I put the pen beside the paper. "Tangina mo sagad sa buto, Archibald Natividad," I read the text loudly, my voice and the hissing of the snakes inside my room combined.