Epiphany

Chapter 46 Part 1~The

I had yawned, fists rubbing my eyes. The light from the corridor had shone directly into my eyes, waking me up. Mother had most likely awoken to open the door for my father.

I squinted my eyes to make out the number on the clock hanging on the wall opposite me. It was exactly three o'clock.

Something felt wrong though. There seemed to be a really faint noise coming from outside my room. Even though I held my breath and listened closely, I still couldn't discern what or where it was coming from. My eight-year-old brain filled itself with spine-chilling thoughts; thoughts of ghosts and monsters roaming my house, craving for my delicious meat.

I shivered at the thought of a dark creature hiding under my bed, patiently waiting for me to dangle my legs so he could catch it and pull me down. But I sucked it up.

I'm eight already! I scolded myself. I shouldn't be afraid anymore.

I tiptoed my way towards the door, peeking outside. The corridor was empty, but the sound got more distinct. I made my way towards the room at the end of the hallway, the creamy rug dampening the sound of my footsteps. When I walked into the dark room, the television was on low volume, and the light from it glowed on a figure sitting on a black couch.

"Mama?" I whispered. She was lounging on the couch. I shook her shoulders.

Still no response.

"Mama." I raised my voice, shaking her again.

She opened her eyes looking around till her eyes met mine.

"Mama, are you alright?" Concern was evident in my voice. Her eyes were glossy and there seemed to be a trace of tears on her cheeks.

Was she crying?

"What are you doing here this late at night?" Her silky voice calmed down my racing heart.

I wrapped my arms around her neck when she sat properly, trying as much as I could to make her happy again. "The light woke me up."

She mirrored my actions, hugging me tighter and bringing me closer to her. "Well, let's get you back to bed, honey."

She gave me a pat on the back and I let go.

"I'll drink water first." I then exited the room.

I took my time descending the stairs, hands sliding on the handrail, as I was deep in thought. Why was she crying? Or was she not? No, she looked upset. Someone upset her.

At this thought, I felt my own eyes well up with tears. I caught my lower lip with my teeth and headed straight to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water. I gulped it down in one gulp as it soothed my parched throat.

On my way to the stairs, I passed through the living room and caught something moving in the dark. I nearly had a heart attack thinking it was something from my deepest, darkest imaginations, but I soon realized it was my father. I let out a loud sigh of relief in the otherwise silent room.

"Alyssa?"

I chuckled nervously. "You scared me, Baba."

I could see his warm smile in the dark and I couldn't resist but smile back. "Come here, Alyssa."

I ran and gave him a tight hug, one that I wished he wouldn't forget. I then sat on his lap, swinging my left foot in the air. "What are you doing here? It's so late right now."

"I just returned from work."

I nodded. "Ahh..."

He always returned late from work. The dark rings around his eyes showed how hard he worked to provide for us.

My thoughts then switched back to my mother. I looked at my father, finding his smile fading a little. "I think Mama is sad. I think she was crying."

His smile faltered. "She was?"

"Yes."

"Why don't you go tell her everything will be fine until I finish praying and come back, okay?"

"But why is she sad?"

"It's nothing, sweethea-"

"Did you get fired?" I tilted my head.

Even in the dark, I saw his eyes widen in response.

This reminded me of a scene I saw on television before. I was about to switch the station so I could watch my usual dose of cartoons but the mother who was being hysterical caught my attention. She was shouting her lungs out and crying her eyes out when she realized that her husband wasn't working anymore. He was fired. I thought she was overreacting. He could find a job in another place. The world wasn't ending. It was just yesterday that I saw this scene in a movie. It was still vivid in my mind.

If it was the same for my father then this would've been a big coincidence.

However, the father in the film was fired because he was drinking. My father doesn't drink though. 'Home-destruction is what it should be called instead,' he said.

He chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Alyssa, I got dismissed from my job and left the office on my own will. Or at least that's how I like to phrase it." He muttered the last sentence so quickly I almost didn't hear it.

I patted his cheek, as concern swam in my eyes. "Don't be sad."

And mama too. Please don't be.

This wasn't the first time I woke up to see my mother's face glistening from traces of her dried tears. I always thought it had something to do with my father, but now I knew it was far from that-or at least most of it. Her family. Or specifically, her father.

I understood now.

I thought things would've turned better for her when I was younger; thought her tears would suddenly stop and instead she'd be sleeping peacefully on her bed.

But, oh my God, was I wrong.

Because the moment the light entered my eyes-the moment I peeled my eyelids open and lifted my head from the floor-the world around me froze, as if time stood still just for me. It came to a halt to give my mind a chance to register who was standing in front of me-or where I was. Time seemed to slow down to assist me. To help me in absorbing everything going on around me because I won't have time to register anything when it resumes.

Two figures were standing in front of me. Even though they stood a few meters away from me, it felt as though they were towering over me. One lean, the other buffer. Both of them were as familiar as my name.

A pair of hazel eyes that belonged to the older male were piercing me with so much disgust I'd never been targeted with in my life before.

The other pair of amber eyes were staring at me with a whole other emotion, one which I couldn't wrap my mind around, considering where he was standing right now.

Traitor.

When I tried moving my limbs, my wrists burned. That was when I knew exactly what situation I was in. Both my hands were pinned together behind my back and I wasn't sure if my legs were also bound or not as they were tucked under me.

In any case, I was completely powerless.

Helpless.