TNP's 1st One-Shot Story Writing Contest Pt. 2

Entry #146

It Took Five Days for the Whole House to Burn Down;

Now It Has Been Five Days with Ashes

by ayhillary

12/30/17

My eyes shot open as my heart pounds out of my chest. Umagang-umaga ay parang nalulunod na ako. I reach for my phone and starts to ring for someone. In a speed of light the other line open its world for me. He greets, "Hey baby, what's up?"

"Disgusting!" pabulong kong sinigaw sa telepono ko but he just laughed at me. "Pero, can we go driving?" from snapping at him to actually begging him is a big shift he didn't expect, because the line went quiet. But then his soothing voice pulled every string wrapped on my heart, "I'm here."

Nakarating na ako sa labas ng bahay, at andoon nga ang kotse niya. Dali-dali akong lumapit doon at sumakay. Once in the front sit, I can feel his gaze on me. Huminga akong malalim, "It's been five days since we shattered, huh?" That's all I said, then he starts driving. Car rides in this car has never been so quiet. This is the kind of quiet where I would want to jump out and roll down the road. It's bothering, it's irritating, and it's painful. "Touver. I'm sorry." He breaks the silence. "Sorry for what?" My heart suddenly falls from its place. "Sorry kasi pinangunahan kita. Ngayon, ikaw yung pinaka naa-apektuhan sa'ting dalawa."

Thud, then my heart shatters, "Are you kidding me?" With blinding lights, the film of agony comes in sight. Slowly as the sun sets, the moon never came into view. They were gone, together, separately then left darkness. Every bit of emotion that I have been suppressing explodes like a landmine. "Bakit! Bakit kailangang sa'tin pa? Bakit kailangang ganto?" I feel like I'm throwing rocks at him. "Ansakit eh! Pero kailangan, kailangan kong tanggapin!" Hininto niya ang sasakyan at hinawakan ako sa balikat na parang pinipigilan niya akong magwala. "Touver, please calm down. Alam kong masakit pero tingnan mo, masaya na sila," napahinto siya at lumunok. His face is a canvas I'm very familiar with; he's trying not to cry. "Now, they shine better in separate worlds. I know that you know our decision freed them from those handcuffs they never wanted in the first place. We made them happy, baby sis." It took five days for the whole house to burn down. Now it has been five days with ashes left behind for me and my twin, Trouwen.

12/20/17

"Today I'm able to sign papers! Legally!" I shout in excitement while running to the kitchen where my few minutes younger sister is eating her birthday breakfast. Then I see Mom, dahan-dahan ko siyang niyakap mula sa likuran. "Trouwen my baby, happy birthday," she greets me in the sweetest way, sweeter than all sugar in the world gathered. "Ma, gift ko?"

She turns around, gracefully. "What do you want, baby?" She smiles sweetly. "Ma, the papers, bring them out! Sabi mo its special kaya I want to sign them na!" I use my eyes to beg Mom, however my women in the room just laugh at me. "Kuya, anong katangahan 'yan? Just because it's special, you would want to sign it with no clue of what it is." Touver changes the mood. "Shut up, 'di ka lang special eh." I stick my tongue out. "Magtigil kay—," Mom stumbles and I catch her body like I'm holding something fragile that'll break if I let loose.

"You okay, Ma?" Touver walks back to us with a glass of water, handling it to Mom. She chugs empty the water before speaking, "Yes anak, salamat." She then runs her hand on her stomach. I look at Touver whose eyes are on high alert. Speaking to me that something's wrong. For the 3 past years, Mom has been doing that. Consciously or unconsciously, we always catch her doing that. Which from time to time has a different expression, like she's changing masks every time she does it. Mom breaks my and Touver's staring contest. "I said I'm fine," her soothing eyes look between the two of us before she speaks again. "We don't need worried expressions on your birthday, my TouverTrouwen."